Buying property at auction isn’t for the faint-hearted. The high stakes, the public spectacle, the adrenaline—it’s an experience many buyers would prefer to avoid if they can. So, should you try to beat the crowd and make a pre-auction offer instead? Well, that depends. It depends on where you’re buying, the local market conditions, the…
You’ve heard the term gentrification, and you may even have an understanding of what it means. But for investors, gentrification takes on a whole new meaning, as it actually represents a powerful opportunity to increase both your property returns in the short term and your overall real estate wealth in the long term. Let me…
If you own a property that you suspect may not be investment-grade, how do you work out if it is worth selling and replacing it with a better-quality property? Risks and costs associated with replacing a poor investment Replacing an investment asset comes with risks and several costs: Asset selection risk: This is the risk…
Ask any long-term landlord and they will probably say they have experienced the highs and lows of property management. In fact, many investors have learned the hard way about property managers who don’t do much more than collect the rent – and sometimes that doesn’t happen either! Now, every industry has its bad apples, but…
Let’s be honest: Australia is becoming a two-speed society when it comes to housing. On one side, you have property owners sitting on a mountain of equity, largely untouched by rising interest rates, with the means and confidence to keep upgrading, investing, and helping their children into the market. On the other hand, you have…
Victoria’s rental market is about to undergo another shake-up. From October 2025, it will become illegal for landlords and agents to encourage tenants to offer more than the advertised rental price. The aim of this is to crack down on “rent bidding”, which the government claims is fuelling unsustainable rent increases and creating even more…
A Goldilocks investment strategy means that you are making the most of your financial opportunities without overdoing it and taking unnecessary risks. That is, your level of investing is exactly right (i.e., perfectly balanced). Underinvesting means that you risk not having enough investment assets to enjoy a comfortable retirement. Overinvesting means that you have taken…
All investors know that location is one of the most critical components of any successful property investment. When long-term capital growth is the sought-after reward at the end of the real estate rainbow (as it always should be), it is vital that you not only find the best possible property but the best possible position. In…
If a picture paints a thousand words, then this collection of charts should do a pretty good job of painting the landscape as it affects our economy and our property markets. Each month the RBA summarises macroeconomic and financial market trends in Australia by providing a detailed chart pack. World Economy Australia’s economy doesn’t operate…
I am sure you have been bombarded over the years with articles about how to bid at a house auction. I am going to suggest a few simple tips you can implement and then show you how it plays out at a LIVE property auction I attended a couple of years ago! This could have…