There is no doubt that our housing markets are facing challenges from all directions, but clearly they have remained more resilient than the property pessimists had predicted. To better understand what’s happening, this monthly collection of charts from Cotality paints an interesting picture. According to Cotality, Australia’s most expensive homes are leading the housing downturn, with upper-quartile…
Zig Ziglar was one of my early mentors. He was one the most effective motivational speakers and authors of his generation. I remember that I wasn’t really sure about the concept of motivational messages when I first came across Zig Ziglar – but then I heard him say: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well,…
Most of us like to believe we make rational decisions about money, property and our future, yet our choices are often guided by something much more powerful than logic: the desire to feel safe. We gravitate towards familiar options, follow what others are doing, and avoid decisions that make us uncomfortable. Unfortunately, what feels safe…
Have you ever looked at the latest inflation figures and wondered whether economists are living in the same country as you? We’re told inflation is running at three or four per cent, yet electricity bills have surged, council rates keep climbing, insurance costs more, rents have risen sharply and mortgage holders are paying thousands of…
Australia is entering the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in its history, yet many families are preparing for it with little more than a signed will and a vague promise that everything will work itself out. And that is a risky assumption because wealth rarely moves neatly from one generation to the next, particularly when the…
What if the greatest threat to your property investment success isn’t choosing the wrong suburb, paying too much or getting your timing wrong? What if it’s your inability to remain disciplined when the headlines become frightening, the forecasts turn gloomy and everyone around you starts questioning whether property is still a good investment? Over the…
If you could step back into Australia in 1981, you would recognise the country, but much of everyday life would feel surprisingly foreign. Australia was younger, smaller, less diverse and more traditional. Families were larger, manufacturing played a much bigger role in employment, overseas travel was a luxury, and the typical worker was more likely…
Australia’s rental markets are tightening again, with vacancy rates falling across most capital cities and remaining at historically low levels. Yet, rather surprisingly, asking rents eased in many cities over August. So, has the rental crisis finally reached a turning point, or is this simply a temporary pause before rents begin rising again? And what…
Over the years I have seen many people think about getting rich, proclaiming affirmations, visualizing and meditating yet they don’t get rich. Let’s be realistic… to get ahead in the real world you have to take action. Why is it that most people don’t take action? Sometimes it is a lack of knowledge, but more…
Did baby boomers become wealthy because they were better investors, or were they simply born at the right time? It is a confronting question, because millions of Australians who bought property, invested in shares and contributed to superannuation over the past 40 years enjoyed one of the strongest financial tailwinds in modern history. From the…