2021 Awaits…
Happy New Year for either the 1st Jan or 12th Feb which is the Chinese New Year and 2021 is the year of the Ox. Oxes are known for having an honest nature, and are diligent, dependabile, strong and determined…. I think we all needed most of those qualities last year but they are still very welcome. 😁 There are…Read More→
What a difference a couple of weeks make.
Well what a difference a week (or two) makes. Victorians are celebrating 13 straight days of zero Covid cases, a steady easing of restrictions, a more engaging global political environment, and even Melbourne weather is warming up. 🌞 This has created an injection of confidence into our lives. Every economic or finance news report this week is…Read More→
Build to Rent is great for tenants
If you follow the property news pages you will read stories about Build to Rent (BTR). For decades in Australia apartment buildings have been Built to Sell (BTS) which is where all the apartments are sold by the developer to individuals but with BTR the developer owns and operates the entire apartment building. The change in market…Read More→
Furnished or unfurnished in Covid
Furnished apartments normally attract a premium rent for obvious reasons. They are the natural habitat for people needing a shorter term stay of 3-12 months while working interstate, travelling or transitioning homes. During Covid and travel restrictions (particularly in Melbourne) a couple of things have changed. Firstly there has been a lot of furnished apartments put on to…Read More→
Mortgage rules hit older borrowers
By James Kirby Wealth Editor The Australian At the stroke of a pen it’s just become a lot harder for older Australians to get a property loan. National Australia Bank has led a new change — expected to be repeated across the banking sector — that requires borrowers to nominate their retirement date and an…Read More→
Should I sell my apartment? – Head vs Heart
The debate about selling or holding an apartment is a Heavy Weight Title Fight between traditional rivals your “Head” and your “Heart”. Your “Head” says hold and is the logical and rational side with an enviable record in these debates. However your “Heart” says sell and is no push over when it comes to making…Read More→
How to lease your apartment in a tough market
If you own an apartment that is currently vacant and your agent is searching for a tenant, you may find this extremely helpful because you need to know how to get your apartment noticed by prospective tenants when the market is awash with other apartments for lease. I am going to give you the 12…Read More→
Apartment rents are falling. Where? How much? How long?
Although restrictions have started to ease, the impact of the coronavirus has hit the residential rental market hard and rents have already fallen by around 5% – 10%. But what areas are hardest hit, how far will they fall and how long will it take before they climb back up? It is not just people…Read More→
Short term pain … long term gain.
In times of major economic and social disruption we need to strip back and review everything we do to check if it is relevant to the new world. So many business practices and investment plans are ingrained in us from about 30 years of economic prosperity. And once you have done the first cut of…Read More→
FAQ – COVID-19
Welcome to FAQ on Covid-19 for tenants and owners of residential investment property. We have addressed the most common questions we have been asked over the past week or so, to help everyone understand the issues and get through this difficult situation. Firstly, we have been so heartened by the understanding and generosity of spirit…Read More→
Tenants and Landlords in a COVID-19 world
Since the coronavirus hit us there has been a lot of attention on the financial and emotional stress being experienced by residential landlords and tenants. A number of tenants are struggling to pay their rent and many landlords are desperately reliant on their rental income. So the question is how is this to be sorted…Read More→
Why now is the right time to invest
You may have been reading about the price drop in residential property over the last 12 months. All indications are showing this decline has now stopped following the Federal election result and the RBA interest rate reduction. Together these events have triggered increased market activity and confidence. Auction clearance rates were languishing around 51% –…Read More→