News & Media

What the federal election result means for the property market

Friday 07 Jun 2019

A shorter, shallower property price downturn could be on the cards on the back of the Coalition’s victory at the polls, experts say. But the long-term prospects for first-home buyers are less certain, with changes to investor tax concessions off the table for the foreseeable future. Following months of uncertainty about the impact of those tax changes, which had led to greater wariness in the cooling market, experts are becoming slightly more bullish, revising their views on property price ....

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Five updates that add the most value when selling

Friday 07 Jun 2019

Not all renovations will increase your profit margin when you come to sell your property. Some projects will cost more than they will ever return. So, what are the most lucrative projects to add value to your home and give you the best outcome? 1. Exterior Buyers get the first impression of your home from the exterior. Grab their attention with fresh-looking cladding materials or colours on the facade. Make the home more visually appealing by painting the trims, gutters, fascias and bargeboards. ....

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How the federal election could affect buyers

Friday 17 May 2019

Try as the political parties might to paint the major issues of the day in black and white terms, the housing policies tabled at this election are far from simple.  Ultimately, whether you judge a party’s proposed changes as good or bad boils down to a matter of perspective. Look at a policy from one angle and it seems unfair and nonsensical; from another, brave and justified. Here’s how the federal election could affect buyers. Negative gearing The way the Liberals tell it, the ....

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What an election means for the property market

Friday 17 May 2019

As Australians prepare to head to the polls on 18 May, we take a look at how the Federal election is impacting the property market. Posters of parliamentary hopefuls are popping up in neighbourhoods everywhere. It can mean only one thing: We’re about to head off to the polls. Here’s how the Federal election could impact property markets. First, a quick recap of the market March 2019 saw home values dip nationally by 0.6% but according to CoreLogic, the pace of price decline is coolin ....

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How to save on tax by investing in property

Tuesday 16 Apr 2019

One of the big perks of property investment is saving on tax, but everyone knows taxation is a complex beast. So, how do you save? Investors should claim depreciation; vary their “pay as you go” tax; carefully time any capital gain (to buy more time to pay the tax on it), and also keep up-to-date with the rules. At least, that’s according to Rakesh Nairn. The chartered accountant at Brisbane-based BJT Financial Services shared with us his top tax tips for property investors, an ....

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The golden rules: How to build an investment property portfolio that will earn you money

Tuesday 16 Apr 2019

Stories of savvy investors acquiring numerous properties and generating a passive income are enough to inspire homeowners to look for ways to put their equity to work by building an investment portfolio. After all, investing in real estate is how many of Australia’s wealthiest people have made their fortunes. But it’s not just a matter of buying as many properties as possible. And when it comes to real estate investment, less rather than more may be a wiser approach.   Leveragin ....

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Four things to know before buying your first home

Tuesday 09 Apr 2019

If you’re hunting around for your first property, congratulations! Buying a house is one of the biggest achievements and scariest things you’ll ever do. And while it can feel exhilarating to finally find the one after months and months of house inspections, there are some important things to think about before speed-dialling the bank. Here are four things to consider before you take the homeowner plunge. Buy a house you can actually afford  Unless you win the lottery, very few p ....

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5 things to fix before putting your home on the market

Tuesday 09 Apr 2019

When the time comes to sell your home, particularly if it’s an older property, the last thing you want is potential buyers making a list of the things they’ll need to fix if they purchase it. Those barriers, however small they may be, could be the difference between having a few extra bidders at auction to help drive up the price and those same potential buyers walking away because they don’t want to play Mr. Fix-it once they move in. Here are five things you should consider fi ....

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What first-home buyers need to do to crack into the market in 2019

Wednesday 19 Dec 2018

Price pullbacks in the Sydney and Melbourne property markets have created an opportunity for first-home buyers, particularly those with deposits ready. Values in most capitals are expected to remain relatively flat throughout 2019, with some cities anticipated to post moderate gains, according to Domain’s Property Price Forecast. That gives prospective purchasers something they haven’t had in years – breathing room to make decisions. First-timers are also facing less competitio ....

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How to sell in a buyer’s market

Wednesday 19 Dec 2018

There’s no denying that Australia’s property market has entered a new phase, with a number of factors contributing to fewer buyers seeking homes, as well as a general cooling in the market. But while it might therefore be a great time to be a buyer, it doesn’t mean there aren’t still good opportunities to achieve a great price as a vendor, too. It might, however, require a slightly different approach to how you might have tackled the sale of your home two years ago. Here ....

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