#wowhomes

A home is just as good as the location it’s in. A good property in a bad location can be less valuable than a bad property in a good location. This is why location is really important when you are buying a home.

Where you choose to live in will ultimately affect your lifestyle and this is even more important if you’ll be staying in the home for a long time. Important factors to consider include job opportunities (or distance from workplace if you already have a job), climate, crime rate, and average home prices in the area.

Australia proves to be one of the best countries to live in with four of its cities—Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne—named among the top ten best cities to live in by the Economist Intelligence Unit in their 2014 Liveability Survey. For those who care greatly about healthcare, education, and infrastructure, know that Perth scored a perfect 100 in these categories in the survey.

Funded by the Western Australian government, the First Home Owners Grant (or FHOG) was created to offset an increase in housing prices and was introduced in July 2000. Under it, first home buyers are entitled to an amount of up to $10,000 so they can secure their finances and fulfil their dreams of owning a home. However, not everyone who just happens to live in WA can receive it. Certain eligibility requirements must be met.

House and land packages offered in the Perth housing market today are generally built with an emphasis on energy-efficiency and environmental friendliness. One key feature that demonstrates this commitment is the use of COLORBOND® roofing. COLORBOND® roofs are known to be highly resistant to the elements and are very different from the familiar iron sheets and tin roofs. It’s a leading choice among architects and engineers alike for the following reasons:

Thermal efficiency. A COLORBOND® roof is properly insulated and has low thermal mass, so it radiates much less heat during the day and allows for faster cooling once the sun is out. Also, its reflective qualities help protect your home’s foundation from exposure to damaging heat, making it highly suitable for Perth’s relatively warm weather.

Do you want to make your spacious open-floor plan look even larger and bolder? Here are some tips on styling your interiors:

Using Age-Old Tricks

Let in more natural light through sheer curtains or blinds you can draw up, or hang a large decorative mirror on one of your living or dining room’s walls. These classic tricks are still best in creating the illusion of adding more space and height to rooms. You can also use multi or dual-purpose furnishings (e.g. trunks or drawers that can serve both as storage and as coffee tables) or at least keep the furniture to a minimum to avoid making the space look cluttered.

Using Distinct Design Inspirations

Look for style inspirations that are distinct in chic regions around the world. How about minimalist or simple styles like the ones fashioned from Scandinavian interiors or houses from the Hamptons? In those regions, the trend is all about clean lines, crisp linens, and anything white, which perfectly complements the modern interiors of display homes.

Nowadays, it’s common to get approved for mortgages that span 30, 35, or even 40 years for a house and land package in Perth. With the average package costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, homeowners are opting for longer terms so they can conveniently pay off the debt using portions of their income.

 If you get a promotion, get married to someone who also works, or find other sources of income, you may want to pay back your mortgage faster to completely own the home earlier, too. Then, you can use that first home for other investments and privileges (such as selling it to buy another house). Aside from these methods, there are some things you can do when repaying your mortgage to save on expenses and get rid of the debt more quickly.

 Adopting More Sustainable Goals

 Right from the start, pick a builder with sustainability in mind so your home will be constructed with materials and designs that help you in energy and water efficiency. The money you would save from your utility bills can be used to make larger or more frequent mortgage payments.

Forgoing or Limiting Trips and Other Luxuries

Getting the lowest interest rate possible on a home loan is every would-be homeowner’s dream. If you find it, then your time and effort will be well spent. However, with all the home loan choices available, this may not be such a simple task to undertake. Above all else, it’s imperative that you take your time to evaluate what’s on offer before you start the ball rolling.

Fixed vs. variable rate loans

A fixed loan is an agreement between a lender and a borrower that guarantees the borrower a specific interest rate on his mortgage. Interest rates change from day to day, and they rise and fall in patterns that are difficult to anticipate. This means that if you opt for a variable rate, the rate that you get at the start of your loan may not even be the rate you will be paying for by the time your loan gets approved. These are clear reasons why you should vote for a fixed rate for your loan.

That being said, variable rate loans do come with their own advantages. For instance, you can redraw on your loan when necessary, make unlimited additional repayments, and perhaps even refrain from making repayments for a time period.

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