no worries, ps change the title of your thread – using all capitals is the internet equivalent of yelling and is considered rude

vacancy stats are in the rear pages of the Australian Property Investor magazine, and also here; http://www.sqmresearch.com.au/terms_vacancy.php

yes.note that if you have owned the property for more than 12mths, then only half of the profits will be subject to cgt

Yep, you're grasping the concepts very well!!!  Great stuff!If you buy and live in, yes you'd be eligible for FHOG (assuming you fit all the other eligibility criteria).You could then rent it out if you wish.IF you intended to sell it, you'd want to move back in before it had been an IP for 6 years in order to be CGT exempt.  This is only true i…[Read more]

Do you need to bulldoze the house?  Could you keep it, renovate it, and build an extra dwelling or two in the backyard?Also, why sell?  Keep both!

Agreed Jamie!  Depends ho much risk someone can take on and still be able to get to sleep at night   I'd stress too much and die of a heartattack I think hehehe

Hi!A couple of things to ponder:1. Your house is not bad debt as such, but is certainly non-deductible.  So you want to get that under control.2. Your house is worth $400k and you owe $290k.  Doesn't mean you can "use" the difference of $110k as a deposit for another property.  A lender expecting an 80% LVR (loan to value ratio) of you will re…[Read more]

The guy who is trying to sell for $250k… has he actually sold it?It is essentially worth $0 till you find a buyer…

emptyvessel wrote:
I predict that there will be a boom.I predict that there will be a bust.Rinse. Repeat.I am now the ultimate cause I predicted the future of the property universe accurately. Albeit at extremely low resolution.Good news is, I am going to get richer no matter which one happens.It's all good brother, it's all…[Read more]

after.  and you should have a subject to clause that basically says subject to results of building and pest inspection that are satisfactory to the buyer by <<insert date here>>

Hi desilucky,I've noticed a couple of urgent questions from you lately – I'm worried that you are perhaps rushing into buying properties.  Best to do your homework first and define your strategy.  For example your strategy might be:- Property built after 1985 only (for depreciation purposes)- Within 30km of a capital city- Within 1km of a train s…[Read more]

Not sure I can find the same case now.  Here are some alternatives.  Make no mistake, it's seriously important to have liability insurance!======================================================================================A case a few years ago involved a unit owner who laid paving on “his” patio which was part of the common area. A tenan…[Read more]

Wrong.  If the tenant has whinged about something they could slip on, and you as the owner is made aware, and then the tenant does slip and hurt themselves and takes you to court over it, you can absolutely lose.  I've definitely read precendent cases on very similar matters.  One that springs to mind was outdoor tiles that were quite slippery.

If the cost of eliminating the safety issue is say $1,000, and the value of the property (ie what you stand to lose in a lawsuit) is say $300,000, the decision is not difficult.  The property goes up in value more than $1,000 a year anyhow, so in equity growth you are still winning

Personally, I would not want my concrete slab to be kept damp due to a dodgy pipe.  I'd be fixing that… unless you are planning to bulldoze the house soon anyway?

Be sure to change your landlord insurance asap then.  You want landlord insurance WITH TENANT PROTECTION which is an added extra that covers things like rental default and malicious damage.  Try AAMI.

Hi thereDoes it actually have a kitchen and bathroom?  If not, you have to add these things, which comes at a cost.  Also it will take space away from the existing rooms.Unfortunately, if most of the building is student accommodation, this apartment will be tarred with the same brush.  In other words, it will suffer poor capital growth just the same.

I agree – get rid of the car.  The running costs of the car (insurance, registration, servicing, petrol, repairs) are high.  Free up the cash to clear the debts and re-evaluate later.

I am extremely confused.Yes, it is possible to get a loan with less than 10%.  However.Why on earth are you skeptical of the first home owner grant?  Do you seriously have a problem with free money?Why are you talking about not wanting to wait 10 years to invest?  You are in your final year of school, and then you'll be in a full time job.  So nex…[Read more]

Yes, there is everything wrong with it.  A quick google search for "Punt Hill Group" shows that they are in the serviced apartments game.  If you search this forum for serviced apartments, you will see that such property has little or no capital growth, a very reduced market for resale, and no ability to add value.  Stay well away from such a th…