Are you tossing up whether to take out tenant insurance to protect your belongings? The below FAQs may help you to make the best decision. Tenant insurance (or renters insurance) is a type of cover designed for people who rent, as opposed to those who own a property. It is a great safety net when…
Are you thinking of putting off the purchase of your new home or your next investment property? I know this is a common thought with property investors right now! You could be forgiven considering the current financial and economic outlook. Interest rates have started rising and while that looks to continue, we are also seeing…
The NSW government has announced plans to get rid of stamp duty for first home buyers, offering buyers to pay an annual land tax payment in its place. The new plan, effective from January 16 next year, means first home buyers in NSW will have the choice of paying the regular lump sum stamp duty…
Is it time to lock in some or all of your loans into fixed rates? Or is it too late? Interest rates were at historic lows and clearly are on the way up now. The Reserve Bank has made it clear they’re going to increase the official cash rate a few more times till they…
As household balance sheets become more thinly stretched due to rising interest rates and high prices for essential goods such as fuel and food, there is a renewed level of focus on how mortgagors (i.e. homeowners with mortgage debt) are traversing the changing environment. Policymakers and lenders will be watchful for any signs of distress…
The cost of living is a hot topic at the moment, with surging energy, food, and fuel prices and rising interest rates forcing many homeowners to recalculate their budgets and how they spend their money. The trend for energy efficiency, then, has never been more important. When it comes to energy-efficient properties, not only do…
Australia is home to some of the hottest real estate available. And the global coronavirus pandemic and consequential economic recession are doing nothing to dampen spirits, and prices, in some of our most expensive areas. Instead, Australia’s prestige property market is flourishing, with some suburbs even recording significant price growth in the past year. Data…
While none of us knows how long we’re going to live, believe it or not, the suburb you live where you live could make a big difference. Of course, we all know that life expectancy is influenced by things like lifestyle, genetics, and gender, but now new research shows that even your postcode can affect…
A cash rate forecast update from ANZ Bank has reverberated through the banking and finance and property industries this week. The Reserve Bank has also publicly stated the official interest rate is still probably well below where it needs to be. More will be known following next week’s June quarter inflation figures, followed closely by…
The cost of building a new home is soaring! CoreLogic’s Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI) for Q2 2022 showed national residential construction costs increased 10.0% over the 12 months to June 2022, the highest annual growth rate on record outside of the introduction of the GST (10.2% over the year to March 2001). The CCCI…
