Warning – some high-rise apartment buildings will become the slums of the future. And now it’s been revealed that there’s a list of list of nearly 450 buildings across the state of NSW with potentially flammable cladding that the State Government is keeping it secret due to security concerns. The list, developed by the cladding…
The Australian housing market is gathering momentum, with an uptick in activity in recent months also being reflected in NAB’s Residential Property Index which moved back into positive territory for the first time since mid-2018. Overall, the Index rose 26 points in the September quarter to an above average +18. Housing market sentiment among property…
The nation’s largest lender to property investors is looking for more business. Westpac and its subsidiaries Bank of Melbourne, St George and BankSA, have just reduced the minimum deposits they require from investors from 20 per cent to 10 per cent for interest-only investment loans. In other words investors who meet certain criteria will be…
Stamp duty has tripled in some Aussie cities since 2004. Analysis by Domain shows some are paying more than three times as much stamp duty than 15 years ago. At the same time the increase in other transactional costs, from conveyancing to real estate agency fees, have typically increasing by the rate of inflation. But,…
Mum’s the word for most Aussies when it comes to financial advice reveals new research . A recent Finder.com.au survey of 1,006 participants found that Aussies are twice as likely to turn to a relative for financial advice (42%) than they are a financial advisor (20%). One in four (26%) would consult Google, while 20%…
In today’s complicated economic climate, many investors are sitting on their hands and waiting to see where the chips fall. I can understand why. Times aren’t what they used to be, there’s talk about a world recession and the “R” word is also being used about the Australian economy. Sure some housing markets have turned the…
The last decade has flipped the world of lending on its head. In days gone by, banks lined up to give you money; now, they’re so tightly bound by APRA regulations that their initial stance is closer to “no” until you prove yourself worthy of a “yes”. To make a tough situation even more difficult,…
Waiting for Old Father Time to generate property price growth is a respectable and common strategy. However, you can also take matters into your own hands and force your property’s value up with some proven money-manufacturing tactics. Before we go any further, I should clarify that ‘proven’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘guaranteed’. Investors must be…
The mainstream media might make out that property prices are a simple cycle that economics expert can predict with ease – but the reality is that it’s a lot more complicated than that. There are in fact several things that drive our property markets, and some of them might surprise you. 1. Jobs, jobs, jobs…
Selling your property at auction is altogether exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time — especially if it’s your investment property that’s up on the auction block. While auctions can be notoriously unpredictable, there are several things you can do that may inspire a better end result. One of these things is ensuring that you’ve set…
