Elizabeth Downs -Hot lead for low cost Mortgagee Sale

[Stangman]

good on you for catering to your brother and his needs.

re the tree, wow it looks big and healthy. about the cost to remove, can anyone comment on if/how the cost can be considered? can it be claimed in anyway, if it can be stated the tree is a safety issue and must be removed?

shame its not in another position. the one at burnside village has a large canopy built above it and is a feature of the new shopping centre.

good luck with your reno.

Hi Pully, i agree - it is a beautiful big tree, just a pity it is in a bad location. It is only 8.5 metres from my neighbours house and 11.5 from mine. There are only 2 types of tree that require approval for removing when closer than 10 metres to a house. This is one of them.
I don`t think the tree is terribly healthy. There appears to be some yellowing of the leaves. Maybe it is dying. Not sure.
Found out the neighbour has been complaining to the Council about the tree dropping branches without warning.

We are preparing a submission to Council for approval to remove it. Will see what happens.

We factored the tree removal costs into the buying price, so even if it does cost 5k we are reasonably well covered, but i do not think we can claim removal costs as a deductible expense.

JWR, It is going to be a battle just to get approval to cut it down, so at this stage will not argue about whether Council do it or we do.

Stangman.

 

[pully]

what is the process to remove? do the tree lopers assist in council approval or is it your responsibility?

if the neighbour has documented their concerns re safety with the council and there are written responses feel sure that will assist you, if there are objections.

there is new legislation being considered in sa about the tree issue.

perhaps check with your local mp? also get the safety issue addressed by your insurance company in writing to clarify any liability if the worst happens.

good luck with it all, i think the playford council is not too difficult to deal with, similarly with salisbury.

 

[cheechee]

Hi, Stageman,

could you please share with us how you go with your submission to council apporval once you hear from them?

There is a massive tree (similar to the one you have) in my own front yard less than 5 metres to the house and the Kogarah Council in NSW has disapproved our application for having it removed. My concern is that it will cause damage to the foundation of my house as it grows even higher and also there is obviously concerns on safety and also potential damage to our house in case of lightening. I don't really understand how council would disregard those safety concerns for the sake of protecing one tree. Hence I would love to know how other councils are dealing with similar issues.

or did anyone have similar experience but somehow won their argument with the council?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[JWR]

Hi Cheechee,

My exp in Rocky was that the tree was too high and hitting the power lines and going over the roof of the house.

I checked to see whether it was on my boundary or outside my boundary. Luckily it was outside and council had planted the tree years earlier.

So I rang council to tell them to please remove it. They said no.
Eventually after speaking with a few different people they agreed to come round to take a look. Then they said they would get back to me. Never did so I kept calling them and eventually they agreed to cut it down as they planted it and it was impeding the house and power lines. No application etc... just persistence.

 

[Aaron_C]

So I rang council to tell them to please remove it. They said no.
Eventually after speaking with a few different people they agreed to come round to take a look. Then they said they would get back to me. Never did so I kept calling them and eventually they agreed to cut it down as they planted it and it was impeding the house and power lines. No application etc... just persistence.

Ah - a common occurrence. Same thing happened to some land we subdivided. Eventually we wrote a letter to council saying that if they do not remove the tree, then fine- but they will be responsible for any damage or injury caused to someone if the tree falls.

 

[Stangman]

Yes - I will keep you all informed about our application to have the tree removed. Will be at least a few weeks though.

First priority is to get the house ready for my brother. He will be moving into the house at the end of next week and i still have to paint inside and out.
Then there is the bathroom reno to do as well as the carport, roller door, verandah, fence out the front etc.

Good thing that we are gluttons for punishment.

Here is an overview of the new tree laws for South Australia -

http://www.portenf.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Regulated and Significant Trees Guideline.pdf

Our submission is going to need to be very comprehensive and well articulated in order to gain approval. As suggested i will also contact our insurance company to check on liability. If the application is refused, we may even try a solicitors letter pointing out the liability issues.

I have found in business that the person who complains the loudest and rings all the time is the one who gets the fastest service. JWR may be correct in suggesting persistence may bring results. May have to become an annoying SOB.

Stangman.

 

[Anon_]

My old neighbor had a big tree in their backyard which he wanted removed because he was renovating and he had the SES remove it one night as a training exercise at a discount - I can't remember how much but I think it was about half the normal price. Might be worth finding out if they want to cut yours down.

 

[Corey Batt]

Wasn't the old trick to wait for the annual tree cutting/removal by the council, look for what colour marking paint they used to designate removal and spray the tree you wanted gone.

 

[Anon_]

For the Elizabeth buyers... do you always get a building/pest inspection? Speaking to Andrew today, I was quite surprised he does not bother with them because of them being just small investment properties and being reasonably cheap.

 

[Corey Batt]

Depends what you are planning for the property really.

Personally I'd always get an inspection, however if you don't plan on keeping the structure for that long (knock down/subdiv) over the next 5 or so years, it might be worth holding off.

The soil is highly reactive in the area and salt damp is not fun, remember, sleep at night factor is priceless.

 

[JWR]

LOL Anon - remember he is the agent! Of course he is going to say don't get them because he wants the sale to go through.

Call Rod at Inspex Inspections (and ask for a 50% discount on the second one) - I had 2 done for $520 in total instead of $720.

 

[Anon_]

Call Rod at Inspex Inspections (and ask for a 50% discount on the second one) - I had 2 done for $520 in total instead of $720.

Hi mate, that is a really good price. Was that for just the building, or pest as well?

 

[JWR]

No that was just Building - because I wanted to see structural soundness first. I told him if the building part was ok to go ahead with the pest part but it didn't get to that since the houses in question were totally stuffed!

 

[Anon_]

JWR apparently that place at 13 Twyford came back with a valuation at around $180k or something similar, and because the purchase price varied so much with the evaluation, the lender thought something suss was going on and now the potential owner is having all these finance problems/delays because of it.

 

[JWR]

I'll take it haha! Do you know the owner?

Its not worth 180k though. More like 150k

 

[Anon_]

No but Andrew was talking about it today. Something odd about these 2 which I have got though, the values are significantly different. Any ideas why this would be?

This was the valuation from Jan 2011:

House 39 - $131k
House 41 - $164k

 

[JWR]

Who knows? any number of reasons.

I'm guessing it has to do with one being 100sqm bigger.

You can never trust valuations (whether it be RP Data or from SA Gov) because they are only a guide. Better to look at sales data of the area (and excluding the outliers where people have overpaid - only use the lowest sales to compare (and pay less than that) as this is conservative and will ensure you don't overpay.

Its nothing to do with the interior though - must be just land size and I notice 39 has side access to a laneway so that's more valuable because you can subdivide 39 and put another house at the back. So 39 is definitely worth more but I'm not sure that much more (and definitely not 164k). House sizes are the exact same so I think 39 is worth 5-10k more than 41 because of the land.

Are you sure vals aren't the other way round - as 39 is definitely worth more than 41

 

[Stangman]

For the Elizabeth buyers... do you always get a building/pest inspection? Speaking to Andrew today, I was quite surprised he does not bother with them because of them being just small investment properties and being reasonably cheap.

Did not bother with inspections on the 2 we just bought.
Both are solid brick so we could see any cracking, and a quick poke around in the ceiling with a torch told us the roof was still holding up.

Mind you.... the size of the big insect that crawled into the air conditioner opening while we were fitting the roller shutter to the loungeroom window made me crap myself. But no problems,as we have a mate in the pest extermination business. Carton of coldies and a cupla hundred bucks will fix the blighters.

If you open the fusebox cover there is a sticker that will tell you when the house was last treated against white ants.

As far as valuations go, our finance man did not worry about getting a valuer on site. He figured we know what we are doing and the prices paid were well under other sales in the area.

Stangman.

 

[JWR]

I'd love your valuer as he would value mine 30% above value - no deposit or costs required!

Interested in others opinions.

There are 9 Eliz suburbs and Davoren Park - then Smithfield/Blakeview/Craigmore/other outlying suburbs.

Currently Eliz Grove/Vale command a slight premium to North/Downs due to closer proximity to the City - and rightly so.

Looking at a 20 year timeframe: Given Elizabeth will soon become the second CBD, would it be more prudent to buy closer to the Eliz CBD (i.e North, East, Park etc...) given that it is cheaper in price today and it will effectively be closer than say Vale to the Eliz CBD?

Also, will the CBD area change over the long term as new developments change the demographics/geography? If so where is this most likely to occur?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Stangman]

Not easy questions, but will have a stab at it -

Elizabeth Vale - Close to Hospital and GMH, as well as easy access into Salisbury which is another major shopping precint. Older more established area with probably more single homes than semi detached. Not as many hoons as other areas of Elizabeth. Also quickest into the city via Salisbury Highway or Main North Rd.

Elizabeth Grove and South - Close to Hospital, GMH and Town Centre. Considerably more hoons than the Vale in my opinion. Here and the Downs, Davoren Park is where you will see old car seats and empty flagons, beer bottles on front lawns and verandahs. Considered very low socio economic areas.

Elizabeth East and Park - Close to Town Centre and Park Shops, pockets of hoons, but mainly single homes. Live in the East myself in a subdivision built in the mid seventies. Like it here, but lately a lot of properties becoming investments and young people moving in. Hoons in cars everywhere driving like idiots. Thinking it will soon be time to move - especially after the breakin late last year.
Elizabeth Park is having a lot of the semi detached homes bulldozed by the housing trust and a lot of new homes being built. House and land packages being sold around 210k. Have already noticed a better class of shopper at the Foodland in Elizabeth Park. Some hot women get in there now. Ripper!

Elizabeth Downs - Close to Munno Para Shopping Centre. Cannot shake off the feral tag of years gone by, but slowly changing to a better standard. Still would not go walking around at night in that suburb.

Elizabeth North - Close to Town Centre and Munno Para shopping Centre. Probably a slightly older population, but still pockets of undesirables. Be careful buying homes in this area. In my opinion this suburb has the worst soil in Elizabeth - rarely a wall without cracks in these houses.

Davoren Park - No thanks! Would not walk around during the day, let alone night!

Smithfield - Some newer areas are ok. eg near the Munno Para Shops.

Craigmore/ Blakeview - All single houses, better areas but very young families that moved in 10 -15 years ago have children that are now in their teens. Some well behaved, some not. Generally good areas.
Beware buying houses in the ex housing trust side of Craigmore. A lot of these houses are literally falling apart, requiring underpinning and in some cases demolition!

When you write that Elizabeth will be the CBD, i cannot totally agree. Sure it has the big shopping centre, but not much else and has no more room to grow. Munno Para has more of the stores like Harvey Norman,Bunnings, Supacheap etc.

If i were buying n Elizabeth it would be in Elizabeth Vale, East or Park.... Oh... i already are doing just that!

Stangman