The slow traverse into Winter has seen Noosans filling their hot water bottles and donning their brightly coloured toe socks more frequently over the past few weeks. To some this may be an indication that the heavily tourist-driven local market would be starting to curtail into a state of dormancy – with goose bumps starting to take over as one takes a dip into the pristine Laguna Bay.

But this assumption would be flawed (at best) given the fantastic investment that local council and community groups have put into ensuring that Noosa remains a ‘must visit’ location with interstate and international visitors all year round.

One need only look to the amazing Noosa Food & Wine Festival that rocked the socks of foodies from all around the globe in its tenth year of operation. The event now has an array of corporate sponsorship and encourages a huge amount of industry to the community – what an inspirational local success story!

Not to be forgotten are the fantastic new local businesses that are opening all the time around the region. A special mention must be made for the two restaurants that are opening right next to our Noosaville office (which is located along the increasingly-popular and ever vibrant Gympie Terrace fine dining strip). To the owners of Jellyfish on the River and Little Humid; we extent our most enthusiastic welcome and wish the best of luck with your new endeavour (and look forward to having such yummy food so close to our office!).

It’s not only the culinary delights that has tourists flocking to our beautiful region – it’s our climate that is also a major drawcard. The cooler weather might see us local folk struggling to emerge from the warmth of the covers each morning; but in reality our cold really isn’t THAT cold – with average Winter temperatures remaining around the 20 degree mark. This is evidenced by the huge influx of Southerners and New Zealanders which is converting to a huge number of long-term holiday inquiries and investment property inquiries alike.

If you want to be a part of the year-round Noosa action, why not consider making your next investment in vibrant Noosa? Come into one of our four offices today to discuss your needs with our professional, award winning (2013 REIQ Large Residential Agency of the Year) team.

Til Next Week

Olivier.

The elated smiles from satisfied clients and customers leaving Laguna Real Estate offices all over the coast aren’t just a result of our award winning (2013 REIQ Large Residential Agency of the Year, to be exact) property sales department. There are also a myriad of elated landlords streaming out of our business – with Laguna’s permanent and holiday divisions also running hot.

Our professional Property Management team in Noosa Heads office alone has let 15 properties so far for the month of May. The sustained, extremely high demand of Laguna rental properties over the past few months means that we now have a real shortage of quality family homes and permanent/holiday apartments…with outstanding tenants virtually beating down our doors in search of a Laguna rental property.

So we are putting out an SOS to all landlords who may have been thinking about putting their property into either the permanent or holiday letting pools. List your rental property with Laguna and rest assured that you are entrusting one of your most precious investments to a rental department grounded in excellence. Our qualified team of 10 fully trained property managers harbour the perfect mix of experience and vitality to help oversee your property.

With over 600 properties currently in our portfolio and the demand ever-increasing across our four strategically-placed offices, it makes commercial sense to list with our professional team. Our staff will work hard to maximize your returns while maintaining your asset in the best condition possible.

Please phone our Property Management department on (07) 5447 3999 for an obligation-free rental appraisal and a chat about what we can do for you and your investment property. We’d love to hear from you.

Till next week

Olivier

The May/June period in Noosa is generally quiet for some of our local businesses, but with the fantastic weather we have been having, I am delighted to say that our holiday bookings have had an  increase of 25% of recent months.

Our holiday department has moved into the era of technology and has now got QR codes and mini video snaps joining with our Facebook page, now we have followers joining at a rapid rate. You can find our Holiday department at our high profile Riverside office on Gympie Terrace. The majority of our holiday bookings come through our website which sees us hosting a high number of interstate and Kiwi visitors. The higher occupancy of Laguna Noosa holiday properties means that many owners are enjoying strong returns with many properties booked ahead months in advance.

Traditionally when we have good holiday occupancy we also see strong sales – the two go hand in hand in Noosa, particularly in the popular Noosaville precinct, where a fully furnished holiday apartment can still be acquired from as low as $250,000.

The prestige waterfronts are also the source of increased interest, particularly along Noosa Sound and Noosa Waters. Our sales team work tirelessly to ensure we have a fantastic range of price and choice of architectural masterpieces for the expected lift in buyer inquiry.

If you are interested in viewing one of our properties for sale, you can call us to arrange a viewing, visit our website, www.lagunarealestate.com.au, for all of our listings online.

Do you have a property that you are considering placing for holiday or permanent rental? If you do we would love you to consider the comprehensive services offered by Laguna. For a confidential discussion call our Department Manager Kellie Drinnan on 5447 3999.

Till next week,

Olivier

Noosa is again proud to be hosting The Noosa Food and Wine Festival starting next Thursday and which should tempt our tastebuds over four delectable days. It’s the tenth year this iconic festival has put its stamp on the Sunshine Coast calendar - bringing world-class chefs, wine experts and star entertainers to the region from all over the world.

Early on in the piece Noosa locals Jim Berardo and Greg O’Brien recognized the potential of culinary tourism – and went on to conceive this fabulous oh-so-Noosa celebration of Australian food & wine. Since then the event’s popularity has increased exponentially to become a veritable magnet for national foodies and food professionals - who come for the delicious demonstrations, tantalizing tastings and culinary cruises but who stay for the beautiful beaches and relaxed river life.

I have had the absolute pleasure of watching Noosa grow over the past 30 years with new and exciting events coming to our great region. With each passing year, more visitors come to Noosa and see what we a wonderful life style we have – with so many people loving the lifestyle so much that they also now call Noosa home.

If you’re thinking how wonderful it would be to join the ranks of us lucky locals, or are simply looking for an investment to holiday let while it doubles as your own Noosa escape, then look no further than Laguna Real Estate to help you with all of your property needs.

Laguna Real Estate is the largest agency in town with offices in Noosa Heads, Noosaville, Tewantin and our Gympie office is less than an hour’s drive north of Noosa. As well as selling real estate, we manage over 600 permanent and holiday properties, allowing us to give you a one-stop shop. Call into one of our offices, where you will be able to talk to one of our professional sales team about our variety properties we have for sale.

If you would like us to keep you informed with what the property market is doing, simply give us a call on 5447 3999 or log onto www.lagunarealestate.com.au and register your details.

Till next week

Olivier

The Noosa community was buzzing over the long weekend with a myriad of southerners making the pilgrimage up to our beautiful area. And our stunning region did not disappoint – spectacular weather and an array of fantastically planned events (such as The Noosa Ultimate Sports Fest and Pete Murray concert) providing for a bumper weekend; with Laguna holiday accommodation, local restaurants and retailers all brimming with business from the Southerners.

And the bright sunshine seems to have brought out the buyers. The last month has seen Laguna incredibly make 26 sales. And why wouldn’t you invest in property at the moment? The recent lowering of interest rates coupled with a market correction has seen property become more affordable and is luring investors into the market.  And it’s not only the property moguls who are buying up big – the disappointment of other investments including term deposit rates for cash investments is also luring a lot of first time investors to make their first real estate purchase.

And who would you entrust to help you purchase your first/next investment property but the 2013 REIQ Large Residential Agency of the Year. Our professional team of experts have the research tools to help match you up with the best property to suit your needs. Whether your target is steady capital growth, to buy and hold or to focus on solid rental returns to cover mortgage repayments we will endeavour to match you up with your ideal investment.  Why don’t you pop in to one of our offices (Noosaville, Noosa Heads and Tewantin) and have a chat to one of our friendly staff today. We look forward to hearing from you.

Til next week

Olivier  

Noosa will be buzzing this weekend, with Brisbane city slickers taking advantage of the Thursday public holiday to indulge in a rare four-day weekend. And who wouldn’t make the pilgrimage to enjoy our region’s natural beauty and lifestyle benefits coupled with the plethora of great activities on offer this weekend.

You could lace up the runners and get your fitness fix at the Noosa Ultimate Sports Fest (previously Noosa Winter Festival). The event has freshened up its look to offer  the  ultimate mix of activities for every sporting enthusiast – from a 500m swim to 160km bike ride through pristine hinterland. Whether your passion lies in competing or spectating it will be well worth popping down to the Noosa Heads Surf Club on Saturday to check it out.

Or perhaps indulge your cultural side at the Noosa Regional Gallery. They have a very busy weekend in store – hosting four different art exhibitions – so you are sure to find something that tickles everyone’s fancy.

And of course while you are here why not take some time to have a look at the fabulous real estate currently on offer in this fantastic region. Have a sneak peak for open home times on our website www.lagunarealestate.com.au or pop into one of our four offices to talk to our enthusiastic , friendly team about your new home.

There truly is a great cross-section of stock on offer at the moment so we are sure to find something that is just right for you.  We have just renewed our stock of Noosaville waterfront homes which will appeal to many who love the central location and proximity to schools, shopping and restaurants.

If you are thinking of moving to our region, have a good look around to see what we have on offer and if you have any queries please feel free to call or meet with one of our friendly Laguna staff. We look forward to hearing from you.

Til next week

Olivier

Each year many of Laguna’s wonderful staff give some of their weekend to raise money to support a great many charities. This year is no different; with our Noosa and Gympie offices giving up their time this weekend to raise much needed funds by competing in the Relay for Life which raises money for cancer awareness.

Relay for Life is all about celebrating Cancer Survivors; remembering those lost and those who have fought back and raising money to find a cure and support those affected by the disease.

Each year, more than 20,000 Queenslanders are diagnosed with cancer and 7,000 Queenslanders will lose their battle with cancer. The effect of this terrible disease is felt by so many in our community and makes our fundraising efforts for the event all the more vital.

This is the second year that Relay for Life is being held in Noosa. Relay for Life began in Australia in 1999, when the Victorian community of Murrumbeena raised over $75,000 for Cancer Council.  It is now run in every state and territory and raises over $14 million each year for the cancer fight.

As the Cancer Council Queensland are not a government funded organisation they rely heavily on the generosity of the locals to help reduce the impact cancer has on our communities. If you would like to make a difference please make a donation and support our team.  You can log onto the link below to throw your support behind the Laguna fundraising efforts. Our Laguna team is called the “Physically Challenged”.

http://qld.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=59306&langPref=en-CA

We are very proud of our association the cancer fundraising organization as every cent we raise makes huge a difference to the people in need. We are looking to raise more funds than last year and look forward to our continued support or such a worthwhile event.

Until next week

Olivier

Last weekend, Laguna held our first "Quarterly Weekend Auction Event" for 2013. One auction was held on the Friday and the other five in a progressive on-site auction marathon on the Saturday spanning from 10am- 2pm.

And yet again our experienced agents coupled with Laguna’s renowned stylish, multi-modal marketing campaign established some fantastic results for our sellers.  

Bidders were out in force with every property having registered bidders before each auction commenced. Two of the properties were sold under the hammer and the other four properties are still undergoing negotiations with an assortment of parties who are interested post-auction.

The team at Laguna would like to collectively thank our sellers for their beautifully presented properties and for all the auction attendees who added to the ambience and excitement on the day.

And with typical Laguna optimism we are already looking ahead to the future. We’ve pencilled in our Winter auction event dates and this week have actively begun seeking our new sellers to benefit from our effective auction process and phenomenal clearance rate track record.

And who else would you entrust to auction/sell you property but Laguna Real Estate:  the 2013 REIQ Large Residential Agency of the Year.  We have developed an effective auction programme that results in high levels of buyer interests and (most importantly) results in successful outcomes for our clients and customers alike.

So if you would like to experience the  Laguna difference and have your property marketed and SOLD by one of our highly skilled sales professionals, please call one of our team members today and  find out why our marketing and Auction programmes WORK.

Till next week

Olivier

Firstly this week on behalf of all the team at Laguna I would like to wish everyone on the coast a very Happy Easter to you and the family. The holiday period is a time of celebration, featuring good food, good wine and for most some well-deserved time off. If you are thinking of selling (and can pull yourself out of your chocolate coma over the long weekend) then it might be wise to use some of this spare time to work on your property’s presentation.

When selling your home, a neat entrance will enhance street appeal and leave a great first impression. Simple steps such as fixing that rusty letterbox, trimming overhanging branches and washing down the external walls can enhance a buyer's perception of your home without overcapitalising.

Inside your property (besides the obvious cleaning and minor repairs), try to de-clutter and remove any personal items such as family photographs and heirlooms, especially for inspections. This step helps prospective purchasers to visualise the home as being their own and will make them more likely to develop a lasting connection with the property.

Throughout my time in the real estate industry I have always been amazed by the difference that presentation can make on the final sale price of a property. In my experience it really is worth just that little bit of extra effort to maximise on one of your most precious assets.

If you are thinking of selling your home, why not come and seek some obligation-free advice from Queensland’s 2013 REIQ Large Residential Agency of the Year? For further guidance on presenting your property for sale, feel free to pop into one of our four owner-operated offices or call one of Laguna’s friendly sales staff.

Have a Happy Easter and we look forward to hearing from you.

Til next week

Olivier

It felt like just yesterday we were packing away the Christmas tree– and now all of a sudden we are busily decorating our Easter baskets ready for the Easter bunny (who is only just over one week away)! The Easter period is always a fantastic boost to our tourism-fuelled local economy, with Southerners making the pilgrimage to enjoy our beautiful beaches, fine dining and natural beauty.

And if RP Data reports are anything to go by, Easter eggs and fresh Mooloolaba prawns won’t be the only thing that our visiting countrymen will be sourcing during their visit to the region. The reputable property data website reports that Auction properties in the South-East have increased from 32 per cent to a staggering 45.3 per cent in the last week alone. This astronomical increase could suggest both an influx of more auction-savvy counterparts from the Southern cities; and perhaps a hint of Queenslanders finally relinquishing the private treaty tradition that has always gripped the State.

This is fantastic news for the Laguna Team, who have recently invested heavily in auction training with a view to shift their focus from open ended private treaty sales to the more definitive, attention grabbing and action-inspiring auction programmes for properties suited to this marketing method.

All of our research, training and promotion of the auction marketing strategy will culminate on the weekend of 6th-7th April; with Laguna holding our inaugural quarterly weekend auction event. Ten properties from Castaways Beach all the way to Gympie will go under the hammer over this weekend. We believe we have selected a fantastic cross-section of properties to showcase the diversity of work that is carried out by our multi-skilled sales team. From low-maintenance, value-for-money first home buyer properties to multi-million dollar beachfront screamers there truly is something for everyone.

For details on the properties to be showcased or to get involved in our Winter auction event check out our website www.lagunarealestate.com.au, find us on Facebook or give one of our friendly sales staff a call for a friendly, obligation-free chat about your needs.

Until next week,

Olivier