Thanks for that. I was hoping that the long term rates would be reasonably close to shorter term fixed rates but have found them to be much much higher which wouldn't make sense at all. The only winner would be the lending institute it would seem.

C2 wrote:
If, as some say, people start selling their houses because of no work then does this necessarily mean prices will drop considerably?  (1) There are investors waiting in the wings for bargains to come up and it is quite possible that these investors will bid against each other to secure these bargains and keep the prices from dropping…[Read more]

I agree with you, once the new year rolls in, a lot of companies are looking at "right-sizing". Property prices can weather swings in interest rates/oil prices/etc but unemployment will be the killer I think. Most families with mortgages will not survive more than two months unempoyed. If we start getting a lot of distressed properties on the…[Read more]

wealth4life.com wrote:
Yes the world is a changing place … in times of uncertainty it always pays to go back to the basics …I attended a seminar in Cronulla Sydney for a new network group that is setting up Network Clubs around Australia and involving the local communities to attend. One point was made that we lose of sight of the big…[Read more]

Speaking of prices things still seem to be going strong in Vic. Just came back from attending 2 auctions and both houses got sold. Not that many people attending but the buying power and demand is still strong. I don't think people in Australia are climbing much of a wall of worry at all..Until commodity prices pop and companies go under and jobs…[Read more]

Tony B wrote:
Re    Singapore  "  With a maximum of 20% tax rate in Singapore, ZERO capital gains tax on property OR shares, and NO ESTATE DUTIES, it is extremely attractive as a place for wealthy investors who are savvy enough to see the benefits."Not to mention the babes.Maybe we should chip in and buy Kevin Rudd a plane ticket so he can get…[Read more]

There is an alternative solution which does not involve thinning your corneahttp://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=PR&date=20080714&id=8887410

No offense, but Duckster what you are advising is a very aggressive gearing strategy which is predicated on a rising market. Choosing to get deeper into loans is partially what is making the current housing downturn worse for a lot of first time familiies and the cause of a lot of mortgage distress and foreclosures. I believe that prudent…[Read more]

Ashish, what you are comparing is select parts of India whereas the starter of the thread is remarking about Australia as a nation. Taken as a whole and averaged out, India housing should be pretty affordable.

Scott No Mates wrote:
No two properties are directly comparable. How do you compare a 3 bedroom house on 600 m2 with a 2 bedder on 650 m2 which sell for the same price? You must compare like for like!  Basically you need to develop your building cost for each house, adjust it for depreciation/age then deduct it from price achieved. Deduct the…[Read more]

Expensive or not isn't measured in real terms, its a measurement in relative terms. Simply put, the average income to home prices in Australia is close to 8 times, which makes it among the most expensive place to get a house compared to many other parts of the world where it is more like 3 times income.In absolute terms Australia is nowhere near…[Read more]

Mine are to short financials, short transport companies, short consumer discretionary stock options and long gold options. Wait for gold to pop, take up a long term put position on gold and maybe mint some coins from its slide from 900+ to mid levels.That, and buy my first home.

If I am in your situation I would try to pay off the car loan first as the interest rate on that is at 13% and up. Your rental is mad cheap and something to be taken advantage of. The more capital you gain before you make your purchase, the less debt you will incur when you actually buy a house and the less financial worry as well.Too many people…[Read more]

rudyl wrote:
Just curiously.  When looking at multiples of yearly income – anyone know what Singapore is?  I know their property is REALLY expensive.  And they seem to be doing well (certainly loads of buildings)

I can probably answer that. First off – finite land. This is a country with only 700+ km sq, roughly the size of Manhattan, but wi…[Read more]

god_of_money wrote:
clubhonda, Well, I subscribed to SMH for years and I did notice that 2008 winter is super thin.. may be just co-incidence????

You might be on to something. It has been reported in some of the newspapers that there is a tug-of-war between the buyers and sellers at the buyers at the moment. Sellers know they won't be getting a…[Read more]

Sati, You might have overextended yourself.To summarize what the others have said here, the decision to hold on not is really quite simple. Do you think your property will increase in value by more than what you are losing every month and whether you can continue to service the load?If the answer is yes, by all means hold on to it. If the answer…[Read more]

god_of_money wrote:
Certainly, the "Domain" pull-out @ Sydney Morning Herald newspaper is getting thinner and thinner….

I noticed less listings these days as well. But then again it could be due to the weather. A lot of brokers are expecting more listings in Spring.

reddy wrote:
HI EVERYONE,I NEED HELP REGARDING MY PROPERTY , IN OCT 07 I BOUGHT A PROPERTY IN HOPERS CROSSING IN MELBOURNE WHICH IS MY FIRST PROPERTY. THE RENTAL MARKET IS GOOD IN HOPPERS CROSSING BUT CAPITAL GAINS ARE LESS I CAUGHT UP IN A SITUATION WHERE WETHER TO KEEP THIS PROPERTY OR SELL THIS PROPERTY AND BUY IN GOOD AREA WHERE CAPTIAL…[Read more]

Scamp wrote:

L.A Aussie wrote:
Oh, I forgot; you said to buy gold.Thanks for that pearl.

You're welcome. Gold is still the safest investment in these times. I predict goldprice higher than 1100, possibly higher than 1200 by march 2009 ( write it down somewhere ). That's about 20% increase. Speak to you in January 2009 about that…[Read more]

One thing you may not be aware of is that the BLR (base lending rate) in Singapore is more like 3-4% according to my mate. With that kind of interest rate, a lot of properties here can turn +ive gearing easily. Add to that the strength in AUD/SGD that's not bad.Having said that, I think for the near term its safer for an overseas buyer to put…[Read more]