you may be surprised by how cheaply you can replace the shower screen, tapware, towel rail & vanity, regrout/spray the tiles & bath. Replacing fascias & gutters would also be reasonably cheap as well. Is paint a solution to the ‘ugly’ windows?

contact the office of fair trading – as the leases exceed 3 years different conditions may apply .

Good to hear that you’re happy enough with Mt D. A few similar areas around Liverpool eg Green Valley’

Google, office of fair trading & websites.

Taking advice from people who don't know about your financial circumstances will often cost you money (it may even benefit them).

the requirements for becoming a valuer & a real estate agent or business agent are completely different requiring different licenses for each.

The mere fact that a valuer may also hold an re licence as different standards are applied to a valuation compared to an appraisal.

Many large corporate real estate firms provide a variety of services for…[Read more]

as a non-agent you can’t sell or self-manage the sales of 5 properties on behalf of the owner.

You would be best serviced by getting a few ie 3 or 4 agents in for a presentation giving them a proper brief beforehand. They can then present their offer & abilities, how they would market, comparable sales, expertise, selling costs etc

if you can’t afford the deposit, review your budget.

the gst would be noted on your management agreement. It is payable regardless of your gst status.

If a purchase is that marginal, is it really worth it?

look @ it this way, how many weeks/months is it going to take to a) get vacant possession; b) fill the vacancy before the new tenant starts paying rent/is available to move in c) cover letting costs eg agent/advertise/lease preparation etc

You may be better off getting a rent increase than to lose the tenant.

Get the power transferred into your own name asap – this will help prove that your mate is no longer living at the place. He will have paid a bond to the electricity company, if they can't track him down they will not refund his bond or make it for difficult for him to open a new power account. Unlike rates and water which the responsibility lies…[Read more]

Ask and compare. Make a list of the questions you want them to answer (a good test to see if they actually listen to you or this is my way of doing things & I don't bend).Find out – where they advertise, what are their extra costs (ie how much do you contribute to the marketing, how much of this is to promote their brand, what kickbacks they…[Read more]

Hell 2 u 2 Leo (sic)

Also look @ domain.com.au or realestate.com.au research pages as well.

look @ the ‘meads north or west. Close to Parramatta, transport & m2/m4, uni of western sydney. Not rough areas at all.

is the wall structural? Have you sought approval of body corporate? Have you submitted a development approval/cc for the work – removal of any wall needs council approval.

Have you had a structural engineer look at it? Do you have appropriate insurance coverage should you cause damage to the structure? Are you appropriately qualified/hold…[Read more]

are you sure they aren’t based in Nigeria?

the title docs generally only show the owner’s name or surname. It is the transfer document which shows the full particulars.

That's ludicrous! Rent is not savings it is only proof of capacity to pay consistently (over the term of the lease) – this is an absolute falsehood as everyone has to pay living costs, whether it be rent or mortgage payments, grocery/services bills, entertainment etc . Savings require you to prove that you have accumulated (ie not spent) any…[Read more]

who mows the grass? Does maintenance? Etc

Have you tried whitepages (may be a common name or unlisted #), google or Linked-In or farcebook etc could be your saviour.