What if I told you the single biggest threat—or opportunity—for your wealth creation journey could be something you never saw coming? In the early 1980s—long before there was a TV show by the same name—economist Dr. Don Stammer taught me to always watch out for the “X Factor.” These are the wild cards of the…
Making a profit in renovating a property seems like a very attractive proposition. Buy low, renovate cheap, and add substantial value is the aim of the game. It sounds simple enough, right? While there is always a strong demand for renovated properties – as there are always people wanting to move into a property that…
Australia’s housing crisis has reached a tipping point. Demand continues to outstrip supply, affordability has fallen off a cliff, and the dream of home ownership is slipping away for many everyday Australians. For years we’ve talked about building more homes, but the real question is where, how, and what kind? Now the Housing Industry Association…
The simple answer is NO, not in the way you’re expecting. Many of the upfront costs are considered what we call a ‘capital cost’. These include stamp duty, conveyancing costs and building and pest inspections. You cannot claim these costs as a tax deduction in the year they were incurred. Instead, they get added to your…
Every property investment carries its share of risks, but few are as potentially devastating as unnoticed structural problems. These hidden foes can lurk in the bones of even the most promising properties, silently chipping away at your investment’s worth and safety. So let’s look at the top 10 structural concerns that every savvy investor needs…
At this time of year, we typically have friends and relatives gathered around at our place. And I am always interested in observing where our guests, and we spend, most of our time awake whilst at home. In short, the kitchen area and family/TV room get the lion’s share. This reminded me of a study…
New dwelling approvals – whilst up 6% on last year – remain lacklustre. Some 168,000 new dwellings were approved over the past twelve months, most of which (110,000 or 65% were detached houses) and 58,000 were attached dwellings. Nearly half (47%) of the new attached dwelling approvals were townhouses, followed by high-rise apartments, mid-rise stock…
The cost of building a new house in Australia has surged over the past few years as supply and trade shortages continue to weigh on the market. And at the same time, the construction industry has seen a surge in insolvencies as rising labour costs, extreme weather, high material costs and shortages and global supply…
Politicians are raving about Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) as the future of our cities—but in my mind, they are just another political pipe dream. Build higher-density housing, commercial spaces, and amenities around public transport hubs to encourage sustainable living, reduce car dependence, and create vibrant urban communities. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Recently Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen…
It’s no secret that Australia is struggling to meet the housing demand, but there’s a bigger underlying issue that many aren’t talking about: the extended time it takes to build a new home or apartment. It’s a slow-moving crisis, and data from the Master Builders Association highlights just how far behind we are in our…
