All I can say is that when Labour was last in power, interest rates when through the roof…Johnny pulled  a rabbit by saying that interest rates will remain low, and I guess they have…So I guess it depends on who will be in power…

As far as I am aware, any improvements you make to the house while it is your PPOR, can not be claimed…ONCE it is rented, if you do improvements then, you can claim those as a deduction through a depreciation schedule. This is how I know it…which may not necessarily be true…

If its cf+ go for it…but just remember, mining companies come and go….look at history….and also look if there are some other industries/businesses that will support the town in the future…Check out my criteria also…http://members.optushome.com.au/~andrewkiss88/criteria.htm

OK..sounds like you need help. Those personal loans are your hindrance. Sounds to me like you need to think about financing from a low doc lender, also known as non-conforming lenders. They will look at your situation and propose a loan. HOWEVER, I think even they will be hesitant. Some things you can do:1. Borrow money from…[Read more]

I personally believe units are the way of the future…more singles out there means more units will be required and thus demand will push up their prices…houses will remain lower priced as the "nuclear" family dissolves slowly…so in essence, units are a much better long term investment…PS…units are cheaper to maintain then houses, based…[Read more]

As always, I'm looking at a northern Brisbane bargain..will purchase after I get back from my honeymoon….around 380K….IP no 4.

I would also like an answer to this please…

Prices around there are very interesting..some parts are exy, some are cheap….Russell for instance has huge price fluctuations, very volatile pricing. Macleay and Lamb, I hear, are good value…but just remember…island…..hard to get off and get on…

Thank for the replies and encouragement…yeah I designed it myself…pretty basic though, will work on layout once I have enough content. OK, what I meant by my first point is that if, through an informed decision, you buy an IP, the worst thing that can possibly happen is that you make a small profit when you sell, or have to sell. So the worst…[Read more]

um, just under the purchase price divided by 1000 rule….I am currently getting 230/week for a property that is valued at 270K.

Good luck….rendering is brilliant, adds instant value to the house…

OH, it helps if I finish reading your comment…Advice:1. Start sorting out finance NOW.2. Find a good/reputable/cheap solicitor NOW.3. Get bank statements, wage statements, ID etc. together NOW!Good luck.

Good on you oneiricer, just get out there and start looking. My first PPOR took about 4 weekends of house hunting, seeing agents, speaking to the MB etc. etc. The only way you'll get there is by DOING! SO get out there and start making waves. I don't know about the 11sec thing, sounds like old school that may not apply anymore…By the way, our…[Read more]

I personally think re-locating may end up less of a hassle and actually give you a bit more scope to place the property in a better spot all together. Cutting a bit of the house is probably not as costly, but you are decreasing the house size and  the house will still be next to the new driveway….my 2 cents.

I like to look of this approach….hope it works out for you

Plenty up here in Brisvegas…there are further bargains even cheaper up here…mine is at Kingston, which is in the Logan area between Brisbane and the Gold Coast…I keep telling people its a gold mine… No one seems to be listening though…

Nah, old corollas are crap…

L.A Aussie wrote:
Based on those figures you are going to be out of pocket $500 per month on your rent versus mortgage, and that is GROSS rent. You need to factor in around 20% of the rent to be swallowed up in holding costs. This means you will be out of pocket around $700 per month (approx $162 p/w x 4.3 weeks), and you will have another loan…[Read more]

I think there are many n00bs on his site…in the same shoe as you Barnsey…A quote for you from my website:"MEGA IMPORTANT TIP (linked to tip 4): The greatest risk is doing nothing! Full stop."Do not be afraid young one, for the greatest risks is to have no IP!!!! (I was looking for an appropriate emoticon, and found this: look at the little…[Read more]

Um, if you can renovate an IP, you can claim it on your tax. Renovating your PPOR is not very smart for a tax break…I know, I'm doing it right now! But yes, it is one way to value-add, just pointing out that it would be better if it was an IP…