Where To Dine Out When The Restrictions Are Lifted In Melbourne

 Melbourne restaurants

The doors of Melbourne’s hospitality venues were shuttered for dine-in services when the federal government announced a nationwide shutdown. Now, dining establishments around Melbourne have been given the green light to start operations again – though within strict physical distancing parameters. As of June 1, venues will be allowed to have a maximum of 20 patrons at one time. 

We’ve collated a rolling list of Melbourne’s venues that will be offering dine-in services. It’s by no means an exhaustive list of the venues taking action right now; rules and restrictions are changing quickly, and everyone is doing their best to keep up. We recommend checking the social media accounts of your favourite venues for the most up-to-date information. 

Note that with the number of patrons capped at 20 people, bookings are essential for all venues on this list unless otherwise stated. Don’t be a jerk and do a no-show; people’s livelihoods are at stake. 

Where you can eat

CBD

Embla

Book your seat online at one of Melbourne’s most-loved wine bars serving food cooked over woodfire from June 1.

Daughter In Law

Modern Indian food served with high spirits, smart cocktails and a punchy wine list can be enjoyed in-house from June 1. Book online.

Mrs Singh

Book your table online to be in one of three seatings at Jessi Singh’s ‘Champagne disco’ where you can pair Champagne (obviously), classic wines and modern cocktails with bar snacks injected with an Indian flair. Don’t go past the butter chicken paté.

Marameo

Great news! Marameo will be trading under its usual (and full) hours from June 3, so call your closest friends and plan your lunch and dinners. Bookings are essential via its website and takeaway will run until restrictions are lifted.

Cumulus Inc

Melbourne’s original all-day diner is back, with a few changes. Bookings can be made via the website and for parties six and larger. An email will be required to see if the restaurant can accommodate. Seating times will be in place for each service, check the website for more details. 

Supernormal

Lunch ramen and dinner banquets featuring Supernormal’s greatest hits will be back from June 6. Bookings are possible for both services and available on its website. Email through if you have a party of 8 or more.

Ruyi

Want a venue all to yourself for a private function? Modern Chinese restaurant, Ruyi is offering this from Mondays to Wednesdays from June 4, with regular dining from Thursdays to Saturdays. Book online.

Mjolner

For some escapist dining and drinking, Mjolner is reopening on Fridays and Saturdays from June 5. Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings via the website are strongly recommended due to dine-in restrictions. 

Eau de Vie

For speakeasy-style drinking and dining, from June 5, you can book a table or even an event at Eau de Vie. It will be open on Fridays and Saturdays only until restrictions ease.

Boilermaker House

If your whisky collection is looking a bit sad and you’re hanging out for some beer on tap, you’ll only have to hold out until June 5 for some variety. Boilermaker will be open for walk-ins and functions on Fridays and Saturdays, but bookings are strongly encouraged.

Fancy Hanks

Rip into some smoked meats and southern classics from June 1 by booking a table via Fancy Hanks’ website. Capacity is reduced due to government restrictions, so risking a walk-in would not be recommended. 

Tian38

From June 1, chilli crab jaffles, bottomless yum cha brunch, short rib Vegemite rendang and taro-misu will be back in action at the modern Chinese diner, Tian38. Walk-ins welcome.

North


Ides

The dining room will reopen from June 4 so you can smash (quite literally) that Masterchef Black Box dessert for yourself. Book via the website.

Bar Liberty


Capacity is severely capped, but word is Liberty will be open for bookings from June 1 via its website. In the meantime, it will continue its ready-made meal service and takeaway bottle shop.

Capitano


This red sauce restaurant will reopen the week of June 1 with bookings available online. Takeaway and delivery will still run until a full restaurant dine-in is available.

Ichi Ni Nana

The benefit of having many private rooms is being able to serve more people. Book a spot for you and your friends via the website to enjoy modern Japanese izakaya food and drinks. Just be aware that each seating is one hour and 45 minutes long, so don’t be late.

Builders Arms Hotel


Do you miss the whipped cod roe, cheeseburger and meat from the rotisserie? Well, Builders is back from June 1 for meals in the public bar and dining room. Bookings are essential via the website. Email for parties larger than 8.

Cutler and Co


From June 4, McConnell’s fine-diner will open Thursdays-Sundays and will be running a more relaxed service for all-day dining on Sundays. As always, bookings are essential.

Future Mountain


Reservoir’s brewhouse will reopen from June 4 with capped numbers for dining and drinking in. Roadhouse BBQ will be providing smoked meats to go with those beers, but if you’re unable to be seated, one-litre howlers are still being delivered within a five-kilometre radius.

Red Sparrow Pizza


From June 1, you’ll be able to order your vegan pizza and eat it in-store as well. Bookings are essential and can be made via its website.

Old Raffles Place


This family-owned and operated Singaporean restaurant in Collingwood is reopening from June 2. Enjoy its signature laksa, Assam dishes and street food classics by calling 03 9417 4450 to make a booking.

Mary Eats Cake


Book your next high-tea experience at this Brunswick cafe. Enjoy scones, finger sandwiches, desserts and artisan teas from June 4 by booking your seat on its website.

Ciao Mamma


Do you miss receiving your pasta in a bowl rather than a takeaway container? Ciao Mamma is reopening for sit-down dining from June 2. Book via the website.

The Rochester Hotel


Pub meals, pints and good banter will return to the Rochey from June 5. The pub will open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until restrictions are lifted. Booking can be made via email.

Teta Mona


If you’ve got a hankering for some vegan-friendly Lebanese soul food, make a booking at Teta Mona for June 1 now by calling 03 9380 6680. It’s not that the entire menu is vegan, but if you bring your vegan mate, they won’t miss out.

Rin Sura


Brunswick neighbourhood favourite, Rin Sura, is back from June 2, dishing up modern Thai food. Call 03 9942 7047 for more information and how to book.

Old Kingdom


If iso-life has robbed you of the communal, sliced-at-the-table, Peking duck experience with a side of sass, cheap BYO and guaranteed good times, then call 03 9417 2438 to book the number of ducks you’d like to push down your face hole from June 1.

Lagoon Dining


From June 4, Lagoon is opening its doors from Thursdays to Sundays to serve up its modern Chinese menu. Bookings are essential and available via the website. If there is a demand for dining in, the team will extend its days of trade.

Carlton Wine Room


The benefit of having so many rooms and private areas is that Carlton Wine Room will be able to serve its anchovy on fried bread, boozy rum baba and excellent wine list to more people than most venues. Doors are set to open from June 1 with seatings being limited to 1.5hrs. Bookings are available via its website and it will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until the restrictions change.


West


Bia Hoi


Jerry Mai’s Vietnamese beer hall and grill restaurant will reopen June 3. Book via the website.

Dukkah


You can enjoy Middle Eastern fusion that is vegan, vegetarian and coeliac friendly in South Kingsville’s Dukkah by calling 03 9399 3737 to book your table from June 2.

South


Yagiz


Toorak Road’s Turkish fine diner will open its doors on June 2 with a 6pm and 8pm seating, with the ability to accommodate for 20 people. Bookings are essential and can be made via the website.

Omnia


Bookings will be available from June 1 at South Yarra’s swanky fine diner.

Bang Bang at the Rifle Club


Bang Bang will reopen with a new menu, serving up the same Asian-fusion flavours it’s known for. With limited seats available at any time, bookings are essential and can be made through emailing the restaurant directly with your enquiry.

Bar Carolina


Miss being seen while eating stellar Italian fare? Bar Carolina is opening from June 1 for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bookings must be made via the website, but don’t despair if you miss out, takeaway will still be running until the restrictions are fully lifted.

Tetto di Carolina


Dining in Tetto will resume under varied hours from June 3, with up-to-date hours and bookings available through the website. We hear whispers of a whole new menu, so keep an eye out.

Ichi Ni


The benefit of having many private rooms is being able to serve more people. Book a spot for you and your friends via the website to enjoy modern Japanese izakaya food and drinks. Just be aware that each seating is one hour and 45 minutes long, so don’t be late.

Point Leo Estate and Laura


If you like your meals with a side of sculpture park, you’ll be glad to hear that Mornington Peninsula’s Point Leo Estate and its fine-diner counterpart Laura is reopening from June 1 for lunch, 7 days, and dinner from Thursdays to Sunday. Bookings are essential via its website.

Miyako


This 20-year-old Japanese diner and teppanyaki house in Southbank is taking bookings for June 1 and beyond. With private dinings rooms and different zones, there will be capacity for more than 20 diners, but bookings are still essential via the website.

Oro Bianco


If you plan on going to Dandenong from June 1 and suspect you’ll be craving Italian food cooked in a woodfire oven, Oro Bianco is taking bookings via its website. The full menu will be on offer and Oro Bianco will be open seven days.

Ripponlea Food and Wine


From June 3, you’ll be able to book into one of three seatings, which run for 1.5 hours each, including a cocktail hour beginning at 4.30pm. The full a la carte menu will be available alongside specials like pasta Wednesdays and Negroni Thursdays. Bookings are available via the website and takeaway will be running alongside dine-in until restrictions change.

East


Mister Bianco


Joe Vargetto will be running an authentic Sicilian menu for dining in, along with the hot pick-up and delivery service. Guests will be seated in the main dining room and also in the private dining areas. Call 03 9853 6929 or email [email protected] for bookings.

Future Future


Bookings for this casual Aussie-Japanese restaurant are now available online. Takeaway will also run until restrictions are fully lifted.

Oster


This modern Italian eatery is now taking bookings for June 1 and beyond. Visit its website or call 03 9428 0749 to make a reservation.

O My


Beaconsfield’s farm-to-table favourite is reopening with bookings available from June 4. Book online, via its website.

Augello’s


This Balwyn pizzeria and restaurant is reopening from June 1 for reservations. Order from an extensive menu of traditional and gourmet pizza. Ring 03 9830 4700 to reserve your table.


Best In Coffee Deliveries

best coffee deliveries in Melbourne

We Melburnians are serious about coffee, which means quality beans and brewing kits are a home necessity

Melburnians are notorious coffee snobs. We are proud of our coffee culture, the quality and standards that we have set for ourselves and the rest of the world recognises that. It is not unusual to come across a commercial set up in someone’s home or be served coffee out of an Aeropress in an office. Thankfully, along with the gadgets, quality beans in whatever form designed for your ideal preparation is always available to be delivered to you – these are the cream of the crop.  Need some food to go with that delivery coffee? These restaurants will sort you out. Prefer to go out for food instead? Head to a farmers market. 

The best coffee delivery in Melbourne

Market Lane Coffee: Queen Victoria Market

Market Lane, one of the first and best specialty coffee shops in Melbourne has opened its fourth store inside the deli hall. It’s the same deal here as at all the other joints – brewing equipment and bags of freshly roasted coffee beans fill an immaculately designed space. Owners Fleur Studd and Jason Scheltus are two of the most coffee-devoted individuals in this city. Hit the website to order single bags, coffee subscriptions according to your consumption, equipment and even find out the best methods for brewing at home. 


Restaurants-  St Ali, South Melbourne 

Melbourne’s most well-known specialty coffee house, St Ali, will deliver single bags of coffee, coffee packs, subscriptions, its own instant coffee, tea and even hand sanitiser to your door. Brewing kits from St Ali are just as serious as its coffee offering, with Moccamasters coming with coffee subscriptions and La Marzocco machines available for purchase alongside a personal training session from its award-winning staff. St Ali takes caffeine very seriously.

Coffee at Parlour Lane Roasters

It started out as a third-wave café in Melbourne, now it’s a coffee empire. Proud Mary wears many fancy hats: unbelievably popular warehouse-style café in Collingwood, wholesale coffee roasters stocking some of Melbourne’s best venues and training ground for award-winning baristas. The online store stocks a range of its beans, from blends to single-origin and the pricey, coveted Geisha available only via subscription.

Coffee at Seven Seeds

Seven Seeds is all about the coffee: see the in-house coffee plants, coffee laboratory and temperature-controlled storage space. Do they make a good coffee? The answer, folks, is yes. Order the beans online where each blend or roast is accompanied by as much detail as you would receive if you were in store. So shop with confidence. You can always refer to the website for brewing instructions, or even the best coffee to suit the equipment you already have at home. Brilliant. 

Restaurants, Cafés, Dukes Coffee Roasters

Melbourne  

Inside the beautiful old Ross House building on Flinders Lane is Dukes Coffee Roasters. It’s committed to ethical trading with coffee sourced from farms and small co-operatives that they bring home to roast here in Melbourne. Purchase bags or subscriptions via its website, alongside basic equipment perfect for a filter drinker. 

Three Thousand Thieves

If you like to spread the love, Three Thousand Thieves only offers coffee subscriptions and highlights a different local roastery every month. Each roastery that is involved picks the beans they want to highlight so you can get excited about what they’re excited about, too. Who knows, maybe you have preferred a high acid profile rather than nutty all along. This is probably how you will find out. 

Axil Coffee Roasters, Melbourne  

The priority at Axil is high quality, ethical coffee. Its environmentally and socially friendly beans are roasted locally in Hawthorn. Coffee from its online store is available in 250-gram bags or one kilo. If you’re the set-it-and-forget-it kind of person, subscriptions deliver fortnightly or monthly. Make sure you already have your equipment, though, Axil is all about the beans. 

Code Black Coffee North Melbourne

Roasters opening cafés is a formula that’s worked brilliantly because you already know the ingredients are excellent, which is the story for Code Black Coffee. Its website is a one-stop-shop where you can pick up beans, Hario gear and even a La Marzocco machine to make the perfect espresso at home. 

Source: https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/shopping/the-best-coffee-delivery-in-melbourne

At Home Healthy Winter Gardens.

How to grow vegetables, herbs and plants anywhere

If you’re struggling with that balcony garden, here are some handy tips on how to kickstart growth with Mat Pember from Little Veggie Patch Co. Being self-sufficient is a brilliant step in the right direction for sustainability and filling in all those extra hours in the day that we now have. But it is even hard for the most advanced gardener to achieve. Growing your own food is not as easy as throwing a few seeds into a pot and feasting in a fortnight. We spoke to Mat Pember, co-owner of the local, independent nursery Little Veggie Patch Co, about how to grow food anywhere, successfully, and in a calm and rational manner. 

Infrastructure is the first big mistake people can make when they first start gardening

“People think that the more pots they have, the more food they can grow. This isn’t necessarily true. Pots can be too small for what people want to grow and it can lead to the plant dying too quickly, there is not enough nutrition in the soil, there is no room for the plant to move and it becomes pot bound and stunted.”

There is no such thing as a bargain with soil

“The quality of soil correlates to how you grow things. There is only one soil supplier who supplies all the nurseries in Melbourne. Even if you buy cheap soil, you will have to add nutrients to it which will end up costing you more in the long run if you are to successfully grow anything in it.”

It is important to know when to plant things

“Planting out of season is probably one of the biggest mistakes people can make. Some people start planting tomatoes in August, but you really can’t put them in the ground before November. If you’ve missed the window, I’d recommend going to a nursery and buying seedlings instead of pushing through. Knowing if you can directly plant into a patch versus propagating and transplanting into a garden is important as well. People can be derailed from the very beginning.”     

Don’t forget to buy something you can water with

“People often forget about watering. I’d recommend something with a fan spray so it doesn’t blast your seedlings from the soil. You don’t always need a spade. If you’re going in a pot, use your hands. Then, you can afford a better quality potting mix (so you don’t need fertiliser or additives) and spend on the plants that you want. I’d also advise buying a net to keep away the cabbage moths and caterpillars.”

To get the most out of your plants, knowing when to harvest is key

“People usually wait for a full head of lettuce before they harvest, but it’s a super delicate situation. There is a very short time frame between it tasting like lettuce and overcooking, shooting a seed head and becoming really bitter. You can actually harvest it leaf by leaf and you’re letting the plant become more productive. Beans and peas should always be picked. This way, you free up energy on the plant and end up producing more. It’s amazing how much food is wasted by it going to seed or bolting.” 

Grow high-yield and high-return food

“Leafy greens and herbs are the best value foods you can grow. They keep reproducing and you can always preserve, freeze or dry them if you have too much. Growing with some foresight helps, as you might have nothing when you put the seeds down, but all of a sudden, you can end up with too much.”

Saving your seeds to replant will give you better-performing plants each year

“Everyone has the ability to save heirloom seeds each year and build on how they perform in their own climate. Chillies, tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums will perform better next year in the same climate and spot. Fruiting vegetables are easy to extract the seeds from, leafy greens are a bit harder as you’ll have to let them cook, bolt and go to seed.”

When planting, more doesn’t necessarily mean more

“When putting things in the ground, it’s hard to picture the full plant. If you plant your seeds too close, it won’t allow enough space for the full plant when it grows. Start with very basic things that reproduce their harvest like leafy greens and herbs. As you pick them, they regenerate. Autumn is the best time to be planting these things. Buy a really good quality potting mix if you’re starting from scratch and make sure your vessel is at least 30 centimetres deep with a good surface area to allow your plants to grow.”

If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, Little Veggie Patch Co has developed a planting calendar specific to Australia that they bundle with heirloom seeds.

Winter Is The Perfect Time To Check Your Smoke Alarm

Generally when we Victorians turn back the clock by an hour to mark the end of daylight saving on Sunday 5 April, it’s a reminder to check your home smoke alarms are working. However, if you haven’t managed to get around to this yet, here is a gentle reminder. Victoria’s fire services are asking people to do this life-saving check after recent research showing that the number and location of functioning smoke alarms increase your family’s chances of escaping a fire. They are urging Victorians to use to check smoke alarms and carry out home maintenance like checking on fire risks such as damaged power cords or inspecting heating systems.

“Over the past 10 years, most fatal fires started in either someone’s loungeroom or bedroom,” says Gavin Freeman, Country Fire Authority deputy chief officer. “I urge Victorians to keep themselves safe as we head into winter, when heaters and electric blankets bring a greater risk of house fires.”

He says many fatal fires start at night and the smell of smoke won’t wake people up. The CFA recommends smoke alarms with a 10-year lithium battery, installed on the ceiling at least 30 centimetres from the wall and interconnected so when one alarm sounds, all the others do the same.  MFB’s deputy chief officer David Bruce says having a working smoke alarm is “your first line of defence in the event of a fire”. “If you’re doing the right thing and staying home it will only take a few minutes to clean and then test your smoke alarm by pushing the button,” he says. “Regardless of the type of smoke alarm you have, all smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years.”

With a big increase in people working from home offices, the fire services say it’s also important to check that you’re not overloading power-boards, which can also be a fire risk. Now is also a good time to check heating and cooling systems, and ensure home fire extinguishers or fire blankets aren’t out of date.  The fire services also recommend drawing up a family fire plan, similar to the plans you would have in an office, ensuring all family members know the quickest two ways out of each room and how to call triple zero. The CFA says research shows that less than half of all properties attended by fire services had smoke alarms and, of those that did have alarms, one third didn’t work. It recommends maintaining your smoke alarms by: 

  • Testing it monthly by pushing the test button to make sure it beeps.
  • Dusting the alarm with a vacuum cleaner brush.
  • Changing the battery at least once a year.
  • If your smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, changing your alarm to a new unit with a 10-year lithium battery.

RACV’s head of home insurance Zoe Malempre says people working from home must take extra care when charging phones, laptops and tablets, as charging devices on soft surfaces like a couch or bed can be a fire danger. “Soft surfaces don’t allow enough air to circulate around the charging device so hard surfaces are best when charging.”

For our Renters, please contact us if you are concerned about the operation of your property smoke alarm/s. Owners, we have teamed up with Smoke Alarms Australia to provide an economical annual “health check” for all smoke detectors.. Contact us to find out more….

Top 7 Tips For A Warm Winter Home Without Blowing The Energy Bill

As quickly as day turns to night in the colder season, winter creeps up on us and we find ourselves cranking up the heat, wrapped up in electric blankets and thick, woolly jumpers. So, what can you do to prepare for the drop in temperature? Here are our tips for keeping your home comfortable in winter without upping your energy bill.

1.Use heavy curtains on your windows

Did you know up to 40% of the heat escaping your home in cooler temperatures is purely from not covering your windows? The most significant air leaks tend to occur around windows. By investing in heavy drapes or curtains, you can ensure your windows will have extra insulation, keeping the warmth from escaping your home.

2.Change your ceiling fan settings

Many people assume ceiling fans are only for cooling in warm months, but they can be your best friend in winter too. During the summer months, your ceiling fan blades turn in a counter clockwise motion and use what’s known as the wind chill factor to keep you cooler. However, in winter, you’ll want to find the reverse switch on your fan to change things up. As warm air generated by your heating system naturally rises to the ceiling, and cooler air sinks, your ceiling fan will push the warm air back down to a comfortable level. To locate your reverse switch, look on your fan above or below the blades, or check the manual from your fan manufacturer.

3. Seal cracks and gaps

Unsealed cracks can account for approximately 15-25% of heat loss in your home throughout winter. These let unwanted cool air enter your home, and any attempts to warm it up will essentially ‘slip through the cracks’. By sealing gaps in your windows and door frames, you’ll keep nasty drafts at bay and seal in the warmth – making your home nice and cosy!

Consider investing in a door snake to keep the cold air from coming under your doors. If you’re handy, check out this video from Bunnings on how to seal your windows.

4. Insulation

David says, My older style house has polished floor boards with many large gaps that would let the breeze through. The under floor insulation has sealed all the gaps and keeps my house significantly warmer in winter.

Read more… A well-insulated house can use as much as 45% less energy for heating and cooling. If you have raised timber floors, install Optimo Underfloor Insulation by Bradford, which provides a barrier to reduce heat loss and cold draughts entering through your flooring. As a bonus, it reduces the noise of floorboards and can even lessen noise transfer from different rooms. Additionally, you could invest in a higher grade insulation in your ceiling, which also acts as a barrier to the heat flow of your home. Not only will these products seal in warmth in the winter, when summer rolls around they will keep your home nice and cool too! If you have existing glasswool insulation, you can even top up.

5. Cover your walls

Your walls can be big contributors to losing heat in the winter, but there’s a simple trick to lock in some of that heat. You can significantly reduce energy loss by covering your walls with picture frames, a mirror or even a large book shelf. By adding an extra layer of thermal mass to insulate, you can raise internal surface temperatures by around 1°C.

6. Re-position your furniture

Understanding how heat moves and investigating the thermal properties of your house will help you brave the cold this winter. You will feel warmer if you position yourself and your furniture near warmer areas of the home, including closer to the inside of the house and away from cooler external walls. Try to place your furniture next to an internal wall or a spot that gets a lot of natural light and heat from the sun.


7.Let the sun in during the day

When sunlight enters your home, it is mostly ultraviolet radiation, which transfers easily through glass. Once it hits an object the sunlight becomes radiant heat. To capitalise on all this free energy and gain extra warmth, open your blinds and curtains during the day and let that natural heat wash over you. Don’t forget to shut your winter-weight curtains when the sun sets to keep that warmth in.

There are so many little ways you can save on energy costs and keep warm this winter. Don’t forget simple things like investing in warm socks and using extra bedding at night. There’s nothing nicer than making a cup of tea and getting toasty on the couch!


HUMAN INTEREST- #CORONAKINDNESS

Mum takes son on dinosaur walks to brighten street

Across Australia many people are also putting teddy bears in their yards and windows so children can go on a bear hunt through their neighbourhood. However one Brisbane mother has chosen a different animal to bring positivity to her neighbourhood.

Lou Bromley and her four-year-old son Angus Love have been dressing as dinosaurs on their daily walks in Oxley in Brisbane’s west, brightening the days of nearby children who are studying at home.

“We were going a little stir crazy working from home and being homeschooled,” Ms Bromley said.

“A lot of friends are also homeschooling in our neighbourhood so we thought we’d put some smiles on people’s faces.

“We get lots of smiles — from parents as well as kids.”

We would love to hear about what you and or your community are doing for eachother? What is your Silver lining to the COVID-19 situation?

#melbournehomes # #realestate #realestateau #melb#silverservicere #silverservicerealestate #customerfirst #heretoserve #realestatemelbourne #realestateredefined
#coronavirus #marketupdate #propertymarket

Your Home Is Your Safe Haven: Could COVID-19 Encourage More Renters To Purchase Property?

Now more than ever we will evaluate what is really important to us. Amongst the chaos and uncertainty, how can we work towards a secure future?  What is the right secure future for us?

There is something very secure about a good old fashioned brick and mortar investment.  

During difficult times it is comforting to return to a home you own. A safe place where you can cultivate your lifestyle and personality in the way that you choose.  Hang those precious memories, paint or wallpaper the walls – or not, it doesn’t matter, you can create your own style, your own sanctuary, your own safe haven.  Owning your own home fulfils fundamental needs as outlined in Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” and for many, their home is a status symbol or a financial vehicle in which to grow wealth and success.

Driven by these fundamental human needs it is vital that we have a practical and financially viable plan to obtain these goals.

How do I know I’m making the right decision to go from renter to owner?

Research, then apply practical financially viable solutions. If you can afford to pay rent, chances are you can afford to pay a mortgage. Run the numbers. Get good financial advice, speak to a financial planner, an accountant, a bank manager and make a plan for the future.  Know what your commitment will cost not just mortgage payments but include stamp duty, rates, insurance and body corporate fees.

The Reserve Bank Australia (RBA) predicts a shortfall in housing (Financial Review, 2019).  With record low-interest rates, record first home buyers, population growth, high immigration* (COVID-19 restrictions will not last forever) and increased renters the data indicates that if you have a secure income that you should consider the following tips and purchase once this immediate unsettling time has passed. Yes, we are experiencing a pandemic with a recession looming but our economy is cyclic.

Buying a medium to long term investment

Over the past 30 years, Australian housing prices have increased on average by 7.25 % per year (RBA, 2015). Statistics historically tell us that provided you are buying a property as a medium or long term investment where you can choose your time to sell you will not lose.  If you are buying a short term prospect you need to do more to ensure a return on investment, such as the following;

* Australia’s population continues to grow and 231,937 people migrated from overseas in 2019 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2019).All these people need homes. Head to our website to read more and see the tips we recommend when buying;

#melbournehomes # #realestate #realestateau #melb

#silverservicere #silverservicerealestate #customerfirst #heretoserve #realestatemelbourne #realestateredefined
#coronavirus #marketupdate #propertymarket

Sparking First Real Conversations With Neighbours

Ipswich couple Vicky and Siamak Mohajerin have lived in their family home, west of Brisbane, for 12 years.

Like many busy Australians, they had only ever exchanged the odd wave or nod to their neighbour out the back — mother-of-six Teressa Leedie — until the coronavirus pandemic began to spread.

“We were at home self-isolating and we realised we don’t know a lot of our neighbours,” Ms Mohajerin said.

“We thought they might be in need, so we put gloves on, got a pen and pad, and took a walk on Sunday afternoon, and gave our neighbours our contact details.

“[We] just told them if they need anything at all, or needed us to go get something for them, we would go do that.”
Mr Mohajerin said the couple had “never met or spoken to Teressa”.

“We got a really nice response,” he said.

Ms Leedie said it was “really uncommon for people to reach out this way”.

“Usually people stick to themselves,” Ms Leedie said.

“It was really overwhelming and heartwarming to know you’ve got neighbours, strangers, in your street who are willing to support us in this time of need.” Mr Mohajerin recommended other people to reach out to others — whether online or over the fence — saying it had given him and Ms Mohajerin something to look forward to.

“I’m so glad we did it,” he said.

“One household suggested we have a street party when this is all over, so we can’t wait — it’s going to be huge.”

‘Great Cause For Optimism’

Popping next door to borrow a cup of sugar is not common these days. In fact, research shows less than half of Australians actually know their neighbour by name. Relationships Australia national executive officer Nick Tebbey said coronavirus was changing that, with the pandemic prompting neighbours to reach out to one another for support as social-distancing measures increased.

“It’s part of the Australian psyche and we see it in times of crisis like the bushfires and the droughts,” Mr Tebbey said.

“Neighbours and communities want to make sure the most vulnerable people are looked after.

“The difference now is we’re all vulnerable with this pandemic.

“I think there’s great cause for optimism to see all these amazing stories of neighbours doing things that are really about building connections with those around them.

“Every day we’re seeing examples of that all over the country.”

Mr Tebbey said “online neighbourhoods” were also expanding in response to the virus, connecting those in distant suburbs, interstate or even overseas.

“We’re seeing a huge uptake of people setting up WhatsApp and Facebook chats to communicate with their immediate neighbours,” he said.

“Technology is the great connector we need right now.”

Silver Linings: In This Chill Why Not, Cosy Up For A Cuppa And A Good Book! With All The Missing Time We Now Have Back!

Things are on the whole looking up for us here in Australia, from recent Government reports it appears things are heading in the right direction, however it isn’t a time to rush out and celebrate. Instead take some peace from the situation and as the days are getting cooler here in Melbourne why not dust off the old bookshelf, grab a quiet corner to enjoy some on page adventure from a wonderful novel and sip down a cup of hot chocolate! 

It like a winter vacation in the comfort of being home. 

We would love to hear more about what you are enjoying? What is your Silver lining to the COVID-19 situation?

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Silver linings: Classes To Take At Home

Performance Medicine

Your health doesn’t take a holiday whilst we are participating in social distancing.

Performance Medicine is a local physiotherapy business in Southbank, they have a range of classes they are offering for anyone at home wanting to keep fit and active. They now offer Virtual Fitness and Wellbeing classes to keep your body and mind fit and engaged. With almost 20 classes per week they can cover all your fitness needs and if you require special attention they can book you in with their Sports Doctor or Physiotherapist.

  • Yoga Flow
  • Yin Yoga
  • Matwork Pilates
  • Functional Training
  • Barre

Their weekly classes are 30 minutes and are run by Performance Medicine’s Physiotherapists and Myotherapists (Melbourne’s best!). The therapists will work out with you in REAL TIME!

Check out their timetable below.

Unlimited Classes per Week – $35

https://performancemedicine.com.au/classes/virtual-fitness-wellbeing-classes/

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#Redefined #lovemyhome 

It is predicted the Real Estate Market will come out unscathed.

We thought it important to share this latest update by the biggest industry publisher Real Estate .com.au (REA Group). 

The coronavirus pandemic is having a catastrophic effect on Australia’s economy. While it’s still too soon to tell what damage has extended to the property market, it will likely come out unscathed.

Online auctions make up a third of previous auction market

The number of scheduled online auctions are far fewer than what we’d normally see scheduled on realestate.com.au for on-site auctions. The industry is still transitioning to new ways of selling amid COVID-19, so we might see a bigger uptake of online auctions as it becomes the new norm.

It’s important to remember that only 14 percent of properties go to auction, so auctions really are only a small proportion of the market. Last weekend, online auctions made up 5.8 per cent of the overall market. While clearance rates were used as the main form of auction data pre-coronavirus, clearance rates are really only a good indicator of performance in premium Sydney and Melbourne suburbs, where the majority of auctions take place. Right now, the clearance rate is a redundant indicator partly because so few properties are now going to auction, but also because we’re still in a transition phase and learning how best to sell property via auctions in a fundamentally different way.

As with all disruption, it takes time for new behaviours to replace old behaviours. At this stage, it’s too early to tell what the eventual uptake of online buying and selling will be. Post pandemic, I do think on-site auctions will come back, but no doubt the industry will have evolved.

How COVID-19 is affecting property around the world.

It is still too early to know what will happen to pricing in Australia as a result of COVID-19 and we likely won’t be able to analyse data in a meaningful way until May. Until then, we can look at the worst-case health scenarios playing out in Northern Italy, New York, the UK and China to understand what is happening to property in severe lockdowns.

Markets around the world that went into COVID-19 strong are faring better, and Australia’s property market was well into recovery in the first quarter of 2020, which is a positive sign.

It’s also important to note that Australia is currently in a very different situation with much lower rates of death and infection, and a far less severe lockdown. Although, recent changes to inspections in Victoria will immediately and significantly impact the local economy, property industry and general community.

Published on the 12th April Nerida Conisbee and team released this market update;

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/property-market-update-the-covid-19-ripple-effect/

#melbournehomes # #realestate #realestateau #melb

#silverservicere #silverservicerealestate #customerfirst #heretoserve #realestatemelbourne #realestateredefined
#Redefined #lovemyhome