John, you wrote:
the estate (dolphin waters) has another 1100 more blocks to develop , with most of the buyers retired ,sold their family home and looking to rent while their dream home
and
Occupation: Land Sales
and
Website: Dolphinwaters
and when I call the sales office the phone is answered by
John speaking

yet you claim:
there is no financial…[Read more]

Hi John, do you really think it is ethical to spruik overpriced, low-yielding properties in oversupplied areas (with practically no geographical limit to expansion)? If that is indeed ethical, should you not at least disclose your interests in this development? Are you not treading dangerously close to a landmine?

User Name: johnalc
Location:…[Read more]

Ok, I’ll have a shot. I believe the next cyclical low for residential real estat in Melbourne & Sydney will be in 2012 and the next cyclical high late in 2019 or early 2020. These lows & highs should take into account inflation (ie any capital gain less than the rate of CPI inflation for a given period constitutes a real loss).

What do you…[Read more]

Victoria (the state) here again… surely you’re only paying the water rates, and your tenant is paying for usage? In which case, yes, the more they use, the more they’ll pay. Your cost is fixed.

On the broader picture (“oh look, over there, a soap-box!”), I believe that water should be much more expensive than it currently is. I say remove water…[Read more]

Originally posted by Don and Liz:
Hi Foundation,
Wasn’t the armageddon supposed to happen last year or was it 2003? Maybe it will be next year or the year after!
No, you must be thinking of the Holllywood blockbuster starring Bruce Willis…
Banking problems usually come after a boom, not at it’s peak. Referring to recent history, take Westpac…[Read more]

I think it’s simply the square root of $15 billion plus $189.51 for miscellaneous costs.

Keep the questions coming, I’m glad to help,
F.[cowboy2]

2 properties, 0% gearing, 0% yield.

F.[cowboy2]

There are no completely isolated, totally seperate ‘markets’ in the real estate world. The closest you’ll get is residential vs commercial vs industrial. Believe me, a further 10-18% fall in Sydney median house price as mentioned in the article (on top of the 7-10% already experienced) would have a ripple effect through every suburb in every city…[Read more]

Hi Nazzy, I’ll be happy to make a prediction, but first you’ll need to define:
– What constitutes a ‘boom’? The more specific the better; XX years/quarters of sustained, continual growth not less than XX% in excess of CPI inflation for example.

– How do you measure the house price doubling bit? Are we talking from 2003 prices 2005 prices or from…[Read more]

Originally posted by DeClair:
I think you have to consider that John Symonds and his brokerage chain has a vested interest in the brokerage from property turnover …
Originally posted by grossrealisation:
Call me a bit synical but if you sell rain jackets the best way to sell jacket is by saying its going to rain.
Just like real estate say its…[Read more]

During a recent bout of severe insomnia, I was fortunate enough to catch J. Fitzwhatsit’s infomercial on the teev at about 4.30am. This guy seems to be a bog-standard spruiker with as a bonus a team of mortgage brokers, advisers, etc working ‘for you’ (yeah right!).
I can’t take seriously anyone who spouts the old ‘property prices double every…[Read more]

During a recent bout of severe insomnia, I was fortunate enough to catch J. Fitzwhatsit’s infomercial on the teev at about 4.30am. This guy seems to be a bog-standard spruiker with as a bonus a team of mortgage brokers, advisers, etc working ‘for you’ (yeah right!).
I can’t take seriously anyone who spouts the old ‘property prices double every…[Read more]

…but without protection, all the incredible architecture, detail and history of these houses would be lost, only to have 2 or 3 box-shaped, Beiruit style ‘townhouses’ crammed onto their original blocks… is this really more desireable?
F.[cowboy2]

Okay then. But I think both Keynes and Mises would probably disagree, as would ING and Bankwest who have created billion dollar businesses in Australia in very short periods of time… by offering higher interest rates (than existing banks).
My opinion stands – low interest rates encourage debt, high interest rates encourage savings.
Regards, F.[cowboy2]

… yuh? Higher interest rates DO provide incentive to save. They also discourage malinvestment which often leads to unsustainable asset price bubbles.

I agree with westan. I also still suggest that investors in Oz may be prudent to at least consider the same.
Cheers, F.[cowboy2]

Originally posted by Mortgage Hunter:
In NSW offers are verbal and nothing is binding util contracts are exchanged.
… I’m almost certain the same applies in Victoria? Experts please? Is an verbal offer considered by law a ‘verbal contract’? Otherwise surely there is no legal requirement for any exchange to take place…
[eh]?
F.[cowboy2]

A few of my thoughts:

1) A LOT of people have been caught doing what you describe and not moving into their properties. They have had to repay the original grant, and in many cases, additional costs & penalties have been imposed.

2) As a result, the number of checks has been INCREASED.

3) Here are some ways they may catch you out:
– Utilities…[Read more]

I quite enjoy strange phonecalls. If you’re bored, try “Oh yeah, you sound hot”, and if that is not enough to send them packing, follow up with “so, what are you wearing?”…

There is a wealth of fun to be had. For example, this is a true story from last night, around 6.30pm:

[phone rings]
ME: Hello, M_______ speaking.
[pause, some distant…[Read more]

– Offer it to your existing tennant as a ‘greenhouse’?
– …
Nope, that’s all I’ve got.

Frustration understood. However, if you’d taken the time to read back through my posts before jumping in with an angry response, you’ll find that I’m always prepared to back my views with logic/reasoning/data, enjoy being challenged and, when appropriate, put in my place.

I’ll happily admit to being little more than a lucky mug with investments…[Read more]