Reading is becoming an increasingly essential part of daily life. To communicate with friends, to do business or receive the news, it’s important to be able to read well and yet 46% of Australians struggle with basic literacy skills.

 

Through the National Year of Reading campaign it is hoped that local events and online campaigns will help enhance the reading skills of Australians, through activities that will be aimed at both younger and older generations.

 

To help discover the joy of reading in the local area, Everton Park residents are being encouraged to sign up at the Everton Park Library or visit our local bookstores.

 

If you check with local libraries and bookstores they may even be running events to help support the National Year of Reading. If you visit www.love2read.org.au you can find out if there are any events happening in the local area.

 

Reading can be a fun activity where you can escape to another world for a short time or learn more about the world we live in. Reading is a wonderful way to pass the time so why not pick up a book and start a culture of reading in your home?

 

It’s not always clear where to go to volunteer though, and often local councils and emergency organisations are inundated with offers of help which can slow down their own efforts to help.

 

So if you want to be an emergency volunteer, the best thing to do is to register early, so that you can be called on if your help is needed.

 

Those interested in becoming emergency volunteers in Queensland can head to www.emergencyvolunteering.com.au, where it is possible to register as a volunteer for emergency situations such as floods.

 

 It makes it much easier for local authorities if volunteers have already registered, so that they can be called on when they are needed and directed to the most suitable place to help.

 

Another great way to help in times of emergency though, is to help out the people that you already know. Donations are often appreciated by flood victims, as are offers of assistance. Sometimes just being there for emotional support can be a great help too. 

 

It is amazing to see the generosity and the kindness shown by the local community in times of need, and let’s hope that all of those who have experienced recent flooding are on their way to recovery.

 

The electoral roll for the 2012 Local Government elections initially closed on January 31, but the Queensland Parliament decided to extend the closing date until Saturday February 25, so there is still time to enrol and update any changed details for those who haven’t already.

 

Voting is a legal requirement for all Australian citizens aged 18 years and over, and while some people may not like to vote we should all remember that it is an important opportunity for everyone to help shape our local governments and therefore what happens in our electorates.

 

So if you have just turned 18 years old, or you’ve just moved, you need to enrol or update your details with the Electoral Commission to ensure your vote counts.

 

We would like to encourage everyone of Everton Park and surrounding areas to check their electoral registration details or enrol before the February 25 deadline.

 

You can find all election and enrolment information at the Electoral Commission website or phone their hotline on 1300 881 665.

 

Stories in the media generally don’t help buyer’s opinions either, but the truth is, no matter what you hear or what end of the cycle a property is in, it can always be a good time to buy a house if you do your research and invest wisely.

 

 So why are you waiting to buy a home?

 

 “My deposit isn’t big enough” – This is the biggest issue for a lot of first time buyers and saving up thousands of dollars obviously isn’t that easy to do, but you have to start somewhere. Try putting away even a small amount each week if you can, and give yourself a financial goal you can stick to. A lot of people overestimate how much money is required for the kind of property they’re after, so you may not even have to save as much as you first thought.

 

Talk to mortgage brokers and financial institutions to get an idea of how much you would need to save to borrow your ideal amount.

 

“I’ll never be able to save for the house I want” – The truth about many of our first homes is that they aren’t the dream home we always imagined. Most people’s first homes end up being a downgrade from what they can afford to rent so you may feel a little put off. The reality is that most people can’t afford the perfect home first time around, but the sooner you get into the property market the sooner you will be able to trade up to a bigger or better property.

 

“I don’t think I can commit to a long-term mortgage” – When people read their mortgage terms and realise it will take them 20-30 years to pay off their home loan; they naturally get a little scared. But don’t let these numbers scare you because you might not end up owning the home for that long anyway.

 

Most people sell or upgrade their homes before they finish paying them off, and others try to pay extra money towards their mortgage to pay their loan off quicker.

 

If you think you are ready to get into the Everton Park property market then visit one of the friendly team at Professionals Keith Brady Real Estate who will be happy to answer any of your questions.

 

The Queensland Great Awards is a part of Queensland Week and all throughout the week our sunny state gets to take the opportunity to recognise and celebrate all of the wonderful aspects of living in this part of Australia.

 

Queensland residents are encouraged to help nominate individuals and institutions to be honoured as part of the Queensland Great Awards.

 

Past winners for Queensland Great Awards include iconic organisations such as Surf Life Saving Queensland and the Queensland State Emergency Service which have obviously shown that they are both great assets to Queensland.

 

Queensland Week will be taking place on the week of June 2 – 11 2012 and there will be plenty of events to taking place during the week to help Queenslanders celebrate our state.

 

To find out all about Queensland Week and to make a nomination for the Queensland Great Awards head to www.queenslandweek.qld.gov.au.

 

No matter who you are you probably need a little cheering up sometimes and so it was great to hear about a Brisbane campaign that has been helping put smiles on people’s faces.

 

Mission Positive started with Claire Allsop from Sunnybank, who started a website that has now got people from around the world posting up photos of themselves holding positive self-affirmations to help make everybody feel a little more positive!

 

Some of the Mission Positive messages include, “I love my life", "I'm on top of work" and "Life's awesome, especially Monday mornings".

 

Ms Allsop will be spreading the positive message even further when she will be joining volunteers on Valentines Day and handing out long-stemmed artificial roses in Brisbane to put a little joy in a few people’s days.

 

There will also be an official Mission Positive Day on February 17 and it’s hoped that it will become an annual event to remind people to look at the bright side of life.

 

So next week, why not cheer up your workplace or your home in Everton Park, by being extra positive and by making someone else feel a little better about their day?

 

You can spread the positive message on Facebook too by visiting www.facebook.com/missionpositive. 

 

Each year on Clean Up Australia Day, people all around the country volunteer their time to help collect rubbish from parks, waterways, nature reserves and bushland.

 

Every little piece of garbage that is picked up helps keep harmful materials from blocking our drains and creeks and harming our precious wildlife.

 

Last year’s Clean Up Australia Day attracted 565,510 volunteers who helped pick up over 16,454 tonnes of rubbish from 7,479 sites across Australia.

 

So let’s help make these numbers even bigger this year, so that we can all live in a clean and healthy country to be proud of.

 

If you would like to be a part of Clean Up Australia Day in Everton Park then you can register at a clean up site at the Clean Up Australia Day website or look for one that has already been registered in the area.

 

The answer to this question can depend on a number of variables, such as the type of property you are selling, the street you live on and also the type of work that you would like to get done. Whether or not you actually have the money to invest in improving your property is another important question to ask yourself too.

 

There’s no denying that the better you present your home, the easier it will be to sell and the more you are likely to get for it, but in some cases, improvements will cost you more money than you are likely to get back.

 

If you are considering minor changes though, for instance re-laying carpet or re-painting, then this kind of small investment might pay off for you.

 

Presentation is a big thing when selling, so if you can make small improvements that can help make your home more visually appealing then they can be well worth it.

 

Before doing anything though, you’re best bet is to go and talk to your local real estate agent and ask them for their advice. They will not what sells in your area and what buyers are looking for, so that you can get a good idea of what you need to do to help make the most out of your property.

 

If you would like any further advice or you live in the Everton Park area and would like us to take a look at your property then please get in touch with one of the team at Professionals Keith Brady Real Estate.

 

If you answered yes to both of the above then you’re in luck, because there is going to be a beginner’s workshop in growing vegetables at the Everton Park Library this month.

 

The Beginners Guide to Vegetable Growing will be run by Annette McFarlane and she will be teaching vegetable growing tips and tricks for those who have small gardens, balcony gardens or possibly even large acreages.

 

The Beginners Guide to Vegetable Growing will be held on Saturday, February 11 from 10am until 12:30pm.

 

It’s completely free to take part and if you would like to reserve your place in the workshop then you should call (07) 3403 8888 to reserve your place.

 

With so many home loan choices available, we’re often asked whether or not it is a good idea to talk to a mortgage broker to help find the best loan.

 

Mortgage brokers can be great, but whether or not they will be useful for you, depends on how confident and savvy you are in finding a good home loan deal on your own.

 

If you don’t have a lot of experience with home loans and don’t want the fuss of having to research home loans for yourself, then a mortgage broker can definitely be beneficial. If you find a mortgage broker that is good, then they can save you a lot of time and money and help negotiate the best home loan deals for you. Using a mortgage broker can also help you get approved for loans that you otherwise wouldn’t have if you went directly to a lender.

 

On the other hand if you have already done your research and have found the best product on the market, then there is essentially little need for a mortgage broker and you may find it easier to simply go and speak to your lender of choice.

 

Whether you go to a mortgage broker or a bank though, don’t settle for any terms or conditions you feel uncomfortable with and make sure that ultimately you end up with a home loan that meets all of your requirements.

 

To start doing some home loan research for yourself, a useful home loan comparison website is www.infochoice.com.au or if you would like to talk to a mortgage broker then please feel free to get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to recommend somebody for you.