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All you need to know about Pop Up Penguins

Find everything you need to know about our cute penguin friends here!

Wild in Art is bringing a second sculpture trail to Christchurch this summer. In partnership with Presenting Partner, Harcourts and with the support of many other sponsors and funders, Pop Up Penguins will give residents and visitors a fresh opportunity to discover and delight in all that makes Ōtautahi special.

The public art trail will include 50 large and five smaller penguin sculptures, sponsored by companies and decorated by established and emerging artists, along with 65 little penguins, decorated by schools as part of the Pop Up Penguins Learning Programme. This is a great opportunity for all of us to get out and about in our city this summer and be surprised by the creativity of not only our artists, but also the children from local schools who have been involved in the creation of some sculptures. The designs and their implementation is truly amazing.

The sculpture trail will run from 29 November – 31 January, download the app (Pop Up Penguins 2020) to find all the information you need. With the app you can collect penguins, unlock rewards, find out more about the designs and the artists, and view your trail progress. You can also download the trail map here.

After nine weeks, out and about in Christchurch, the street sized penguins will be auctioned to raise awareness and much needed funds for Christchurch’s very own Cholmondeley Children’s Centre. So, if there is a special penguin that steals your heart, register for the auction scheduled for Tuesday 16 February 2021 and you could be the lucky owner once the summer trail wraps up. But until then we all have the opportunity to enjoy the penguins, challenge ourselves to find and photograph as many as we can along the trail, and learn a bit more about issues threatening penguins including climate change.

Pop Up Penguins is guaranteed to bring a smile to all our faces after a challenging year for our community, NZ and the world.

Holmwood penguin – UNDERCOVER

This not so little penguin has been selected and sponsored by the Holmwood team. We are very proud to be part of this wonderful event, after literally months of work by the organisers, artists and schools. The talented artist in charge of bringing ‘Undercover Penguin’ to colourful life is Jo Ogier. Jo is passionate about the natural world around her. Her work reflects a strong conservational and ecological tie with nature, as well as her deep love and connection to the environment.

You can find our new favourite and cute summer friend in the Merivale Mall. So, if you are around visiting, we would love to see some of your photos. Just tag our Facebook or Instagram account or add the hashtag #harcourtsholmwood or #holmwood.

Activity Book: If you visit Undercover at the Merivale Mall, make sure to scan it with your phone. This will give you a code stating you have visited it and you can pick up the Activity book from any of our five offices.  Your kids will love it! Something fun to do over the holidays.

Dance like a penguin COMPETITION

Because these friends are just too cute and we cannot avoid waddling every time we talk about them, Harcourts Canterbury is running a ‘Dance Like a Penguin’ competition. So, get your happy feet out! There are 5 family passes to the International Antarctic Centre to give away. You just need to send in your best dance/waddle like a penguin video to be in to win one of these awesome prizes (entry for 2 adults and up to 6 children along with a $60 café voucher). Message your video entries to Harcourts Canterbury Facebook page. Video entries close Sunday 13th December so invite your penguin colony to your place and get out filming your waddling!

You can read the T&Cs by clicking here.

 

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Christchurch Real Estate: November Update

Harcourts’ South Island Regional Manager, Jim Davis, comments on the Christchurch real estate market.

With the release of the latest REINZ property market data for the month of October, it is likely the comments I will make around the report will come as no surprise to anyone. The current buoyant state of the property market is a hot topic across all media outlets and there is no doubt our market has reacted quite differently from what was expected and predicted by the commentators just 6 months ago. But with the underlying strength and the hype that is developing around our market now, there are very few commentators who would pick it is going to change much in the foreseeable future.

In a nutshell, property is in huge demand right around the country with almost every region experiencing either a record median price increase, a record number of sales or a record minimum days on market figure.

Looking first at the national monthly results, the median sale price is recorded at $725,000 for October 2020, is in comparison to a recorded median of $605,000 in October 2019.
The total number of sales recorded across the country in October this year is the largest October result recorded for 14 years and the highest monthly total in the last 53 months.
The recorded days on market has dropped nationally to 29 days which is the lowest recorded figure in 17 years. When we look at all this, there can be no doubt in anyone’s mind that there is huge pressure on our housing situation across New Zealand.

Here in Christchurch the sales figures results reflect what has happened nationally. While the 755 recorded sales in Christchurch isn’t a record, the number is right up there. Our days on market figure is 28 days which is slightly shorter than the national figure and our median is now a healthy $$526,000 – a new record high.

It is reported that close to a quarter of all property sold in NZ was sold by auction in October, here in Christchurch where we lead the way in auction culture, I suspect this figure could be a lot higher. In the case of Harcourts figures for Christchurch, we had a huge listing month throughout October. This is in fact the biggest in the last two years and in our case over 45% of our listings were listed as auctions. Love them or hate them there is no doubt that auction is the simplest and fairest way to sell property in a market like this. When there is so much buyer interest in the marketplace, the ability for someone to transparently see who they are bidding against and as a buyer it gives you the ability to make a conscious decision as to whether you are prepared to offer more than the last bid. We have lots of feedback from happy clients who say this method of sale is better than the “smoke and mirrors” perception of other marketing methods.

So where to from here for the market in Christchurch and in fact in New Zealand? There is no doubt that the commentary and rhetoric is changing from the media commentators. The feeling is that we are not in a bubble. The comments definitely suggest we are heading into a sustained period of price growth and increasing buyer interest from the existing market. While some of this past buyer activity has been typecast as people having a “fear of missing out “FOMO”, I believe there is in fact a much stronger underlying basis. The expectations long term have changed so that when the world gets back to a little more normality, perhaps borders reopen or space is available in quarantine facilities etc, then we will see the “brain gain” back into New Zealand from the returning kiwis and their families. Talk is now that over the next few years we could see as many as 250,000 kiwis and families looking to beat the rest of the world to our door. If this prediction is in fact true or even close to reality, then our current housing market will not be slowing down any time in the near future. Even if it’s not true, have no doubt the pressure from a large number of other people from around the world to get to the safety of New Zealand will be huge.

If you are wanting to get into the market for the first time every indicator says now is that time. If your local market is outpricing and outstripping your ability to save, perhaps look further afield and consider the possibility of staying where you are currently but purchasing a property in another area to rent out. This way you can dip your toes in the water and get that start.

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Chinese Property Seminar

Holmwood were recently part of a seminar focusing on investing and managing rental property for the Chinese community. The popular event was organised by non-profit Chinese organisation, New Zealand China Exchange Incorporated, and was attended by Holmwood’s Caroline Register (General Manager for Holmwood Property Management), Michael Chan (Licensed Sales Consultant) and Bridget Gabites (Head of Growth and Strategy).

Caroline gave a summary of requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards 2020 applicable to rental properties and also the recently confirmed Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2020 (rental reform). This information was invaluable to the Chinese community as there is limited access to translated information. Michael translated Caroline’s speech and many questions from the floor to Mandarin, while also speaking on why the Christchurch housing market was worth investing and some important things an investor should know when buying a rental property.

Here is some helpful information in Chinese about the above standards and reform.

If you have any more questions or would like to discuss your real estate or property management needs, contact:

Michael Chan on 0278 234 888
michael.chan@harcourts.co.nz

or Caroline Register on 027 509 3121
caroline.register@harcourts.co.nz

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Buyers ready to purchase now

If we could bring you an outstanding offer from one of our pre-approved buyers, would you sell?

The Canterbury housing market is currently experiencing a shortage of properties for sale, resulting in more buyers than properties. If you have been considering selling your home or would like an indication of its current market value, please call one of our experienced and knowledgeable agents. Take advantage of this unprecedented time where low interest rates plus a high demand could equal a great price for you.

If you have ever purchased or sold a home, you will know what a rollercoaster of anticipation, hope and triumph it can be… sometimes all three in the same day! This is where having the right team by your side is so important. Using our unique customised marketing and negotiation strategies, our highly experienced consultants along with the support of the Harcourts network, vow to go the extra mile to convert interest into results.

Whether you are buying or selling our experienced, family-focused team are here to help, every step of the way.

Tony Jenkins
CEO, Harcourts Holmwood
0274 322 896

We are here to help you with your real estate needs.

Request a house appraisal today:

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Celebrating 12 years of Sponsorship

At Holmwood we are celebrating a very special relationship this year.

It is an absolute privilege to have been sponsoring Nurse Maude for more than 12 years now. Through snow storms, earthquakes, pandemics, and the ups and downs of the real estate market, we haven’t missed a beat.

Every day, our agents are travelling all over Canterbury on the back of Nurse Maude vehicles, to support the essential work this amazing organisation undertakes. It is an honour to be able to contribute directly to the care of someone in our community.

Harcourts Holmwood are deeply committed to this relationship – it is much more than just being a face on an ad to us.

24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year, for 12 years, we’ve been on the road behind Nurse Maude, literally…!

Where they go, we go.
Here’s to 12 years.

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Our team is here to help

Bridget Gabites & Hayden Broadbelt join Harcourts Holmwood

Harcourts Holmwood Real Estate are delighted to announce the appointment of Bridget Gabites as Head of Growth & Strategy and Hayden Broadbelt as Business Owner of the Fendalton office.

Bridget comes to Harcourts Holmwood with over a decade of global real estate leadership experience. The role of Head of Growth & Strategy across the multi-office group will see Bridget concentrating on elevating the team, company and most importantly the results for their clients. Specialising in futurist thinking and team development, Bridget is an internationally renowned real estate coach and trainer. Understanding what it takes to be successful, and knowing how to educate others to reach their own success, Bridget will work intensively with agents choosing Harcourts Holmwood to progress their careers to the next level.

Hayden began his foray into real estate in 2005 with Harcourts and has worked with multiple brands over the past 15 years most recently as South Island Regional Manager for Harcourts New Zealand. His career has spanned multiple cities and real estate markets providing him a strength of knowledge that is unsurpassed in the Canterbury market. Hayden comes to the Harcourts Holmwood Group with many years of business ownership under his belt, a Graduate Diploma in Business Studies and his AREINZ Status (Associate Member of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand). The Fendalton team are thrilled to have a leader of his calibre supporting their growth.
These announcements show the strength of the Harcourts Holmwood brand in the current market. When markets are tough, people turn to the best in the industry to support them in property decisions and there isn’t a steadier hand than the support provided by everyone within the Holmwood Group.

“Recruiting these two superstar leaders was a massive win for the Holmwood business and shows my team’s commitment to providing the best possible service and support to our clients. Watch this space for some incredible industry leading ideas in development. We are the safest choice for our client’s biggest financial decisions: their property transactions. Whether you are selling, buying or investing, our team is here to help”.

Tony Jenkins
CEO, Harcourts Holmwood
03 351 3002 or 0274 322 896
tony.jenkins@harcourts.co.nz

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Pop up Penguins

The Penguins have arrived!

Harcourts Franchises in Christchurch are proud to support the Pop Up Penguins charitable promotion as the main Presenting Partner. The charity we are thrilled to be backing is Cholmondeley Children’s Centre. This centre has been an integral part of our community for many years, what a wonderful and colourful way to give back! Holmwood have selected our penguin design and we can’t wait to share this with you! In the meantime, please keep an eye on our Facebook page to see when our penguin will be released into the wild!

Schools around Canterbury are also involved in the painting of the smaller penguins. These will also form part of the “walk” around the region from the 29th Nov to the 31st Jan 2021. Harcourts is also promoting a design competition aimed at children in the Christchurch region. Any person under 18 can submit a design for a penguin; the winning design will be commissioned, displayed and will eventually be given back to the child as their prize.

The “walk” comprises the 50 large penguins, the 65 smaller school-designed penguins along with the Harcourts colouring competition penguin.

See the colouring competition below, or click here to download a printable PDF.

For more information on the Pop Up Penguins initiative, visit https://popuppenguins.co.nz/

#popuppenguins

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Pink Ribbon Breakfast 2020

A little later than usual… but our St Albans office is taking part one more time in the Pink Ribbon Breakfast. This wonderful event helps support the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s vital work.

The money raised will help fund several areas. One of the most important, is to support groundbreaking work by some of our country’s top breast cancer researchers. It will also help educate people about breast health, and provide free support services for breast cancer patients.

Donate today to help make zero deaths from breast cancer a reality:
https://pinkribbonbreakfast.co.nz/page/harcourtsholmwoodstalbans

The following graph shows how the funds raised are distributed:

#showyoursupport #pinkribbonbreakfastnz

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Thinking of selling in Winter?

To some, Winter can be a daunting time to sell. It is not a predictable season and sellers often wonder if buyers will be put off in the colder months. However, when it comes to selling your home in Winter, there are just a few easy and effective ways you can make your home bright, cozy and enticing. If you’ve been thinking of selling in Winter, here are some helpful pointers:

 

  • Make a clear path up to your home. Rake up leaves and any debris, have a mat by the front door and somewhere people can put shoes and umbrellas etc.
  • Open curtains and blinds and make sure all light-bulbs are working. A feature lamp can add dimension (and light!) to any dimly lit areas.

  • Clean, clean, clean! Especially windows and mirrors. The idea here is to maximise daylight hours and emphasise any natural light coming into your home.
  • Make sure your home is a desirable temperature for open homes (your agent can help you with this!) and that heating is turned on a couple of hours before the open home begins. If there is a fireplace, light it! Fireplaces always give off an enticing warmth.
  • Create a comfortable ambient mood. Plump up cushions on the couch and on beds, add throws over a chair, dress your dining table and clear the clutter off the coffee table! A few things here is fine, think a candle and some reading material. Add some indoor plants for variation in a room.

  • Even the bathroom can be elevated by a gentle scent (nothing too dramatic as some people may be allergic), towels rolled up in baskets and a lovely soap.

  • Soothing background music can also create a welcoming sense of belonging for viewers.
So if you’re thinking of selling this Winter, your Holmwood agent is the best person to talk to about ways you can enhance your home for viewings. Get in touch for a non-obligation marketing proposal and some tips on styling your home!

 

What does Mother’s Day mean to you?

Mother’s Day resonates differently to all of us. It can be a day of celebration, reflection and appreciation, but it can also be a day that evokes feelings of loss, sadness and confusion.

You may yourself be a mother, ringing your own, to wish her a happy day. You may even be in a bubble with your Mum and are lucky enough to give her a hug.

You may be waking up to your children eagerly giving you sloppy forehead kisses and homemade cards with glitter throughout the bed. You may be looking through old cards from children who are no longer at home.

You may be celebrating the privilege of being part of a child’s life. Or you may be mourning the loss of a mother, or a child.

Let’s celebrate those who mother, who have mothered, who want to be a mother but can’t, or are about to become one. Let’s celebrate those who love tirelessly, relentlessly and fiercely without any expectation or reward.

Some of us are mothers
Some of us have mothers,
Some of us no longer do.

Some of us want to be mothers
Some of us were mothers,
Some of us no longer are.

Some of us are step-mothers,
Some of us are stand-in mothers,
Some of us play a million different roles.

To all those who “mother”
We salute you this Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day in social isolation is not ideal, but there are still so many ways you can show your appreciation for the wonderful mum in your life. Download our 30-page activity book here.

No matter how you spend it, we hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!