Author: Jane Pinder

The best renovations to add value to your home

The best renovations to add value to your home

Posted by | Sep 21, 2017 | , | 0 |

Renovating costs can quickly add up, so we ask five Ipswich real estate agents how homeowners can update their property to get the most bang for their buck. Tank Lee from Housequest says: Keep it fresh, modern, neutral and functional. Don’t do something like astroturf on the walls because it looked cool in some shop. If you are altering the floorplan, make sure the flow is right and maximise the use of space. As the old saying goes, kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Make sure it’s quality work, that the doors line up and the drawers shut. So many people...

Read More
On the trail of Ipswich’s hidden histories

On the trail of Ipswich’s hidden histories

Posted by | Sep 18, 2017 | , | 0 |

A growing trail of small brass plaques tell stories of Ipswich’s people and places. A bridge, a former foundry and Ipswich’s Masonic Hall are among eight new sites that have received cast brass information markers. The latest additions will bring Ipswich City Council’s Historical Markers project, launched in 2000, to a total of 131 markers across the region. Ipswich City Council works closely with the owners of the sites to develop the markers. Click on the images below to find out more about the latest sites to be recognised. The markers are a great way to unlock the region’s heritage,...

Read More
When are we going to see some rain in Ipswich?

When are we going to see some rain in Ipswich?

Posted by | Sep 11, 2017 | , | 0 |

Wivenhoe Dam, image supplied by Seqwater Our gardens are parched and fire danger levels high after a hot and dry start to September. We find out what Spring will have in store for Ipswich. Keep an eye on the sky, weather watchers – it’s dry at the moment, but the advice from the Bureau of Meteorology is that the odds are favouring a wetter than normal Spring for southeast Queensland. Senior Meteorologist Dr Andrew Watkins said an expected change in weather patterns would be good for parts of southeast Queensland that have seen dry times during Winter. “During Spring we are looking like we...

Read More

How to find the best value housing in Ipswich

Posted by | Sep 6, 2017 | , | 0 |

You can find everything from million-dollar mansions to renovators’ delights across Ipswich. Five real estate agents tell us what housing they think offers the best value. Kirsty Dutney from Crowne Real Estate says: With house and land packages you can get a four-bedroom, two-bathroom, double lock-up garage home on a decent sized block close to $300,000. But do your homework – get a nice flat block that doesn’t cause extra costs with benching and retaining. The larger blocks keep the neighbours at bay a little bit, and when you need to sell your buyer pool is larger, because there is room for the kids to have a trampoline, or for a shed. Rear yard access is a massive advantage to the value of a property. Don’t be afraid of presales – if you get in early then you have a choice of stages, and can look at the different options for the house. For example, the Cityswich Estate in Bundamba is great value because the entry level price of the land is a bit lower, and a lot of the blocks are bigger, than you may pick up at other estates. That little corridor has so much happening, it’s the best value house and land packages I’ve seen in a long time Karen Wellen from Full Circle Property Management says: With an ageing demographic there is an abundance of affordable post war...

Read More
Take the Quiz: Can you tell which plant is friend or foe?

Take the Quiz: Can you tell which plant is friend or foe?

Posted by | Sep 4, 2017 | , | 1 |

Is it a pretty plant perfect for the garden, or an invasive weed ripe for extermination? Take the quiz and help identify some of the worst offenders. Ipswich City Council’s Environmental Weed Control Rebate is changing. The rebate, funded through Ipswich Enviroplan, is designed to assist private landowners with the costs associated with controlling environmental weeds on their property. It will continue to cover 50 per cent of the costs of contractor works or herbicide purchase, up to a maximum eligible rebate amount. Hoever from September 15, the list of weeds eligible will be reduced to four species, including...

Read More