House prices have surged, meaning hidden costs associated with buying a home have jumped too. If you’re on the hunt for a new property, it’s worth checking your budget still covers the extras that can add tens of thousands to your costs. In the past two years, the average house price in Australia has leapt […]
Taking on a mortgage means taking control of your finances. Adding an investment property to your loan portfolio requires additional discipline and planning. With interest rates lingering at record lows, it’s important those taking on another mortgage look beyond the here and now and invest in some long-term thinking. Positive or negative? Positive gearing means
Despite regulatory attempts to cool their heels, property investors still account for nearly one in three1 residential loans. Even first-time home buyers, who may not be able to own where they want to live, are dipping their toe in the investment market. With many Australians still eyeing property as part of their wealth and retirement strategy,
The countdown to Christmas seems an unlikely time to suggest ways to save. But why wait for the New Year to make financial resolutions? We’re tipping the spending season on its head to get your money working harder for you over Christmas and into 2018. Where does it all go? Keep tabs on your spending
You’ve dog-eared magazines, spent countless weekends at display villages and finally made the bold decision to build rather than buy a home. While choosing where and what to build are exciting and giant steps, you might not feel as enthusiastic about the necessary building contracts and approvals. But knowing your legal rights and responsibilities will
If you have seen the movie Money Pit, in which Tom Hanks and Shelley Long play a hapless couple whose home renovations plummet from bad to disastrous with every swing of the hammer, it’s easy to see why buyers should be beware. But it’s not just hidden and costly repairs that can snag home owners
By the time we save for our first home, upgrade to a bigger or better one, earn enough money to pay the mortgage and bills and live life in between, it’s not surprising many of us don’t contemplate investing in property until we are middle-aged or beyond. But like so many things in life, it’s
They claim you don’t really know anyone until you live with them – and the same could be said for tenants. You won’t really know what they’re like until they move in. Most landlords have had at least one bad experience with a tenant. From unpaid rent to party-goers, there are a number of ways
After 18 months of record low interest rates, many Australians are wondering what’s in store for 2015. With the official cash rate so low, is it a case of what goes down, must go up? Or can we expect the interest savings to continue into the year? While even the best financial analysts don’t have
Limited cash flow and equity mean many first-time property investors feel the need to chase down a bargain to enter the market. But, like most things in life, you usually get what you pay for, which – in the case of property – can mean unrealised returns or even losses. While there’s nothing wrong with