Michael has been once again voted Australia’s leading property investment advisor by the readers of ‘Your Investment Property Magazine’, but he’s not a theorist… He has been successfully investing in property since 1971 and is a leading property commentator and Australia’s most widely read property investment blogger. Join over 115,000 others who get their updates from Michael and his group of expert guest bloggers and benefit from their perspective.
A common question I receive is ‘How much should I invest in property?’ That is, how do you know when you have enough, and should you start investing in other assets? It’s a good question because it invites people to consider their goals and develop a long-term strategy to achieve them. I set out some…
Far too many novice investors falsely believe that their property managers are entirely responsible for their investment properties. They adopt a “set and forget” mindset and blindly hand over the care of their investment to someone who probably is overworked and underpaid! Savvy investors, on the other hand, understand that while they might hand over…
Relationship breakdowns are hard on everyone and particularly so if there is property involved. During such an emotional time, financial missteps can be made which may have long-term implications. So what are the biggest property mistakes people make when a relationship ends and how can you avoid them? Trying to sell under the radar In…
You often hear location is paramount when choosing a great investment property. But what makes a good location? While a lot of factors come into play, easy access to facilities must be near the top of the list. Walking distance to transport, shops and the café lifestyle is one of the strongest trends attracting buyers…
Most homeowners and investors are long-term borrowers. That is, they will have a mortgage for many decades. We must realise that over many decades, there will be periods where interest rates will be higher than the average and vice versa. The average standard variable rate since 1959 is 8.20% p.a. Noting that most borrowers enjoy…
Inflation reduced from 7.8% in the December quarter to 7.0% in the March quarter, which was good news, of course. Many economists believe that inflation (CPI) will continue to decline over the coming months. However, history tells us that when inflation has exceeded 8% (like in the US last year), it has taken over a…
As new policies, prices, thresholds and eligibility criteria move into the new financial year, a raft of changes is coming into effect from the 1st of July. From young Aussies looking to buy their first home to retirees dependent on the pension, these new rules will have some pocketing more dollars, while others are forced…
We know Warren Buffett made his fortune in the stock market, and in many respects equities and real estate present very different challenges. But let’s take a brief look at what parallels property investors might be able to draw from the psyche and investment approach of the world’s most famous and successful investor. It’s fairly…
Finances across Australian households remain resilient in 2023, even despite the rising cost of living and pressure on mortgage holders as interest rates continue to climb. After falling 9.1% in the 10 months to February 2023, it is becoming increasingly clear the housing market has moved through an inflection point, posting a number of consecutive…
Have you considered refinancing your loan? Maybe you’re wondering how much borrowers need to pay to refinance their home loans? According to Canstar, the average cost to refinance an owner-occupied home loan in Australia is $803. This includes fees such as the discharge, application, valuation, documentation, legal and settlement costs. Canstar pointed out that to…
