Our clients were looking for an iconic long term family home. They bought this 4 bedroom family home in Toorak over $20 million. In the same week, for the same client, we worked with some great selling agents to sell their family home in Boroondara for over $10 million. A big week for the family, it was 3 months in the planning and it ran like clockwork. They were exciting to work with. In the same week, one interstate family bought in Bayside, over $2 million, so as they could be living in Melbourne at start of the new school year. This was December. We looked at two auction homes and an off market one. Our clients had choices and they selected the off market one, we negotiated a deal with our relationship contacts and should be moving in January, on time. Look this up on realestate.com.au or anywhere on the net - you won’t see it – it was never on the net! In the same week, another family bought at auction in the Sunnyside Estate Camberwell towards $4 million. Their brief was simple – buy us a quality family home that will be a good financial investment going forward. You would save a $750,000 if you renovate this, relatively easily vs a new build and it has better growth prospects than a new build! That’s right save $750,000 to renovate and in our opinion, better growth prospects! Our clients have options as it’s so flexible, build, renovate or rent. YOUNGER HOMEBUYERS
And then WOW, a lovely note from a young couple, who we had trialed our new Younger HomeBuyers Program with in 2016. One of two couples. We do want to help younger people find homes, as its becoming increasingly difficult for them with increasing population, immigration, tax break to us who are well off and …………
So the Young Homebuyers Program we trialed in 2016 works like this. We are your James Peer Reviewers.
1. You come and meet with us and we talk about a plan that makes sense for you to buy a home.
2. You begin looking. We provide phone support.
3. You find a home that you think makes sense, on the agreed guidelines.
4. We visit the home, then review your due diligence and values and
5. You either bid or we do, if you are nervous.
6. If you buy, you make a donation to Launch Housing Private Rental Support Program. In both instances in 2016 each couple donated $5,000 (tax deductible to them). This year in 2017 through Facebook and ………… we plan to build a way where we can help more young people, make good decisions on buying their first family home. Early 2017 is about finding that way. HOMELESSNESS
And finally this week – great week, the one before Christmas - we got a lovely letter from Tony Keenan, Chief Executive Officer saying that we had met our $40,000, 2016 donation commitment to Launch Housing for the Homeless. We have been involved in this Private Rental Brokerage scheme since its inception in 2006. The way it works is we at James find the cash and Launch Housing finds the families who are about to become homeless through no real fault of their own. It may be a loss of a job, an illness ……… and with a direct grant from the program, which they pay back in part if they can, of between $1,000 and $2,000 the family is able to get through the worst of it and survive in their home. We were involved in buying homes before 2006 for Launch (formerly Hanover) but that is capital intensive and this is so much more immediate. We have a contract with Launch Housing that 90% of the money donated goes directly in grants and we receive a quarterly report. Its all above board kosher!! If you want to get involved and donate ring Andy during office hours on 9288 9600 and ask about the Private Rental Brokerage Program. This year as a company, we have decided that with the expanding James Agent Selection Service, all funds we receive in helping select the best selling agent to sell your property will go to the Private Rental Brokerage Program. It’s a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN. No additional cost to sellers. No conflicts (as we buy a lot) in this growing program to help buyers, sell. And some money from great agents goes to where it is needed most – The Homeless.
