We had slate tiles glued on our timber floors. Solution for us was to use a shovel to get under the tiles, and lever them up. Don't be afraid to get into it. They've since been sanded and polished and I defy ANYONE  to tell there were tiles glued there before. Goggles are a must of course…

Considering how long some items take to depreciate, it's well worth spending the money.You must also realise that while you will enjoy tax deductions now, when you sell, the amount you have claimed in depreciation will be applied to the purchase price when calculating the CGT… (eg if you have a 200K property, depreciate 30k, and sell for 250K,…[Read more]

orieldel23591 wrote:
I understand this is only a 'tool' for those of us who can't do percentages, but when I applied this to a property I am interested in, I can't do the maths, for example; The likely weekly rent $180Devided by 2= $90Multiplied by 1000 = $90,000Is it the same as or lower than the asking price ($133,000.00)So the answer is yes…[Read more]

Generally yes, some permits will have an expiry date. (eg Plan of Subdivision must be lodged with the title office within (say) 5 years, or it will lapse)You must also ask yourself why the vendor has taken it this far, and not to completion – it may be that there's not the profit in it they thought, or mistakes have been made…don't assume it's a…[Read more]

MrMagoosie wrote:
Is the HSBC account a US bank account, or is it just an Australian account in US currency?  I currently have an ITIN and want to open a US bank account to do some investing in tax liens.  The bank account issue has been one of my hurdles as I believed that you needed to visit the US to open an account in your personal name.Is t…[Read more]

On the credit card:Get the credit card paid off as soon as is possible/practical. If drawing down LOC/loan funds to pay it off, DO NOT be tempted to double-dip (i.e. re-spend to MAX!): This takes discipline. Reduce your limit to something heaps more manageable as you pay it down.Another idea is to transfer the balance to a x months interest free…[Read more]

Yes, assuming you buy the right thing in the right place.  No if you are wanting to rely on an "investment" company to do it for you.

In the case you showed above, your value has doubled, but your yield has dropped in half – the question is, would your money be better off elsewhere? (Can you get a return better than 3.98% elsewhere?)Current yield is the one to use., as this is your measure of how your investment is performing.

Really depends on what you want out of your investing – i.e. rental income, capital growth, tax "savings" (depreciation/negative gearing).Good investments are everywhere, start by looking close to home.You will pay a premium for new property, and depreciation isn't always a good idea. A little investment in some education resources would be a…[Read more]

There are many better options than off the plan. Beware inflated prices in Melbourne at the moment.

Ummm…don't do it?You would be much better served getting something established IMHO.It'll likely be much more value (and cheaper to boot), has a "real" $ value, and is something you can do your sums/research reliably on.Don't be tempted by the prospect of  govt concessions, such as stamp duty concessions, and FHOG etc unless it makes good sense…[Read more]

Don't have to, however the gas cooktop/electic oven is generally considered the most desirable.Good to have instant heat on the cook top, even, controlled heat in the oven.Just my 2c.