Jaffasoft, that's a pretty ordinary attitude. This centrepay system is a LAST resort. If rent on my property is $200/wk then I want and should get $200. The excuses Ive heard "oh cant pay this  week cos the car broke down"" Theyre on the dole ffs, get a bike. "Can't pay this week cos teh dog has vet bills".  er so you can afford a dog but cant a…[Read more]

gee ta trakka what I like about mez67's and others on this thread, is that it hasn't put him off investing.  He is already looking for a way to salvage the situation and he will.  We talk about our worst mistakes but hey, we are still here and we won't give up

my worst mistake was allowing bad tennants walk all over me. AGain and again they were late with their rent. I would send appropriate forms but always a sucker for a hard luck story that they always fed me. I put it in the hands of an agent six weeeks ago when i hadn't had rent for six weeks and the useless agents havent received any rent from…[Read more]

gees what a horror story. Mind you that is an enormous deposit! Ive never heard of such an amount.  The most i have paid is $1000. AND how unethical of those people to want to keep such a sum.If everything fails, I would be writing to the local paper telling the story, naming the names and putting my face on today tonite or current affair. It may…[Read more]

Just as there are a diversity of opinions on this forum, there is a diversity of investment strategies and you have to chose what suits you best. Naturally read books but as someone else mentioned,  note the context of the book. The year and the property cycle in which properties were bought. While steve's strategies worked for him they arent my…[Read more]

lololol I thought you had a terrible posting stutter Aimee!

well done LisaI too am going to start my first subdivision this year. I've had surveyors out who have been great in giving me the costings ie between 20 and 30k (cos ipswich council has waived council contribution charges). But they have warned me that it could take a year from start to finish. It will be a battleaxe block.now you would think that…[Read more]

Just for anyone that is interested, Ipswich city council has recently waived the Council contribution charges. (naturally the council  could revoke that at their whim).  At the moment the council sees a shortage or land and want denser housing so have introduced this incentive. I'm taking advantage of that and perhaps anyone in the Ipswich sh…[Read more]

That just amazes me Terry. Were their children involved?I am definitely staying single

Cattleya, I wasn't making an assumption that JUST 'girls' or ALL girls are gold diggers. It was just that by chance I happened to have sons.  I AM female after all and a feminist to boot. I just believe in entering relationships with eyes open. And the sex of a partner has nothing to do with it. I admit I would feel it an unequal relationship if…[Read more]

Cattleya, I wasn't making an assumption that JUST 'girls' or ALL girls are gold diggers. It was just that by chance I happened to have sons.  I AM female after all and a feminist to boot. I just believe in entering relationships with eyes open. And the sex of a partner has nothing to do with it. I admit I would feel it an unequal relationship if…[Read more]

Cattleya…you're a romantic! And I guess that's a good way to be when  you're young and wanting a family one day. I had a great marriage, but I'm damned if I will share my hard won independance and assets (and debts) with anyone. My dad too,  had a good marriage but has no wish to shack up with anyone new. He has a lady friend who lives two s…[Read more]

I knew a young fellow early twenties, who bought a house and later brought a gf to live. What he did was set her up as a border. Ok she didnt pay much and it probably went to her share of the electricity etc. He had a receipt book.  so all was in order.  She can keep her clothes in another room. BUT she doesnt contribute to mortgage repayments. I…[Read more]

on realestate.com.au  Find the property  you are interested in and then down on the right hand side you will find My RP data has a free suburb report site. Simply click on that and enter the postcode or suburb.

well if it comes to a choice between shower and bath….go the shower everytime.  And none of that 'shower over the bath' business. Everyone hates those. If it's a small bathroom, put in a shower and towel cupboard. Regardless of Marc's comments I think the last time I had a bath was over 9yrs ago when I was pregnant.

Yes where is your solicitor in all this Blaze?  They must be an incompetent lot.  I'd be wanting recompense for all my rent.

Francesca, how long did it take to accomplish this from start to end?

OH i forgot that you would still have the 80k mortgage on your own home.  You could consider downgrading but it is still doable depending on the value of your house and the growth you expect. A loan of 80k would cost you  conservatively around  8k/ year which is fine if your house value goes up 20k/yr. 

Boy do I know about this situation AND I found out the hard way.  At least Centrelink warned you upfront about the cross-collatorisation ruling.  Initially Centrelink told me it was ok (just some pleb at the end of the phone not a centrelink financial planner) and I went ahead and bought two houses using my own home as equity.By the time C…[Read more]

oh i forgot to say you can get all the relevent documents online, download them and print them out. I know here in queensland I can go to the RTA site to get the forms. There is also thelandlord.com.au which has the forms for each state plus other interesting stuff but you have to pay for it.