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If you’re in the market for a new pool, it’s important to make sure that your barrier inspector is qualified. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing an inspector.

Homeowners are responsible for ensuring their pool is inspected and compliant with NSW Pool Safety Legislation. This article provides an overview of the legislation and what homeowners need to do to ensure their pool is safe.

If you’re a homeowner, then you know that it’s important to maintain your property. Not only does this protect your investment in Wollongong, but it also keeps you and your family safe. One of the best ways to ensure that your home is in good condition is to get a building and pest inspection report. Here are five reasons why you should consider getting one in Wollongong. 1. Building and pest inspections are important because they can identify potential problems with a property before you buy it No one ever thinks about the possibility of a pest infestation until it’s too late. By that time, the damage has often been done and can be costly to repair. That’s why it’s important for homeowners to get regular building and pest inspections. These inspections can identify potential problems before they become big issues. Pests can also cause health problems, so it’s important to eliminate them as soon as possible. Building and pest inspections in Wollongong are a great way to do that. 2. A building inspection can reveal structural issues, while a pest inspection can uncover evidence of termites or other pests Most homeowners never think about structural issues until there is a problem. Minor problems, like a small crack in the foundation, can often be fixed before they become bigger problems. But how do you know if there is a problem? A building and pest inspection can reveal potential structural issues that need to be fixed before they become a bigger issue. A building and pest inspection in Wollongong will look at the condition of the property from top to bottom, including the roof, walls, windows, doors, and foundations. The inspector will also check for any signs of termites or other pests that could cause damage to the property. By getting an annual building and pest inspection, you can catch any minor problems before they turn into costly repairs. 3. By getting a building and pest inspection report in Wollongong, you can make an informed decision about whether or not to buy a property Building and pest inspections are an important part of the home buying process. They help you understand the condition of the property and identify any potential problems. Having a building and pest inspection can give you peace of mind, knowing that you’re making an informed decision about your new home in Wollongong. 4. A building and pest inspection report is also useful for insurance purposes If you’re a homeowner, you know that having insurance is important. But did you know that getting a building and pest inspection can also be helpful for insurance purposes? That’s because these inspections can help identify any potential problems with your property that could lead to future claims. So if you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, be sure to talk to your insurance company about getting a building and pest inspection. They may be able to offer you some discounts on your policy if you do.4 So, should you get a building and pest inspection report in Wollongong? ABSOLUTELY. These reports can arm you with the information you need to make an informed decision about a property – before it’s too late. Protect yourself from costly repairs down the track by getting your home or office inspected today. Let’s talk.

Budget measures aimed at curbing explosive house prices are unlikely to have an impact in NSW regional areas experts say, instead calling them a ‘drop in the ocean’ and a missed opportunity to address housing affordability. There was hope the budget would provide relief to regions like Wollongong, in the Illawarra, where booming property prices are outpacing Sydney according to market analysts. NAB’s most recent Housing Market Report showed house prices in the region rose 12.9 per cent last year, almost double the regional NSW average. The coastal city was dubbed the third most expensive city to buy a home in Australia after Sydney and Melbourne in a 2016 Domain Group property study. Renters have welcomed the Government’s attempt to help them buy a new home using voluntary contributions from their superannuation to save for a deposit. But experts say the changes do not go far enough. University of Wollongong Professor of Economics Alex Frino said giving tax breaks to first home buyers through the super system would not solve the issue of supply. “That will just simply aggravate the problem, so there’s more money chasing existing properties,” Professor Frino said. He doubts luring older people into downsizing by allowing them to bank an extra $300,000 from the sale of their home into super will work either. “So some modest measures, one of them will simply increase and aggravate the problem, the other may work at the fringes so not a great outcome in terms of housing affordability,” he said. Real Estate Institute Illawarra Chapter chairman Trevor Molenaar believed the Government should have done more. “I think it was a drop in the ocean of what we feel could have been done,” Mr Molenaar said. “We were calling for 50 per cent exemptions on stamp duty for first home buyers, I feel that would have gone a long way to starting the process for making it affordable for the Illawarra residents,” he said. “I’ve spoken to a lot of buyers already and they are seeing no real change in their side of things so the affordability factor, or the lack of affordability, is still there.” But Mr Molenaar said leaving negative gearing relatively untouched was a good move given the Illawarra market is generally made up of ‘Mum and Dad investors, not multi-millionaires’. The new First Home Super Savers Scheme will allow prospective home owners to access a concessional 15 per cent tax rate for up to $30,000 from their super. But resident Graeme Frazer said this budget measure was too little too late. He said the maximum amount a first-time buyer could funnel from their super would not be enough for them to gather a deposit for a home in the Wollongong region. “[They are] trying to create an illusion really, it’s like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted, waste of time, and why is the limit so low?”, Mr Frazer said. “How much is a house deposit these days?” But northern suburbs tradesman and renter Damien Blanch believed it would now take he and his partner less time to get a foot in the expensive market. “The new budget, it has given us a bit more hope about saving a deposit,” Mr Blanch said. “It is tight to get in. Credit: Federal budget 2017: Housing affordability measures could ‘aggravate’ explosive prices, supply issue in regional NSW 

Manufacturing and industrial business in the Illawarra is somewhat being revived and taking a new shape with Sydney businesses keen to move in. A large property at 32 – 34 Doyle Avenue in Unanderra has just been snapped up by a civil engineering firm who, like many others, decided to relocate from Sydney to greener and cheaper pastures. MMJ Wollongong’s director of commercial sales Tim Jones said a number of different agents had tried to sell the vacant property over the past three years without success, until now. “We are delighted to have been able to facilitate such a strong sale on what has been a problematic property for the vendor for some time. The fact that we’ve sold it to a relocating, Sydney-based company is also extremely satisfying,” he said. “The property boasts 19,050m2 of … light industrial land and a substantial 4,500m2 shed and [sold for] $4,625,000.” The problem with industrial sites, he said, is they need to find a perfect match with a buyer as each unique property won’t meet every businesses needs. It’s the first purchase of commercial property for the owner of Civil Foundations Group, Tony Derham. His business has was founded in 1991 and only ever used rented various yards and sheds around Sydney. “Due to the increasing demand [for] unit development we found a requirement to relocate our property and one of our colleagues … suggested Unanderra,” Mr Derham said. “What appealed to us is we need a lot of repairs and maintenance [and] there’s a limited supply of spare parts and specialized service and it’s scattered around Sydney, where in Unanderra everything is there.” Mr Derham said in his industry a lot of businesses are opting out of Sydney and going as far as Raymond Terrace, Gosford and Western Sydney, but said traffic to Wollongong was far better. The company’s expansion also means the creation of new jobs, in which the group is currently advertising for. “People say ‘it’s too far away to get there’ but not really …[from Sutherland] we haven’t got one traffic light to get to the front door of our office. So if I go and see one of my clients at Erskine Park, I joke I have to take an overnight bag,” Mr Derham said. Mr Jones said MMJ had fielded a lot of inquiry from “out of area companies” looking to relocate to the Illawarra in the past 12 months. “The attraction for Sydney-based companies in particular, relates not only to cheaper asking prices and rents, but also to our proximity to world class port and university facilities,” he said. Mr Derham added the facilities are usually bigger and more efficient than those found in Sydney and come without residential restrictions meaning more productivity. “It’s certainly a lot more economical in purchasing property … and you don’t get the same facilities [as you would in Sydney]. The shed we’ve bought has got massive overhead cranes which is what we need, very rarely we can find sheds in Western Sydney where you have that setup,” Mr Derham said. “We’re just fortunate to find a shed that’s perfect for us”. Credit: Sydney civil engineering company relocates to Wollongong, a new trend

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First-home buyers may be declining but Wollongong still has plenty to offer, according to the experts. NSW Minister for Planning Rob Stokes and Domain Group chief economist Dr Andrew Wilson were both in the region on Tuesday at different events to discuss how the region’s boom showed no signs of slowing down. Dr Wilson said around 1100 people were moving into the “fertile destination” every week (mostly pushed out of the big city), compared to 1500 in Melbourne. While the Minister said Wollongong’s population is tipped to reach half a million in the next two decades. “It is growing faster than Sydney at the moment [and will continue] and it’s because of factors like affordability, lifestyle, strong local economy and that sense Wollongong is becoming part of Greater Sydney,” Dr Wilson said. “Sydney is chronically under supplied and it’s never going to be fixed.” Going against the grain of most other Australian markets, capital growth continues to rise with house prices already up 8.2 per cent so far this year in Wollongong, ahead of Sydney and Melbourne at 5 per cent. Shellharbour is also bucking the trend with a rise of 12.2 per cent so far. Dr Wilson said prices will continue upward but at a much slower pace than recent years, with around a 6 per cent growth predicted for Wollongong in the next year. A strong demand for units has considerably pushed up their prices which have seen a 70.6 per cent increase over the past five years in Wollongong, compared to a 52.7 per cent rise for houses. Fairy Meadow has been the area’s top performer with the median house price climbing to $700,000, the steepest rise for an Illawarra suburb in the past year at 15.1 per cent. “[It] was always a holiday destination in the old days … rather than an older holiday shack type environment it’s becoming a serious residential community,” Dr Wilson said. As families seek out greener and cheaper pastures around Wollongong, Dr Wilson predicted more luxury and semi-luxury homes to spring up in the northern suburbs. He believes confidence has been restored in the Illawarra after the “doom and gloom” brought on by the decline of manufacturing, and it’s reflected in the amount of new developments, especially high rises. Minister Stokes agreed the region had a great future and was optimistic about the growing opportunities for tourism, trade, logistics, freight, education and health. “This is a region ripe with opportunity and we’re starting to see the first fruits of that over the last few years and that’s going to accelerate in the future,” Mr Stokes said. Dr Wilson said the Illawarra “ticked all the boxes” to remain the top performing regional city with new constructions strong and “no oversupply in sight”. Credit: NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes and Domain Group economist Andrew Wilson in Wollongong

Wollongong has been a sellers market for five years now with property prices increasing between 37 and 67 per cent, according to analysis by the Domain Group. Even though the market is starting to “settle down”, some suburbs have still seen substantial increases in a report released by economist Dr Andrew Wilson. Fairy Meadow has stormed ahead as the local government area’s top performing suburb with the median house price up 12 per cent in the six months to March 2016 at $700,000. That’s a total increase of of 49.7 per cent over the past five years. Unit prices jumped 40.6 per cent in the six months to March at a median of $522,500, an increase of 75.9 per cent over the previous five years. Corrimal house medians came in second, rising by 11.1 per cent in six months to $677,500, a total increase of 45.7 per cent over five years. The overall growth for Thirroul in the 12 months to March was low at 1.3 per cent, however it bounced back in the latter six month period to a 9.8 per cent increase. Dapto was another top performer with the most number houses sold in the LGA for the 12 months to March. The median up 12.9 per cent for that year at $480,000. Next door, Kanahooka houses were fairing well with a rise of 12.7 per cent at the year to March with the median at $540,750. Other areas with house sales inside the top 10 included Figtree, Helensburgh, Horsley, Berkeley then Woonona – Lake Heights and Balgownie dropping out of high performers list. Meantime Wollongong, Fairy Meadow, Woonona, Corrimal and North Wollongong were the top selling suburbs for units in the six months to March.

Selling by auction has become a popular way to sell residential property in New South Wales. On average, 38% of homes went to auction and more than 95% of homes were sold via auction in some areas. Selling property at auction is advantageous when the housing market is tight and buying are competitive. Well-informed buyers can quickly close a deal on a property at auction, avoiding a lengthy negotiation process common to private sales. There are different procedures of sale by auction in each state or territory. Buyers who plan to purchase at auction in a state other than NSW should refer to the rules of that state.