One of the skills of being a good negotiator is knowing when not to talk but to listen. I have found that many inexperienced negotiators are too eager to show off just what they know. This can work against them as they often reveal too much too soon, in particular about what they are willing…
Recently one of my nephews, who has suddenly taken an interest in the property, asked me: “You’ve been investing for a long time – If you could go back 40 or 50 years, what would you have liked to know then that would have made you do things differently?” Now that’s a great question, isn’t…
Over the last four years, the gap between house and unit prices in Australia has widened to record levels. Historically, houses have commanded higher prices than units. However, since the pandemic began, this disparity has grown significantly, with house prices surging by 44.2% compared to pre-pandemic levels, while units have seen a more modest increase…
Australia’s rental vacancy rate has hit a historic low of close to zero. The latest estimate from SQM Research is 1.1%. The latest estimate from the property listing firm Domain is 0.7%. As would be expected with hardly any of Australia’s rental properties vacant and available for rent, rents have soared – at first in…
The Australian property market continues to demonstrate sustained resilience, with the rate of profit-making sales and number of transactions increasing in the December quarter. Approximately 90,000 resales were analysed by CoreLogic in Q4 2023, revealing that 94% of transactions recorded a nominal gain. The median gross profit also saw an uptick to $310,000, marking an…
Some of the most attractive homes are hiding a stack of problems. That is the thing about property flaws: they’re hidden beneath the house, in the walls, or are simply hard to detect with the naked eye. You end up falling in love with the home, its attractive décor, and you buy it. Then six…
The national rental index was up 2.8% in the March quarter, the fastest quarterly pace of rental growth since the three months ending May 2022 (2.9%). Rental conditions do show some seasonal strength through the first quarter of the year, which helps to explain some of the renewed upward pressure on rents. However, the annual…
In a remarkable display of market strength, Australian homeowners in key capitals have witnessed their property equity soar by over $100,000 in just the past year. The PropTrack Home Price Index for March reveals a noteworthy trend: even with a surge in listings, property prices have not only held firm but reached new heights, underscoring…
Sophisticated investors understand their portfolios are the equivalent of income-producing businesses and wealth-creation vehicles. What I mean is they don’t adopt a set-and-forget attitude, and then naively hope that it all works out in their financial favor… someday! Rather, just like business owners, they make sure they have the necessary insurance in place to protect…
A key financial goal for most people is to eventually repay their home loan. Last year I outlined 3 questions you must ask yourself to determine whether repaying your home loan is your top priority – see here. The internet is filled with countless ideas on how to repay your home loan faster. However, many of…
