The security of payments legislation protects builders from unscrupulous developers withholding payment. What you have been told is misguided & may lead to you breaching your contract. SOPL does not apply to single dwellings being built for the principal.

If you are concerned about the quality of construction, discuss it with the builder. If still dissatisfied, speak with the building certifier &/or get yourself a clerk of works to supervise.

No you don’t need a re licence but it would be prudent to do the registration course eg OTEN or Kaplan etc.

Yes, you can have 2 signatures on cheques & also require ‘approval’ for internet payments.

No, you must have xyz Realestate statutory trust account on the re trust cheque account.

There's the good, the bad & the downright ugly up there – research, talk to locals etc.

likewise, I’ve had baths resprayed both insitu & factory finished but not tiles. Finish has been good but not cheap. As for paint, I handpainted a bath, finish was fine provided you minimise paint runs, fumes are a bit strong though.

If you want an acceptable alternative, try something like Aluclad, prefinished compressed fibro or tile patterned board – all which can be glued over the existing tiles.

1 don’t go legal yet, they are useless unless used in conjunction with a valuer who is better positioned to give advice on the current situation.

2 if you have not yet been advised in writing by the authority acquiring your property see point 1, you may still be able to submit the da

3 the highest & best use of the property is that for which it is zoned at the time of gazettal of the proposed acquisition. So if the land is zoned medium density prior to CA , then it will be valued accordingly – you may lose out on some of your costs to date but discuss that with your valuer, see the heads of consideration.

4 await notification of CA,, read a copy of the relevant Act for ca, state or federal, they differ significantly.

Obviously there aren't any.

I got quoted $1400 + gst + out of pockets for Sydney yesterday.

Nitro, how hard do you want the agent to work for you?

But seriously, yes the rate is generally negotiable (some agents are bound by their franchise agreements as to what they will charge). If it was an easy sale, then 1% may be doable, if it was a difficult one or real low value, then 3.5% or more may be justified.

You'll probably find that the SMSF rules will greatly restrict your ability to fund development work esp high risk development work unless it formed a very small proportion of the funds under management ie did not elevate the overall risk of the portfolio.

It does make for interesting reading. From a technical aspect (from memory but I could be mistaken), any glazed pane in a door or adjacent to a door which exceeds 1m2 is required under current building regs to be safety glass. So would a prudent landlord replace every old glazed door or sidelight without cause or only replace them when they need a pane replaced? And in waiting, does the landlord/managing agent take a risk? And does the managing agent absolve themselves of the risk if they recommend changing the glass but the owner does not agree?

termite spray = maintenance
Installation of termite barriers eg reticulation system, graniteguard, ant caps etc = capital works

(& yes).