Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, and don’t we know it as home owners/mortgage holders!

Recently I investigated the different gas and electricity companies after buying a new home and needing a gas provider for the 1^st time. I have always steered clear of contracts with utility providers, but there are some real incentives out there now, especially for those who lock in to a 2 year contract.

There are also incentives for paying on time and using a direct debit arrangement. So depending on the provider you can save up to 20% depending how you pay, when you pay and how long you sign up for.

What makes this process even easier is websites like iselect.com.au which compares the pricing and terms of all the providers, bundles up packages showing incentives and is a one stop shop of information. In the end after calling a few providers direct and with talk of megajoules and megawatts?! I decided to go with iselect.com.au who stepped me through the different packages available. Iselect.com.au are paid directly by all the utility companies and are paid the same commissions so they don’t steer you towards one provider over another. You can call or do it over the net.

2 days later my gas and electricity was connected and I will be receiving $100 back on my first bill. Just in time for winter…

One of the things that we recommend our clients do on settlement is to change the locks on your new property as soon as you can.

Prior to you purchasing the home, the keys to the property could have been in any number of peoples possession: tradespeople, previous tenants, real estate agents, cleaners, photographers, ex partners, neighbours, kids, kids friends, grandparents, nannies etc. All these people have the opportunity to misplace keys or facilitate the keys ending up in the wrong hands. The last thing you want is to experience a theft or intruder in your new home.

If worst case scenario you are robbed at home and you haven’t changed the locks and the intruder uses a key, you will struggle to get a claim approved by most insurance companies. On that note another thing that is top priority is to get you home insured, as soon as you exchange contracts unconditionally is highly recommended.

ANZAC Day is rightfully known as one of Australia’s most important national occasions marking the anniversary of the first major military action found by Australian and New Zealand forces during the first World War.

Cronulla’s ANZAC Day Dawn Service & March details

Time: 5:15am

Location: Cronulla RSL – Gerrale St, Cronulla

The March will commence at Cronulla RSL Memorial Club and will continue along Gerrale St to Surf Rd, left into Cronulla St to Monro Park for the Dawn Service.

Breakfast will be provided at the Club for ex-service personnel and club members.

It’s back! Wake up bright and early Sunday morning on 28th April and head down to Cronulla Beach for the 1km swim at 9:30am or, for those with a little more endurance (or those participating in both events), the 2.3km Cronulla Shark Island swim kicks off at 10:30am for all divisions (minimum age is 10 years old).

How do you know who wins?

Both swims will be timed by using an electronic tag system attached to a Velostretch ankle band and detection mats at the finish line. There are a few requirements that must be followed when using the timing band, including attaching it around your left ankle and leaving it on for the entire duration of the swim course.

Fashion guidelines

Only conventional swimming costumes made from lycra and/or polyester are to be worn, with no neoprene or any other ‘high tech’ material with any flotation support.

• Males: Briefs only with no arms, legs or any part of the costume covering their body above the waist
• Females: Either one or two piece costumes with no arms or legs

Is it safe?

As safe as can be! There will be inflatable rescue boats, jet skis and board paddlers patrolling the course. As always each swimmer is responsible for their own physical condition and enters the event at their own risk. However they’re will be eyes watching you; any swimmer deemed incapable of completing this course may be brought to the shore at any time at the discretion of the Water Safety Manager.

Time to enter!

All entries received after 5pm on Friday 26^th April are late entries, so sign up before then to avoid paying extra!

• 2.3km Shark Island Swim: $45
• 1km Beach Swim: $35 (raises money for Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club)
• Both events: $60

Enquiries?

Contact Glenn Carter on 0417 484 231 or visit the official website here.

Happy & safe swimming to everyone involved!

Relay For Life is a well-known overnight, community event where teams walk or run around the track to raise funds for the Cancer Council. The event brings the whole community together for a night of fun, entertainment, celebration and remembrance. In NSW, around 40,000 people each year take part in Relay For Life, and that number is growing! Best of all, anyone can participate!

“Some people do it in memory of a loved who has passed away from cancer.  Some people do it to show how proud they are at having survived cancer.  Some use it to show they are strong enough to beat cancer.  And some just want to be involved and make a difference.  Whatever your reasons, you’ll never forgot your first Relay.”

Our local Relay For Life will take place on 4^th May 2013 from 9:30am at Sylvania Athletics Track on Belgrave Esplanade. The survivors walk begins at 9:15am with the Candlelight Ceremony of Hope later in the evening at 6pm.

So far almost 200 teams have registered with a total of over 1200 participants. And you can still register for $20 per person!

In the time it has taken me to write this blog, the $100,000 mark has been reached! The goal for the Sutherland Shire’s Relay For Life is $650,000, here’s hoping we can reach the target!

This week all the auctions are midweek to avoid the 4 day long weekend which is traditionally a poor weekend to choose to auction your property. Most agents encourage vendors to schedule an auction prior to Easter or go for a longer campaign and hold the auction the following weekend. Thus last Saturday was a huge weekend for the Sydney property market with overall a clearance rate of 71% with 485 properties going to auction (Australian Property Monitors Sydney statistics).

With the weather still unseasonably warm, along with the ocean temperature this weekend has all the ingredients for a perfect getaway to that weekender on the South or North Coast before winter sets in. If you are staying at home there are plenty of distractions with the Easter Show coming to Cronulla!

Good luck to those vendors selling mid week and we hope everyone enjoys their 4 day weekend, we know we will!

Tasman St, Bondi - The Block 2013

Would you buy a house built/renovated on The Block TV show? If so which one would you buy of this series of early 1900′s semis with no parking in Bondi? I have heard that one is at least hoping to achieve $1.6mil! Did I mention no parking?!

Whatever you think of The Block I bet most vendors would be envious of the marketing the show has generated. An average Sydney home in a popular suburb generally generates about 1500-2000 visits on realestate.com.au in a good market. Instead the Block properties have these figures:

• 6 Tasman St, Bondi – Dan & Dani – 27,273 views
• 8 Tasman St, Bondi – Josh & Jenna – 27,785 views
• 10 Tasman St, Bondi – Mark & Duncan – 26,024 views
• 12 Tasman St, Bondi – Phil & Amity – 33,742 views

Tonight we will see the result of this marketing. It will be very interesting to see how many registered bidders there will be… Stay tuned tonight!

6 Tasman St, Bondi

8 Tasman St, Bondi

10 Tasman St, Bondi

12 Tasman St, Bondi

The year has started with some fast and furious selling at Beach & Bay Realty, both auction campaigns in February were sold prior to auction over only 2 weeks and a private treaty sale went through in 5 days!

We seem to have started the year with more buyer inspections and a little more confidence than last year, this is reflective in the auction clearance rates Sydneywide for Feb and March which are much improved on 2012. We will continue to track the auction results in our area of expertise throughout 2013 so please join our e-newsletter for weekly updates of auction sales.

Breeze @ 19-21 Gerrale St, Cronulla

While interest rates are relatively low, we should continue to see a steady real estate market in the Sutherland Shire. It’s been a while since you could secure a fixed interest loan for 2 years for 4.99%!

We are currently marketing Breeze @ 19 -21 Gerrale St, Cronulla, Sammut Developments latest luxury project in Cronulla. Off the plan sales have commenced and for anyone wanting to secure an apartment in this development the opportunity is there now to put a deposit down with 2 years to save the rest!

Happy selling and happy buying in 2013.

SOLD PRIOR TO AUCTION - 15 Seaforth Ave, Woolooware

SOLD PRIOR TO AUCTION - 12 Lowana Ave, Kirrawee

SOLD - 1/78-82 Kingsway, Cronulla

Apartment 102 - Breeze

Apartment 203 - Breeze

Easter is fast approaching! This year Easter is early and before the school holidays, the perfect 4 day long weekend opportunity to escape to the holiday house before the colder weather rolls in! If you are looking to rent a holiday house we have a few options in Mollymook but if you are staying home Cronulla will be holding the Easter Show in Cronulla Mall again this year.

The Cronulla Easter Show kicks off in Cronulla Plaza for 2013 on Friday 29^th March at 10am and runs for 4 days finishing at 4pm on Monday 1^st April. Wandering entertainers, market stalls, activity stalls, face painting, carnival rides, showbags and much more will make your Easter extra special at Cronulla.

How much?
It’s FREE! The event is run by a local council group. PLUS it’s nice and close to home without the stress or crowds out at the Sydney Royal Easter Show at Homebush!

Events program:

• Circus School – 10am to 4pm daily (free)
• Animal Farm – 10am to 4pm daily ($3 per child or $5 for 2 children, adults free)
• NEW Animal Caper Shows – Fri, Sat & Sun 1pm, 2pm & 3pm (free)
• Hot Potato – Fri & Mon 11am to 2pm
• Kush Carnivale on Stilts – Sat & Sun from Noon to 3pm
• Pony Rides – Sun 10am to 4pm
• Showbags – You don’t have to head into Homebush for showbags, Cronulla has everything and more including Spongebob Squarepants, Mickey Mouse, Angry Birds, Dora the Explorer, My Little Pony, Thomas the Tank Engine and Ben 10! Whether you’re obsessed with lollies or a keen magician, you’ll be able to find just what you’re looking for with the easy to download Cronulla Showbag Guide.

How to get here?
Parking in Cronulla is bad at the best of times (see parking map here) let alone during special events, but luckily there are alternatives. With trains terminating at Cronulla train station very frequently, this is definitely an option to consider if you are traveling from nearby suburbs. Bicycle racks are also located at Cronulla Station, along Cronulla St (near Cold Rock Ice Creamery) and on the ground floor of the Croydon St car park.

And for all those selling their properties, we have commenced the mad
rush to Easter! Good luck!

For more information contact:

Cronulla Beach CBD Management
Ph: 9527 2100
cronullabeachcbd@ssc.nsw.gov.au

We have been running the ‘I Love Cronulla’ page for almost 4 years now but over the past 12 months it has become increasingly popular and we thank you all for your likes!

Just wanted to introduce our small team…

Basically, my company Beach & Bay Realty launched and manages this community page and we started it as a medium for like-minded lovers of our gorgeous suburb and surrounds to highlight the many stunning spots we have as well as supporting local business and community groups.

There are several of us who take photos, write blogs, interview businesses and generally update you on local happenings.

We have regular contributors like lifeguard Adam Hartup, photographers like Jen Nixon who send us special pics, thanks guys, keep them coming.

We are only a small team at Beach & Bay Realty and please keep in mind this is a “love job!”. Our day job is selling real estate in this beautiful area but hey promoting Cronulla on fb is good for business!

Anyway here’s to another year of prime sunrises, shipwrecked shipping trawlers, local poet launches, photo competitions and some record property sale prices.

Cheers from Kylie, Kirstie, Natalie, Maria and Monique