Forum Replies Created
- Originally posted by Celivia:
Sounds exciting, mja!
I just want to say, because you’ve mentioned bamboo flooring, that this would be a great and practical choice, since you are thinking of renting it out later.
My husband has just installed a bamboo floor somewhere, I had a look and absolutely loved the look of it! It is ever so hard wearing and also environmentally friendly.If you have it finished with Super Aluminum Oxide finish even better because it is low in dangerous & toxic substances which many people are getting concerned about-especially when there are kids playing on and the floor.
Celivia
Hey Celivia,
Who did you do your bamboo flooring through? How much per sqm and installation did you pay?
Feel free to PM me if you don’t feel like disclosing anyone’s details!
I’ve got a few quotes from around the Brisbane (and Sunshine Coast!) areas… I’ll share these when I make a decision.
Cheers!
— MJ.
Hey’ya Surrey,
Wow… what a detailed post!
How much roughly did you pay for timber laminate?
It seems to be cheaper to have the whole house at 9 foot ceilings, at least according to the builder.
The estimator comes back in about a week with a very detailed number of pages. I’ll examine his work with a microscope!
Good call with the driveway… I’ll make sure we get the driveway right to the road!
I’ve examined getting a watertank installed under the deck…literally getting it ‘buried’. It’ll be connected to the mains (in case the tank goes dry) and also has an overflow pipe back to the street. Because of these two connections, council approval will be required. Another hoop to jump. Yay!
Has anyone installed a watertank on one of their properties? Any interesting stories?
— MJ.
Orhaiginally posted by surreyhughes19905:My 5 cents,
High traffic areas can benefit from tiles/floor boards. I chose timber veneer laminate (a couple of mm of timber over a high density fibre composite) because it looks good but lasts forever and is cheap (natural timber does look better, but more expensive and gets dints etc…). I put the laminate in the hall way which connects to the kitchen (tiles) and the meals area which connects off the kitchen and has external access to the backyard and entertaining area. My theory being that traffic will normally flow most down the hall, through the kitchen and in and out the back door.
I left carpet in the living room to keep it feeling cosy. I find tiles/wood in the living room where I sit and watch telly on a cold night just isn’t as nice. Also carpet in the bedrooms.
Light fittings of some sort are a must. bare globes are ok, but you really notice the difference with proper fittings.
Spa and pool: personally I would never buy a house with such things unless I was buying a really expensive house and I was quite rich. Spas and, in particular, pools take heaps of work and money to keep clean and they just don’t get used that much.If I had a choice of only one place to put high ceilings I’d say dining / meals. That “vaulted” feeling seems to work best there.
I wouldn’t worry about “wiring” your house for computing / internet / entertainment. You can do it all much more easily, with greater flexibility and cheaper using wireless technology.
I can’t really comment on air-conditioning. I live in Melbourne in a very well insulated flat that doesn’t get above 27 even on the hottest days (I like 27 degrees too). I do like ceiling fans however. You can combine them with lights and kill two birds with one stone.
My tips for the building:
Read your plans carefully. If there is anything at all you aren’t 100% sure of then ask about it. Get everything in writing, signed and agreed to. Not because people will try to rip you off (though some might) but because your plans will go through so many hands in the process of building that if it isn’t all spelled out in obvious places you will miss out on stuff. If you want a phone jack in the study, make sure it is marked on the plan, in the cable diagram and written into the contract somewhere. The electrician will see one part of the plan, the plasterer another, the frame joiner another and the foreman yet another. If it isn’t in all of those then someone will miss it and it will cost extra. Also, if you block doesn’t butt directly up to the road (and it probably doesn’t) make sure your driveway will be finished including “cross-over”. Otherwise the builder will only finish up to the edge of your property and you’ll have dirt between your drive and the road. The reason is the council may well own the nature strip and you’ll need another permit to build a “cross-over” between the road and your property. (can you tell I got caught out on this?)Also, don’t assume anything about jargon written in the contract, again if you don’t understand it or you think it is ambiguous get it defined and write the definition in the contract. Make sure all prices are quoted including GST and builder’s mark up. Get final prices where possible. And be prepared to pay an extra couple thousand at the end as there will certainly be one or two things extra to be done (like landscaping) regardless how diligent you are.[buz2]
Surrey
Originally posted by g7:Hi MJ,
With regards to your new house you should design it the way you want and then think about it’s rentability if and when you get to that, because circumstances could change.
Brookwater is a nice spot, I should know because I was until recently up the road at Springfield Lakes with all the riff-raff!
Indeed: this is part of the marketing of Brookwater: the minimum land size is about 650sqm versus 350sqm+ at Springfield lakes.
The other thing the Brookwater marketing is pushing is the ratio of renters to owners… being 10% renters, 90% owner/occupiers.
Could be tricky trying to rent it out in a few years!
In a desirable estate like this your house should hold value well and put you in a good position to invest later on down the track using it’s equity.Hope so! I’ll post the figures after the house gets valued at completion!
— M.
Originally posted by TMA:Do you know where that information usually comes from???
TMA
http://www.email4money.info
Essential Links
First Home Buyer WebsiteWhere?
Do tell!
— MJ.
Thanks Scott! It’s interesting to see communication between the Tax Office and accountants. I haven’t even heard of a ‘Sun Screen’ allowance, for example.
— MJ.
Originally posted by JKM:Geez Dazzling did you fluke that settlement time or what??? In NSW it is levied on property held at midnight on 31st Dec. I have forced settlements for land into January just to avoid the nasty thing.
JKM,
Isn’t that just delaying rather than avoiding?
)— MJ.
Hey westan,
Shouldn’t that read “0%” rather than “No”? The NZ Government could easily increase this from 0%.
— MJ.
Originally posted by mja:Hey all,
Vacant land, at least in Queensland, is classed as an investment because you can’t live on vacant land. Makes sense.
However, if I build a house on it and make it my PPOR, can I get a rebate on the stamp duty?
An answer from my solicitor, based on the vacant land being in Queensland:
“No, you do not get a refund and you have to pay the investment rate whether you build a house to live in or not.”
Ah, crap.
Oh well.
— MJ.
Originally posted by Stuart Wemyss:Hi all
ANZ will now offer 0.70% off standard variable rate for clients that have in excess of $700k of borrowings.
I assume that’s over $700k of total borrowings?
If so, *rubs hands together*, … excellent.
— M.
Brisbane City. Two blocks from Queen Street Mall.
— M.
Originally posted by regrow:hi Phil
Could you tell me how to get to the download page as I cant seem to find it
thanks
Regrow
You are a fool for 5 seconds if you ask a question, but a fool for life if you don’t.Instructions would be in the email you received when you purchased the product.
— MJ.
What a crock. (Not you, MA,
)You only really make cash if you get others to ‘join’. For 2-20 cents per email, your eyes will be *bleeding* before you start making any money.
Oh, and if you get any emails for the first couple of weeks/months that is.
Nothing is for free.
— M.
Originally posted by danielwpc:Hi,
Is it worth to buy M on Mary in Brisbane? I am thinking a one bedroom + study apartment for $361000 and it will settle in Sep 2007. Will it have capital gain potentially?
Regards,
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
That’s way too expensive for a 1 bedder + study.
How many sqm is the unit?
You could buy, *right now*, a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom and possibly 1 carpark just up the road on the same street at River Park Central for < $360k.
I’m not advocating buying any particular property, but I’d rather buy now than wait another 2-3 years and hope for capital growth.
— MJ.
Originally posted by dmichie:
How many times have you asked an agent what price a house actually sold for, and s/he says: “sorry, I can’t tell you”. It happened to me just yesterday. Drives me nuts! Why the friggin’ hell can’t they tell you?Probably privacy. Or the fact that they really don’t know. I’m dealing with a real estate agent for a block of land, and she is the agent for the seller and buyer. Typical for a new estate
.I asked what price the vendor paid, and she wouldn’t tell me, quoting “Everyone deserves to make a profit, even you!”.
Bah.
I should duck down to the local DNR (http://dnr.qld.gov.au) to get some sales history… nudge nudge.
— MJ.
