The term 'Owner-builder' relates to a person under the old Builders Licensing Act NSW and under the current legislation – how banks treat you is a commercial proposition regulated by the lenders not a licensing issue under DFT. Have you approached your bank? Find out from their commercial lenders not the enquiries counter.

SDW, think of caravan parks as a ground lease without a lease. What have you got? Nothing, should the caravan park operator sell subject to vacant possession. Many caravan parks are a mix of freehold and leasehold land sitting on either crown, council or railways land with clauses allowing various forms of usage eg camping but not structures,…[Read more]

Good news is it is the STOCK MARKET which is crashing not property. This causes investors, generally, to seek safer/less volatile investment choices ie cash, bonds or property. You would feel more of an impact if Blue Scope advised the ASX that it was pulling up stumps in the 'gong as workers & businesses supplying Blue Scope would be nervous…[Read more]

If I were selling, I'd be banking the deposit. After all, it has potentially lost me the sale to someone else who has now gone on to another property as this one was 'under contract'.That is why you get your finance conditionally approved before hand, have a good idea as to how much you can spend, what repayments you can afford etc BEFORE you put…[Read more]

There has been a stigma attached to Inala for a number of years, yet the shopping centre trades quite strongly. The area may not see the astronomical rises of other areas however I would expect that it will play catch up in the longer term.  Review price movements over the past few years & projections for the next 5-7 compared to other parts…[Read more]

Unless Morris Iemma has anything to do with it. Take away council's planning powers, take away S94 contributions, massive rezoning of areas totally unsuited to higher densities, ruin communities all in the interest of 'easing the housing crisis'.

Richard, why would you recommend this type of high-risk product to a first-time investor. Surely it would come down to the viability of more traditional IO vs PI loans before capitalisation of debt would be considered? The risk being tha if your property doesn't increase as fast as you would expect it would place you into the sub-prime category ve…[Read more]

Jon, in NSW you can not put a property on the market without a contract being available for review by purchasers (std form contract complete with S149, sewer diagram, site survey (not essential)). You can be guzumped only if the vendor is fielding a number of offers (including signed contract) & selects between them.It would be extremely rare to…[Read more]

Where does Cl55.05-5 come from? Definitely not the BCA.Is it the LEP? You will need to assess the clause in its entireity to understand teh objective. Does this refer to overshadowing of adjoining properties to ensure they will enjoy solar access on the winter solstice?

It all depends upon what you are building. You will need to use a bricklayer experienced in using AAC & aac glue, not mortar to achieve structural & fire ratings.I have used it mainly in commercial projects all to varying degrees of success (point 2). Read CSR's website & the Hebel handbook about its uses, meet with their sales rep & discuss how…[Read more]

Have you a track record? Portfolio? Detailed cashflow analysis for the project? Is an overdraft an option?

Read the LEP for the area, this will guide what you can and can't do in the zone. Then speak to council town planning. Usually a business zoning generates a better return than residential unless the area is changing.

And a bed. Room by the hour?????

http://www.api.org.au then go to the victorian branch to find valuation practitioners in the area

Unfortunately, the nature of the beast has changed over the years, you'd take on an apprentice at 14-16 yrs and train them for 4 years. Now, they're expected to have the HSC, be able to drive, get themselves to site etc and get the same pay as a 15-16 yr old. No wonder why they aren't keen to do their time.In the first 2 yrs they actually cost…[Read more]

They get what they're worth

If your property is valued by the financier at $1,000,000 and will advance 80%, it means they will allow you to borrow up to $800k against the property, PROVIDED you can service the debt. If your current mortgage is say $600k you will have $200k which is still accessable.If you are to draw upon these additional funds then you will have a few o…[Read more]

Just to add to the above, if you undertake work BEFORE you start getting rent, then you must capitalise the works (ie it is obvious that you have bought a depreciated asset needing replacement), if you do the work after the first tenant leaves, no question about it R&M and some capital works.You will however need to weigh up wether spending $3-5k…[Read more]

Fiori, the awards for apprentices have been around for at least a couple of years (pre-1970's)…. You're showing your age.As for people working 9-5, I take it that masterrel, crashy & oneplumber would be meaning those who shuffle paper/push buttons on computers & sit on their gas strut chairs all day without seeing sunshine.

Per Calendar Month.If they are selling a parking space – is it strata titled ie on a separate title to any of the suites/units in the building? What are the outgoings?By secure lease, how? Is there a current 15 year lease on the carspace (via the carpark operator)? What is the rent review mechanism (fixed, cpi, market)?If the space has separate…[Read more]