Fresh data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics released today shows the unemployment rate climbed to 4.5% in April, up from 4.3% in March, with employment falling by around 19,000 people in the month. The unemployment rate is now at a level above Federal Treasury and the Reserve Bank’s forecasts, and that’s before the full…
You learn some lessons about money from books. Others you only learn the hard way – through experience, mistakes, and time. Looking back over several decades of investing and wealth creation, there are quite a few things I wish someone had explained to me earlier in life. Not because the information wasn’t available. I read…
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…
Do you want more money? Most Australians do. Most Australians earn enough to build real wealth, yet so few actually do – and the reason is rarely dramatic. Somewhere along the way, most people pick up money habits that quietly work against them, and the frustrating part is that better habits aren’t complicated. They’re just…
For much of the last two years Australia’s property markets have defied expectations. Despite higher interest rates, affordability pressures, and cost-of-living concerns, property values in many parts of the country continued to push higher as strong population growth, tight rental markets, and limited housing supply kept prices resilient. But the landscape is beginning to change….
For many Australians, getting into the property market has never been more challenging, so it’s no surprise that policies aimed at helping first-home buyers are gaining traction. According to Money.com.au, first-home buyer market could take until 2030 to return to peak levels following 5% deposit scheme expansion. First-home buyer (FHB) loans surged 9.7% in the…
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 in…
With the Federal Budget landing this week, the housing tax debate has fired up again. Negative gearing. Capital gains tax. Investor “perks”. Housing affordability. You can almost set your watch by it. And what a yawn! Every budget cycle the same arguments reappear. And every cycle the same myths get recycled as fact. So before…
There is one investment principle that, if you truly understand it, will help you make the smartest financial decisions and create the most wealth in the long run. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but I assure you, it’s not. I cannot overstate how important this principal is. The most important investment principal is… The principle is simple: buy the investments with the strongest past evidence and fundamentals to…
Most property investors start out with one simple goal – financial freedom. But the question I often get asked is: “How do I actually live off my property portfolio when the time comes?” The truth is, owning a few properties isn’t enough. To achieve financial freedom, you need to build a substantial, diversified, and well-structured…
