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What are QR codes?

April 15th 2012

So, you may have seen some of these funny looking square barcode things on a magazine or newspaper article you have read lately, or even on a billboard.

Look familiar? They are QR (Quick Response) codes and they are the latest trend in mobile technology that allows smartphone users to quickly access videos, coupons, maps and other information by scanning the images with their phone’s cameras.

The reason why they are more useful than a standard barcode is that they can store (and digitally present) much more data, including url links, geo coordinates, and text.

The other key feature of QR Codes is that instead of requiring a chunky hand-held scanner to scan them, many modern cell phones can scan them.

There are a number of apps in the iPhone App Store that can read QR Codes, including the free QRReader. Most Android phones and BlackBerries are able to read the codes right out of the box, as can newer Nokia handsets. Windows Mobile users can download QuickMarks. All you need to do is launch the appropriate app, and point your phone’s camera at the QR code you want to scan.

QR codes are only bound to become more common in the coming months and years. We’re increasingly reliant on our mobile devices, and typing out URLs or other data on their tiny keyboards is still not very efficient. These squares of elaborately arranged boxes are a shortcut around that problem, can easily be integrated with various services, and incorporate geo-location data.

Fletchers are already using QR advertising in a lot of our print media and brochures to enable property searchers to gain quick, easy and instant access to the properties they want to know about.

With many of our properties offering the option to view a video tour, you can get more of the best, most comprehensive details at your fingertips even faster!

Example of a Fletchers property advertisement featuring a QR code.

How have Melbourne property prices changed?

April 13th 2012

Melbourne Property TV, Season 3

Tim Fletcher appeared on the MPTV Property Panel this week to discuss how Melbourne property prices have changed over the past fifty years.

With over forty years in the industry, Tim is one of the most respected and prominent members of his profession.

Unsurprisingly, he was the most experienced person on the panel and is well-placed to talk about changes in real estate over such a long period of time.

It certainly is amazing to see how much prices have changed – Tim tells the panel about a home in 1962 which he sold for $13,400 (converted from pounds) which would now be worth $1.2 million for the land alone!

Watch the segment here!

What’s in a Number?

April 10th 2012

The idea that certain numbers might be luckier than others is common to practically every culture.

In Chinese culture, certain numbers are considered “lucky” because their pronunciations sound similar to words that have “lucky” meanings. The importance of lucky numbers in China has been illustrated by their people selecting such numbers when choosing residences, telephone numbers, wedding dates and other celebratory events.

Even numbers are preferred over odd numbers. The number 8 is particularly lucky, indicating prosperity, wealth, success or social status. Conversely, the number 4 is considered an unlucky number in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese cultures because it is nearly homophonous to the word “death”.

Understandably, the negative connotation with the number 4 does cause some concern for owners selling to Chinese or Asian buyers. However, Senior Associate Jason Salan notes that it appears that less importance is being placed on numerology by buyers from Asia, as in a lot of ways they are becoming more westernised in their beliefs.

For example, an Asian couple purchased the house at 4 Access Road, Mont Albert North last month, supporting this observation that a lot of young, first and second generation Asian buyers pay none or little regard to the superstition associated with the number 4.

It certainly is a thought provoking topic…here are some interesting facts about numbers in Asian culture!

- Due to the connotation that the number 4 has with death, many numbered product lines skip the 4, e.g. Nokia mobile phones (there is no series beginning with a 4).

- In East Asia, some buildings do not have a 4th floor.

- In Hong Kong, some high rise residential buildings miss all floor numbers with 4 (e.g. 4, 14, 24, 34 and 40-49 floors) – as a result, a building whose highest floor is number 50 may actually only have 36 physical floors.

- A telephone number with all digits being 8’s was sold for USD$270,723.00 in Chengdu, China.

- The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing began on 8/8/08 at 8 seconds and 8 minutes past 8pm (local time)!

- A man in Hangzhou offered to sell his license plate reading A88888 for RMB1.12 million (roughly USD$164,000).

- The number 9, being the greatest of single-digit numbers, was historically associated with the Emperor of China; the Emperor’s robes often had nine dragons, and Chinese mythology held that the dragon has nine children.

References: www.chinatravel.com and www.thenewageblog.com

What are the key suburbs predicted to grow in 2012?

March 8th 2012

Here is our final post on the year ahead for the property market, looking at the key suburbs predicted to grow in 2012. Executive Chairman, Tim Fletcher explains:

The key suburbs being recognised now are those with great infrastructure on the fringes of suburbs that people had aspired to but could not afford.

People should investigate the previously unrecognised western suburbs (Sunshine, Braybrook, etc.) that are quite accessible to Melbourne and are finally gaining momentum. Blackburn, Box Hill, Forest Hill and Vermont still offer opportunities for those who act quickly as once the market starts to move again prices will inevitably rise.　

Suburbs served by the new Eastlink such as Ringwood, Wantirna and Wantirna South with the easy access it provides to Melbourne’s CBD should also see an increase in values.

Do you have a question about real estate for Tim? Ask Fletchers! You can use your Facebook account!