It is a development, just about anything of value must be depreciated if it is buy and hold. If you are developing to sell, then you are selling a new product and there is no depreciation. If it is a business, then these are costs of doing business.

Westfield but they don't sell anything. Grollo's, Lend Lease, Mirvac, Central Equity (if they are still around). Which market sector are you talking about?

I'd back both of the other comments – however I'll add: join an industry fund (one open to public offers eg CBUS or check out superratings website), fees are minimal (these will eat away at your capital at a rapid rate). When you have a couple of hundred grand set aside, then go for your own fund in order to keep costs down to 1-2% of your…[Read more]

It depends upon the result that you are after and the type of property that you are selling.Most commercial/retail property is sold off site.You would consider offsite for retail especially if the property was on a main road, under a flight path, on a train line or had tenants in the building.If parties are interested in buying at auction they…[Read more]

So what you are saying is that medium density development is permitted at around 300 m2/dwelling. In this case 11 dwellings.Your best bet may be to purchase, possibly an option subject to achieving a DA. Get the development designed, approved by council and then pay the vendor. Consider your options at this stage to be either sell the site with a…[Read more]

The odds of winning at the RTT are very slim, regardless of how far in breach the tenant is. You can have all the records in the world, perfectly maintained etc.

Save yourself time and aggro, speak to an insurance broker eg Marsh etc. Explain your circumstances, provide all relevant property details, level of cover etc required. Let them do the work and recommend.

Review the LEP – what is the minimum size block under R40? What is the minimum frontage required? If the block complies with those basic requirements then go see council.To subdivide, you will need to provide services to both blocks (sewer, water, gas, electricity) if they are all available to the current block. You will most likely have to…[Read more]

Check if the second dwelling has been council approved and that the vendor provides such proof. That each bedroom has a smoke alarm (it is against the law in some states to sell a house without smoke alarms).There is no law limiting the number of people in a house, however there are regs which regulate boarding houses and the like. There is…[Read more]

QB, how can you assume that the tribunal should back the owner? Owners don't contribute to the bond (paid by the tenant)

No, the agent is only following your directions. They should advise you against going for a fishing trip (unless you are paying all of their costs).

Learn a few specific areas: How to interpret a balance sheet, a project finance text, discounted cashflows & npv. Basic areas but critical in your understanding. Check out the tafe bookshop (either property or accounting sections).

Matthew Shaw & Assoc (in Brunswick) – they have done a fair chunk of (specialised) work for me in the past. Check their website.

Long and short of it – you have to be lucky. Privacy laws prevent the agent disclosing either the name of the owner or the lessee name. RP data may give you the owners name (possibly not due to a recent court case), then some legwork to match the owner with the address & a contact number of the owner who may disclose their agent.

Well there were a few prosecutions by the NSW Dept of Fair Trading for agents who had underquoted prices for an auction. The asking price is 20% below vendor's expectations a huge discrepancy. Speak to the dept and see if they would be prepared to investigate.If you are interested in the property, undertake your due diligence, establish what the…[Read more]

It is a matter of conditioning in the current market – some sectors are still performing quite strongly however in others there has been a major correction. Those who can least afford it, being forced to sell (to stem their losses). Buyers are wary of higher interest rates, rising cpi and a slowing economy and aware of what this means to them so…[Read more]

How long is a piece of string? You need to ensure that the zoning that you are seeking is appropriate to the area and that there is demand for the zoning (there is no point having a zoning for multi storey units if all around is acreage).

It all depends upon your own situation. If you consider that a property trust generally works with 60% borrowings vs 40% deposit, it means that there is a positive return under most circumstances. The one thing it doesn't consider is the opportunity cost of that deposit.If however, you have sufficient income to justify a high level of gearing so…[Read more]

Try a quantity surveyor – bmt or any of the others. They are building specialists, valuers are VALUERS.

Structural work as defined in the BCA – you will need a DA from council, body corporate approval and the list goes on.