Definitely ensure your building inspector checks out the stumps.  Be present for the inspection and follow the guy around.  You'll learn from it and see that he is actually inspecting things.  Make sure he gets up on the roof and takes a look around too.Do not go without a pest inspection.  Just imagine if the place is currently being eaten by ter…

Subject to….- Results of building, pest and asbestos inspections being satisfactory to the buyer.  (Cost of inspections to be worn by buyer).- Buyer being able to secure insurance that is satisfactory to the buyer – Finance.  But not just "subject to finance".  Be explicit.  For example, "subject to 80% Residential Investment Property Fin…[Read more]

Haha!!!!!!!!!   Richard you've got me in stitches.  Cheers for the entertainment!  Pogo stick indeed!

I'm still on the fence about what to do about it.  The memory of how hard and traumatic it was just to get a phone line and internet connected with Telstra is still so vivid, I don't know that I have the energy to do it again too soon as a result of a move!

Read this thread carefully:https://www.propertyinvesting.com/forums/property-investing/help-needed/4335481

Actually it could be deductible.  Read this:https://www.propertyinvesting.com/forums/property-investing/help-needed/4335481

either way… even if you had your own meter, you could only pass the water usage charge on to the tenant (which is small).  you cannot pass on the service charges.  as the landlord, you stll have to pay those.

But when were they strata titled?Maybe give your water company a call and find out if they are aware of the separate titles.  One of my water companies likes to apply a service charge per dwelling, regardless of whether it is stata-d or not.I was sure that a requirement of strata-titling was splitting all service meters…

Hang on… these units are all on separate titles, yes?  Aren't they required to have separate water meters?

Here is how it works:Gather the rates notices of all your IPs (your PPOR – your primary place of residence, where you live – is exempt).Look at all the respective unimproved land values for the current financial year.  Total them up. See if you are over the threshold.  If you are, some land tax will be owing.Here is the o…[Read more]

The reason they don't want to do it is that the cost of getting water meters installed is far greater than the water usage charge itself.  for example:The cost of getting a radio-controlled water meter (needed if the water pipes are in the rear yards which are inacessible to the water-meter-reading-staffperson… so they instead stand in the…[Read more]

You pay land tax once your total IP "unimproved land values" as indicated on the council rates notice exceed a certain threshold.  In vic it is $250k.  Maybe 5 years ago the total of all your IP land values was under the threshold?  Now with growth, you've nudged over the line?

You'll probably want to narrow down your suburb list a bit before you go to an agent.  For example, you might say "South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne" rather than "a property somewhere in Australia".If you are wanting to do some renovations, you probably need to consider properties that are either in reasonable regular commuting distance of where…[Read more]

What kind of business is it that you are running?  I wonder if you can acquire some property through the business as opposed to in your own names.

Ah yes it now makes perfect sense.  Thankyou for clarifying, Terry!

That's my understanding too.  I wonder what they were on about in that article then

The thing with large shopping complexes such as Highpoint are:- There are lots of shops in them, and people like to shop- The shops earn money and pay tax on their earnings.  Further, there is council rates and in some cases land tax associated.  The government likes to receive tax money, and thus it makes sense that they ensure the i…[Read more]

Geelong.  For all the reasons discussed at great length in a thread some time back.  Avalon airport is going to be expanded to be an international airport, and the rail line will have an extra piece built onto it that goes directly to Avalon Airport.  Since Tullamarine airport has no such thing, doesn't take a genius to work out that it'll be easi…[Read more]

Have you spoken to your solicitor about it?

Records stay on your credit file for 5 years.  Keep your noses clean for a couple of years and you'll have a fresh start after that http://www.mycreditfile.com.au/mcf/faq/#How_to_read_your_credit_file_With zero savings you won't be buying a place right now, so perhaps focus on how to set yourselves up to make it happen in the future.  If you f…[Read more]