Offer a Helping hand to QLD Flood Victims with HelpOut

Whilst floods are by no means a new thing to many Queenslanders, the current batch of flooding is so widespread and affects so  many different areas, they are having a much bigger impact than normal.  But what can be done to help

Whilst floods are by no means a new thing to many Queenslanders, the current batch of flooding is so widespread and affects so  many different areas, they are having a much bigger impact than normal.  But what can be done to help

Flood levels are still rising in many areas, and pretty much everything that can be done in preparation, already has been.  For many, it’s now a matter waiting to see what’s going to happen, and the moment, there is very little that anyone can do to assist.  However, when the floods start to subside, and people start to be able to return to their houses and businesses to see what is left, that’s when the community really needs to rally together to help wherever they can.

While flooding will have an impact on entire communities, there are some (perhaps many) people who are not in the direct path of the flood and who will receive little or no property damage to their own home or business.  On the flip-side, those who live or work in lower lying, flood affected areas may very well lose all of their household items, and will soon face the daunting task of mopping, and cleaning up the mess that remains – a task which will take days if not weeks of effort.

It’s moments like these that bring a community together – with most people who are able to help, being more than willing to do so.  The problem however, is to know what needs to be done, and work out how best to help those in need.

All concerned Australians, no matter where we live can of course assist by making donations via the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.  However, the people that need help, and those that are best placed to offer assistance are those that live and work in the flood affected communities themselves.  but putting the people with needs in touch with those who can provide practical assistance could be a problem.

SpaceOut is in a unique position to be able to offer a solution to this problem. The concept of SpaceOut is based around our ability to put in touch people who have something with those who need something – and we do this on a locality basis.  Whilst we normally do this with Space (Storage Space, Parking Space, Office Space, etc…), it does not take a big stretch of the imagination to see how this same model could be applied to the wants and needs of flood victims.

HelpOut – designed to Help Out QLD Flood Victims

We have spent much of today tweaking our website, and are very happy to announce the launch of a new service called HelpOut, which we hope will make it easier for people wanting to help and having something to offer, to get in touch with those in flood affected communities who could really  do with a helping hand.

Lending a hand doesn’t necessarily have to be something big, or dramatic, and in fact it is very often the small, simple things which make the biggest difference.  We’ve outlined below a very brief list of some of the things that have been suggested could be of benefit to flood victims – but there are bound to be plenty of other ways to help :

• Offer to care for a pet for a week or two until they get everything sorted out
• Drop around a home cooked meal (or invite them round for one)
• Offer to assist for an hour or two to clean/mop/wash their house
• Offer to wash and dry a load of washing
• Drop around with some cold drinks/water
• etc…

We have a bigger list of how you could help – and remember, it is not only home owners who are affected, businesses too are suffering, so if you run a business that has not been unduly affected, have a think about what you may be able to offer to help.

HelpOut is a completely FREE service that allows people to either list what items/services that are able to offer, or for those affected by flood, to outline what things they would find really helpful.

You can find at more about How to Help Qld Flood Victims or create your own HelpOut Listing now.

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Big Brother is watching you Park

The next time you park your car in pretty much any major city in Australia or New Zealand, keep your eyes peeled for the latest parking spyware sensors that could be automatically dobbing you in to the nearest parking officer the second that you overstay your allotted time.

Automated Parking Infringement Sensors

The latest automatic parking sensors are being fitted to both free and paid car parking bays throughout Australia and NZ.  Theses sensors take a photo (including a timestamp) when your car arrives and if you stay longer than the maximum time (whether or not you have a valid parking ticket), will electronically notify the nearest parking patrol. These devices automatically take photos of offending vehicles with the time and date of the infringement recorded on the image.

The new system detects a vehicle’s presence in a designated area, recording its arrival and departure time – including vehicle overstays, through the use of sensors embedded in the parking bay. Information gathered is transmitted to the parking Officer’s PDA, when walking or driving near the parking space.  the parking officer can also be notified of nearby spaces that are close to reaching their limits.

Gone are the days of chalking tyres – parking Officers are now only needed to enter vehicle specific details -  with location and offence details automatically populated directly from the vehicle detection sensors in the ground.  It seems to me that a fully automated solution is not far off, so that days of parking officers may very well be numbered as well.  If I were a parking officer, I would be very concerned about how long my job was going to last for.

Council Parking Revenue

Unsurprisingly local councils are at pains to stress that this move is NOT a revenue raiser.  They “selflessly” claim that they are installing these devices simply to encourage people to limit their parking to  allotted times – resulting in greater sharing of the parking space and a fairer service to all motorists – yeah right.

Advertising materials for the product manufacturers clearly highlight the increased revenue benefits of installing their product – providing a case study citing figures for a potential increase in revenue of over 120% for a single parking area.

Sydney’s Lane Cove Council is the latest council to start using the technology, with 200 of the meter eyes about to be switched on.

550 parking sensors have been installed around Perth at a cost of $400,000, and they have already paid for themselves, whilst ramping up revenue 57%.

Devices of this type are already in use (or being tested) by councils all over Australia and NZ, including:

• ACT Ranger Services
• Adelaide City Council
• Auckland City Council
• Brisbane City Council
• City of Melbourne
• City of Perth
• City of Sydney
• North Sydney Council
• Waverley Council

Whilst the altruistic sentiment of “sharing” parking spaces seems reasonable, it’s hard to see this trend as anything but yet another thinly camouflaged money grabbing strategy by councils.

The best approach to parking, and the safest way to ensure you are not hit by hefty parking fees or exorbitant parking fines is still to secure your own private parking space.  SpaceOut, remains one of the easiest way for you to locate or rent out your own private car parking space, at a very reasonable price.

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How to get the most out of renting out your spare space

There are many factors that can influence how much interest there is likely to be in your space  - and hence how quickly you could rent it out, so it is not possible to guarantee that you will rent out your space quickly.  However, with a potential to earn hundreds of dollars a month a small listing fee is certainly worth taking a chance.

There are however some ways that you can increase the likelihood of renting out your space fast.  Below We have outlined some of the main factors which can influence interest in your space – along with some hints on how you can maximise your chances of a quick rental.

• Location – We have hundreds (and often thousands) of people every day, searching the site for many different types of spaces all over Australia.  The majority of these visitors tend to come from high population areas (such as capital cities), but we also get many visitors from regional and even country areas.  If your space is located in a regional or rural area, it may take a bit longer to rent out, but you are also likely to have less competition.

• Security – For most people renting private space, security is not the top priority, but they will want some assurance that the space has a reasonable level of security – and the more you can offer (and describe in the listing) the better

• Access – Although some renters may require little or no ongoing access to the space, many would require some level of access  and the more flexible you can be with this the better.

• Type of Space – Some spaces could be used in a variety of ways – for example a garage could be used for storage or parking.  You may like to consider creating separate listings for each type of usage – outlining the features and benefits (and also possibly changing the price) depending on the way the space might be used.

• Facilities – The more “advantages” or benefits you can describe in your space listing the more likely you will be to rent out your space quickly.  These might be anything that differentiates your space from others and could be all sorts of things – e.g. free use of a trailer, 24×7 access with own key, owner able to give you a hand with heavy objects, cool dry environment – ideal for wine storage, can include a regular car wash for a small extra fee (for parking space), free parking available (for office space), etc…)

• Price – We normally recommend setting a price at 50% – 70% of the “commercial” rate. If you charge an unrealistically high price you are unlikely to get many enquiries, but if you set too low a price you might be missing out on some income.  We generally suggest setting the price a little higher initially, but consider reducing it if you don’t get many enquiries.  Keep in mind though, that a faster rental at a lower rate  is likely to generate you more income than holding out for a higher price and perhaps earning nothing from the space while you are waiting.

• Demand – Some areas are very popular and spaces tend to get snapped up very quickly. In these areas, you can generally charge more for your space than in areas where demand is lower.  Sometimes (but not always) you can identify high demand areas by a higher number of “space wanted” listings. If after a month or so you do not get many enquiries, it could mean that there is relatively little demand for the type of space you are offering in your area, so you could consider changing your listing description, reducing your price slightly, or even cancelling the listing.

Because there are just so many factors that can have an impact on how quickly you rent out your space, there can of course be no guarantee when your space will be leased. However there are few more simpler methods of generating handy cash flow, and most people really enjoy the process. By all means let SpaceOut know of  any other factors or strategies that you  have found to be helpful in renting out your space.

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City drive-in robbery - Brisbane carpark costs soar

In an article in The Sunday Mail (Brisbane, 3rd October 2010), Amy McCosker and Anthony Templeton highlighted that:

“Parking in Brisbane has become more than a headache, with some motorists slugged over $20 an hour for parking in the city”

As part of a nationwide investigation it has become clear that Brisbane parking rates are amongst the worst in Australia.  Brisbane drivers wishing to park in the city pay on average $45 a day (that’s over $200 a week).  Brisbane parking station fees are on a par with Melbourne (also $45 a day), and are more expensive than other Capital cities, except for Sydney where you can expect to pay up to $72 a day for parking.  Darwin, is the cheapest capital city to park, with fees as low as $2.40 per day at some inner city carparks.

The table below provides an overview of the parking fees for some of Brisbane’s largest commercial carparks (as of Sep 2010) :

Brisbane Car Park	Hourly Rate	Daily Rate
King George Square Carpark	$12	$40
Myer Centre Carpark	$19	$43
Wintergarden Carpark	$24	$66*
Queens Plaza Carpark	$20	$50*
Macarthur Central Carpark	$12	$60*
Wilson Parking (Mary St)	$21	$48
Brisbane Domestic Airport	$13	$40
South Bank Convention Centre	$14	$22
Parklands Carpark	$6	$36

* lost ticket fee

Another big “money grab”  used by some of the commercial carpark operators is the policy of applying an extra fee if a motorist loses their ticket. In Brisbane you should expect to pay up to $66 for to park your car for the day if you can’t find your parking ticket.

Jim Kershaw a spokesman from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ)  suggested that because of the high parking costs, many people parked outside the CBD and caught public transport, and said :

“In a perfect world there would be cheap parking for everyone”

SpaceOut – offers a cheap and convenient solution to motorists looking for alternatives to the high cost parking offered by commercial operators in city CBDs.  People can often find a much cheaper parking option by renting an unused private parking space or garage.  People living or working in (or near) the CBD, who have a parking space but no car, can also make a bit of extra cash by renting out their space .

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Money Magazine: Money from Space

Some of us are lucky enough to have some spare space at or around home -
it could turn into a nice little earner.

SpaceOut was featured in one of the cover articles from the September 2010 edition of Money Magazine  – An Extra $200 a month renting out spare space.

The Money Magazine “Smart Money” article outlines some of the many benefits of renting out your spare  space and Quotes our Technical Director (Andy Henderson) :

“Almost everyone has unused space around their home, apartment, or business – whether that’s your garage, your parking spot, your shed, a spare room or even your fridge – you’ll find there is someone out there willing to pay you to use it.”

Private rentals are increasingly becoming recognised as real alternatives to traditional self-storage facilities – and are often much more convenient, and significantly cheaper as well.  Using online services such as www. SpaceOut.com.au, ordinary Australians can lease out their excess or unused space privately and make a little extra cash on the side.

“Many of us have got a spare bedroom or shed. More often than not it’s half-filled with our own junk,  Why not do a reshuffle and rent it out?”

Private storage suits all types of people – particularly retirees and “empty nesters”,  who wouldn’t dream of  getting in a tenant (and sharing their house and lives with someone), but are very happy to store someones furniture in the spare room for a few months or more while the person is off travelling.

“Typically you are looking at between $100 and $200 a month for doing little more than putting stuff in a room and shutting the door”

If you’d like to read more about how you can make money from space, and turn your unused bedroom, shed or garage into an extra regular income, get out today and get your own copy of Money Magazine – September 2010.

Read more: http://www.spaceout.com.au/blog/storage-space/money-magazine-money-from-space#ixzz0yNXw1MLr

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5 Great Reasons to Rent your Office Space

One of the biggest decisions many small businesses inevitably face as they grow, is whether to buy or lease their business premises and office space.  Although buying and owning your own office space may have some advantages, in these times of economic uncertainty and with steadily increasing property prices, buying can be prohibitive for many business owners.

Instead of buying a commercial property though, renting office space is increasingly becoming the solution of choice for many small businesses.  Leasing  office space can be great option for many different reasons.  We’ve collated a list of 5 advantages renting office space has over buying :

1. Flexible – Renting office space allows greater flexibility and doesn’t usually commit you to long term decisions. If you are uncertain of the future growth of your business choosing to buy office space can be a very scary prospect. Short to medium term leasing arrangements allow you to could choose a space that meets your current needs and provides greater flexibility to expand (or reduce) your space needs in the future.
2. Try it Out – choosing to rent office space – particularly for a new business, or in a new area – allows you to “test the water” and check to see how the business performs in that particular area or environment. If things don’t happen to work out as expected it’s generally a good deal easier to break a lease than it is to sell a property.
3. Mobility – Choosing to rent an office space means that you are more mobile. You will not be tied down to a particular location and will find it a good deal easier to move premises if and when you choose.
4. Cost – Renting Office space is almost certainly going to be significantly cheaper than buying it.  You will also not have the responsibilities of all the other expenses associated with owning a property.  Property maintenance can add a significant overheads for property owners, whereas if you are renting the space this will be the landlords responsibility.
5. Responsibility – Running a business is tough enough without having to worry about all the extra issues associated with property ownership.  Renting your space means you can focus on running your business.

The primary aim of any business is to get a reasonable return on their investment – with as little as possible cost, or effort.  Small business owners in particular often struggle with the logistics of the day to day management of their business. Renting office space instead of buying it is a cheaper, safer, simpler, and more flexible option for most businesses.

Whether  you are looking for office space to rent, or are interested in renting out surplus space in your commercial premises, SpaceOut can help you make the choice easier.

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SpaceOut Users Said. (in April)

We love it when our members and website visitors provide feedback about the SpaceOut website and the service that we provide.   Here is a selection of some of the feedback (along with our response in some cases) we have received from SpaceOut Members and site visitors over the  last month or so :

• It’s great, good communications system protecting privacy
• great idea
• Need a place for person who is renting out the space to put their phone number, so someone can contact them!!!
  A phone number can be included in the description if you wish, but the message system allows people to contact you – and ensures your privacy until you are ready to exchange contact details
• What a great idea! Haven’t found what I need yet, but have more clues now.
• Excellent web site and the simplicity of working it.
• Great idea,maybe more car park owners+renters would respond.
• Would be nice if I could get a permalink to a listing to share outside the site.
  Permalinks have now been added to the popup listing details page
• This is an easy site to negotiate and set-out is clear and has the necessary info in a great format
  very easy to use
• pictures of the spaces could be useful as well as a little more info about the space for rent
  We encourage owners to provide detailed space descriptions (the better and clearer the information the easier it usually is to rent out the space).  We plan to allow owners to include photos  in their listings in a future upgrade
• Requires some more properties – Presumably project is in the early growth stages, so understandably not much to see at this stage. …Still good!
  Yup… the number of listings vary from time to time, but we are working hard at raising awareness of the  service
• Fantastic site, I would recommend this site to anyone who has spare space to let, couldn’t get any better!
• A handy site for me to do a quick search of parking stations in the inner city. Very useful.
• Easy to get location and phone number
• Why isn’t this so well known … Perhaps more advertising?
• very good idea!
• Site is great if you live in the cities. I’m in rural Qld and had to type in each place I could think of locally. Maybe a list of areas that have current “”space”" could be added.
  informative
  We do provide a list of  hot listings and also show the latest space listings (by state) and the most  popular suburbs, but listings tend to come and go, so at any one time there may not be any listings in a particular area – this is why we encourage people to create a Space Wanted Listing if they are looking for a particular type of space in a particular area.
• the concept is great . a good extra income in these hard times
• Very Much needed
• great idea only thing now is to see if it works if it does we might offer some space when we get our place

If you have any suggestions, comments, concerns, criticisms or compliments about SpaceOut please make sure that you contact us.

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Should I create Single or Multiple Space for Rent Listings?

Many spaces could be used for a variety of purposes, and owners are sometimes unsure as to the best way to list their space.  We often get asked for advice on the type of space listing that a Space Owner should create.

At the moment, each Space for Rent listing must be assigned to a particular Space Type (although this may change in the future). If for example you have an empty shed which may be suitable for storage, parking a car, or even for use as a office, studio or workshop, it can be tough deciding which type of space you should associate with your listing.

Our recommendation is that rather than creating a single listing, you should create multiple listings – i.e. a separate listing for each relevant space type. One of the main reasons for this is because the amount you may earn in rental is likely to vary depending on the use of the space.  Someone is likely to be willing to pay more for an office or commercial space for example than they would for a parking space or for storage space.

People may also be looking for a particular type of space, and may miss your space listing if it is associated with a different category.  Also, you are more likely to successfully rent out your space if you are able to target your description to a particular type of use – rather than providing a general description.

So, when creating a space for rent listing, if there is not a clear space type to associate it with:

• Consider creating Separate Space listings under each relevant category
• Set a price for each listing that is realistic for the expected use
• Customise the description of you space to target the space type you have associated with it

Spending a little time planning your listing and writing a description which is likely to appeal to the different types of people (and uses) that it is suitable for can have a huge difference on how quickly you rent out your space.

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Co-working - an Innovative use of shared office space for small business

If you are a home based small business, but miss the day to day interaction and collaboration with colleagues or co-workers, then the concept of shared office space, or co-working might be just what you need.

What is Co-working Space?

Co-working space, is essentially a shared office environment where professionals and freelancers (often, but not always, in related industries) work together in the same space, swap ideas and resources, enjoy social interaction, and all at a price that is generally much more affordable that the alternatives.

The co-working concept has proved to be particularly appealing for creative based professionals, such as web and graphic designers, PR consultants, copy writers, and marketing freelancers.

Co-working is ideal for freelancers and self-employed who have found that the realities of working from home aren’t quite what they had expected. Home based workers can face issues such as isolation, lack of networking and fewer opportunities for collaboration. It can also be very difficult for solo workers to find office space for just one person at a price they can afford, while traditional serviced office facilities may be too expensive and impersonal.

One significant advantage of co-working over traditional office space lease arrangements is that a long-term commercial lease or full-serviced office rental arrangements are not normally required, so the shared office space may be available for as long (or short) as you need.

Co-working in the USA

Co-working is alive and well in the US, with a variety of different shared spaces available – including the well known co-working spaces Citizen Space and the Hat Factory in San Francisco and various other shared office services in other US cities. Co-working in the US has been described as “offering a techie twist on the age-old practice of artists or writers teaming up to rent studio space“.

Co-working catches on in Australia

Co-working is now also catching on in Australia.  As a direct result of a growing demand from self-employed creatives and freelancers to have an affordable workspace away from home, spaces are opening in many capitals, including Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane.

Some shared office spaces, like Melbourne co-working space OpenHub (www.openhub.com.au), were started by companies looking to share the cost of office space.  OpenHub offers a variety of different services – from a one off use of a meeting room (@$120) to a Full-time dedicated desk space (@$600).  OpenHub even offer a Free service for Co-workers associated with charity based projects.

Water Street Studio (www.waterstreetstudio.com.au) in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, provides desk space in an air-conditioned office, with internet, electricity and access to a meeting room / boardroom included. They offer shared office space from just $150 per week  for a minimum 3 month term, with no bond or formal lease required.

Shared Office Listings

Online services such as SpaceOut (www.spaceout.com.au) also provide information about office space for rent, and regularly have listings for shared office space in many areas throughout Australia.

Whether you are searching for shared office space or would like to make a little extra income by renting out your spare office space , the co-working concept seems destined to be a trend that will continue to grow.

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Australian carpark prices reach record levels

It would probably surprise you that a 16 sq m single car parking space at Bondi in Sydney, recently sold for $240,000 – but amazingly other sales in the same price range are expected to follow.

Over the last few years Councils across Australia have been attempting to minimise traffic congestion by reducing the number of car parking spaces available in new developments.  As the number of parking spaces is dropping, the value of these spaces is soaring.  Car parking spaces in Sydney, once worth $5000 to $10,000, are now regularly selling for between $40,000 and $140,000 each.

Brisbane City Council has also tightened rules to reduce parking in buildings over recent years, and the number of available carpark spaces had been reduced by 50 per cent.

Business owners with spare parking spaces, and owners of inner city units without a car, have been using services like SpaceOut (http://www.spaceout.com.au) to rent out their unused parking spaces and cash in on council policy changes.

There is currently a proposal put forward by the City of Melbourne (which is yet to be approved), limiting a single car park space per dwelling for new developments at inner-suburban Carlton and Southbank, and in parts of the northwest and east of the city.

As inner city parking becomes increasingly scarce across CBDs throughout Australia, there will be more and more opportunities for the owners of Private and Business parking spaces to make some extra cash, by renting their unused space out.  Conversely, as the price of inner city parking fees increase there are fabulous opportunities for people looking for a parking space to make great savings by searching for cheap parking on SpaceOut.

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Bully Car Park Operators in the Spotlight (again)

Once again, the controversial (and probably illegal) practice of “fining” people for alleged breaches of parking conditions is making News Headlines.

Channel 9’s A Current Affair program has run a series of reports over the last few weeks about the methods Australian National Car Parks (ANCP) seem to be using to intimidate people into paying “fines” for failing to get a ticket at public Car Parks they manage.

It was alleged that ANCP take advantage of the fact that people are often unaware that they need to get a ticket – even though the car parks are clearly signed as “2 Hours Free Parking”.  It seems that if you fail to get a ticket (even if you stay for less than 2 hrs) ANCP staff have been issuing ‘liquidated damages’  demands for $66 – which quickly escalate to $88 and then $163 if you don’t pay in time – in some cases followed by a NOTICE OF INTENTION TO SUE.

However, as a private company, ANCP does not have legal authority to administer fines.

What the law says:

A DRIVER using a private car park enters into a contract with the operator to abide by the terms and conditions stated on signs (which must be prominently displayed).

Under contract law, parties are not entitled to impose penalties for breach of contract but can seek “liquidated damages” – which are defined as a reasonable estimate of the damage suffered as a result of the contract being breached. If a court finds the estimate is not reasonable it is defined as a penalty and becomes invalid.

If damages are sought by a private car-park operators but resisted by the driver the issue may end up in court, however, the company then has to demonstrate how the damage it suffered equals the damages it is seeking.

There is considerable doubt whether ANCP could justify the $66 damages they have been demanding.

But It’s all happened before :

This is certainly not the first time this type of practice has been reported.

In April 2007, The Age (Crackdown on car parking ‘bullies ) reported similar practices by Australian National Car Parks and highlighted that a number of Victorian Councils had banned (or were considering bans) on ANCP operating within their regions.

Moreland Council, which includes Brunswick, Coburg and Pascoe Vale, accused Australian National Car Parks of bullying behaviour, and Darebin Council, which includes Northcote and Preston, had asked the company to stop handing out tickets.

At the time ANCP was being investigated by the NSW Office of Fair Trading and had also been reported to Consumer Affairs Victoria.

In 2006, then NSW fair trading minister Diane Beamer urged drivers to “exercise extreme caution” in ANCP car parks because the company could have been engaging in “improper, misleading and deceptive conduct”.

In October 2008, the Herald Sun (Supermarket shoppers not legally obliged to pay parking fines ) reported that tens of thousands of Victorians had paid up for shopping centre parking fines that they were not legally obliged to pay.

On 10th October, Consumer Affairs Victoria issued a state-wide alert warning motorists that Care Park Pty Ltd had no power to issue fines or impose penalties at “free” supermarket car parks.  Also at that time Australian National Car Parks was at the centre of a case designed to test the legality of its demands, and a third company that issued demand notices – Parking Infringements Victoria – was under investigation by Consumer Affairs.

A Facebook group called The People vs Australian National Car Parks -  has been established with the aim of helping with information and advice.  There are also plenty of active forums discussing the issues, but consensus seems to be that if you do get issued with one of these demand notices – don’t panic and don’t lose sleep over it – simply throw the notice away.

If you are tired of dealing with Car Park Operators, and Searching for a Parking Space or if you have a spare Parking Space to Rent out – www.spaceout.com.au could help you.

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mX (Brisbane) - Workers on park avenue

In today’s Brisbane daily mX Newspaper Torny Jensen wrote the following article about the costs of parking  – and how Brisbanites, particularly in the CBD area, are searching for parking alternatives such as those offered by SpaceOut.

Workers on park avenue

Fed-up city workers are ditching expensive CBD carparks for cheaper backyard spots.

Brisbane was ranked as the seventh moist expensive city in the world for parking in the most recent Colliers International Global CBD Parking Rate survey, with motorists having to pay a median monthly cost of $596 for parking.

The survey found Brisbanites were spending more on their parking than those living in Tokyo or New York.

But a local website is revolutionising city parking by matching desperate motorists with inner-city tenants who have room to spare in carparks backyards and garages.

SpaceOut.com.au advertises private car spaces for rent, and places ads for commuters hoping to find cheap car parks close to their work.

This morning the site offered an undercover parking space in South Brisbane for $50 a week or $160 a month

Meanwhile a space with double-swipe security protection at Spring Hill was being advertised for the bargain price of #240 a month.

Spaceout’s Andy Henderson said many private carpark providers were inner-city residents who lived and socialised in the city and chose not to have a car.

“We’re getting a lot more inner-city accommodation, and a lot of those, for example are being filled by foreign students who don’t have a car.” he said.

“They see this as an opportunity to subsidise their rent.“

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Australia Office Space Rental Costs set to Soar

Business Tenants in Australia are expecting a massive increase in the cost of renting their office space as shortages of quality office space (particularly in CBDs) shifts the pricing “power” back in favour of landlords.

In Sydney, the asking price for prestigious office space that is currently under construction is rumoured to be up to $1400 a square metre.

The anticipated rise in the costs of office space is typical of a market coming out of a recession and reflects the fact that relatively few new development projects have been started in the past couple of years.

Melbourne’s premium rent is more like $550 per sq m, but independent adviser Urbis has predicted a rise of about 10-12 per cent over the next two years.

Australia’s major cities remain among the most expensive in the world for parking space fees and office accommodation – a reflection in the lack of supply and the expected rise in demand for office space as numbers of white-collar workers rise.

DTZ’s 13th annual Global Occupancy Costs report, highlights six Australian cities that are among the world’s 100 most expensive.

According to the report, Sydney’s ranking has increased from position 45 in 2009 to 23 in the latest data – putting it well ahead of many international business precincts including downtown New York, Brussels and Berlin.

Melbourne jumped from rank 86 in 2009 to 53 in 2010. Brisbane is ranked 29, followed by Perth (32), Canberra (73) and Adelaide (80).

SpaceOut continues to offer a realistic alternative for people searching for cheap and convenient office space to rent.

Posted via email from SpaceOut - Space for Rent

New Year Resolutions - Towards a Prosperous 2010

I love to ask people what their resolutions are each year and when I boil the answers down, the most common responses I get are centred around health and wealth. SpaceOut is not in the business of advising on the first of these, but when it comes to adding or saving cash to your monthly balance sheet, we like to sing it out loud!

If you have a finance related resolution this year, chances are that you can utilise SpaceOut to that end. Whether it’s to save money or add to your monthly income, SpaceOut is a great place to start.

Looking for: Office space, Storage space, a handy parking space, a place to park your boat or caravan or truck, a paddock or shed, then SpaceOut is the place where you can find the best deals that are not found anywhere else! Space Owners are regular people who offer their space for very reasonable rates, and you’re likely to find something that suits in the suburb you want it.

Of course if you own any of the above, clean it up and list it now – get in early and see how you can leverage previously unutilised space into cash income that is literally money out of thin air! We receive great feedback every day from people putting all kinds of space to great use, and love hearing from our members. Go ahead, add SpaceOut to your New Year Resolutions and tell your friends so they can benefit too.

SpaceOut wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010, and a big thank you to all our members who helped to make us what we are today.

Posted via email from SpaceOut - Space for Rent