The thing about Darwin is that traditionally it has been a risky market.  When I bought in 04 the average yield was 10%.  However, vacancy rates were always ridiculously high, I think as high as 20% at various times.  This is why it was not considered a safe market to invest in.However, over the last 8 or so years things have changed.  There is…[Read more]

Hi wannadoI understand that this is all very stressful but for you to successfully sue your solicitor, the courts will want to know exactly what losses you have suffered.  Financially, you haven't suffered any loss until the contract falls through, which it hasn't yet.  You seem to be getting incredibly stressed over something that hasn't h…[Read more]

Darwin has a high rental yield because of the large number of transient workers there.  It also has a massive land and housing shortage.Darwin never came to mind to me when I thought about property until I bought my first property up there in 2004, the day before the market boomed.  We bought everything we could get our hands on up there.  My hus…[Read more]

A bathroom reno can cost as much  or as little as you like.  I have done a bathroom reno on an investment property for $1500, but I also recently paid about $70,000 to have a room in our house converted into a bathroom.  The IP reno was quite basic (pretty much new tiles and paint and a vanity from an auction house).  As to my bathroom, to say…[Read more]

For you to be able to sue your solicitor you will have to prove that you suffered loss (financial or otherwise) because of his negligence.  What loss have you suffered?  How would things have been different if the purchasers had paid the deposit?  You can't access a deposit prior to settlement (unless expressly stated in the contract) so it lo…[Read more]

I doubt the ATO could argue that failure to have the landlord's insurance suggests anything untoward by you.  Do a search on this forum on property rental disasters and you will soon see just how many people don't have landlord's insurance!CheersK

If you were really opposed to looking into whether you paid the bill or not, you could always ignore the tax invoice and see whether the company follows it up or not.  It seems to me that there was some bad accountkeeping in 2007 and someone a bit switched on has taken over the reins and is chasing up unpaid invoices in the hope that some might…[Read more]

Just to cover yourself, get a rental appraisal from a local property manager and get it in writing.  That way you can always prove to the tax office that you were charging market rate.  The tax office doesn't like transactions that aren't "arms length".  CheersK

It is quite easy to put a caveat on someone's property.  I don't think that you need to have an equitable interest in the property.  I have placed caveats on someone's property (with their consent) because I loaned them some money.Please don't consider this as legal advice but I think the way it works is that once a caveat is placed on a p…[Read more]

You are correct in that an unconditional contract means that is is not subject to finance.Generally speaking, and depending on the state, a contract for sale says that if a purchaser fails to proceed with a contract, they forfeit their 10% deposit.  However, some recent court decisions have found that the purchaser only forfeits the deposit they…[Read more]

Have a look to see if your insurance policy covers flood damage.  We had a similar problem with a unit we had years ago. Under our policy if there was "flood damage" and water from the bathroom was included in that definition, then the insurance company was liable to pay for all "subsequent" damage.  Essentially that meant that they wouldn't pa…[Read more]

Hi MarkI agree with TerryW.  You cannot go through VISA to cancel the payments.  You entered into a contract with Phil Jones' company and signed a direct debit form.  VISA are just complying with the form you signed.  Any dispute you have is with the company and you will have to take up the issue with them.The truth is with most of these sem…[Read more]

Hi MarkI agree with TerryW.  You cannot go through VISA to cancel the payments.  You entered into a contract with Phil Jones' company and signed a direct debit form.  VISA are just complying with the form you signed.  Any dispute you have is with the company and you will have to take up the issue with them.The truth is with most of these sem…[Read more]

Solicitors give legal advice.  Surveyors survey the land.  As Sonya says, completely different jobs.CheersK

I don't like your chances at all.  In short, you can't use the legal system to make someone pay for "being such an asshole".  If you were to take the vendor to the small claims court you certainly would not be able to get compensation for lost time and working days.  The most you would be able to get would be a court order to turn the files ov…[Read more]

To have a case against the pest inspector, you would have to be able to prove that the termites were there at the time he/she did the inspection.   YOu would have to engage experts to determine how long the termites have been there.   And then you would need to engage a solicitor.  Work out how much it will cost to repair the termite dama…[Read more]

If the sunset clause has expired and there has been no further agreement to extend it, then it should be a relatively straightforward rescission by your friend.  Any law firm that has a property division should be able to handle this.  I would recommend that your friend engage a solicitor rather than a conveyancer because generally speaking, co…[Read more]

You should have had a costs agreement sent to you before you engaged the solicitor.  Did you get that?  Did you agree to a price for the conveyance?  I agree with Scott.  If the fee was supposed to be $440 then, unless the solicitor told you that due to extra work his/her fee would be much higher, you should be be able to dispute the extra cos…[Read more]

I know that in the Defence Force the policy wording is such that even purchasing in a trust or company will strip you of the right to subsidised housing.  You would have to get legal advice based on the policy wording.CheersK

Where does the $100 application fee go?  If that goes into your pocket, then all it will take is 300 applications for you to get $30,000 for your block.  At the moment there is a house on the same size block for sale in Quambone for $30,000.Seems like a clever way to sell a block of land that is not otherwise selling.  Not sure I believe the wh…[Read more]