June 2018

Having four walls around us and a roof over our heads is what we call having a house. Decorating a house with things that we love and things that are unique and special to us is what makes that house a home.

As I look around my own home, I notice all the things that I’ve built up over time which make these four walls special to me. In particular, I have a beautiful painting made by a special friend of mine, and each time I look in that direction it reminds me of them.

I look around that painting and note my favourite paint colour which covers the wall behind it. The wall really brings out the vibrancy of the colours in the painting and brings it to life. Those small details are what makes that room special to me.

This can be a tough question to answer for a lot of people. There are those who can’t wait to get out of the place they’re in for a raft of different reasons, and then there are those who struggle with the move and reset into a new place.

For those who struggle with ambiguity, moving can be a really stressful time. Often this is because you must give four weeks’ notice to the landlord prior to moving from your current place, and then you need to find yourself the perfect new place to live. And on top of that, you need to apply along with a host of other people who also love that ‘perfect place’. So, worrying about whether you’ll find the right place, or the difficulty in moving everything can sometimes stop people making the change and keep them somewhere they don’t love; somewhere that doesn’t feel like a home.

Brrrr, is anyone else feeling that winter chill set in? Summer is a distant memory now as the short days are upon us and we hibernate in the comfort of our homes, snuggled up by the fire, cooking home-style meals and enjoy nights in with the family by our side.

This recipe for Pork belly is an absolute winter winner and will keep you and the family warm and happy.

Buying your forever home is a very different process to buying an investment property. The value of an investment property can be measured in dollars and cents, whereas the value of a home is often more emotionally influenced. Both are and should be long-term decisions, but have a different set of requirements.

So how are they different?

Here are three keys things to consider when looking to buy your next property.

At McGrath Real Estate we live and breathe the coastal lifestyle. If you are anything like us you will know that living by the sea is good for the soul and good for your health too.

Living seaside has many wonderful health benefits and in this crazy rat race that is the world we live in, making a choice for a sea change can have wonderful health benefits for you and your family.

Coastal living benefits you physically and mentally and is good for the soul.

Some of the best benefits are: