If you have been looking at property price data from the past five years, be careful. This period has been shaped by a perfect storm of unique, one-off factors, and it does not necessarily reflect the long-term fundamentals that drive sustainable growth. My concern is that some investors may rely on this recent data and…
There’s more property data available to investors today than ever before, much of it free, and it can significantly improve investment decision making. Analysing how a property’s value has changed over time (i.e. its compound annual growth rate across multiple decades) and comparing it to comparable properties in close proximity, is an essential part of investment due diligence. However, it’s equally important not to become too data driven….
The Senate committee reviewing the CGT discount released its final report yesterday. Commentators are now suggesting the government could reduce the CGT discount for property investors and potentially cap negative gearing to two or three properties. Let’s look at the impact a change to the CGT discount could have. Why is CGT under the microscope? The government…
Over the past decade, I have written over 150 blogs about property investing. That’s enough content to fill four books! I’m always trying to publish thought-provoking and practical blogs that sometimes challenge conventional wisdom and empower investors to make better financial decisions. While each property investing blog that I write is important on its own,…
It is very common for people to make an initial investment e.g., buy a parcel of shares or an investment property, but fail to make any further investments for many years or decades. Why does this happen? What is paralysing their ability to make investment decisions? Perhaps you don’t have enough time We use lack…
I recently appeared as a guest on The Australian newspaper’s Money Café podcast, where we discussed the FIRE moment. The acronym stands for Financially Independent, Retire Early, which involves living as frugally as possible, and investing as much as possible so that you can afford to retire as soon as possible. A listener that works in the mental health…
Towards the end of each year, many people start thinking about their financial position and what they want to improve in the year ahead. It is a natural time to step back and take stock. The problem is that most people focus on tactics – the next investment idea, a new budgeting app, a different…
Borrowing to invest in property is a popular and highly effective wealth accumulation strategy if it’s implemented correctly. However, loan structuring can often be an afterthought. The reality is that loan structuring and maximising your borrowing capacity are almost just as important as buying the right property. This blog sets out how to structure your loans…
Having helped hundreds of property investors finance their acquisitions, I have been able to gain a great perspective as an “outsider” with regard to how property investors go about making their investments. There are some common things that the vast majority of investors do not do, which I think negatively impact their chances of success….
Many people struggle with working out how to invest their money. Do they upgrade their home, contribute more to super, buy an investment property, invest in the share market, or something else? In fact, this common challenge was the reason that I decided to write my book, Investopoly. I knew that if people understood the…