Originally published by realestate.com.au on 2 September 2019.

Many of us live with small laundries, laundries integrated with the bathroom, or the washing machine hidden in a cupboard. We showcase some of the latest innovative ideas for small laundries.

Planning on renovating a laundry that’s the size of a shoebox? You’re not alone. We showcase some of the latest innovative ideas for small laundries so you can get nifty and creative and make the most of a little laundry.

1. Create a laundry and guest bathroom

Just because you have a small space to work with doesn’t mean it cannot be beautiful. Case in point this gorgeous guest powder room that doubles as a laundry (pictured below). The penny round tiles pair perfectly with the gold tapware and rail, which makes great use of space when drying clothes. The toilet is smartly hidden behind the functional benchtop and there’s still plenty of space for cupboard storage.

Tuck the toilet behind the bench to create a functional guest bathroom and small laundry. Picture: Lisa Cohen

2. Add a double laundry sink

If you have a young family and do a lot of washing it’s likely you need a decent-sized laundry tub to soak all your little ones’ gear in. A double laundry sink with a removable lid designed to withstand the rigours of family life is the answer. Look out for options that feature a stainless steel tub, a combined cabinet and can be shoehorned into a small space.

A double sink with removable lid plus a rack for hanging clothes are great space savers in a small laundry like this, designed by Cantilever Interiors.

3. Be smart yet have fun with accessories

Smart accessories in a small laundry go a long way in making your life that whole lot easier. Find some cute storage tubs that you can decant your laundry powder into and it’ll make laundry day a breeze, plus it’ll look sweet on your laundry benchtop too.

4. Install a clothes rail

We know how practical towel rails in a small bathroom are, but what about clothes rails in a small laundry where you can hang freshly ironed shirts and the like? It’s a no-brainer.

5. Consider an integrated ironing system

If you don’t have enough space for a full-size ironing board in your laundry, consider an integrated ironing system such as the Robinhood Ironing Centre IC1300. Not only can it be surface mounted or recessed into a wall cavity but it contains a stable, swivelling ironing board with adjustable height, a power outlet and a built-in light.

6. Don’t forget moveable storage units

Moveable storage units are perfectly suited to small laundries as they can easily be relocated – no matter the size of the unit – from storage cabinets on wheels to store under-the-sink essentials to mini storage cube boxes to pop all your laundry essentials into.

7. Laundry hampers or baskets are lifesavers

There’s nothing attractive about dirty clothes, but a snazzy hamper can simultaneously brighten up your laundry and keep soiled garments out of sight.

This cute-as-a-button laundry basket from IKEA (pictured below) has two nifty handles and is 66cm tall, meaning you can fit a whole lot of dirty shirts inside.

8. Add a shoe organiser

In many homes, the laundry acts as a bridge between the backyard and the living area. So if you don’t want mud and grass tramped through your home, it’s a good idea to provide shoe storage within your laundry. Look for a shoe organiser that is well-suited to small spaces, is stackable, lightweight and holds several pairs of shoes.

Originally published on realestate.com.au on 17 September 2019.

Spring is the time to dust off the old cleaning gloves and put some elbow grease into those jobs you’ve been putting off all year.

Before the dread sets in, rest assured that with a little planning, a spring clean doesn’t have to take up your whole day or leave your house smelling like a hospital. With some quick tips and some basic household items, your tough spring cleaning jobs will be finished in no time. Here are five jobs to get you started.

1. Unclog your drains

Drains are an often overlooked part of your cleaning routine, but a clogged drain not only causes a horrible smell, but it can also really affect your plumbing.

Tackle your clogged-up drains with a basic mix of vinegar, bicarb and water to break away built-up grime and leave drains smelling fresh.

Pour a tablespoon of bicarb followed by a tablespoon of vinegar into your drain and let it work its magic for about 20 minutes. Rinse it away with some boiling hot water, repeat if needed, and you’ll have fresh-smelling drains without the hard work.

2. Sort out your oven

The baked-on stains in an oven are enough to cause anyone to vow never to cook again. But instead of reaching for the takeaway menu or using harsh chemicals, wearing elbow length gloves and scrubbing for what feels like days, let your household vinegar and bicarb mix do the work for you.

Warm your oven a little to help break down some of the grease. Then rub a paste of bicarb and warm water all over your oven, followed by a generous amount of white vinegar. Leave it to bubble away and break down for about an hour – depending on how dirty your oven is – then wipe clean with a cloth.

3. Get your windows sparkling

Window-washing need not be associated with streak marks, smudged spots and expensive cleaning products.

Cleaning your windows is actually one of the easiest spring clean jobs to wipe off the list.

Using an equal parts vinegar and water mix, simply spray onto the window and wipe clean straight away with a paper towel or lint-free cloth in a horizontal motion.

TIP: The quicker you do it the less likely you are to get streaks. Work those windows!

4. Tackle your kitchen

You’d be surprised by how many germs live in your everyday kitchen items – which is why you should replenish or wash them regularly.

Start by throwing away old cloths and sponges and cleaning out your bin with lemon juice. You can also give your wooden chopping boards a freshen up with coconut oil and half a lemon to keep the wood sparkling and to kill any lingering bacteria.

5. Improve your lighting

What if we told you brightening up a room is as simple as giving its lighting fixtures a once-over? Use a damp cloth to gently wipe away any dust build-up, and let that spring feeling in with warm, clean light.

When tackling spring cleaning, think of a top-down approach – do your lights first and finish with skirting boards and floors, that way you aren’t going over what you’ve already done.

Rental affordability has improved in Western Australia, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia’s Housing Affordability Report which reveals the proportion of family income required to meet the median rent has improved to 16.4 per cent – a decrease 0.1 per cent from three months ago.

REIWA President Damian Collins said as our state is currently the most affordable place to rent in Australia, there is no better time for tenants to live in a home that suits their lifestyle preferences.

“With coastal suburbs in high demand leading into warmer months, it is pleasing to see that it is now even more affordable to live in these desired locations, especially compared to the east coast which is unheard of for tenants to be able to rent a house in a coastal suburb for less than $450 per week,” Mr Collins said.

reiwa.com data revealed that the top 10 most affordable coastal suburbs were all under $300 per week with Shoalwater, Mandurah, Falcon, Butler and Eglinton leading the top five.

“Topping the list is Shoalwater which has a median rent price of only $250 per week and is $24 less than a year ago. Located just metres away from the Shoalwater Marine Park, it is no wonder why August reiwa.com data saw rental properties being snapped up on an average of only 17 days.

Of the 10 suburbs that made the reiwa.com list, six were located in the south of Perth, within a few kilometres from one another.

Mr Collins said the south metropolitan area held a lot of opportunity for renters who wanted to live close to the coast, yet only a train ride away from the city.

“The median price in suburbs like Rockingham, Safety Bay and Silver Sands is hovering around the $300 mark, which is notably lower than the Perth median price per week of $360,” Mr Collins said.

While Cottesloe and Fremantle do not fall into the most affordable suburbs in the Perth coastal area, their median rent of $578 and $420 per week is still more affordable than St Kilda or Bondi Beach which has a median of $650 and $1,325 per week.

“It won’t always be this way, so I advise those looking for their next rental property to act sooner rather than later if they are wanting to secure an affordable home close to an iconic WA coastal suburb.”

The 10 most affordable coastal suburbs to rent

^{Filtered for suburbs with more than 15 dwellings transacted during the 12 months to June 2019 in Coastal.}

Sales activity increased five per cent in Perth this week, with REIWA members reporting 583 transactions compared to 560 last week.

This increase can be attributed to a three per cent rise in house sales, a 27 per cent rise in unit sales and a nine per cent fall in vacant land sales over the week.

Listings for sale

There were 13,814 properties for sale in Perth at the end of this week, which is in line with last week.

A closer look at listing stock levels shows house listings increased by one per cent, listings for units decreased by one per cent and listings for vacant land decreased by one per cent.

This week’s total figure is two per cent lower than levels seen four weeks ago and are 11 per cent lower than levels seen a year ago.

Perth rental market

REIWA members reported there were 6,482 properties for rent in Perth at the end of this week, which is two per cent less than last week.

This week’s rental listings figure is five per cent lower than levels seen four weeks ago and are 17 per cent lower than levels seen a year ago.

Leasing activity increased nine per cent in Perth this week, with REIWA members reporting 1,071 properties leased.

Sales activity decreased five per cent in Perth this week, with REIWA members reporting 560 transactions compared to 599 last week. 

This decrease can be attributed to an 18 per cent fall in unit sales, a 15 per cent fall in vacant land sales and a no change in house sales over the week.

Listings for sale

There were 13,799 properties for sale in Perth at the end of this week, which is in line with last week. 

A closer look at listing stock levels shows house and unit listings remained stable, while listings for vacant land decreased by one per cent. This week’s total figure is three per cent lower than levels seen four weeks ago and are 10 per cent lower than levels seen a year ago.

Perth rental market

REIWA members reported there were 6,617 properties for rent in Perth at the end of this week, which is in line with last week. 

This week’s rental listings figure is five per cent lower than levels seen four weeks ago and are 16 per cent lower than levels seen a year ago.

Leasing activity decreased one per cent in Perth this week, with REIWA members reporting 990 properties leased.

If you’re in the Kardinya area, you may have heard of our Property Consultant Angelica McKenzie.

Angelica recently sold Noel and Geraldine’s home in Bassendean and we now have two very happy sellers. Noel and Geraldine’s home was on the market for a year before they met Angelica and she applied her trademark positive energy and tenaciousness.

“After a year of several agents attempting to sell our home, at a realistic price Angelica was a delight to deal with. Her home opens attracted more viewers in 7 weeks than other agents had in 12 months! Plus it included a purchaser. Her ongoing communication during the entire process was always timely and informative. Whoever believes real estate agents have a bad reputation has not availed themselves of the service offered by Angelica and St Ives Realty. Noel and Geraldine | Sellers | Hyland Street, Bassendean”

Hear from Noel and Geraldine here!

As reported by CoreLogic on the 1st August, the highlights over the three months to July 2019 were:

• Best performing capital city: Melbourne and Hobart +0.1%
• Weakest performing capital city: Perth -2.2%
• Highest rental yield: Darwin 5.9%
• Lowest rental yields: Sydney 3.4%

Read the full article here.

As reported on reiwa.com.au on the 4th June 2019, REIWA welcomes the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)’s announcement today to cut cash rates from 1.5 per cent to 1.25 per cent and strongly encourages all lenders to pass this on to their customers.

Read the full article on REIWA’s website here.

Making the decision to transition into retirement living was helped to be happy and seamless for Helen and Roger, thanks to the work of St Ives Realty’s Sales Consultant, Roy Paxton.

The couple recently made the decision to purchase a villa at St Ives Murdoch retirement village, so listed their family home for sale with St Ives Realty.

Helen and Roger were thrilled to sell their home to a young family, who they hope will enjoy living there as much as they did.

To discuss your buying or selling your property with a smooth transition, just like Helen and Roger, speak to us! View our other recent sales here or check our latest listings here.

5 January 2017

Source : reiwa.com

According to REIWA, Perth’s median house price increased by nearly two per cent in the three months to December 2016. The results show that sectors of the market are recovering and strengthening.

Perth properties for sale

REIWA President Hayden Groves said reiwa.com data showed the median house price had lifted 1.9 per cent to $535,000 over the three month period.

“This is the second month in a row that we’ve seen an increase in the median house price, which is a welcome trend and suggests that the trade-up sector of the market is recovering.

“Since the second half of 2016, we’ve seen prices across the metro area start to lift on a monthly basis. If you’re a buyer waiting for the ‘bottom of the market’, you would be wise to make a buying decision soon should this trend continue.

“The benefit of buying now is that there is currently less competition from other buyers, so you’re more likely to find a home or investment property that genuinely meets your needs,” Mr Groves said.

Listings for sale in Perth experienced an 11 per cent decline in December, with 13,883 listings recorded in the metro area.

“It’s not unusual for listing volumes to drop off in December as the market tends to be quieter over the festive period. More significantly though, listings in December 2016 were three per cent lower than in December 2015 which is a good indication that we’ve seen supply peak,” Mr Groves said.

Perth rental properties

In line with seasonal trends, leasing activity in Perth’s rental market moderated slightly in December, dropping back two per cent over the month. However, when compared to December 2015, activity has escalated by a noteworthy 27 per cent.

“We expect to see a slowdown in leasing activity across the month as people prepare for the holidays, so a two per cent drop isn’t a concern. The hike in the number of properties leased on an annual basis however is very pleasing and there’s been a significant increase compared to the same time in December 2015.

“Despite listings for rent remaining above the long term average, tenants are still very active in the market and recognise they have good choice to secure a home at a competitive price,” Mr Groves said.

Another positive sign for the Perth rental market is that the median house and unit prices remained steady over the three months to December 2016, holding at $380 and $340 per week respectively.

View the breakdown below (for week ending 3 January 2017) or to browse St Ives Realty’s latest listings for Perth rental properties and Perth property for sale, click here.