Love your comment fredo!  With mentoring like that who knows what I am capable of when my buttons are pressed!!

Many thanks all for ideas and support … I did ask what happened to the toilet seats and the response was "they broke" .. all three since 10 January … funny that!   For once I have decided to stand with my fists in the air, so fired off an email along the lines of they broke the conditions of the contract of sale by stripping the garden after s…[Read more]

Thanks Leo … but unfortunately it's too late to try to renegotiate as I went Unconditional on the strength of the Building & Pest Report and other due diligence (eg flood mitigation – very apt in Qld at present).  Legal opinion was that I had to settle today, and I take your point that Building inspection is only on the structural integrity of…[Read more]

Thanks again Terryw and Mr 5o1 … I guess I just fall back on the idea of how much capital growth can the property gain in 5 months?  My accountant seems to think I'm "home & hosed" since it is not earning any income at all with the rent free concession, and the facts:  Contract signed 30.11.10; Settlement 10.1.11; vendors vacate 1.5.11; and I c…[Read more]

Thanks for the advice Beedie and Terryw … have cut the deal and learned some more in the process. The renting a principal place of residence after residing in it for a year, and maintaining your CGT exemption ruling only applies if you don't buy another property that becomes your PPR eg you take a job overseas.  In my situation all is fine…[Read more]

Thanks Beedie … sensible advice except the vendors' agent is pushing for more money and there is no way any reduction in my offer would cut the deal.  I have offered them rent free for the whole period which in effect is an extra $6000 on my offer, bringing me to just $23,000 below the asking price.  In this market I thought that more than f…[Read more]