“Any plans for the New Year?”
December 17, 2019
You’ve probably been asked this once or twice already. If not, chances are you will hear it shortly. The New Year brings an opportunity to reflect on the ups and downs of the year that has been, and to also look forward to the year ahead. Whether it’s renovating and upgrading your current property, expanding …more »
An energy efficient rental property
December 17, 2019
The weather is well and truly heating up now we’ve welcomed summer, which means an increase in the use of cooling systems across the country and a greater demand on our energy. While there are suggestions of introducing a minimum standard of energy efficiency in rental properties, currently there is no such requirement in legislation. …more »
Why rental appraisal is important
December 17, 2019
Finding the perfect rental price for your investment property can sometimes be tricky. On one hand, you want to ensure your return on investment is positive and you’re generating an income for yourself. On the other hand, your asking price needs to be in line with the local rental market otherwise your property may be …more »
Will homeowners ever rule?
November 14, 2019
Renewed confidence is the greatest factor driving the Australian and New Zealand property scenes today. Home ownership has been declining and renting has been on the increase for many years. Around two thirds of Australians either owned or were buying their home in June this year according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This …more »
New strata laws may impact pets
November 13, 2019
In 2014, the Queensland Government commissioned a review of strata laws to modernise the Body Corporate and Community Management Act (1997). In August this year, The Body Corporate and Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2008 for Queensland was released with proposed changes that are intended to will streamline Body Corporate procedures. New draft regulations have been …more »
Renters are rising
November 4, 2019
The numbers of renters are rising as home ownership drops in 22 countries globally. Looking at rental versus ownership trends in numerous countries around the world, the current comparison looks something like this. (Source: Swinton Insurance) % own % rent Romania 96.8 3.6 Slovakia 90.1 9.9 Croatia 90.5 9.5 Lithuania 89.7 10.3 Hungary 86.0 …more »
Could you own an investment property with others?
November 1, 2019
Have you ever floated the idea of investing in property with other people? Perhaps a sibling, or a long-term friend or business colleague, or maybe even the neighbours have come together to consider purchasing that vacant block down the road? The idea seems good at the time – less individual financial outlay, larger financial backing …more »
Preparing your property and tenants for wild weather
October 29, 2019
We are lucky enough to have some of the best weather conditions in the world, and summertime is considered by many to be the best time of year. But from October through to the end of March, the risk of a natural disaster occurring is significantly higher than any other time of year, which is …more »