Choosing a Computer for the Kids

Posted on November 1, 2010 by admin

Walk into any electronics retail store for a new laptop and you’ll quickly come to realise that the computing world has completely transformed. There are more brands, more models and so many types of portable notebooks to choose from – sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin.

If you’re looking for a computer for work, you’ll usually have a fairly good idea of how you’ll use the computer and how much space and power you’ll need. But when it comes to a laptop or computer for the kids – it could be a little bit more confusing. No doubt your kids will have their own ideas about what they need. While it is important that they have advanced capabilities to help them with schoolwork, you’ll also want to make sure that they’re computer experience is safe and productive.

Consider these points:

  1. Desktop vs laptop – if you have younger children in the household, you’ll want to keep a close eye on their computing. One way to do this without infringing on their privacy is to get a desktop computer and keep it in one of the common areas of the house, such as the kitchen, rather than having the computer sitting in the kids’ rooms. Meanwhile, a laptop that is more portable means older kids can take them to school to take notes and to complete assignments.
  2. Features vs Fluff – your kids will probably have their own ideas on what sort of features they’ll want for their laptop; some models are boosted with additional power for gaming while others seem like they have been designed to be a fashion accessory more than a learning tool! Do your own research before you commit to any machine. Keep in mind that even though netbooks are more portable, they’ll require an external DVD or CD-rom drive while laptops will usually be much more powerful and be compatible with the latest software.
  3. Software and accessories - if you’re looking for a new computer, it’s not just about the machine – most computers only come pre-loaded with the most basic software, and programs such as Microsoft Office will have to be purchased separately. You’ll also want to look into accessories such as laptop bags, spare batteries, microphones or webcams depending on what you’ll need.

Stay up to date

Meanwhile, the latest developments in computing technology can make it harder to stay up to date. Kids especially will have evolving needs as they move through their academic career. Instead of buying a machine outright, laptop finance gives you the flexibility to upgrade your equipment at the end of your lease term – so your kids can get the exact computers they’ll need to become a computer programmer, music producer, graphic designer, architect or engineer.

RentSmart is the smart way to obtain the latest technology for your kids. Find out more about computer finance to give your kids a leg up in their future career.

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Commercial Property Wrap Up – August

Posted on November 1, 2010 by admin

The latest research from the Property Council of Australia shows a strong recovery in the Australian commercial property market, despite an overall increase in office vacancies. Key market indicators measured by the Property Council’s latest Office Market Report (released in early August) shows net absorption figures at 332,922 sqm over the six months. This figure demonstrates the increased demand for office space in many Australian regions including premium CBD markets.

Increase in demand with a faster increase supply

Despite net absorption of commercial property nationwide being nearly double the historic rate, office vacancy rates climbed to an average of 10%. This was largely due to a substantial increase in office space supply. A total of 571,142 sqm of new office supply was added to the market over the past six months, which is again almost double the historic average supply of 316,635 sqm.

“Such a swift rebound in demand for office space is yet another sign of the relative health of the Australian economy,” says the Property Council’s Acting CEO Ken Morrison. Other international sectors are experiencing much slower rates of recovery, with the US reporting an average vacancy rate of 14.8% in major metropolitan areas including New York.

Tenant demand on the rise and new developments trending upwards

According to the report, tenant demand for office space lease in Sydney CBD has recorded its strongest growth in the past three years. Melbourne CBD is enjoying lower vacancy rates and record level demands for commercial real estate. Meanwhile, the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that residential development approvals throughout Australia have fallen by 3.3% but commercial approvals are on the rise. For investors looking for property sales, Sydney should offer a number of opportunities with an additional 66,705 sqm of new office space supply scheduled for the rest of 2010 alone.

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What to do with too much space

Posted on November 1, 2010 by admin

When it comes to commercial premises for your business, sometimes it makes sense to have more. Leasing more office space than you need allows you to expand your operations and grow your business for the long term – but what do you do the extra space in the interim?

Sublease vs Assignment

The general inflexibility of standard commercial real estate lease agreements means that for much of their initial lifespan, organisations will find that they usually have too much or too little space. During the global financial crisis, many businesses found that they had to scale back on their operations or delay their expansion plans, leaving them with space to spare.

In order to minimise the cost of overheads, many businesses will look into ways to “make use of” the additional space they have. As early termination of a lease incurs exorbitant costs, it makes sense to looking into sub-leasing or assigning your premises.

- Assignment – when a lease is assigned to another organisation, the responsibilities of the original agreement are completely taken over by the assignee. As a result, most lease assignments involve the entire premises, not just a section of the office or one or two floors. Businesses that are looking to move out of their current premises, perhaps to larger office space, will need to assign their lease to another organisation for the duration of the term.

However, once assigned, the original lease holder can still be held responsible for any obligations in the agreement. For the example, if the new assignment goes bankrupt before the lease term is up, the original business may have to find another company to take over the lease.

- Sub-lease – a sub-lease involves drafting up an additional agreement to lease part of the premises, usually a part of a floor from a larger organisation or even just a couple of desks for a sole-trader or a small company looking to rent office space. When deciding on a sub-lease, most businesses will benefit more from a sub-lease if the original lease is for a longer term – you’ll be more likely to find an established business that is in good standing to take over part of the space.

When it comes to assignment and sub-leasing, it will usually depend on the specific assignment and sub-lease clauses that have been set out in the original lease, but new negotiations between landlord, tenant and the new business will need to take place. Often landlords and commercial property owners are willing to renegotiate some of the terms if it involves a retaining a tenant for a longer period of time, but this can depend on external factors. For example, if there is vacant commercial property to let in the building, the landlord may be eager to secure the sub-lessee into their own space.

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