Hey Leo,I tried a few products but ended up just making my own spreadsheet. As Terry says, it was a great opportunity to learn too.I made sure I considered the following:purchase priceinterest rate (and I ensured I inflated it a bit for safety)loan valueexpected rentmanagement feesother costs (water, rates, body corp etc)any costs associated with…[Read more]

Ah, I agree Richard,I should have been clearer – chat to your accountant and then see a broker BUT don't make your final decision until you have spoken to both. You've got to be sure your financial structure can match (and work well with) your business structure otherwise you can end up in a worse position than had you asked nobody for help.Good…[Read more]

Before spending a considerable amount of money on reports, are you looking at the statistics in the back of the two major property magazines? These tables are far cheaper (although often a couple of months old) and can be used to narrow down your target areas considerably. Give these a go first, and you might find that a little legwork can garnish…[Read more]

Again I agree (and I hope you enjoyed the bubbly!),Just because an area has enjoyed strong capital growth over the past five or ten years does not mean it will continue to do so. Look for growth drivers such as increased infrastructure, a wide variety of employment opportunities, high levels of owner occupancy, close to major centres etc. An area…[Read more]

Hi Leo,I now understand more about what you want to achieve. As far as structuring your loans, I agree with Richard – you are best to speak with a mortgage broker who specialises in property investment. You can approach your broker armed with the information you get from your accountant.When it comes to the entities that should own your properties…[Read more]

Well said, Catalyst!

It might sound great when someone says to you, Ipalad, that an area WILL increase in value by 50% over the next five years but you must admit that that’s just opinion. Do some backtracking of their past numbers and verify their accuracy. I can assure you that these reports aren’t gospel and that nobody has a crystal…[Read more]

Hi Trippsy,Welcome to the world of property investing. It seems you've found some properties with good rental returns and that's great. You might be able to save up, buy one (or two, or eight) and do quite well. The problem is that the properties you're looking at might be in a region which is undergoing a decline, and they won't hold their value.…[Read more]

I reckon you're better off looking at a place in a not-so-sexy part of Sydney (or Canberra) than going fully country. Evernat, you might need to consider what's most important to you; do you want to feel good about the location of your investment or do you want to have the best possible numbers? If you look only at the numbers then there is a…[Read more]

Hi Leo,What advice are you looking for, in particular? You might find that you don't need an accountant just yet – there may be other experts who are cheaper and know a lot about property investing (especially if you are a beginner).I'd be interested to hear what questions you were intending to ask the accountant.Good luck!Den

I agree with Jamie – it's a must! I've had several incidents where I needed insurance, and thankfully I've always been covered.Most major insurance companies offer landlord's insurance and it's worth reading their policies to find out which are best. I would recommend finding a company that not only covers rent that a tenant may have failed to pay…[Read more]

I'm finding this thread really interesting reading, not only for the different turns it takes but because of some of the ideas expressed.Frankston fella states, in my opinion quite correctly, that you can't just expect to find CF+ properties easily. Camscott says, "every single property bought in sydney can be turned into a cashflow positive…[Read more]

Hey Anthea,I notice you asked what the rents were like in Gladstone. It's pretty easy to check them out for yourself and that way you know the numbers are good because it's your own research. When I did a quick search (go to realestate.com.au and look at rents right now being advertised for Gladstone) I found rents for four bedrooms to be between…[Read more]

Well folks, if you want to get away from the spruik then let’s answer the original question… Where would you buy in Qld or Vic?
QLD: The market in SEQ has been pretty soft for a while and there are some good buys – I’d still look around Logan, Beenleigh, Eagleby if you want solid rental returns. For the price you’re quoting, you could afford a…[Read more]

thanks fWord!I do agree that the market is softening and it's more important than anytime in the last 10 or so years to do your due diligence! That doesn't mean to jump off the idea of investing in property. (Notice that people are wary of the stock market too?)It's all about managing your risks and being aware of what risks you are prepared to…[Read more]

Good luck fella!Sounds great, just make sure you do your research. I'd love to hear how you go!<br /:)” title=”>:)” class=”bbcode_smiley” />Den

Hey Scotty,First of all, great post idea – it's awesome and so encouraging to read everybody's stories!I got started about 10 years ago and I knew nothing! I made so many mistakes, but the one thing I did right was that I knew I wanted to invest and I got active. Unfortunately I didn't buy the perfect property and I put myself under a bit of…[Read more]

Hey Mike!Congratulations on your move into property investing, and good luck.Start by reading blogs and articles, and if you're keen a friend and I make free podcasts. Whatever you choose to do, there is heaps of free information out there. I agree with Find_Another_Slave – you really need to consider exactly what you want to get out of property…[Read more]

Hey Ruth! Thanks for the positive feedback about our Everyday Property Investing podcasts. We started making them because it was just what we wish we had when we were starting… It's really encouraging to read of someone who thinks they're worthwhile All the best with your fourth property. Where are you looking? Feel free to email me and ask any…[Read more]

Hey ediot123,First of all, welcome to the world of Property Investing!There are heaps of courses you can do, lots of books to read and all sorts of gurus out there. Surely there is someone who is bound to meet your needs. I started my journey with property investing about ten years ago and have slowly been building up my portfolio. I read a lot,…[Read more]

There are also special savings plans that you can start, if you’re happy to wait a while… It’s called a First Home Savings Account and the government will put in 17c for every dollar you put into this account, up to $5k per year, plus you get interest. Furthermore, you’re taxed at 15% not your marginal rate. It’s a nice way to start saving, and…[Read more]