Erina Legal has an Ebay Store!

In what may be a world first Erina Legal, a law firm on NSW’s Central Coast has launched an e-bay store for legal services.

On Monday 27th November the store was set-up offering fixed price legal services include drafting Wills, Property Conveyancing and Consultations.

It is here: http://stores.ebay.com.au/ErinaLegal

Erina Legal is trialing the online Auction site as a sales channel to complement its local marketing activities.

E-bay is a behemoth in the online marketing world, and in the last year they have been developing the online e-bay store product.

Most stores are geared towards physical products. Erina Legal has signed up with e-bay to create an online store for professional legal services.

We have offered a range of fixed price services via e-bay, including Conveyancing, Wills and Legal Consultations and hope people use the site to book services. We see the greatest long term benefit of the e-bay sales channel as the customer feedback mechanism.

If customers give positive feedback (which we are confident of) we will be able to display independent feedback on the quality of our service to other customers.

Our next step is to promote the e-bay store and see if people adopt it as readily for legal services as they do for other products – and then continue this experiment in online marketing by gathering feedback from customers.

Erina Legal is a small legal practice on the NSW Central Coast specializing in Family Law, Conveyancing and Wills and Estate Planning. We are keen users of technology and are fascinated by the internet and it’s opportunities for small businesses.

http://stores.ebay.com.au/ErinaLegal

The Central Coast Property Market

As a manager of a local Law Firm on the Central Coast and a former Licensed Real Estate Agent, I have had a keen eye on how the market and how it has reacted to the volatile conditions in the area and beyond.

As expected there has been the usual increase in activity in these warmer months of the year leading up to Christmas but what wasn’t expected was the confidence buyers have had that the market conditions will improve. The media publications have gone hot and cold on the subject for quite some time and there is a general optimistic trend among sellers who have been patient over winter and are now achieving some favorable results.

That said there will always be activity in the property market by owner occupiers but the real trigger for newfound activity in the market are investors and while the stock market in making god returns for the small time investors there is no real incentive to get back into the staple property market.

Recently there was a report released in the media stating that rental prices will be up by 40% in the next 10 years or so; and this news, while not so great to renters, is confidence boosting for those in the property game.

An increase in rental prices will put many potential property buyers who have been on the border of renting verses buying for some time further into the buying camp. This injection of new players in the market will increase demand and see another spike in property values and push more people into the suburbs.

What does this mean for the Central Coasts property market? The average house price in the area is between $300,000 to $400,000 and unit price between $300,000 & $350,000 making it a relatively affordable option compared to the western suburbs of Sydney. This has already been experienced in the northern part of the Coast where massive new housing development has been extremely popular with ex-pat Sydney-siders due to it’s ease of access to the freeway, often being a quicker alternative to Western Sydney and traffic chaos.

It is difficult to say what will happen here on the Central Coast over the next 12 months with an additional rate rise looming and a 6% increase in new building approvals in the last Quarter.

Interest rates have played a big part in slowing the property market down here on the Coast but it surely hasn’t stopped it in its tracks. Summer vacancy rates in rentals, speculation of increased rental incomes and an ever volatile share market will all surely play a big part on the current and future market conditions.

Wayne Brown
Practice Manager

Are you buying or selling property in NSW?

Erina Legal can work with you over emails, phone and fax to facilitate your conveyancing anywhere in NSW.

How do we work with you?
Conveyancing does not require face to face meetings. The only times you are usually required in your solicitor’s office is to review and sign your contract. Erina Legal can provide these services to you using phone and email to manage most day to day communications.

In fact we manage communications with many of our existing clients this way. The only additional feature an “out of area” customer needs is the ability to receive and send key documents by registered mail or courier.

Why Erina Legal
Erina Legal is a modern and reliable legal firm on the Central Coast of NSW. Our team is very experienced in conveyancing. Among the team we have an ex real-estate agent who can provide advice and recommendations on the pre-conveyancing part of the selling or purchasing process. Additionally we have a technically savvy team who have automated back office systems and can work with you via phone and email.

We are a customer focused business and believe the best way to work with our clients is to communicate with you; telling you about the process and keeping you informed as we go.

Erina Legal is ideally suited to meet the conveyancing needs of people investing in property on the Central Coast or the North Coast of NSW. Additionally we can work with people buying and selling property in Sydney and Newcastle (or anywhere else in NSW.)

See our rates here, or contact us today on 02 4365 6556.

Erina Legal

About Wills, Power of Attorney and Guardianships

Learn more about wills, POA and Guardianships here:

Wills
Most people know what a will is and why it is useful. Having your will prepared by a solicitor will provide you with a will that is less able to be contented as it will take into consideration the relevant legislation and case law.

An additional benefit is that the will is able to be stored in a safe and reliable location. When you are gone, people will be able to find the latest version of your will with no confusion.

Power of Attorney
An "Enduring Power of Attorney" is one that specifically provides that it will continue to be effective even if the giver becomes incapacitated. A Power of Attorney can be revoked at any time and ceases to be valid on your death.

Your Attorney is the person you nominate to conduct your business and financial affairs on your behalf if you are unable to do so because of incapacity or if you travel away from home. You should only appoint someone you trust. Your Attorney's powers can be unlimited or restricted depending on your requirements.

Enduring Guardians
An "Enduring Power of Guardianship" only comes into effect upon your loss of capacity and will continue to be effective during the period of your incapacitation.

Your Guardian is the person you nominate to make decisions about your medical and dental treatment, where you should live and what other services you should receive if you become unable through incapacity to make those decisions for yourself. Your Guardian has no power to deal with your assets.

• See our rates here.

Prices for Wills, Power of Attorney, Enduring Guardianship

Our current fees for Wills, Power of Attorney and Guardianships are as follows:

Wills
Pensioner Standard: Single - $120.00, Couple: $180.00
Non-Pensioner half hour: Single - $150.00, Couple: $225.00
Non-Standard (over half hour): $330 p.h.

Most wills fit into the standard timeframes. If yours is an exceptional case you will tend to know before you arrive. We can discuss your needs in our first meeting.

Power of Attorney
Pensioner: Single - $80.00, Couple: $120.00
Non-Pensioner: Single - $120.00, Couple: $180.00
Registration fee: $71.00

POA Fees are half price if obtained with a Will or Enduring Guardianship.

Enduring Guardianship
Pensioner: Single - $120.00, Couple: $180.00

Non-Pensioner: Single - $150.00, Couple: $225.00

Enduring Guardianship Fees are half price if obtained with a Will or POA.

Call us now and discuss your needs, or read more about why these tools are useful.

Conveyancing Rates

Erina Legal standard conveyancing rates are as follows:

• Sale of residential property - $850
• Purchase of residential property - $1200

There are additional costs (disbursements) which are the fees involved with the transfer of land, certain searches for information from local and other government bodies, and so forth. We can discuss these on a case by case basis as the nature of the purchase will drive what activities are required.

If you are selling, or thinking of selling you can call us now to prepare your contract (real estate agents will require a contract prior to listing the house for sale.)

If you are buying you should contact us prior to signing the contract so we can advise you of the processes in detail and any major risks based on the contents of and attachments to the contract.

Call now with no obligation to discuss your needs on 02 43656556, or read more about conveyancing here.

Business Law @ Erina Legal

Did you know that NSW is said to be the 4th most litigious state in the world.

People sue for a number of reasons including failing to deliver on promises, on different interpretations on terms in contracts, and when circumstances change and accidents occur.

Erina Legal can help you manage risk by giving you advice on matters you are less experienced at. We can help you avoid problems in the future by making sure contracts and agreements you have with suppliers, customers and employees are clear and comprehensive.

Many of our business law clients come to us when they already have a dispute. Often that dispute is the result of contracts written without consideration of the range of future possibilities.

Business law is about managing risk and maximising your power at the negotiating table. Lawyers are trained to consider all possibilities when drawing up or reviewing contracts. We can help you avoid problems, to reduce the impact of problems when they do occur, and to provide some certainty about how problems can be resolved.

Come and see us to avoid disputes or deal with them when they occur.

Our Erina office

Brothers Craig and Wayne Brown (left to right) in the back office of Erina Legal.

Craig is an associate consultant with Erina Legal and manager of Erina Consulting. Wayne is the General Manager of Erina Legal.

The office entrance of Erina Legal.

Website

Smoke Alarms and Conveyancing

144 people have died in house fires in NSW in the past five years, 60% during sleeping hours.

From November 1 this year many NSW property sales will require a statement about Smoke Alarms. If you have a property for sale and a contract waiting you should check with your lawyer whether your contract needs updating.

Anyone that has a contract with Erina Legal will automatically have their contract updated as needed.

The conveyancing law is being updated to help save lives. It supports the Smoke Alarms legislation enacted earlier this year requiring most residential properties to have a smoke alarm fitted.

An estimated 670, 000 dwellings in NSW still do not have smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are an effective early-warning device to alert people to the presence of fire so they have more time to escape.

The conveyancing regulation applies to property sold on and from 1 November 2006.

• The gazetted Conveyancing law change is here.
• Learn more about the Smoke Alarm laws here.

Conveyancing Agents

Situated in the heart of the Central Coast and able to service the whole region, Erina Legal can act as your Conveyancing Agent and can represent you at property settlements across the Central Coast.

Our Settlement Agents are experienced in conveyancing. This means that they know what they are doing, and if there are problems at settlement, they may be able to be resolved on the spot rather than have to reschedule the settlement.

Files can be picked up or deliverred by courrier, depending on the circumstances of the job and your needs. We aim to be flexible and deliver a positive experience to both you and your client.

Of course, once settlements are completed you will immediately receive a courtesy call to advise you.

Call now on 02 4365 6556 or email us to discuss your needs.

Central Coast Business Expo 2006

It seems all we have been doing recently is keeping our heads down and doing our work. Things are busy in the office and outside. And there are plenty of opportunities coming up to promote our business, not the least of which is the 2006 Central Coast Business Expo.

We are signing up for a booth again this year. We had plenty of fun and found many interesting people to talk to and learn from (as well as promoting our business.) A particular hello to our neighbours from the expo last year - Central Coast Uniforms and Rams Home Loans. Rams gave us sheep slippers last year. What can we score this year I wonder?

If you are a business person on the Central Coast (or even from nearby) I recommend you get along. Public invitations are probably a few months away, but if you want a stall get in touch now.

• Central Coast Business Expo website

Mediation

Don't let your situation get out of hand. Contact Erina Legal now and ask about our mediation services.

Mediation is a way of solving disputes more quickly and more cost effectively than using the court. Mediation is widely regarded as one of the most successful ways of resolving disputes. Mediation is also becoming a part of many court processes. You can learn more about mediation from Erina Legal's mediation information sheet. You can get it by emailing us or ringing us on 02 4365 6556.

Mediation is to become compulsory before making applications to the Family or Federal Magistrates Courts once all Family Relationships Centres have been established. While the Family Relationships Centres will be funded for four hours of mediation, it will still be possible for mediation to occur through private mediators.

A mediated parenting plan does not require independent lawyers to give advice, although independant legal advice is required for property settlements and for these we recommend that lawyers attend the mediation.

Denise King is a qualified mediator. She is also a member of the Law Society of NSW's Mediation Panel, LEADR, Australia's leading mediation organisation, and is a member of the Family Law Council of Australia.

The Law Council of Australia

Did you know that Denise King is a member of the Family Law Coucil of Australia?

As a member of the Law Council of Australia, Denise has access to all anticipated changes in legislation and procedure and also has a voice in such changes. This benefits our clients in that they can be sure Denise is up to date with what is happening in the law and can ensure that her clients benefit from that knowledge.

Denise has a particular intereste in Family Law and there is a special section of the Law Council's website for Family Law information and services. So, iIn addition to the above benefits, when our clients have difficulties with the Family Law processes or conduct, we can pass your issue on to the Law Council of Australia for their consideration and appropriate action.

Denise also provides a voice from the Central Coast to the Law Council which works with governement on formulating policies and laws. The Law Council makes recommendations to the Attorney General on legislation and policies. It also conducts research and provides seminars. It is their recommendations that assisted in the formation of the new family law legislation.

Wills and Estates

New wills should be made whenever there is a significant change to your circumstances, assets or beneficiaries.

If you die without any next of kin, the State will determine who the beneficiaries are and what they should take depending on the circumstances at your death.

It is in your interest to make a Will naming who you wish to be beneficiaries and also to provide replacement beneficiaries in case those named by you should not survive you.

Don’t leave it to the court to decide for you. It costs more, takes longer and creates a lot of stress for those you leave behind.

If you want to know more call our office on 02 4365 6556

family law information nights

Family Law information night

Information nights are provided at various times throughout the year at the Community Centre on Karalta Road, Erina, NSW.

Call us to find out when our next information night is to be held and to book you seat on 02 4365 6556 or contact us via email at our web enquiries form

Mediation and Family Law

In December the Federal government closed the tender application process for the new Family Relationship Centres around Australia. While no centres were announced for the Central Coast the initiative shows the clear direction of the government and Family Law Court are taking - away from the adversarial litigation process towards alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation.

Divorce rates continue to rise and the cost of separation continues to be very high for both parents and children, both in terms of the process of separation and in terms of the often dramatic change to everyone's lifestyle when income and assets are split up.

At this time people need support, not more conflict, and mediation is one of the ways of approaching the difficult challenges of separation and family conflict in a supportive rather than aggressive way.

Denise King, principle solicitor and mediator at Erina Legal is one of the Central Coast's strongest advocates of mediation as a way of building more positive solutions for families in dispute; not just once the separation has occurred but before people commit to ending their relationship.

Denise has spoken and run workshops on mediation to a number of Central Coast community groups, at the University of New England and at Stanford University in the US for a conference run by the International Federation of University Women. Denise is on the NSW Law Society's panel of Mediators and has been a member of LEADR, Australia's leading alternative dispute resolution organisation, for several years.

• Family Relationship Centres
• Contact Erina Legal

Family Law Seminar - Wednesday 22 Feb

Denise King and the Team at Erina Legal have taken time out of what is traditionally the busiest time of year for divorce, separation and family law matter to help those that need some direction and understanding of what to do in this testing time.

We are holding a series of free seminars to give guidance to those who may be going through a separation or divorce and want to know more about where they stand. The first seminar is scheduled to take place at 6:30 Wednesday 22nd February 06 at the Erina Community Trust Hall on Karalta Rd Erina. Bookings are essential.

A range of issues will be addressed in the seminar from property settlements, timing, costs as well as children and separation.

For further information or to book a space call Erina Legal on 02 4365 6556.

Family Law @ Erina Legal - The right choice

Erina Legal is different from other law firms in a number of ways. We invite you to come and meet with our staff and make your own mind up.

Our business is mostly family law and so we have regular and up to date knowledge of family law processes and issues. Additionally we are a very people focused business. These days everyone understands the importance of customer service, but in our case the staff really do care about you and your results.

Another aspect to our business is that we look at alternatives to the lengthy and sometimes costly court processes. When appropriate we show you ways of dealing with the problem that may help avoid the costs and timeframes that come with court disputes. Examples include negotiating your dispute to a conclusion, and mediating problems.

Conveyancing

LJ Hooker's property value website My House Value has some articles to assist you in the process of buying and selling homes. One article promotes the use of legal representatives in assessing your rights and responsibilities to do with the sale or purchase of homes.

Another is to get legal advice to ensure you understand the issues and consequences of the transaction. Real estate agents may give plenty of advice during your dealings with them but they are not permitted to give legal advice (unless they are also registered and qualified lawyers.)

So, read all your documents carefully, make notes about the things you don't understand and take your list of questions to your solicitor. Your solicitor will also read the contract and highlight any unusual items and risks that appear in the contract. They will also check with various government bodies about future development and zoning plans and let you know about things not in the contract.

Of course your preferred law firm for conveyancing is Erina Legal. Our rates are competitive and we offer a quality service. Our team includes Wayne Brown, a former real estate agent (and manager) as well as our team of lawyers.

What will it cost? We charge $850 for a sale, and $1200 for a purchase for normal residential conveyances.

There are additional costs (disbursements) which are the fees involved with the transfer of land, certain searches for information from local and other government bodies, and so forth.

We can discuss these on a case by case basis as the nature of the purchase will drive what activities are required. If you are selling, or thinking of selling you can call us now to prepare your contract (real estate agents will require a contract prior to listing the house for sale.)

If you are buying you should contact us prior to signing the contract so we can advise you of the processes in detail and any major risks based on the contents of and attachments to the contract.
Or you can call now and get some general advise regarding conveyancing. Our number is 02 4365 6556 or click here and send an email to us via the contact us form.

Get your affairs in order - starting with your will

It's the new year and things are probably starting to settle down after the Christmas and New Years festive seasons. I hope you are still getting out to the beach regularly.

With the new year settling in you are probably starting to think about how to get started on all the ideas and plans you had for 2006. Was getting your affairs in order in your list of things to do? If so we can help you with your legal documents and plans. I'll take wills as my example today.

New wills should be made whenever there is a change to your circumstances, assets or beneficiaries.

Have things changed since you last had your will written up? Have you ever had a will written by your family solicitor?

The number of disputes over wills has increased in the last decade and continues to do so. Luckily most are settled out of court (and we can assist you here also - usually through mediation,) however, there are still lengthy and expensive processes that are followed when managing legal disputes. Planning to avoid them is a great way of kicking of those 'getting my affairs in order' new year commitments.

If you die without a will the State government will determine who the beneficiaries are and what they should take depending on the circumstances at your death.It is in your interest to make a Will naming who you wish to be beneficiaries and also to provide replacement beneficiaries in case those named by you should not survive you. We urge you not to leave it to the court to decide for you.

Disputes over wills costs more, take longer and create a lot of stress for those you leave behind. This may sound alarmist but when you consider the costs of going to court to dispute wills against the cost of having a professional (i.e. a lawyer) help you write up your will the cost seems a sensible investment.

You can call us during business hours if you want to discuss your options on 02 4365 6556.

Casey Richardson joins the team

Casey Richardson is the latest addition to the team at Erina Legal.

Casey completed her legal qualifications at the University of Newcastle late last year and is excited to be a part of the growing Erina Legal family.

Whilst she is currently commuting daily from Newcastle, Casey plans on making the move to the beautiful Central Coast soon so that she can enjoy all that it has to offer, in particular the fantastic beaches and shopping.