Resources to help you along your property journey.

 Interior designer Sarah Foote from Sarah Foote Design shares practical pointers for bathroom designA well-designed loo never goes unnoticed – it has a captive audience, after all. What else is there to do while frequenting the smallest room in the house but admire an exquisite tile choice, a beautiful basin or a sumptuous selection of…

 Ingredients 400g cream cheese, at room temperature3 eggs, lightly beaten150g pure icing sugar1 tsp vanilla extract200g frozen berries, thawed (such as blackberries, blueberries or raspberries)Pastry 100g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped11/3 cups (200g) plain flour1/3 cup (80ml) milkMethodFor the pastry, rub butter and flour together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in a pinch of salt, then, using…

Subdued greens and curvaceous, organic shapes create an understated natural Christmas style that is both relaxing and joyfulDeck the hallsFor a modern interpretation of the traditionally bright and bold garland, wind strands of delicate foliage (olive branches look lovely) around handrails or curtain rods. A trail of thoughtfully wrapped gifts tied with sumptuous ribbons will…

 If a real tree isn’t available to you this year, try one of these alternative Christmas trees to bring in the festive cheerAnother fantastic article by Your Home and Garden that was too good not to share1. Driftwood treeA driftwood tree is a great option for a Kiwi Christmas because we so often spend the…

 Ingredients500g Pasta of your choice3 tbsp butter500 g/1lb shrimp/prawns deveined and shelled4 garlic cloves crushed1 cup/250ml cream2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juicehandful fresh parsley finely choppedSalt and pepper to tasteYou can also serve with pesto!InstructionsCook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. In the meantime, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large…

 Is there anything more thrilling than the countdown to Christmas? The suspense is almost enough to rival the actual day – almost. This DIY advent calendar adds to the fun, so get your little ones involved and let them design the house exterior. Fill the inside shelves with little gifts, which when opened reveal fun…

Ingredients 1 Whole large egg2 Egg yolks (large)115g Caster sugar2 tbsp Cornflour400ml Full fat milk2 tsp Vanilla extract1 Sheet ready-rolled puff pastry Method Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tin and pre-heat oven to 200C/180C fan.Put egg, yolks, caster sugar, and cornflour in a pan and mix well together then gradually add the milk until mixture is well…

 You would be forgiven for thinking that all real estate agents essentially appear the same.Real estate professionals collectively tend to dress the same way, drive the same kind of cars, talk the same way on the phone. It's almost like they are trying not to stand out from each other.And the job itself - how…

 It’s not just media hype. We are in a full-blown housing crisis.What’s driving our out-of-control real estate market?Historically low interest rates. Never before has it been so cheap to borrow money to buy houses (or keep them as investments).Ridiculous amount of red-tape involved in building or development. 50-60%+ of a residential building development budget can be spent…

 It is completely understandable to be tempted by the idea of selling your home yourself, without the help of a real estate agent.Real estate agency fees are a sizeable amount of money no matter what the value of your property might be. And at the start of the process, the only number you have that…

When buying a home, coming to an agreement with the owners on price is just the first hurdle.The second, and the often biggest barrier to progress is the builder's report.The 'builder's report' is an inspection, usually commissioned by the buyer, where a qualified inspector goes through the property with a fine-tooth comb. They look for…

 Every buyer wants to avoid a multiple offer situation if possible.We prefer to negotiate directly with the owner, one on one. It’s programmed into our genes to want to start off low, see what the seller comes back with, and maybe meet in the middle if it works for us.In a busy market though, a…