You can’t predict or time the market, so don’t even try it.

Make offers based on numbers that:

a) makes sense

b) provide you with buffer

c) allow you to add value so you create equity rather than “waiting for equity to build up over time”.

Study the area well and make sure the place where you invest and how you invest fits your strategy.

I second this.

My first IP was bought when I had very little knowledge of how to invest, and it is negatively geared. It is still negatively geared even today.

My IP in NZ was like this:

Standard price on market: 220-240K, with rental income in early 300 per week.

I bought one at 150K (then rented at 240 per week). Renovated for about 33K,…[Read more]

My first IP is in Melbourne.

I went elsewhere for the same reason as you are thinking. Low return of investment, high price, having to pay stamp duty, etc…

I have rental property in New Zealand. Bought at sub-bar condition, worked with local NZ builders to do renovation and having a local property manager looking after tenants.

Build your relationships with local resources. It is difficult initially but it is good once you have contacts and relations.

I think the problem now is nobody in the government wants to risk running into the scenario where death rates going high. So better to be blamed for slowing down economy rather than to be blamed for high level of death.

I come from a Chinese background and there is a proverb in my language that says “好死不如烂活”… which means something like “bette…[Read more]

I think the problem now is nobody in the government wants to risk running into the scenario where death rates going high. So better to be blamed for slowing down economy rather than to be blamed for high level of death.

I come from a Chinese background and there is a proverb in my language that says “好死不如烂活”… which means something like “bette…[Read more]

I think moderate may want to consider deleting this thread.

I have also seen many people simply not advertise their house for rental and instead rely on world of mouth for referral, and they are rented to overseas students who simply make payments to landlords without doing the bond register or what not.

I have in the past seen friend’s friend doing it, they post some kind of “bulletin” near train…[Read more]

To me, it looked like the government was initially unwilling to proceed to a full lockdown in the beginning. I have been reading news and comments online for a few weeks, and I can see right at the beginning, when comments on The Age or News.com.au were calling for government to proceed with quarantine, the government still insisted on “there is…[Read more]

Not too sure if this is an ethical thing to do, but having said that, I know a few people who have done it:

1. They continue to live with parents even after they bought a property

2. Then they negotiate with tenants that they would charge a slightly higher rent (eg: $320 per week rather than $300 per week) but the rent would include all…[Read more]

My understanding is that is more of an IT question.

Things are being “polled” at regular intervals. If your phone is uploading / downloading continuously non-stop every second, then a) your phone will probably have a battery life of 2-3 hours and b) your download limit will be used up before you know it.

So to compensate for it, the app is…[Read more]

In NZ, they are changing the phrase such as “rent freeze” or “mortgage holiday”, because those terms are being grossed mis-understood. Both of those terms created a great deal of confusions and as such, they are using different terms that have better clarity and more transparent.

eg 1:, NZ government is now using the term “rent increase freeze”…[Read more]

If you want to make an offer for a house that will be auctioned, then my suggestion is:

1. Express your desire to make offer early. It is probably a bit too late now.

2. Try to negotiate if you can make conditional offers, so you have time to do due diligence during conditional period.

3. If you are only allowed to make unconditional offer…[Read more]

Actually, I do both BTL or flip depending on where I look into.

Definitely agree with “make the money in the buy” rather than “buy and hope value will increase 10% the next year”. The idea of buying below market value and add value is also to give myself buffer. This “buffer” also serves as “extra leverage”, so if market value increases by 10%…[Read more]

1. Decide strategy first.

2. Find areas that will suit your strategy.

3. Find the property in the said area.

Most people do it the other way around, and get stuck after buying 1 or 2.

Keep your cool.

Last thing you want is getting overly excited because agents are saying “everybody else is rushing in and bidding at $X higher than expected selling price at an auction”.

As far as I am concerned, whether the market is going up or down. If the number makes sense, then buy… otherwise don’t.

Even if Property 1 is a rental IP to start with, I still can’t deduct interest against it?

Or are you saying you can’t even use that as a deduction against next investment (property 2?) as well?

Isn’t that kind of unfair for people who couldn’t apply for a loan in a point of time? Say you get a real good bargain deal but you can’t apply for a…[Read more]