Recent content by Pecan

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    Top 10 favourite movies.

    Aaron, you have missed the Castle yet your byline quotes from it!! How about Grilled and The Big Lebowski and Little Miss Sunshine (very corny).
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    Private Tutors for English.

    The absolutely best thing I have ever done with our kids, learning wise, is reading aloud to them. We all sit down together after tea, everyone gets comfortable, no talking, no tv, I say, "can anyone remember where we were up to then?" and then they answer and I find the page and we start. At...
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    What is the purpose of an iPod Touch

    My second son saved and bought himself an ipod last year, very well used toy. Then he sold it to his older brother and it is still a well used toy. Not dropped yet.
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    Minimum house size for family of four to be comfortable, not too elaborate

    How big is your family and how old are the kids? Yes of course we want more living spaces, a second bathroom would be great, games room and a study ... but our needs will change in ten years time anyway as the current flock of children reach adulthood and (we hope) (push) move out! Then our...
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    Slow Combustion Wood Heater?

    Just put some more wood on the slow combustion oven a few minutes ago, it is wonderful and a lovely part of winter. A large tree fell down here last year and we have been burning that. Get the oven, you won't regret it!:)
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    Can openers

    I have the tupperware one, was given it about five years ago, it works excellently and no sharp edges (very child friendly). Long lasting as well. Highly recommended.:)
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    Mowing/garden care included in rent - does gardener need to give notice to enter?

    We manage a few houses where regular gardening is included. We just chose reasonable tenants, explain that the gardener will come approx every three weeks. In one house the only access to the back is through the (locked) side gate so he calls two days before to check an approximate time; the...
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    Who changes and pays for light globes?

    The PCR when the tenant moved in should have stated which lightbulbs are intact and operational. When they vacate lightbulbs left non operational, that were operational at the start of the tenancy, can be replaced at the tenants expense. And yes if a handyman is going there anyway I get him to...
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    A holdup to our service

    Geoff, when I read your post yesterday (very glad noone physically injured), we had just had some excitement at our (real estate) office. We had refused an application for a prospective tenant to rent a property and her SISTER comes in and starts screaming and going completely loco, kicking...
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    My musings on Hawaii - part one

    I thought musies already allowed polygamy? Love your writing!
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    What is your annual maintenance budget?

    Needing a new hot water system will blow that budget right out of the water. Storage systems tend to die after 8-10 years, instant 15 - 18 ... and if they die you will need to replace it straight away, tenants really dont like cold showers!!!
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    lease agreement mis-states number of tenants

    1. Issue a notice for an inspection, allow the 10 - 14 days notice. 2. At the inspection, take two app forms. Esplain to your tenant he is breaching the agreement (yes you can evict for that, consider if you want to, is he taking care of house, is rent paid, do you want to go to court over it)...
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    What is your annual maintenance budget?

    Think about what things are likely to break and average life spans. EG a gas instant hws would last 15 - 18 years, cost to install $1000, so if you allow on average $1000/15 that is $66. Replace carpets every ... ten years maybe? Or more often? Say whole house $4000? That is $400 per year...
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    How long Between Tenants

    In our agency we run homeopens prior to the tenants departure. This is explained to them when they move in and then again when they give notice to vacate. We run two opens a week, set times, only a few exceptions (eg we do not do viewings on moving day). This minimises vacancy. Eg on the...
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    How not to display your property for sale

    My six year old sweet as pie daughter looked at the picture on the first page and said "wow, thats a cool house Mum, can we live in it?":)
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