With the current pandemic putting an end to traditional dating for at least the next months, singletons and indeed the apps that help us find love (of some kind or another) are having to find inventive ways to put the spark into new relationships. After all, just because the world has been put on hold, doesn’t mean our dating lives have to be.

We’ve already seen several stories that prove distant-dating is possible, and now Hinge is doing its bit to make sure ‘the one’ never gets away.

It comes in the form of a new feature within the Hinge app called ‘Date from Home’, which has been thoughtfully designed to take away the awkwardness of dating behind a screen. ‘Date from Home’ – which is automatically available within the app right now – lets Hinge users signify when they’re ready to take things to the next level with a match and engage in a video date, instead of just messaging.

In other words: if you had a bit of friendly banter, but missed the moment to ask your companion to (Google) Hangout, and are too awkward, the next day, to find an equally smooth conversation that might give you another chance to hint that it would be nice to call, well, you no longer need to drop clues: just use the in-app tools to signify – subtly but clearly – you are ready to ‘level up.’

Hinge doesn’t currently let you video call within the app – instead, you use Hinge to signify you’re ready, then take things someplace quieter with the digital incarnation of your match and have a video chat over Zoom, FaceTime, Facebook or any other video calling platform.

Even better, for those mortified by the idea of unrequited suggestions, if the conversation gets saucy, you can turn on the Date from Home feature to let them know you’re ready to meet, but they won’t see it until they turn the feature on themselves.

Talk about a second lease on life.

Of course, this feature is equally useful for shy women. But as men are (rightly or wrongly) typically still expected to make the first move in online dating, we’d say it’s a real game-changer for them.

The dating app has carried out its own research, and found that “70% of members would be open to a virtual date via Zoom, Facetime or other video platforms.”

“Date from Home is designed to combat this widely-felt apprehension and provide an easy way to signal when they’re ready for a virtual date, so they can get off the app and enjoy getting to know each other in a safe way.”

Hinge hopes with this new feature, that being able to meet digitally will not only take away the awkwardness of having to meet face-to-face but will help two potential suitors form a stronger connection, so they can then go on a ‘proper’ date once the whole lockdown situation subsides.

“Video and phone calls are currently a safe way to date someone you’re interested in, and I believe digital dates, as a precursor to meeting in person, will be a trend that stays with us beyond the current climate.”

Read Next

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The post Hinge Dating App: New Game-Changing Feature For Awkward Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’re a good few weeks into the quarantine period that is sweeping the globe right now. The current pandemic has meant we’ve all had to barricade ourselves in our homes and only venture outside for essential travel and tasks.

To help keep you and watch enthusiasts alike entertained, Officine Panerai has called upon its ambassadors to hold a series of various talks within their specialist fields. The Italian Watchmaker has an esteemed history and in previous years, its watches have been supplied to the likes of the Italian Marine Militare (along with compasses and gauges), the Royal Italian Navy and the Egyptian Navy.

Panerai will start proceedings this week, with the theme of ‘Exploring’, and the first talk will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, April 8th.

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The talks this week kick off with Mike Horn, a Swiss professional explorer who has been to some of the most remote places on the planet, as well as undertaking multiple-year expeditions without the aid of transport. For example, he travelled around the Earth’s equator by himself in one year, six months, without any motorised transport and along with Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland, travelled to the North Pole in permanent darkness during winter, without the aid of dogs or any motorised transport.

Safe to say he’s up there with the very best, and on the 8th of April at 12pm EDT/6pm CET/2am AEST 9th April, he will be holding a Q&A session, where he will discuss his conquests.

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The second talk will take place on Friday, April the 10th and will come from Guillaume Nery. Nery is a now-retired French freediver who holds several AIDA-recognised world records. His TED talk will also take place at 12pm EDT/6pm CET/2am AEST 11th April, which he will use to talk about his “most interesting deep dives and exceptional expeditions in extreme oceans.”

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The final talk of the week will come from Marlon Du Toit, a South African wildlife photographer and Safari Guide, who also happens to work for National Geographic. Just a quick look at his Instagram page will provide more than enough proof that he knows how to work a camera when it comes it shooting some of the world’s most dangerous animals, and it’s on his Instagram account where he will “share his wildest photographer experiences.”

This talk will take place on Sunday 12th of April at 12pm EDT/6pm CET/2am AEST Monday 13th of April.

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The post Panerai Is Hosting A Week Of Talks From The World's Most Accomplished Explorers appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Qantas and Virgin Australia are setting new limits on how frequent flyers can use their loyalty points. While this is (benign) good news for points hoarders, who like to watch their balances swell, waiting to one day splurge on the trip of a lifetime (preferably once the global travel industry is back on its feet), it isn’t such good news for those who like to splurge on gift cards or wine.

Industry watchers say this has probably been done to prevent further draining of the carriers’ cash reserves during this unprecedented downtime, which sees 28,000 workers (between both Qantas and Virgin Australia) out of work and over 200 aircraft (also between the two airlines) basking on the tarmac (or at least sitting out of action in a hangar) as the two companies ground their respective international fleets (and much of their domestic ones).

But back to the points redemption changes: Virgin last week, as The Sydney Morning Herald reported this morning, “Suspended the transfer of points from its Velocity loyalty scheme to partner Singapore Airline’s KrisFlyer scheme, and has also limited the purchase of retail gift cards using points to one per day.”

“A note on Virgin’s website says the points transfer suspension is ‘temporary’ and that it looks forward to ‘providing you with this program feature once flight schedules return to normal’, while the gift card limit was ‘due to high demand.'”

The Sydney Morning Herald also reported that “Qantas has limited purchases through its loyalty store to two items of each product every day in response to ‘high retail demand.’ The airline – which says there has not been a ‘run’ on points – has told members the limit was to ‘ensure the continued availability of products to as many members as possible.'”

“Market analysts have highlighted how loyalty members rushing to use their points could be a drain on the airlines’ cash flow, which have virtually no new revenue coming in,” The Sydney Morning Herald wrote. What’s more: “The issue is particularly important for Virgin, which analysts have estimated will use up its remaining liquidity in three to six months.”

Qantas is expected to be able to last more like a year, but still, tightening how points can be used, for the time being, seems smart.

The two airlines have both commented via spokespeople, with a Virgin spokeswoman telling the Sydney Morning Herald, lately, members had shifted their points spending towards goods, gift cards, wine, electronics and merchandise.

“This demonstrates the benefits of a diversified rewards program which enables members to continue to earn and redeem points across a range of categories.”

A Qantas spokeswoman told the Sydney Morning Herald, there had not been a big increase in points redemption, with most members continuing to save “over long periods of time to take a big dream trip.”

However, like most retailers, Qantas was seeing people buy more gadgets online, she added.

As for unredeemed frequent flyer revenue (i.e. points), Qantas’ annual report showed it had $2.4 billion worth in its accounts at the end of last financial year, while Virgin had $497 million liability for unredeemed loyalty revenue.

“Qantas’ loyalty business is the group’s second most profitable division, behind only its domestic airline operations, earning $374 million last financial year,” (The Sydney Morning Herald).

As for Virgin, its Velocity program made $122 million last year while the airline group itself ran at a $315 million loss (a topic this article covers in more detail).

Read Next

• Qantas & Virgin Australia Make Big Changes To Benefit Loyal Customers
• Should Australians Feel Sorry For Qantas & Virgin Australia 

The post Qantas Loyalty Program: Latest Changes Good News For Points Hoarders appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

While we tend to target the more affluent gentleman here at DMARGE; those with some disposable income to afford the Porsche, Alfa Romeo and or Ferrari that we post about, we like to cater to the younger generation as well.

Which is why this time, the Carsales listing we’ve found isn’t a rare car from yesteryear that costs somewhere in the region of $500,000, but a rather more attainable vehicle that will make any youngster who has just passed their test the envy of all their mates.

That’s because it’s a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK230 Kompressor, which not only looks good (for a convertible) but won’t exactly hang around at the lights, thanks to the beast of an engine it hides under the bonnet.

This particular CLK arrived as one of the first models in the new marque for Mercedes-Benz, and the 230, in particular, is regarded as being the first within the CLK class that was actually fun to drive.

The German car manufacturer introduced it in 1997 with the aim of taking all the best bits of the more luxurious E-Class series (such as the four-headlight assembly) and putting them on the platform used for the less-expensive C-Class. Mercedes-Benz launched the new series with a coupé and a convertible model.

The convertible variant was gifted a more powerful engine compared to its coupé counterpart: a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder supercharged Kompressor unit, producing 194hp. Kompressor is the term Mercedes applies to its forced-induction supercharged engine units.

While this 230 edition might not be on the same level as say, the CLK55 AMG (which has nearly double the power) the CLK230 still offers a 0-60mph/100km/h time of under 9-seconds. Reviews are generally favourable too, with many praising the fact they don’t roll much in bends, will stick tight to the road and go where you point the front wheels.

Reliability is impressive as well, so no need to worry about pricey repair bills  – we can’t say for sure a service alone won’t cost a pretty penny – but in general, you should get a good return on investment. Convertible models should be free from any damage to the hood, but otherwise, unless it’s been thrashed in a previous life, you should be safe to hand over the asking price.

The owner of this particular model says it’s just had a service, has a few months rego left (a must for any new road-going youth) and has even had a new set of tyres fitted. Ideal for the winter months heading Australia’s way.

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The post Mercedes-Benz CLK Convertible For Sale In Australia appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

What would you do for an eternal honeymoon? One South African couple is getting a taste of that very question, trapped in luxury in the Maldives thanks to the current pandemic.

“Olivia and Raul De Freitas are currently on their honeymoon, at a five-star resort, in the Maldives, a nation composed of more than a thousand tiny, idyllic islands in the Indian Ocean, like a trail of smashed crystals scattered on a slab of blue glass,” The New York Times reported on Sunday.

But we don’t need to bore you to jealousy on that: the Maldives have long been known as an adult playpen of floating breakfasts, crisply ironed Hawaiian shirts and sumptuous bedsheets. Oh, and there are some nice water views too.

In any case, the just-hitched couple arrived on Sunday, March the 22nd, with a six days booked. But instead of being an opulent jumpstart to never-ending matrimony, it has turned into a lengthy – and expensive – stay.

 

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A post shared by Zeriah Travel and Tours (@zeriahtravels) on Apr 6, 2020 at 1:39pm PDT

“They had some concerns about the trip,” The New York Times wrote, “considering the mounting travel restrictions imposed in light of the new… outbreak around the world. But nothing specific that would affect them had been announced, and their travel agent assured them that, whatever policy was forthcoming, all South African citizens would be allowed back home.”

“Go ahead and have a great time, they were told.”

By Wednesday the couple received notice that South Africa’s airports would all be closed by midnight Thursday. Which didn’t leave them much time: returning to South Africa from the Maldives involves a five-hour stint to Doha, Qatar, a three-hour layover, then nine hours to Johannesburg.

“Even if they scrambled, and even if they could get a flight, the complexities of leaving their remote island ensured they’d never make it home in time,” wrote The New York Times.

Other guests faced similar restrictions, but managed to wrangle ridiculous flights that would get them home in time to their various home countries, such as the US (flying via Russia).

Olivia and Raul’s only other option was to get a speed boat to the Maldives mainland and try the airport in person. But as the South Africa lockdown commenced, so did the Maldives’, and the couple feared if they struck out on the mainland they might not be allowed back into the resort.

 

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A post shared by Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives (@cinnamonvelifushi) on Feb 20, 2020 at 10:00pm PST

Long story long: “They reached out to the South African Consulate in the Maldives, and the closest South African Embassy, in Sri Lanka, for help. A representative told them, via WhatsApp, that there were around 40 other South Africans spread among the Maldives, and that their option home would be to hire a chartered jet, at their own expense, for $104,000,” The New York Times explained.

“Everyone could split the cost, the message noted, but the government had only connected with around half of the 40 people; of those 20, many were unable or refusing to pay. The fewer the number of people on board, the more expensive each share would become. Even so, after several days of discussions between South African representatives and the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the flight still hasn’t been approved.”

By Sunday, they were the only guests at their resort, the Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, which normally is at capacity this time of year, catering to some 180 guests. Its average price per night for a room, according to Google, is AU$1,253.

While it is not as flash, maybe, as the mega mansions of some of the celebrities around the world, who are riding out the current crisis is what is conventionally considered the most luxurious settings in the world, we’d argue that true luxury is about exclusivity. And in that sense Olivia and Raul win hands down – there are hundreds, maybe thousands of celebrities living in over-opulent penthouses and mansions, but only one couple living it up at the Cinnamon Velifushi.

 

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A post shared by Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives (@cinnamonvelifushi) on Mar 25, 2020 at 6:00am PDT

Paying for the privilege, the couple “reign like benign yet captive sovereigns over their islet” (The New York Times) sleeping in, snorkelling and lounging by the pool.

That was until this Sunday just gone. But we’ll get to that later. First: how were they able to do all that while the Maldives was in lockdown?

It was able to happen because the staff were still there (and for that matter, still are), as Government regulations won’t allow any Maldivians to leave resorts until they have undergone a quarantine that followed their last guests’ departure.

“Accustomed to the flow of a bustling workday, and the engagement with a full house of guests, most of the staff, having grown listless and lonely, dote on the couple ceaselessly.”

Other than keeping calm and drinking cocktails, the couple have been working on getting home. Most recently, The New York Times reports, “they’d heard that flight permissions are supposed to be sorted out by Monday, April 6 [yesterday].”

“That was an extension from April 1, so these dates seem to merely be optimistically penciled in. No matter: The latest wrinkle, they were told, is that the Maldivian airline crew assigned for the charter won’t fly anyway, needing to rest for a day before their return flight to the Maldives.”

The upshot: they still don’t know when they’ll be able to get home. South Africa’s lockdown is meant to last until April the 16th. But, like everywhere, this is subject to continual reassessment.

“It’s incredible that we get this extra time,” Ms. De Freitas told The New York Times. But the financial toll weighs heavily. Though the pair have been paying a generously discounted rate, the bill is going to sting.

“Each day that ticks by is a chip taken out of their savings that had been set aside for a house down payment.”

“Everyone says they want to be stuck on a tropical island, until you’re actually stuck,” Ms. De Freitas said. “It only sounds good because you know you can leave.”

In any case, on Sunday, April the 5th, according to what the couple has told The New York Times, they were contacted by the South African embassy and taken via speedboat to another five-star resort, where about two dozen stranded South Africans in the Maldives are being put up. The local government told them it would subsidize a large portion of the cost of their stay.

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The post Maldives Lockdown: Couple Enjoy World’s Most Luxurious Isolation appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Dating can be tumultuous. Not only do we now have to turn to apps to find the potential love of our lives (that is, if we even get matches), but when it’s time to finally go on the date, there will be a whole bevvy of things that could screw things up.We’re constantly told that women want a gentleman. Someone who will pull their chair out from the table, hold the door open and pay for the bill at the end of a meal. But then you can also get the same women who want a ‘bad boy’, even though they probably know deep down it will only end badly. So what sort of qualities does a woman really want?While we can’t give a concrete answer to that question, we can at least tell you what a woman (or at least, a lot of women) don’t want: a guy who follows a lot of scantily clad models on Instagram. The proof? A Reddit thread, started by a 21-year-old female, who decided to do a little digging into a guy she liked and found he followed a lot of barely-clothed girls on the photo-sharing platform.She claimed it was a big turn off for her, as she doesn’t exhibit the same sort of behaviour in her ‘following’ list of accounts. She adds it doesn’t make her feel insecure, but more that she wonders if they’ll be compatible because they could have “different views on things”.It’s an interesting topic and clear evidence that the dating scene has changed with the rise of social media. Previously, girls would judge a guy on how they treated wait staff at a restaurant, but now it’s all about the type of accounts they’re following on social media platforms.The Reddit thread has had a lot of responses, most of which are in agreement with the original poster.

“As a woman I think it’s super lame and weird too. A few accounts is like ok whatever, but I have guy acquaintances that follow hundreds of them.. kinda creepy if you ask me”, says one user.

Another user, dommypoonami adds “I do think, though, that any person’s social media feed says something about them (just not everything).”

“If a person’s feed is 3/4 half naked girls, they’re evidently not using Instagram to check in on friends, look at memes or art accounts, etc.”

“It can feel weird to see things like that out in the open. When dating, I find it nice when someone follows accounts that tell me more about who they are as a person (it’s also a great way to bond over shared interests). People use social media differently, though.”

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A post shared by Samantha Rothenberg (@violetclair) on Jul 21, 2019 at 9:42am PDT

However, one guy confesses that he did follow a lot of Instagram models and it cost him his relationship.“Here are the stages

1. I said I wasn’t going to follow any models (and I didn’t)
2. I see as a recommendation or a page that I followed that tags a hot model.
3. I then see how attractive she is and I promised I was only going to follow her and no more.
4. I then got consumed by it and wanted more, so I follow more.
5. As someone already mentions this becomes “soft porn” so now you only find these models attractive not your gf.
6. Sex is no longer the same.

Honestly, you can either tell him to give up on IG for a while (not unfollow these models as the above stages will come back to haunt him and you again) or break it off with him.

I haven’t had IG for almost a year now and I’m happier too.”

It’s not just this particular Reddit thread that brings the issue up. Just a quick online search will bring up pages upon pages of articles and forums pertaining to the subject of “should a boyfriend/significant other be following Instagram models”. The general consensus is that it depends on each and every couple whether it’s a problem or not.It’s a topic we here at DMARGE have approached before as well, and have found that it can, in fact, be healthy for a man to follow Instagram models, as men have always fantasized over other women. Women do over guys too. It’s perfectly normal. The only difference today is that we have the technology and instant access at our fingertips.Cosmo relationship expert Logan Hill says, “The difference between the rest of human history and this current moment is that before, there wasn’t a digital record of guy’s fantasies or idle thoughts when those thoughts were focused on Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot or even early Madonna.”

“…whether or not there’s digital evidence, men and women have got to accept that their partners (men or women) occasionally and even often think about other people.”

As with almost any other subject or topic that is questioned within a relationship, the key is communication. If something is bothering you, bring it up and talk it through. The result will be a much healthier relationship.

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The post Do Women Judge You For Following Instagram Models? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="251254" img_size="medium" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://www.toddsnyder.com/collections/sale"][vc_column_text]It's amazing to think that almost overnight everyone has started working from home when many businesses and industrie...

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The beard used to be a symbol of virility. Worn by Darwin, Da Vinci, Lincoln and Santa Claus, face fluff has been synonymous with strength and intelligence throughout history.

Then it became linked with laziness. A wall of shame. A source of fear or worse – hipsterdom.

Jimmy Niggles, owner of Australia’s most expensive beard (currently valued at a million dollars) and founding ambassador and CEO of Beard Season is currently changing that.

Beard Season is a charity which encourages men to grow their beards to raise awareness for skin checks.

Like many companies (let alone not-for-profits), in the current situation, Beard Season has been hit hard by this year’s economic and social crises.

 

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What a crazy couple of months…⁣ ⁣ Firstly, I hope you’re all safe and sound, looking out for each other and spreading warmth and positivity. These are uncertain, challenging times but with empathetic, kind hearted togetherness, we can get through this. ⁣ ⁣ Like many other charities right now, we’re just trying to figure out what this year and beyond is going to look like in light of the #COVID19 crisis dominating the world right now.⁣ ⁣ In all honesty, we can probably stay alive for the next 9 months in our current state, except donations will probably dry up and our model of running pop-up skin check clinics won’t work with social distancing measures in place for the next six months. However, the problem of #skincancer and #melanoma will not go away, and people can still venture out to see a specialist for an appointment. ⁣ ⁣ But I suppose the question is, should we continue with #BeardSeason2020 this winter, with the same ‘get a #skincheck’ message like other years? Or should we mix it up a little?⁣ ⁣ A lot of blokes are writing in about how they’re growing their #beardsinisolation. Perhaps we could ‘bring #BeardSeason forward’ encouraging people to sign up now and grow with purpose? ⁣ ⁣ What purpose though? Is the early detection of #skincancer something that’s going to motivate people as much these days? ⁣ ⁣ The thought is… do we pivot our #charity a bit so our ambassadors spread a general ‘early detection’ message. Not only for Skin Cancer, but for COVID-19, #mentalhealth and other health issues currently facing everyone in isolation? ⁣ ⁣ Could ‘growing a beard’ be a symbol of someone equipped with the right messages and intentions to help the broader community through this crisis? And if we do raise money, we could dedicate portions to other organisations on the front line of the crisis. While still keeping our own cause alive…⁣ ⁣ I’m just thinking aloud here and am keen to know what you reckon. #BeardSeason has always been about YOU and we really value your input. So if you have any ideas about what you’d like us to be now and into the future please let us know.⁣ ⁣ Grow on…⁣ @JimmyNiggles Esq.⁣ Founding Ambassador & CEO

A post shared by B E A R D S E A S O N (@beardseason) on Mar 31, 2020 at 5:45pm PDT

But not one to look at the glass half empty, Jimmy recently took to Instagram to get Australia’s take on the direction Beard Season should take this year. One option raised was for men to grow their beards a little earlier this year (Beard Season is usually in winter).

Seeing this, DMARGE got in touch to ask: how? More specifically: how does one get over that ‘looks shit and is kind of itchy’ stage, about three weeks in?

Are there any hacks to jump-starting your follicular offering so it doesn’t look like teenage bumfluff?

“Mate push through,” Jimmy told us. “The itchiness is your skin working its way back to its natural state.”

“Realising that it doesn’t need to be tortured/shaved every morning and can nestle in amongst a thicket of glorious face fur, it will get better after a month or so and things like pimples, rashes and redness will all be a thing of the past.”

As for the aesthetic, Jimmy had a crucial piece of advice for anyone with a stubbornly adolescent beard: “On the looks side of things, your beard is like your fingerprint. No two are the same. So take pride in its development and don’t beat yourself up about it not looking like someone else’s.”

In terms of maintenance, Jimmy says you can “shave their neckline and tops of their cheeks until it thickens up,” to make it look better quicker. But be careful not to over do it “or you’ll end up with some speed stripes or a goatee” he told us.

Jimmy then told us, “if I wasn’t on this #MillionDollarBeard mission, and if it wasn’t winter, I’d probably, normally prefer to have a shorter beard.” The ideal length? For Jimmy that’s “about 2-4cm.”

 

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A post shared by Jimmy Niggles Esq. (@jimmyniggles) on Nov 2, 2018 at 4:56pm PDT

“Look after it. Take pride in it. But don’t talk to it unless it’s long enough to fold your Australian sunglasses into it. Only then (and only for surprise facetime calls – to your actual best friend) can a beard be personified.”

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The post Quarantine Beard: Crucial Advice For Australian Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As the stock market throws itself on the rocks, hospital capacities tighten and Manly residents concede maybe they shouldn’t slurp their caramel lattes down the beach, Australia’s housing market is undergoing some changes too.

How bad is it going to be? No one knows. What we do know is there will be winners and losers. So: DMARGE spoke to Edward Brown, Director at leading Australian real estate provider Belle Property to find out how you can be the former, not the latter.

Edward told us that, though – from the coveted coves of Vaucluse to the Mascot concrete jungle – these are unchartered waters, there are steps one can take to become a smarter buyer.

He also told us that, unlike the stock market, as soon as the physical effects of the virus are over (and social distancing rules are lifted) everyday people will go back to buying and selling houses, even if it’s no longer a boom market.

“If they need to upgrade because they’re downsizing or upsizing due to growing family needs, they’re going to move regardless.”

First up though was some context – and fairly run of the mill real estate advice – to ease us in: “Push yourself to get the best property your budget can allow – run your numbers, have a good chat with your broker (or bank), understand what your finances will allow you to do and assess all the areas that may or may not work,” Edward told us, if you want to be a smart buyer.

Then look at your preferred suburbs and the suburbs adjoining them to see if you can get more value for money there: “When it comes to making a purchase, push yourself to get a property that will see you through for 5 or more years rather than compromising and not getting everything you’re after.” In other words, having a 10 minute longer commute might be worth it if it saves you 30 years of mortgage stress.

To narrow down what you should kill weekends looking for (once the lockdown is over anyway) Edward says one strategy is to work out a 10 ‘star’ system: “You’re probably only going to get 7 of your top 10 but still… getting 7 out of 10 is still a very good position to be in.”

These stars will include factors that are important to you. Much like you can set a filter on Carsales when looking for a second-hand car, so that it only shows you vehicles within a certain mileage, radius and price, you should do the same with your property search (except taking into account more factors). This means working out the nitty-gritty of what you want regarding proximity to your workplace, social atmosphere, proximity to public transport, price, size, etc.

Your next job, as a savvy buyer, is to offer the right price. Easier said than done, sure. But if you’re looking at a house that’s a 7/10 or higher for you, don’t lowball just because we’re no longer in a booming market.

Yes: “it’s worth what someone is willing to pay,” Edward told us. “But if you’re running around putting lowball offers on everything there’s a reason why your offer will be accepted on something and that’s because no-one else wants it.”

“Good quality homes will sell for a fair and reasonable price – maybe not the same price they could have once achieved in a booming market – but good homes will always have demand in any marketplace.”

Finally, you need to be prepared to negotiate. Being inflexible in this area, Edward says, can bring your chances of owning a property to a premature end: “Sometimes people make offers and they make an offer well below, so they offend the vendor [and] the vendor just doesn’t want to deal with them.”

Of course, this isn’t saying you should feel pressure to go beyond budget – it’s worth what you’re willing to pay – but you must consider that it’s someone else’s much-loved property, in your interactions with them.

“If you need to move, move. The housing crisis is only going to be caused if everyone sits back and does nothing. The loans are very cheap. You can go and get interest rates for under 3%. That’s cheap money – you can go and get a million-dollar mortgage and they principle an interest for about $4,000.”

Now all that’s left is to earn that deposit…

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The post How Savvy Buyers Can Soon Take Advantage Of The Australian Property Market appeared first on DMARGE Australia.