Wednesday 30 September 2015

Melbourne is Australia’s hottest property market – Oct 2015

The post Melbourne is Australia’s hottest property market – Oct 2015 appeared first on Oak Laurel.

Melbourne is now Australia’s hottest property market – October 2015

Data shows that Melbourne is now Australia’s hottest property market! Up until recently Sydney was Australia’s hottest property market. There are now indications that Sydney is coming off the boil and Melbourne has become the hottest property market!
What give you that idea you may ask. Well it is all in the data!

Auction clearance rates

Auction clearance rate are in indication of how ‘hot’ a property market is. The greater then clearance rates, usually the greater the gains seen in property prices. When the market is hot, vendors / sellers like to sell their property at auction. High auction clearance rates mean that bitters are reaching the property reserve prices and in many cases can exceed the reserve price by a large margin as buyers are willing to bid extra so that they don’t need to try again at the next auction and face paying even more at a later date.
Currently, the number of properties going to auction is the highest in Melbourne with over a thousand properties going to auction in a week according to Domain.com.au.  With all those listing you might expect that the clearance rate goes down due to competition between properties on the market but the auction clearance rate was the equal highest in Melbourne and Adelaide. However, Adelaide only has a hundred or so auction in a week so a high clearance rate is not that indicative of a hot market when so few properties are being put for auction.
Sydney has had a good run but now the auction clearance rate is down from previous highs and lagging behind Melbourne’s. This does not mean that Sydney is dead, with around a 70% auction clearance rate, it just means that it is lagging behind Melbourne.

Property price index

According to the Core logic RP data home value index in the past couple of weeks Melbourne has been hitting new price highs each day. Other  cities have been behind their past price highs. This may only be a rough measure but where consistent gives an indication of where the gains are being made.

Individual property sales

Though not much can be gained from individual property sale prices, it can give some indication of the trend. For example last Saturday a property in Mount Waverley in Melbourne’s south east, a suburb attracting buyers for proximity to amenities especially good schools, sold for $6 million. The block was large and there was speculation that it was for redevelopment but even so if that is an indication of the land price then the land prices are appreciating quickly in Mount Waverley and surrounding suburbs.

Conclusion: Melbourne is the hottest property market and has good long term prospects

With Melbourne headed to be Australia’s largest city I guess that it is no surprise that there is a lot of interest in Melbourne’s property market. With more and more people moving to Melbourne, more than any other Australia city, the interest in well located Melbourne property is only likely to continue in the future.

Mortgage broker

Want to talk to a mortgage broker about financing a Melbourne property? Talk to one of Oak Laurel's professional mortgage brokers about your loan options.


Call us:

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!
Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker
The post Melbourne is Australia’s hottest property market – Oct 2015 appeared first on Oak Laurel.


from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1P6CUlq

Construction approvals yo-yo with large apartment developments

The post Construction approvals yo-yo with large apartment developments appeared first on Oak Laurel.

Construction approvals up and down with large apartment developments

New residential dwelling construction approvals are down in August 2015 after a high level of approvals in July.
Statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on building approvals, showed that over the month of August 18,701 dwellings were approved for construction. This is down by  6.9% from the previous month of July.
Apartment approvals accounted for most of the decrease, with a 11.4 per cent fall. Private sector house approvals actually rose by 4.9%.
The level of building approvals has been up-and-down in recent months. The 6.9% fall in August comes after a 4.2% increase in July, a 5.2% decrease in June, a 2% increase in May, and a 5.2% decrease in April.
The increase in July was mainly attributed to the approval of large apartment development projects. The level of approvals excluding houses in July was up 6.1% from the previous month.

Property development loans

Need finance for a large property development project? Find out about property development finance here:

Construction loans

Building your own home or undertaking a small development? A construction loan may be an option. Find out about the construction loan process, lender conditions and more here.
Call us:

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!
Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker
The post Construction approvals yo-yo with large apartment developments appeared first on Oak Laurel.


from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1LQDl2l

Loan to Value Ratio LVR – why is my home loan LVR important?

The post Loan to Value Ratio LVR – why is my home loan LVR important? appeared first on Oak Laurel.

Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) – is it important for my home or investment property purchase finance or refinance?

Mortgage Broker Oak Laurel by Nigel Abery (PhD), Principal Mortgage Broker at Oak Laurel.

What is LVR?

“LVR or LTV is the acronym for loan to value ratio. Loan to value ratio is the finance or banking term used to describe the ratio between a loan (or mortgage) and the asset being held as security against that loan. Loan to value ratio is usually described as the loan as a percentage of the asset value.”

Why is LVR important?

The Loan to value ratio of your home or investment property and mortgage is important when the bank or lender assessed your loan application (including when you are taking out a new loan or refinancing your existing loan). Banks and lenders consider that the greater the proportion of the property that is being borrowed (up to a certain point) the the higher the risk  that they will not get their money back in the event of the borrower defaults on the loan. Generally banks and lenders will allow up to 80% of the property price to be borrowed by PAYG employees without requiring lenders mortgage insurance. Lenders mortgage insurance can cost you (the borrower) thousands of dollars and it insures the bank against you not paying the loan.
Some lenders will also self insure for some borrowers that they consider low risk. Certain banks and lenders consider your profession as a criteria in assessing risk and will waive the lenders mortgage insurance requirements for certain professionals.
The type of property you are borrowing for can also influence the loan to value ratio that the bank or lender will accept. For example if the property is an farm greater than 150 ha many banks will not lend more than 70% of the property value.  Also, recently some banks consider different suburbs as higher risk and will only lend to 70% or 80% of the property value in those suburbs.

See more here about: How to calculate your Loan to Value Ratio

Oak Laurel Mortgage Brokers – Home loans made easy!
Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

High risk suburbs that require bigger deposits for NAB

The post High risk suburbs that require bigger deposits for NAB appeared first on Oak Laurel.

High risk suburbs that require bigger deposits for National Australia Bank (NAB)

National Australia Bank (NAB) has released its list of suburbs it considers as higher risk and where it will apply tighter lending restrictions requiring larger deposits.

NAB has two suburb risk classifications: Group A and Group B.

Group A contains “areas where significant deterioration in credit risk has been observed”. Lending by NAB in these suburbs will be limited to 70% of the property value (70% Loan to Value Ratio – LVR). Many mining towns in Western Australian and Queensland are in this group.

Group B areas are deemed to pose less immediate risk, although they are “areas which are exhibiting characteristics which may indicate future deterioration in credit risk”. Lending by NAB to these suburbs will be limited to 80% of the property value (80% LVRs). Many Sydney suburbs and the Central Business Districts of Sydney, Melbourne (CBD, Docklands & South Bank), Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane are on this list.

The full list of NAB’s classified higher risk postcodes is below:

Group A – 70% Loan to value ratios maximum from NAB in these areas

Western Australia:

6390 Bannister, Boddington, Crossman
6429 Boorabbin, Bullabulling, Collgardie
6436 Menzies, Ularring
6437 Leinster, Sir Samuel
6438 Leonora, Lake Darlot
6440 Bandya, Beadell, Cosmo, Newbery
6442 Kambalda East, Kambalda West
6642 Angelo River, Capricorn, Karalundi
6646 Wiluna, Lake Carnegie, Little Sandy Desert
6710 Cane, Onslow, Peedamulla, Talandji, Yannarie
6713 Dampier Archipelago, Dampier
6714 Atonyymyre, Balla Balla, Banynton
6716 Pannawonica, Fortescue, Hamersley Range, Millstream
6718 Roebourne, Whim Creek
6720 Cossack, Point Samson, Wickham
6721 Indee, Mundabullangana, Pardoo
6722 Boodarie, De Grey, Finucane, Pippingarra, South Hedland
6751 Chichester, Innawanga, Juna Downs
6753 Newman
6754 Paradburdoo
6758 Nullagine
6760 Marble Bar

Queensland:

4210 Guanaba, Maudsland, Oxenford
4211 Advancetown, Beechmont, Binna Burra
4680 Gladstone
4717 Blackwater
4720 Emerald, Yamala
4740 Mackay Region
4743 Suttor, glanden
4744 Moranbah
4745 Dystart
4746 May Downs, Middleount
4805 Bogie, Bowen, Gumlu

Northern Territory:

0885 Alyangula

South Australia:

Olympic Dam, Roxby Downs, Roxby Downs Station

Tasmania:

7155 Kettering
7467 Queenstown, Lake Margaret
7468 Strahan, Macquarie Heads
7469 Zeehan, Trial Harbour, Renison Bell
7470 Rosebery

Group B – 80% loan to value ratio maximum from NAB in these areas

New South Wales:

2000 Sydney
2205 Arncliffe, Turrella, Wolli Creek
2113 East Ryde, Macquarie Park, North Ryde
2769 The Ponds
2209 Beverly Hills, Narwee
2019 Banksmeadow, Botany
2199 Yagoona
2017 Waterloo, Zetland
2067 Chatswood, Chatswood West
2211 Padstow, Padstow Heights
2008 Chippendale, Darlington
2141 Berala, Lidcombe, Rockwood
2153 Baulkham Hills, Bella Vista, Winston Hills
2210 Lugarno, Peakhurst, Peakhurst Heights, Riverwood
2118 Carlingford
2222 Penshurst
2166 Cabramatta, Cabramatta West, Canley Vale/Heights, Lansvale
2767 Bungarribee, Doonside, Woodcroft
2127 Newington, Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point
2144 Auburn
2566 Varroville, Bow Bowing, Minto, Raby, St Andrews
2140 Homebush, Homebush West
2194 Campsie
2037 Forest Lodge, Glebe,
2768 Glenwood, Parklea, Stanhope Gardens
2142 Camellia, Clyde, Granville, Holroyd, Rosehill, South Granville
2150 Harris Park, Parramatta
2220 Hurstville, Hurstville Grove
2168 Ashcroft, Busby, Cartwright, Green Valley
2151 North Rocks, North Parramatta
2146 Toongabbie, Old Toongabbie
2195 Lakemba, Wiley Park
2112 Denistone East, Putney, Ryde
2208 Kingsgrove

Victoria:

3000 Melbourne CBD
3004 St Kilda Road Central
3006 South Bank, South Wharf
3008 Docklands
3067 Abbotsford

South Australia:

5000 Adelaide CBD
5001 Adelaide CBD

Western Australia:

6000 Perth CBD

Queensland:

4000 Brisbane CBD

 

Note, this relates to National Australia Bank (NAB) policy. Other banks and lenders have their own way of assessing risk and have their own lending policies about maximum loan to value ratios. It you are buying in one of these suburbs and are yet to have your loan approved contact us to evaluate your home loan or investment loan options.

Need help? Contact one of our mortgage brokers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide.

 

 

Call us:

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!

Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

The post High risk suburbs that require bigger deposits for NAB appeared first on Oak Laurel.



from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1QKNM6K

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Temporary visa holders in Australia 2015

The post Temporary visa holders in Australia 2015 appeared first on Oak Laurel.

Temporary visa holders in Australia 2015

There were 1,764,980 temporary entrants and New Zealand citizens in Australia on 30 June 2015, up by 3.8% from 30 June 2014 at 1,699,570.

The four largest components in Australia on 30 June 2015 were New Zealand visa holders (653,830 visa holders and 37.0 per cent of the total), student visa holders (374,570 / 21.2 per cent), visitor visa holders (227,160 / 12.9 per cent) and Temporary skilled (subclass 457) visa holders (188,000/ 10.7 per cent).

The top source citizenship country for temporary entrants in Australia on 30 June 2015 was New Zealand (654,070 visa holders), followed by China (excl SARs) (161,570), India (144,460), United Kingdom (93,300) and South Korea (50,760). NZ citizens have unrestricted access to Australia under a trans-Tasman deal.

 Of the 161,570 temporary Chinese entrants 82,570 were students, 44,960 were visitors and 11,650 were temporary skilled (457 visa) holders.
Of the 144,460 temporary Indian entrants 48,950 were students, 41,000 were 457 visa holders and 34,630 were visitors.
Of the 93,300 temporary UK entrants 33,350 were 457 visa holders, 29,030 were working holiday makers and 16,020 were visitors.
See more here: statistics about temporary entrants to Australia
Temporary residence in Australia can be a pathway to permanent residence for some. By staying in Australia as a student, skilled worker or on another temporary visa people can experience the Australian culture and may end up applying to stay permanently.
Often if temporary visa holder intend to stay for an extended period or apply for permanent residence they will want to purchase a property here in Australia. Did you know that some banks and other lenders provide home loans to temporary visa holders, including home loans for 457 visa holders?
For short term holiday makers it can also be an opportunity to investigate investing in Australia especially the Australian property market. Did you know that some banks and lenders will provide investment property loans for foreigners?

Contact us:

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!

Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

The post Temporary visa holders in Australia 2015 appeared first on Oak Laurel.



from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1WwsZrC

Sunday 27 September 2015

What is a construction loan?

The post What is a construction loan? appeared first on Oak Laurel.

What is a construction loan?

Building your own house can be a exciting and enjoyable experience. However, things can go wrong and can turn your exciting adventure into a stressful and expensive process.

Most people cannot afford to pay for the cost of the land and the construction costs of the new building and require finance.

Financing a construction project is different from a normal home loan as the bank is lending for something that is not yet built. To manage the risk of lending for a building that is to be constructed some lenders offer special construction loans that have conditions around the construction that need to be met in order to qualify and for funds to be released.

Need a construction loan?

Our mortgage brokers can assist you to compare different construction loans and assist in the application process. Contact us to talk to a mortgage broker about a construction loan.

Some of the considerations when getting a construction loan

Banks and lenders will typically have a set of criteria about the construction, how it is to be completed and when they will release funds.

For example most lenders will require that you engage a registered builder with a fixed price contract. This way they know that the builder is qualified and registered and that the price to the completion of the construction is known and agreed at the start. Furthermore, most lenders will effectively make you reapply if you have a variation to the building that requires additional funds to be borrowed.

Some lenders will approve owner builder home loans but usually only to people who are experienced registered builders that are building their own project.

The lender will require detailed specifications including comprehensive floor plans and details about the construction materials.

The lender will also usually get a property valuation from an approved appraiser. The appeaser will go through the specifications of the construction contract and building specifications and determine an estimate of the end value of the construction with the associated land by comparing to other properties with similar specification and features in the area.

You will also need to provide a deposit. Now days for owner occupiers many lenders are offering loans of up to 95% of the property value for construction purposes with the same interest rates as normal home loans.

As with all home loans you will need to demonstrate to the lender that you are able to make the repayments on the loan. To do this the lender will consider your income, other loans payments and your expenses. The lender will also need to assess your assets and liabilities position.
Providing that you meet all the lender’s requirements and have good credit, you should be able to get a construction loan.

 

Construction loans

Find out all you need to know about construction loans. The loan process, comprehensive construction loan criteria and more.

 

Contact us:

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!

Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

The post What is a construction loan? appeared first on Oak Laurel.



from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1LWs8ZL

Sydney to reach population of 5 million people in 2016

The post Sydney to reach population of 5 million people in 2016 appeared first on Oak Laurel.

The population of Sydney is set to reach five million people in 2016

Many Australians would be aware that Sydney has been breaking Australian house price records, with the median house prices now reported to be over $1 million dollars. Did you know that Sydney is on track to become the first Australian city to have a population of five million people?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the population of Greater Sydney, which includes the Blue Mountains and Central Coast, reached a population of 4.84 million at the end of June 2014. Sydney is currently on track to grow to above 5 million people in early 2016.

The Bureau of Statistics’s latest population estimates state that Parklea-Kellyville Ridge in Sydney’s north-west growth corridor had the state’s largest growth in 2013-14, having increased by 2700 people. Waterloo-Beaconsfield in the inner-south had the second largest population increase, of 2000 people in 2013-14. The Cobbitty-Leppington area in south-western Sydney was the fastest growing area (19%) population wise followed by Parklea-Kellyville Ridge (up by 9.4%).

The continued population growth in what is already Australia’s largest city will mean that there will continue to be increased demand for housing as all of those people will need to live somewhere. This increased demand for housing will be met in part by new housing creation in an expanding city, it will also be met be infill or brown fill development where well located properties will be redeveloped to higher densities. This will mean that property in well located areas, near amenities (such as good schools, transport, employment and recreation), will only have increased demand and prices over the longer term.

Sydney may be the first Australian city to reach a population of 5 million but Sydney also has the greatest number of people leaving for other parts of Australia. Furthermore, Melbourne has the greatest population growth in total numbers than any other Australian city and will become Australia’s largest city in time.

 

Mortgage broker in Sydney

Are you looking to borrow to invest in the Sydney property market? Contact one of our Sydney based mortgage brokers to discuss your home loan or investment property loan needs?

 

Contact us:

 

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!

Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

The post Sydney to reach population of 5 million people in 2016 appeared first on Oak Laurel.



from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1NW2XLh

RBA to cut interest rates in 2016

The post RBA to cut interest rates in 2016 appeared first on Oak Laurel.

ANZ Chief Economist Expects Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to Cut Rates in 2016

Researchers from ANZ, one of Australia’s biggest banks, suggests that the Reserve Bank is likely to cut the official interest rates in early 2016.

The ANZ research note published last week, expects the RBA to make two successive cuts totaling 0.5%, to the cash rate early next year. This would result in an official cash rate of 1.5%. ANZ’s Chief Economist expects that the cuts to the cash rate are likely to come in February and March 2016.

The low Australian dollar and the reduced level of support the housing industry is providing the economy are stated as key factors that would prompt the RBA decision to cut interest rates.

This latest report suggests that borrowers should demand an even lower rate if looking for a fixed rate home loan and something to seriously consider when deciding if they should fix their home loan.

If the report is correct and the Reserve Bank does cut half a percent off the cash rate in early 2016 this may continue to stimulate Australia’s property price growth.

 

Need a home loan?

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!

Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

 

The post RBA to cut interest rates in 2016 appeared first on Oak Laurel.



from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1Gb05Ug

Monday 21 September 2015

What is a low doc home loan?

The post What is a low doc home loan? appeared first on Oak Laurel.

What is a low documentation home loan?

Low documentation or low doc loans are for self-employed people who cannot provide all of the documentation that is required to get a normal home loan.

Low doc home loans are not the same as non-conforming home loans.  Low doc home loan interest rates have decreased over the years but usually the interest rates available on these types of home loans are slightly higher than the standard variable rate for normal home loans.

The major differences between normal / full doc home loans and low-doc loans are as follows:

  • low doc home loans do not require the usual proof of income documents such as company financials and / or tax returns;
  • low doc loan applications generally require the applicant to complete a declaration that confirms they can afford the loan. This is known as income self-certification;
  • Low doc loans tend to be more attractive to self-employed people or full-time investors who have a problem demonstrating a high level of income. This can be due to writing off a expenses, reinvesting profits into a business, or having not lodged recent tax returns.

Self-employed people wishing to get a low doc loan will normally need to:

  • Self-certify their income;
  • Confirm that they are self-employed by having an registered ABN or accountant’s letter; and
  • Have a clean credit history (some lenders will allow bad credit low doc home loans for people with bad credit under certain circumstances);
  • Be able to demonstrate repayment on existing or previous loans.

 

Low Doc Home Loans

Looking to apply for a low doc home loan? Find out more and contact us to apply for a low doc home loan here:

Self Employed Home Loans

Are you self employed and looking for a home loan? A low doc home loan may not be the best choice for you. Find out more about self employed home loans here:

Low Doc Business Loans

Low doc loans are also available for business or commercial purposes. Find out more about low doc business loans here:

 

 

Need a low doc home loan? Don’t delay act NOW!

+614 30129662

Oak Laurel – loans made easy!

Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

 

The post What is a low doc home loan? appeared first on Oak Laurel.



from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1gFPyts

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Low Aussie Dollar to Increase Australian Property Prices

The post Low Aussie Dollar to Increase Australian Property Prices appeared first on Oak Laurel.

The Low Australian Dollar is Likely to Further Increase Australian Property Prices

The Australian dollar has now decreased to new lows against the US dollar, Great Britain Pound, Chinese Yuan and a host of other currencies. The Australian dollar has not been this low since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) also know in some circles as Good For Chinese (GFC) because they kept buying when other were worries and held back.

What does the low Aussies dollar mean for Australian property prices?

Well, nothing is certain but it would appear that the low Australian dollar will further increase demand from overseas buyers for Australian property. The low Australian dollar makes our exports comparatively cheaper, it also makes our real estate comparatively cheaper for foreigners. Hey, who does not like a bargain.

Are there other factors at play that may impact on the property market?

Yes, there is lot going on that can influence the property market in Australia. For example:
  • recent capital gains in the property markets on Sydney and Melbourne;
  • the Government regulator (Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority – APRA) crack down on investment loans resulting in the major banks having differential pricing for investor loans and owner occupier loans;
  • a crash in the Chinese stock market, economic contraction in the Chinese economy and devaluation of the Chinese currency;
  • instability in the stock markets around the world;
  • below trend growth in the Australian economy.
Some of these factors could contribute to the slowdown in the price gains in the Australian property market other may contribute to further increases in property prices.

Recent capital gains in Sydney and Melbourne property

The recent capital gains in Sydney and Melbourne can act in two ways.
  1. encourage more investors into the market and raise prices expectations for buyers and sellers regardless of if they are investors or not; or
  2. where prices rise to very high levels, they can impact on affordability where buyers simply cannot afford to purchase or fail to see value in such high prices.

Government crackdown on investor loans

The Government Banking Regulator’s crackdown on investment lending is likely to to reduce investor demand for properties in Australia. However, only if they borrowing to buy. Rich investors especially those who do not need to borrow will not be deterred by the changes to investment loans. If they are from overseas even if they do need to borrow to invest the low Aussie dollar has just made Australian property and any loan repayments a lot cheaper. This may mean that locals (especially investors) are at a competitive disadvantage (due to the low Australian dollar) to foreigners or people with foreign incomes.

Crash in the Chinese stock market and economic slowdown in the Chinese economy

This is likely to make Chinese investors shy away from stocks and head to asset classes that are considered as lower risk. Property and Australian property is seen as a safe asset class and it is likely that there will be more interest in Australian property from foreign Chinese investors and local permanent residents that have income and assets back in China.

Instability in the stock markets around the world

Similar to the issue of the Chinese stock market crash, the instability in stock markets around the world makes people wary to invest in these assets. Some stock market speculators will continue to play the market and perhaps even make more money if they know what they are doing. The average mom and pop investor is less likely to invest but will not necessarily opt to change to property investment.

Below trend growth in the Australian economy

There appears to be an overstatement about the economy. It is not going as great as it was during the mining boom but in the great scheme the situation is not bad. Had the economy been really in trouble the Reserve Bank of Australia would have cut interest rates and there would have been another response from the Government e.g. stimulus package. We did not see this happen infact the less than trend growth in the economy is likely to keep interest rates low and the property prices heading up.

Who are the winners?

Australian expatriates (Aussie Expats) who have foreign income and find that now Australian property is comparatively cheaper.
Foreign investors that due to the currency find that Australian property is “ON SALE” at discounted prices.


Aussie expat home loan

Are you an Australian expatriate? Aussie expats can still borrow to buy property in Australia. With a low Australian dollar now may be the right time to buy. Find out more about Aussie expat home loans.

Investment loan review

Are you a property investor? Did your investment loan interest rate increase? Get your investment loans reviewed to make sure that you are not gettign ripped off



Call us on +614 30129662
Oak Laurel – loans made easy!
Oak Laurel Mortgage Broker

The post Low Aussie Dollar to Increase Australian Property Prices appeared first on Oak Laurel.


from Oak Laurel | RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1LjKzXS