[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 17, 2004 - 10:20 pm

Calvin, I re-read the first line of your post and that St. George commercial popped into my head haha (family barbeque.. “I’m a banker” *silence* “I work for St. George” *sighs of relief from the crowd*) lol.

PK, I have thought about that but then I thought the chances of it being covered would be very very low. St. George didn’t give me any info about recovering the costs.. they just said it was in the Police’s hands. I received a letter from my bank telling me the cheque was fraudulent.. I think they’re gonna send it back to me so I can use it as evidence (?).

Cheers

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 11, 2004 - 9:25 am

Hi everybody.
My girlfriend and I have reported everything to the police. This guy’s been doing the rounds because the constable we spoke to told us that there had been quite a few incidents like this involving the person fitting the same description. All I can do now is wait until I get a call if the police need more info. The driver’s license he had was fake.. I got his mobile number but the police don’t think there’s much they can do with it.. [angry2] I had a bad feeling on the night so we followed the guy out when he left so we could take down his car rego number but he just walked around the corner so we just thought that he’d caught the bus or something as he was late in arriving..

Good news is..(if you can call it that) that I’ve contacted my bank and I’ve been given an extension to make this month’s home loan repayment. Another expensive lesson learnt (not that I did anything wrong ). I’ll keep everyone informed if there are any updates on the matter.

I was wondering if it was possible to maybe put a sticky somehwhere in the forum just as a warning to the forum members? I’d hate for anyone else to go through what we have..

Cheers

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 11, 2004 - 1:23 am

Hi everybody..
I’ve spoken to St. George investigations.. the cheque was fraudulent. $2,000 down the drain.. now my mortgage will be in arrears. I’m sick in the gut..

I can barely talk/type right now.. I’m so upset.. I can’t believe some people.

Well.. I hope this info helps someone out there:

Be VERY careful of St. George bank cheques.. actually… don’t accept any until further notice. There are fraudulent cheques being used by LOW LIFE SCUMS who are targeting electrical goods and other goods of value advertised in the trading post. If someone hands you a St. George bank cheque and the cheque number is 148966.. do your best to get the police onto the person.. or if you’re a big person.. thump the crim one for me. My girlfriend’s in tears.. and now I have to leave work to go to the police station to report this, with a very minimal chance of seeing any of the money or my laptop again.. strike three for me [glum2]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 10, 2004 - 10:50 am

Oh no….. I swear if I get ripped off it’s the last straw I dunno how much bad luck I can take.

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 10, 2004 - 12:50 am

Thanks once again for the helpful advice everybody It puts my mind at ease a bit.. but I was just thinking after looking at the cheque that anybody could have just forged one and printed it out as there were no water marks or any unique ways of identifying the cheque and it’s legitimacy.. ahh well I’ve banked it so it should all be good

Thanks again.

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 9, 2004 - 1:57 pm

Sorry to hear about your loss Just one question though, wouldn’t a clause reading ‘subject to finance’ in the contract have helped avoid the loss of the deposit? Anyways, it’s great to hear that your current investment is doing well [king]

Cheers

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 7, 2004 - 10:15 am

Thanks for all the replies everybody, you guys rock [thumbsupanim] It’s been a tough couple of days.. my girlfriend’s taking it pretty well considering. The good news is that we went and did our tax returns today and we’ll be getting pretty decent returns so we won’t be struggling for too much longer. [specool] The bad thing is the girlfriend’s got the upper hand for a while.. [thumbsdownanim lol

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

August 6, 2004 - 7:58 am

Hi guys,
Hi Jo, I guess the best lessons are learned the hard way [blush2] You know there’s always a saying for every situation? lol Here’s one:

Experience is the worst teacher; it gives you the test before presenting the lesson.

I am very blessed to have my girlfriend.. even though she’s still very upset at the moment it’s something that’ll make us stronger I guess [inlove]

Hi Yack, I try not to carry large amounts of cash around too often. Also lately I’ve been trying to use my credit card for purchases and paying it off when my pay comes through (which is monthly) so that I don’t carry cash with me. I’m doing this as I’m the typical shopaholic.. i.e. if I have money on me I HAVE to buy stuff [xmas]

You’re right about the bad luck thing.. but I guess I can’t use that excuse this time around as it was my own carelessness and stupidity that got me in this mess.

I still haven’t heard anything from the taxi company yet.. I lost hope after the first half hour. I was thinking that if he was going to return my wallet he would have come back to my place already. [glum2]

Thanks for the responses guys, it means a lot to me that you’ve taken the time to respond. There are nice people out there [biggrin]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

July 19, 2004 - 1:20 am

No worries, thanks Derek [thumbsup2] We’ve kept the monthly statements but because we’ve got so much paperwork/receipts we though we’d make things a bit easier for the accountant. Ah well All this tax stuff is so much work..

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

July 12, 2004 - 7:34 am

I personally wouldn’t do it.. has anybody else noticed how pictures of properties online are usually very deceiving? i.e. room sizes? [blush2]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

July 12, 2004 - 2:01 am

I believe it’s the long spiral shaped tube thing that plumbers use to unblock pipes (please note that there’s a 99.999999999999999% chance that the term I used is not the true technical term for this tool) haha.

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 24, 2004 - 3:40 am

I reckon they would have had a better chance if the program was started a year or two earlier Not sure what the outcome was.. I’d be interested to know also.

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 12, 2004 - 1:31 am

As Mortgage Advisor said, you can get loans pre-approved, I think that most lenders keep your application valid for the following 6 months (?). If your wife has been with the company for a while and her position was made redundant, she should hopefully receive a payout package which would help out with the repayments while she looks for work.

If this isn’t the case, maybe she should start looking for new work now?

Cheers

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 9, 2004 - 12:04 am

Yeah I know it’s bad.. but it was for a good cause. My girlfriend was calling me Robin Hood for the rest of the night haha. Anyways, I noticed this morning that ANOTHER for sale sign has appeared in it’s place.. so 3 units are currently up for sale. I hope it’s just investors trying to avoid the new stamp duty..

Glad to hear your dad didn’t end up selling.. he sounds like a caring guy! [biggrin]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 7, 2004 - 9:08 pm

Hi everybody!
Just an update.. in the interest of myself and the other owners in the block who are trying to sell their units I decided to take down the sign over the weekend in the cover of night [fear] The SOLD sign had been up for quite some time now.. my girlfriend believes it to be around 1.5-2 months. [whistle] No more free advertising for the agent! [jerry]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 7, 2004 - 1:15 pm

Originally posted by Risky:

Different strokes for different folks but for me my motto is Its Not what you know, but who you know.! .

Regards Risky

If you want the rainbow youve got to put up with the rain!

Who you know will get you there, but what you know and what you’re willing to learn will keep you there (and then some) [king]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 6, 2004 - 11:22 pm

Originally posted by Still in School:

Hi Guys,

just an interesting topic..

any investors out here want to admit, they were once a tenant before..

(come on guys, dont hide.. but who here, ones once a tenant..)

Cheers,
sis

People 4get that by saving just $3 a day & investing it sensibly
over a working life, you’ll end up with around $1 million

You make renting sound like a bad thing [glum]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 6, 2004 - 1:26 pm

Just a few points:

– In regards to posts about rich and successful people ‘owning Ferraris’ etc who did it without a degree blah blah blah.. THINGS HAVE CHANGED. These people started out in different times and in different economic situations to what people of today face [rolleyesanim] Also these people aren’t your average everyday people!
– A degree gives you quite an advantage in progressing your career. The job market is so competitive, it’d be naiave to say otherwise.
– If you don’t have qualifications/degrees, then you’ll definitely need something special.. good people skills, good communication skills.. and GOOD LUCK.

I’m one of the luckier few.. school wasn’t for me. I was the kid who was falling asleep in class (if I actually went!), yet still managed to pass [thumbsupanim] I started my working career at 15.. because of my good communication/people skills I was able to work my way up to a pretty comfortable position in a very nice company. The good thing? I don’t have a large HECs fee, and am currently looking at getting my degrees/certificatoin through work.. and yes they’re paying for it [jerry]

So although I got to my current position with no degrees.. I realise that for me to progress in my career choice I DO need the relevant qualifications.

Goodluck whatever you decide to do..

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 3, 2004 - 1:11 pm

Wow.. thanks everybody! I would have responded earlier but I’ve been out shopping with the girlfriend [confused2]

Kay, thanks.. it’s a wonderful place. My girlfriend wants to live in the same suburb when we move down there now! haha It’s in the Holdfast Shores area in Adelaide down at the bay.

melbear, thanks for the info.. I guess getting a valuation done again would be good.. I’ll get to see how the property has appreciated/depreciated.. [blush2]

thecrest, I like your way of thinking! I might give it a shot anyhow, what’s there to lose?

AlanaW, it wouldn’t surprise me if CBA/Colonial wouldn’t disclose the information. I’m looking at refinancing my loans with another lender at the moment.. possibly St. George. I’ve only heard good things about them….. so far.

Derek, I’m embarassed to say I don’t even remember my loan manager’s name. I’m not on good terms with the broker that arranged the refinancing of the loan for us either.. he stuffed a few major things up [glum]

Thanks everybody for all the advice. [thumbsupanim] I’m going to give my loan manager a call tomorrow.. I’m going to find out what the release fees are too if I decide to go with another lender [weird]

[NEWGENParticipant@newgenJoin Date: 2004Post Count: 151]

June 3, 2004 - 7:13 am

Originally posted by wayneL:

Though for the average slob who refuses to put the required effort in, property is probably an easier and safer bet.

I would have thought that trading shares would have been the easier option; just get a broker or whoever to do all the work hehe. It all depends on the angle of property investing the individual takes as well… depending on your investment technique with properties, it can be quite a strenuous and labour intensive endeavour. [blush2] I agree with property being the safer bet though.

(a person who bought shares in Microsoft back in the day would be laughing at all of us right now… haha).