The price of Bitcoin has risen 64% in 2024 so far. That’s after rising 156% in 2023! Last week, a client brought to my attention that the CEO of the largest asset manager in the world, Blackrock, suggested that crypto is a good long-term store of value. He likened it to digital gold. This might all seem like…
Upgrading your home is a very important lifestyle decision that will have a significant impact on your standard of living. However, it is also a very important financial decision. Making wise choices can greatly improve your financial position, but mistakes can be very costly and impair your ability to build wealth. (1) Approach the decision…
The government projects that scams cost Australians $3.1 billion per year. Given that more of our life is becoming digitalised, especially with banking and financial services, we are more susceptible to scams. It’s critical that you take active steps to protect your money. Most common scams are… According to the National Anti-Scam Centre, scams are…
A key financial goal for most people is to eventually repay their home loan. Last year I outlined 3 questions you must ask yourself to determine whether repaying your home loan is your top priority – see here. The internet is filled with countless ideas on how to repay your home loan faster. However, many of…
I was motivated to write this blog for two main reasons. Firstly, I observed several buyers’ agents on social media proudly advertising short-term capital gains. One instance caught my attention, where a buyers’ agent claimed to have purchased a property for a client 18 months ago for $435,000, asserting its current value at $510,000, implying…
As investors, we gain invaluable insights by experiencing various markets and events, and by reflecting on our actions—those we took and those we didn’t. I firmly believe that experience is the key factor in preventing costly investment mistakes. Hence, I dedicate time each year to ponder the lessons provided by the market in the preceding year. These…
The location of your “great Australian dream” can dramatically alter your wealth-building activities and as such, you must take this into account when developing your investment strategy. Homes are typically not purchased with the sole or dominant reason of building wealth as there are many non-financial, lifestyle factors that influence where we live. However, that…
Sydney’s housing market has shown robust growth since the early 1980s, with the median house price doubling approximately every decade during this period. In fact, several suburbs have delivered above-average growth. Melbourne has experienced comparable growth rates over the last 40 years. However, in contrast to Sydney, property in Melbourne tends to be more affordable,…
Apartments have underperformed compared to houses for the past 13 to 14 years in Melbourne and Brisbane and the past 6 years in Sydney. Melbourne has been the weakest market. Over the past 13 years since 2011, the median apartment price in Melbourne has only increased by 2.6% p.a. Interestingly, this matches the inflation rate…
It is often debated which is a better investment, property or shares. It is my thesis that property is an okay investment, but not as good as shares. However, when you factor in gearing (the ability to borrow to invest), property becomes a wonderful investment – better than shares. Property versus shares The main advantages of shares…
