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29. May 2015 11:03  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (5)


The following article appeared on the Ellenbrook Advocates Facebook page;

Joel Kelly May 27, 2015, 3:50 PM | THE ADVOCATE

Retail revelation for Ellenbrook

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The north-west perspective of the new retail precinct at The Shops At Ellenbrook

ELLENBROOK’S main shopping centre is set for expansion, with its owners today announcing it will start building a new retail area for large shops.

Labelled the ‘bulky goods precinct’, shops there will generally be those that sell larger items from warehouse style buildings.

The expansion of The Shops At Ellenbrook will be separate to the existing building in an undeveloped parcel of land at the corner of Pinaster Parade and The Promenade.

The first tenant in the highly visible area will be First Choice Liquor Store.

Insurance Commission of Western Australia, who owns the shopping centre, plans to open the bulky goods precinct next year.

The commission’s chief executive Rod Whithear said the first stage of the project had council approval and would go out to tender soon.

“The development of the bulky goods precinct represents another step to ensure that Ellenbrook, as one of fastest growing urban areas in Perth, has the facilities to meet all community needs,” Mr Whithear said.

The Shops’ bulky goods precinct will be built progressively over the 4.3-hectare site.

Mr Whithear said that the bulky goods establishment was separate to the stage three expansion of the shopping centre, which has been planned for some time.

27. May 2015 11:02  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (4)


The following article appeared in the Ellenbrook Advocate Wednesday May 27th 2015;

THE Ellenbrook Men’s Shed’s latest project is set to capture the imaginations of young minds in the City of Swan.

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Masters store support manager Peter Bouckley, Chris Bain who built the cubby, and library staff Aniek Ragan, Rosalie Dolliver and Lynda Tan. http://www.communitypix.com.au d437559

It is a book cubby, and it can be packed up and taken to schools or libraries in the Swan area.

The cubby has a desk inside, where children are encouraged to write and illustrate a small book about any conceivable topic.

Once the book is finished, one copy sits on the shelf and remains part of the nomadic library.

First stop for the cubby will be the Ellenbrook library where children in the regular reading workshops will have the chance to help paint the new book cubby.

While City of Swan librarians initiated the idea, it ended up as a community project.

The Men’s Shed built the cubby from materials donated by Masters in Ellenbrook. Call the library on 9297 9600.

26. May 2015 10:38  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (4)


The following article appeared in the Ellenbrook Advocate on May 20th 2015

THE swimming pool promised to Ellenbrook residents before the 2013 State election is finally possible.

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Donna Faragher, Mia Davies and Swan Mayor Charlie Zannino with Ellenbrook District Outdoor Space plans. d437700

The Budget announcement revealed a $7 million injection towards sport and recreation facilities in Ellenbrook, $2 million of which is dedicated to an aquatic centre.

The other $5 million will fund a sports centre with three indoor courts and a gym at the Ellenbrook District Outdoor Space.

Residents around Ellenbrook, tired of driving 14km to the closest public pool and 25km to the nearest beach, have been lobbying for a pool for years.

As late as last year, the Government was reluctant to say when it would deliver pool funding.

Last September, an irate Colin Barnett was scathing in his response to West Swan MLA Rita Saffioti’s questions over the pool delivery, saying Ms Saffioti would “probably be the last to know – when the concrete trucks line up”.

The pool construction is now in the City of Swan’s hands.

Swan deputy mayor Mick Wainwright said an aquatic facilities strategy should be completed “in the next few months”.

Swan’s strategy will likely determine whether aquatic facilities are built at a planned regional sport facility at Whiteman or the Ellenbrook District Outdoor Space.

“The announcement has come at an opportune time,” Mr Wainwright said. “The sports centre is a priority project for Ellenbrook and the $5 million will help us to keep the project on track.”

Sport and Recreation Minister Mia Davies said the facility would bring the community together. It would be a great meeting point for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy being physically active.

25. May 2015 15:30  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (1)


 

The following article by Joel Kelly appeared in the Ellenbrook Advocate on May 20th 2015.

 

THE State Budget has drawn mixed reactions from stakeholders in the Swan region.

WA Treasurer Mike Nahan revealed a record State deficit of $2.7 billion for the 2015-16 financial year, the first deficit in 15 years.

For the local area, on a positive note, City of Swan has received a $7 million boost for its sport and recreation facilities, including a $2 million allocation for an aquatic centre.

There is also continued spending on road projects like the Swan Valley bypass section of the North Link project and upgrades to the Great Eastern Highway.

Swan Hills MLA Frank Alban said he believed this Budget was about ensuring the most vulnerable members of the community would receive the support they needed.

“With regard to Swan Hills projects, I am pleased that our State Government’s commitments to NorthLink WA continue, as well as the recent Commonwealth Government announcement of $499.1 million for infrastructure projects in the State,” he said.

“In the broader context of the State, I believe this Budget is about ensuring the most vulnerable members of our community will receive the support they need.”

As expected, the Government has held its position on delivering a second high school for Ellenbrook in 2018.

Missing from the Budget is any indication it will invest in a university for Midland.

The same goes for the relocation of Midland’s train station closer to the new hospital, which was identified as a key priority for Midland by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority.

The good news is $23.5 million has been allocated to the MRA to carry out objectives in the Midland Master Plan, set to be released soon.

This could include ideas in the draft plan like the relocation of Midland Station, improving connectivity in Midland CBD and improving the Helena River foreshore.

For the local viticulture industry, the State’s cellar door subsidy, charged to wineries selling more than $500,000 of wine, has been removed and will impact the larger Swan Valley wine producers.

West Swan MLA Rita Saffioti said despite investment in the electorate’s recreational facilities, there was a long way to go.

“There are no plans or funding for new public transport to service Ballajura or Ellenbrook,” she said.

“There is no funding to upgrade Lord Street, while the Caversham South Primary School remains cancelled.”

22. May 2015 14:30  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (0)



A Super Hero Lego workshop for kids between the ages of 5 and 12. Sounds like great winter fun.

The City of Swan has just announced its school holiday programme for July and is now taking bookings. 

Places are limited so please book ASAP by phoning the Ellenbrook Library on 9297 9600.

19. May 2015 12:19  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (0)


A record 293,000 students are in public schools this year.

The following article by Claire Bickers appeared in PERTHNOW MAY 18, 2015 

A record 293,000 students are in public schools this year.

SIXTEEN new public primary schools and five new secondary schools will open in WA by the start of 2019 as part of a $1.18 billion funding package for education infrastructure over the next four years.

Education Minister Peter Collier announced the new schools on Monday.

New primary schools will open at Ellenbrook (Annie’s Landing), Harrisdale, Alkimos (Trinity) and Baldivis (Rivergums) by the start of 2016, and at Alkimos (South West), Baldivis (North), Byford (South West) and Landsdale (East) by the start of 2017.

Four more new primary schools will open by the start of 2018 and another four will be open for the start of 2019 in locations yet to be decided.

Stage 1 of a new high school at Harrisdale will be completed for the start of 2017, a new high school will be built at Ellenbrook North for the start of 2018, and new high schools will be built at Yanchep, South Baldivis and Lakelands for the start of 2019.

“We have a record 293,000 students in public schools this year and this will continue to grow,” Mr Collier said.

“That’s why we are continuing to build and redevelop schools to ensure every student has the best possible modern facilities in which to learn.”

15. May 2015 10:51  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (0)


The Federal Budget has some incentives for the Real Estate sector as explained in this article by REIWA. The Real Estate Industry of WA also welcomed the retention of the stamp duty exemption in the State Budget. REIWA President David Airey said the exemption on stamp duty for homes under $430,000 is a huge benefit to all first time buyers.

Real estate sector comes out on top in Federal Budget

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Wins for small businesses and the retention of key tax arrangements that benefit housing investment are the big positives for real estate in the 2015-16 Federal Budget. 

The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) haswelcomed the Federal Budget, announced Tuesday, with Chief Executive Officer Amanda Lynch congratulating Treasurer Joe Hockey on listening to the real estate sector. 

“The Government is to be commended for ensuring stability within the sector in continuing the current tax arrangements as they relate to both Capital Gains Tax and negative gearing. 

“With other sectors of the economy slowing, housing will play an increasingly important role and it is pleasing to see the Government has not tampered with tax arrangements that have been proven to help stimulate housing investment in Australia,” said Ms Lynch. 

Ms Lynch said if negative gearing had been abolished, it would have resulted in a dwindling supply of properties for rent, escalating rent prices and reduced opportunities for low to middle income earning Australians to create wealth for self-funded retirement. 

The wins for small businesses included tax cuts, immediate deductibility for professional expenses, capital gains tax roll over relief for changes to entity structure, changes to the fringe benefits tax system for work related electronic devices and expanding accelerated depreciation. 

“We strongly welcome the small business package that will give business owners meaningful incentives to hire, invest in equipment and importantly grow their livelihood,” Ms Lynch said. 

REIA also commended the Federal Government for listening to the real estate industry on the issue of foreign investment. 

“We welcome the commitment of $67.2 million over four years to improve compliance and strengthen enforcement. We have long argued the Foreign Investment Review Board was caught asleep at the wheel. Compliance is now in the hands of the Australian Tax Office (ATO) to the funding needed to ensure the ATO has some teeth in enforcing the new regulations,” Ms Lynch said. 

Infrastructure was another positive out of the 2015-16 Federal Budget, with the Australian Government committing to providing Western Australia with $499.1 million towards economic infrastructure projects in WA for 2014-15. 

The Government has also pledged to establish a five billion dollar Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility that will be available for major infrastructure projects such as ports and railways in WA, the Northern Territory and Queensland. 

View the 2015-16 Federal Budget.

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11. May 2015 12:26  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (0)


The following post by Joe Sirianni appears in The Real Estate Conversations blog – to see article on the blog go to;

http://www.therealestateconversation.com.au/blog/2015/05/11/debt-reduction-the-best-strategy-with-low-rates#.VVAuy546yjA.facebook 

Use these rates to take years off your mortgage term and save hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest.

Debt reduction, rather than improved household cash flow, provides the best financial opportunities in the current record low interest rate environment. Last week’s decision by the Reserve Bank to further reduce the cash rate reinforces the merits of this strategy. Every mortgage holder would be well advised to make the most of these rates while they can.

This current interest rate situation may last for quite a while but it may also be short lived. The truth is, no one knows how long we are going to enjoy these rates. Record low rates tend to focus our intention on the obvious opportunities associated with cheap finance however, they actually present us all with an amazingly powerful opportunity to reduce our debts faster.

There are obvious financial benefits to making larger repayments in a low interest rate environment. Many appear to be heeding the message, with one major bank recently revealing that up to half of its customers plan to get ahead on their mortgage repayments by keeping their repayments at the same level. However, Smartline suggests it is a worthy strategy for anyone with a mortgage on their owner-occupier home.

Paying down debt that does not offer you a tax deduction on the interest expense is always going to be worthwhile. Foregoing the higher household cash flow benefit now provides major long-term financial benefits that every home owner would appreciate – taking years off your mortgage term and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest.

8. May 2015 16:08  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (0)


 

One of the best ways to determine how and Agency and Sales Representative will preform in the sale of your house is to ask their past clients!

Below are some recently received glowing TESTIMONIALS for Swan Valley Realty

1.
Steve and I wanted to send you an email to let you know how much we appreciate what you have done for us with regards to the sale of our home. I ‘interviewed’ a number of Real Estate agents and could not find one that we were comfortable with or who actually listened to us and we trusted enough to sell the most expensive item that we owned! When I initially met with you, I knew that your professional and positive attitude was perfect for us. Lisa, you really helped us as we struggled emotionally with selling the home that we had lived in and loved for 17 years.

It was important to us that we received feedback from prospective buyers after ‘Home Opens’ and with some of your advice, we were able to present a home that sold quite quickly for a price that we are more than happy with. The entire process from start to finish was very smooth and we always felt that we were your most important clients and our interests were the ones that mattered. It is a credit to you the amount of effort and professionalism that you exhibit and we are so glad that it was you that helped us through the process of selling our beloved home.

Thank you again, we will definitely be recommending you to others! I hope you are enjoying a well deserved glass of wine.

Kind Regards 
Steve and Rae Haywood

2.
I am writing to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Swan Valley Realty, in particular Lisa Driehuis, who successfully sold our home in Ellenbrook last year.

Not only was our home sold very quickly (within a week of listing), but we got the price we wanted too. We could not have asked for a better result!
During our dealings with Lisa we found her to be approachable and friendly, professional and very switched on. Communication was excellent and we always knew exactly where we were at during each stage of the selling process.
I would certainly use her services again in the future and would have no hesitation in recommending Lisa & the team at Swan Valley Realty to anyone who is after an honest, friendly and professional Real Estate Agent in the Swan Valley area.

Yours sincerely,
L & L Bowers

3.
I would like to say a big thank you to you for a very stress free sale of our home. 
Your professionalism and commitment were second to none and nothing was too much trouble. Particularly with us being out of town for most of the time there were times when you really went over and above expectations for ensuring the house presented well.

Prior to engaging Swan Valley Realty, we were approached by several other realtors but felt happy with your fees but more particularly we both felt it was right to have you act as our agent.
It really has been an enjoyable and not in the least bit stressful experience.

We wish you well in the future and will recommend you as an agent to any of our friends who may wish to purchase or sell property in the future.

Thanks so much Lisa

Kindest regards,
Anne Fisher and Nick Gagliardi

4.
You did an amazing job selling our house and making sure the whole process ran smoothly. I would not hesitate in recommending you to anyone requiring a real estate agent. You are an asset to your company.

Kind regards,
Tania Gregory

5.
Your quality of service was excellent and the communication was great too!
Handling of enquires was done well with superb professionalism.
Presentation was good and I found you to be very approachable.
You were competitively priced and I would certainly use Swan Valley Realty again.

All the best for the future and I hope things are going well!

Kind regards, 
Peter Sture

6.
I would give Lisa 10/10 for quality of service, communication and presentation. Lisa always returned my calls, answered my queries promptly and met all of my requests. Lisa appeared confident and knowledgeable. She also showed a lot of respect towards the vendors. I found her to be very approachable, warm and professional. I would recommend Lisa and Swan Valley Realty to others buying or selling a home.

Melissa Dybing

6. May 2015 14:09  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (0)


The following article appeared in REIWA.com news on 6 May 2015…

“The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to lower interest rates by a further 25 basis points to two per cent has been welcomed by the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia. 

REIWA President David Airey said the rate cut presented home buyers with financial approval with a very good opportunity. 

“There’s plenty of property to choose from in our sluggish market, with sales down by around 11 per cent on last year. 

“People who have put off buying might now be enticed to act with such low interest rates and huge competition to lend,” Mr Airey said. 

RBA Governor Glenn Stevens said the Board judged that inflation outlook provided the opportunity for monetary policy to be eased further and to reinforce recent encouraging trends in household demand. 

Yesterday’s interest rate cut is the second this year, following the 0.25 per cent drop in February.” 
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5. May 2015 11:30  /  swanvalleyrealtyblog Comments (4)


During the three week trial there will be a range of ‘loose parts materials’ at the playground that children of all ages can interact with.

The idea behind the loose part materials is to inspire creative, experimental play.

The trial will run until Friday, May 22.

To provide feedback on the project, visit www.swan.wa.gov.au/natureplayarea or call Cath Hewitt on 9207 8573.