This post just goes to prove what I have been saying to everyone about tradies-they are the biggest bunch of rip off merrchants next to used car salesman out there. They charge like wounded bulls and still expect to be treated like princesses-fer crying out loud most are on $100k a year plus and they have a little cry if they arnt waited on like royalty with drinks etc? WTF ever heard of an esky ya bludger? I cant wait for the tide to turn back around to where there is an excess of tradies to choose from and they can come back to reality.

I am paying you to do a job, full stop. And you are recieving my money in return for the job completed to a professional standard. I dont understand the part where I am paying you to allow me to be 'nice' to you or to be your waiter?? I suppose you would be understandable of waiters in restaurants only bringing youa half arsed dodgy meal in a restaurant if they wernt happy with your demenour? Wake up guys!!!

And you want to know where all this hostility comes from?? EXPERIENCE!!!! I used to do the bend over backwards Mr Nice guy bring em coffee and beers game-that was until they kept taking advantage of me and screwing me over. So now I treat like they should be treated-as a pure business relationship, no favours, and if the job doesnt get done right then no  money till it is. And guess what-my experiences with em are all rosey now!!!

Little story that was the straw that broke the camels back-had a shower that needed to be retiled. Needed the cement sheeting replaced also. Got a quote from the guy, cool, told him he had the job. Was making him coffees, even made him a sadwich for lunch etc Then he tells me 'sorry mate guna have to do a lot more work-got repack all the walls blah blah blah that will be another $500' I think geeeezus, ok whatever and agree-again being Mr nice guy and trusting him. Well I go  in 15 mins later to see that this $500 worth of work only involved using a few scap bits of sheeting to bring the walls of the shower out-a 2 minute job at best. I crack the shits and ask him where all this extra work that the $500 is? He just stares at me blankly for a few minutes liek a kid caught with his hand in the lolly jar and then for the classic 'well mate I can leave right now if you want but good luck getting someone to replace me!!'  Hows it go L.A…'Good guy'……….

So I presume you have a link to a news article on the house burning down, perhaps some pics even? Becasuse you know the internet and all-everyone tells the truth and no one ever scams.

Sure is a shame if its true, why were they behind in payments after only nine months in the house? Eyes to big for thier belly? Sorry but I have a lot of trouble giving money to people who are in a situation through no fault but hteir own. I will give money to hospitals, starving kids in Africa but why should I stick my hand in to my pocket for someone who is essentialy in trouble due to their own greed? If they spent so much on a house that they couldnt even afford $500 for home and contents insuurance then no sympathy here sorry….

Ohh sorry forgot to answer your question regarding if I have a portfolio-this is the internet-I could tell you I have 5 or 50 investment properties but for what its worth I do o.k. I read lots, listen even more and have opinions and like to share them-people can take them for what they are worth If at the end of the day I have managed to make someone look for a second from the other side then I am happy.

I agree with your broker-you have a combined yearly income of just on $56k and want to take on debt of close to $500k??? Are youcompletely nuts or have I missed something? Plus you have 3 kids to provide for???? Sorry if I seem rude but how on earth do you expect to get by?

I agree with your sentiments L.A but in this instance I would have to say I agree with the newspapers-I have been regularily attending auctions for the last six months at whilst at first thought it was 'surprising' to see places sell for $50-$100k over advertised price it is now the norm. I turn up to auctions automatically adding on AT LEAST 30%, most of the properties I have looked at have been in the $300+ range and they have all gone for anything form $350-$450k. There is definately heat in the market though I dont think anyone could have seen it coming. I am truley amazed at what people are paying, its just plain crazy….

What I want to know is why with all these things do you have to pay? If you have a 'secret' to getting rich etc then surely you dont need the money and should freely pass it onto others, charging $2k it would seem you are 'visulising' all the people sending you the money making you rich? Scam scam scam for the weekminded masses, you are a joker and a fool, go away you leech….I dont need to pay someone $2k to know that I need to set goals on focus on achieving them through hard work and dedication. 

Nope you are absolutely spot on Linda. People LOVE to brag and make themselves seem better than what they really are-thats about it in a nutshell!! I too have always been bemused how people 'forget' or NEGLECT to take interest payments into consideration…

No not at all-what I was aluding to (rather abruptly albeit) was that many young people these days have the idea that property prices will just keep going up and up. They also seem to lack the foresight to tack into account interest rate rises, increase in cost of living etc. So on the face of it I was trying to point out that he may be overly optermistic in thinking in three years he would be in a position to but another house aswell as keep the one he is looking at buying. And  its great that you (like every tom, dick and harry) have had sucess in property over the last ten years, the next ten however are going to be a completely different story…

o.k mate lets crunch some numbers-Im guessing your loan is probably around $300-$350k at least? Repayments would be around $550 a week, you are (in your words) struggling to meet these repayments as you are. These repayments would be mostly interest, after 3 years you will probably have paid off around $15k of the residual. As far as payrises, even if you get a $10k pay rise the mooloah in your pocket that will be available to put int he loan would probably be only $7000.  So im guessing you are living at home with the folks at the mo? Just also take into account other expenses such as utilities, insurance etc. So after 3 years if you have managed to somehow scrape together $40k for a deposit you will have done extremely well, not saying it is impossible, but will be very hard..