Harcourts Holmwood announce sponsorship of the Christchurch Chapter of Good Bitches Baking

Good Bitches Baking (GBB) is a network of people who want to show kindness to those in their communities. They do this by delivering delicious homemade baking to people in the community who are having a hard time.

Their mission; to make Aotearoa the kindest place on earth.

The organisation was started by Wellington friends Nicole Murray and Marie Fitzpatrick in 2014. They founded GBB, in the Kiwi tradition of delivering comforting food in an hour of need, and it has become extremely popular throughout New Zealand. There are now GBB Chapters right across the country with new Chapters starting all the time.

Good Bitches Baking Christchurch Harcourts Holmwood

The Christchurch GBB Chapter, led by Sally Clarke, has massive 175 bakers. In July they baked 177 boxes of goodies for different organisations and groups across Christchurch including Battered Women’s Trust, Women and Men’s Night Shelter, Post-Natal Depression Canterbury, Neo-Natal Ward and Dementia Canterbury to name a few. Harcourts Holmwood are absolutely delighted to announce their sponsorship of this thriving Chapter.

“I was so pleased when Sally approached us to sponsor this organisation,” says  Harcourts Holmwood CEO, Tony Jenkins. “Good Bitches Baking is a fabulous and very kiwi concept. We can all remember times in our lives when sitting down with a cup of tea and some home-baked treats has provided a moment of reprieve from a difficult situation.”

Click here to find out more about GBB and see how you can volunteer

Spring is fast approaching and we are heading into a very busy selling season in the Christchurch real estate market. Holmwood have recently announced another Gala Auction on Thursday 26th September from 6pm at our auction rooms (Ground Floor, 397-399 Ilam Road).

The Holmwood Spring Gala Auction packages include special marketing offers that are not to be missed. Speak with one of our consultants today for more information.

Harcourts Spring Gala Auction

Burnside High School zone has been extended beyond what it was in 2019 and 2020. It’s now set into Bishopdale and Papanui from the 2022 school year. The Ministry of Education will continue to monitor the roll at Papanui High School, and this overlap area would be one that the school’s zone could withdraw from in the future should they become at risk of overcrowding.

This comes as part of a seven-year project by local principals and boards of trustees to manage enrolments across the city. Seven schools – Burnside High, Hillmorton High, Mairehau High, Papanui High, Riccarton High School, Linwood College, and Haeata Community Campus will amend or implement their enrolment zones.

The four single-sex state high schools – Christchurch Girls’, Christchurch Boys’, Shirley Boys’, and Avonside Girls’ – will have “dual-layer” enrolment schemes where their zones overlap with that of a nearby co-educational school.

Click here to view interactive map of the new Burnside High Zone

Update on the Christchurch real estate market by Hayden Broadbelt

With the much maligned Capital Gains Tax behind us, June saw the welcome return of investors and a positive step forward for a steady Canterbury real estate market. Their presence is particularly prevalent in the apartment sector with many out of town and local investors seeing the Christchurch rebuild as a city where higher yields can be achieved versus other heated New Zealand property markets.

real estate christchurch

Bank lending and pre-approval rates have risen, providing a welcome return to positive sales growth from this time last year. I’m happy to report that new listings in Canterbury were up 5.7% compared to June 2018. Days on market has stretched to 47 days, up from 40 days in May. This increase is a seasonal stretch as buyers wait for the Spring rush to get a better selection. The median sale price dipped a little to $445,000, encouraging those first home buyers to take advantage of the low interest rates on offer and lack of seasonal demand.  Auctions are still seeing strong support from those wishing to sell and purchase in a transparent environment. Our auction rooms remain busy each week, a reflection of the positivity in marketplace.

real estate christchurch

Property listings are the lifeblood of any real estate business and the volume of listings coming into Harcourts across the city continues to track well. Harcourts remains the preferred company in Christchurch with close to every second new property to the market being listed by your city’s favourite real estate brand.

For more information contact one of our consultants today

The standard response when you’re thinking about selling your home (but are not sure when) is ‘Sell in Spring’. There is plenty of truth that warmer, drier weather and post-winter itchy feet, encourage potential buyers to open homes.

But life doesn’t stop for winter. People still need to move, whether it be for new jobs, for family reasons or just those itchy feet. Even though the weather is cooler, there are some distinct positives to selling your property in winter.

For a start, there are a lot of people who stick to the ‘List in Spring’ rule, which means you have less competition from other sellers in the market at the same time.

Also, if people are willing to make the effort to get out-and-about to view open homes on cold, wet days, then likelihood is that they’re motivated to buy! This is reflected in the latest market statistics showing a median sale price increase of $15,000 compared to last June, and the number of sales up from 488 to 517.

Christchurch Property - Selling in Winter

Tips for Selling Your Property in Winter

Use winter staging tricks

A warm fire can be a great asset in the winter; if you have a fireplace, ensure it is lit during an inspection. Blankets can be used on couches and in the bedroom to create a cosy vibe, making buyers feel at home in your property.

Curb appeal

Freshen-up your property by displaying potted flowers to help brighten-up the garden area. Rake fallen leaves, prune bushes with spent leaves and mow your lawn. This will help your property look more vibrant and appealing.

Clean the windows

Most winter days tend to be overcast. Clean windows will allow any sunlight that appears, to beam freely into the indoor space.

Use lighting to your advantage

On dim winter days, you may not have as much natural lighting as you would like. Turn on all of your lamps and lighting fixtures to banish dark corners and give the place a cosy glow.

Keep the heating on

It’s nice to enter a warm place when it’s cold outside, and in addition it will help erase any doubts about whether or not the heating system works. However, do not have it up too high – you don’t want people to feel like they’re walking into a sauna.

Make minor repairs

No matter what time of year you wish to sell your property, you’ll want to prepare for the sale by having a property that’s in proper working order.

For more information contact one of our consultants or request a no-obligation appraisal by clicking HERE

Competing at the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) National Real Estate Auctioneering Championships, which was held in Auckland last week, is a bit like competing in the New Zealand Open or the Coast to Coast. Professional auctioneers train for this annual event with a level of commitment similar to that of an elite athlete.

“To the average person, auctioneering looks easy”, said Aaron Davis of Harcourts Blue Fern Realty in Henderson, “but that’s because a seasoned auctioneer makes it look easy.”

Christchurch Auctioneers

Davis has been calling auctions for Harcourts for 10 years and has made it to the finals of the national championships eight times. This year he took out the top spot after two gruelling days of competition against 27 of the country’s most experienced auctioneers.

A good auctioneer requires a high level of industry knowledge, excellent communication and numeracy skills, and most importantly, the ability to build rapport with people from all walks of life.

“Auction competitions are not the same as a real auction”, said Davis. “It’s all scripted, but there are always plenty of curve balls thrown in. You have to think on your feet and then there’s the pressure of being scrutinised by the judges. It just takes one small slip up; you get a number wrong or you don’t handle a question as well as you’d like. The negative self-talk in your head can quickly take you down.”

Christchurch real estate auctions

In the weeks leading up to the competition, Aaron practices for several hours a day over and above the ‘on the job training’ he gets as a full time auctioneer. “It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been calling auctions”, says Aaron, “you need to be constantly perfecting your skills to get the best result.”

Amongst the exceptionally large field of auctioneers competing at this year’s event, half were from Harcourts including Harcourts  Holmwood auctioneers Mark McGoldrick and Kyle Siebert.

“Historically Harcourts has always had a culture of excellence in auctioneering in New Zealand and internationally”, said Harcourts Managing Director, Bryan Thomson. “The quality of the auctioneering can have an enormous impact on the outcome of an auction, so it’s gratifying to see so many of our auctioneers competing and winning at this level year after year.”

Update on the Christchurch real estate market by Hayden Broadbelt

May was a month that we felt Jack Frost return from his summer slumber. His fingers wrapped around us at the start of the month, however, it didn’t dampen confidence on the Christchurch real estate market. Whilst the market remained stable, 654 sales saw a significant lift in sales from April with the median sale price static at $452,500.

The five-year trend line continues to inch North reassuring both buyer and vendor alike. This surge in sales provides evidence that investors are returning on the back of our coalition Government not going with Dr Cullen’s recommendation on a Capital Gains Tax (CGT). First home buyers remain active but are bound by borrowing restrictions. Banks are taking a cautious approach around the historically low-interest rates provided. Our auction results continue to be pleasing with clearance rates up. Those with their finance in place are securing excellent results within our auction rooms.

Days on market has increased by 1 day to 40 days, indicating our marketing method time frames are lengthening due to the vendor and buyer price expectations out of alignment. Whilst many take a conservative approach during the colder months, those who like to purchase property without the summer competition are securing great properties.

Christchurch real estate

Driving through our great city it’s exciting to see new buildings completed. Our residential sales teams are listing more and more properties within the four avenues and businesses are starting to return to the CBD. Accommodation projects are taking shape, and the hustle and bustle is returning. Like anything starting again, our hospitality sector as well as retail needs your help to get going. They rely on us to visit the CBD, to explore our heart and enjoy what’s being created.

Property listings are the lifeblood of any real estate business and the volume of listings coming into Harcourts across the city continues to track well. Harcourts continues to be the preferred company across the city with close to every second new property to the market being listed by your city’s favourite company, Harcourts.

For more information contact one of our consultants today

Our St Albans office supported the Breast Cancer Society with their Pink Ribbon Breakfast. It was a wonderful morning filled with dress ups, delicious food, exciting auctions and great company.

We are proud to announce that they more than tripled their donation goal! The money raised will be used to fund research projects and medical grants to help improve survivorship, as well as support patients and their families during treatment and recovery.

Thank you to everyone who came along to support, and especially to Jarod Rolton and his wonderful team for putting this together!

christchurch communitychristchurch communitychristchurch communitychristchurch community real estate

Update on the Christchurch real estate market by Hayden Broadbelt

The month of April arrived with continuing uncertainty around a CGT (Capital Gains Tax). Investors were still laying low with a level market creating opportunities for first home buyers.

April results in from REINZ show that while the median house price across New Zealand increased by 6.4% in April, the median price in Canterbury remained static at $470k. Values are still tracking North with an annual increase of 4.3% from 2018.

Easter, ANZAC day and school holidays contributed to loss of productivity across the region but was welcomed by many as a time to reflect on the previous month’s horrific events.

Chirstchurch real estate

Moving through our large network of Harcourts offices across Canterbury, the feedback I’m receiving is that buyers are still nervous but committed to purchase. Our assistance in their purchase is welcomed due to the increased disclosure requirements and potential for litigation if things are missed. Our vendors are looking for, and committing to, stronger marketing campaigns to showcase their homes as standout properties. This is resulting in an increased volume of buyers ready to assess value. Our open home numbers remain steady through our advertising clout in the Bluebook, online and in The Press.

christchurch real estate

I often get asked when is a good time to sell? It’s true the warmer months lend themselves to increased market activity, but my response to this question is that money has never been cheaper to borrow. Buyers are ready to go and wanting to purchase. Why would you place your property on the market in the warmer months when there is a sea of competition? In Canterbury we are blessed with beautiful clear days throughout Autumn and Winter. Homes can still be showcased in all their glory throughout these months without the frustration of another four properties for sale down your street.

Property listings are the life blood of any Real Estate business and the volume of listings coming into Harcourts across the city continues to track well. Harcourts continues to be the preferred company across the city with close to every second new property to the market being listed by your city’s favourite company, Harcourts.

For more information contact one of our consultants today

Update on the Christchurch real estate market by Hayden Broadbelt

The limitation on foreign property ownership and directional uncertainty continues to see its impact in our marketplace. A positive indicator from these measures sees first home buyers enjoying favorable lending rates and reduced competition at auction to purchase resulting in a 30% increase for ownership for them compared to this time last year. March is a traditionally strong activity month for Harcourts, the smell of the sun block starts to fade and the kids are back into their full school cycle leaving time for the decision makers to contemplate their real estate ambitions.

While others enjoyed their long Summer slumber our consultants were back into their stride with another strong month. Although our listing numbers followed the REINZ stats, we saw a slight increase in our auction listings verses March 2018. A two year record on settled volume was a pleasing highlight and this was followed by a two year record settled value month. The Canterbury median house price was marginally up by 1.1% now sitting at $460,000.

Indicators from these statistics clearly show that the market is constrained but steady and balanced with the public hunger for property related information at an all time high.

Christchurch real estate market harcourts holmwood

The new anti-money laundering legislation that came into effect on the 1st January this year (AML) continues to see the brakes applied on the speed of the listing and transaction whilst we complete our information gathering under this legal requirement. For many of you that have transacted in real estate this year you will know this process and acknowledge we are just following the legal requirements placed on us. I’m delighted to say after visiting many of our offices we are showing true directional leadership in this area.

There is no company who can offer the results that Harcourts can, list with Harcourts and know we have the training, expertise and resources to get you through this new legislation, while also achieving the required results for you.

Property listings are the life blood of any Real Estate business and the volume of listings coming into Harcourts across the city continues to track well. Harcourts continues to be the preferred company across the city with close to every second new property to the market being listed by your cities favorite company,  Harcourts.

 

For more information contact one of our consultants today