Australia’s population grew at its fastest rate in more than 13 years in 2022. According to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), it grew by a whopping 1.9 per cent in 2022. We recorded an increase of 496,800 people through 2022, driven by the nation’s single largest annual intake of migrants, …
Cash-strapped Aussies are turning to gambling as a ‘quick fix’ as expenses spiral out of control, According to new research by Finder almost 1 in 5 Australians (18%) have increased their gambling habit over the past year. That’s 3.6 million Aussies who have upped their spending on everything from powerball to pokies. The research found…
The RBA Board decided to hold interest rates steady at 4.1% in July to provide additional time to assess the outlook for the economy. In the Governor’s statement today, the RBA said: “further tightening of monetary policy may be required to ensure that inflation returns to target in a reasonable timeframe, but that will depend…
Refinancing made a strong comeback in May, jumping by $1.58 billion to reach a total of $20.97 billion. This marks the second-highest monthly value ever recorded for external refinancing. According to the latest ABS lending indicators, the total value of refinanced mortgages since the beginning of rate hikes has now reached $247 billion when adjusted…
Stuart Wemyss believes property prices can continue to rise despite high-interest rates and low wage growth, and today, we’ll be diving deeper into this topic. In this episode, we’ll explore income, borrowing capacity, migration, inheritance, and other factors and how they intersect in shaping the property market. Is income linked to property prices? Or is…
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…
