Thanks Phoenix! [biggrin]

Looks like Burley would consider me a loser in a few respects… I buy units, and I invest for tax breaks. As I’ve said- give me a 15k tax return, rather than a $10 week profit anyday

It’s a pity all these gurus have to do this “think like me or you are a speculator and not an investor” stuff… I don’t understand why they have to be so divisive. I find that stuff so lame. [hmm]

kay henry

Being an atheist and all… I think I wouldn;t feel comfortable with approaches that suggest spirituality as a solution. My readings about class and status have always been from a sociological/marxist perspective, so really, I have a political economy approach to it. then again… if he’s looking at a collective anomie (depression) that derives from status… then I suppose he’s looking for some kind of internal driver to make people happier.

Whatever happened to good old revolution to spark people up a bit? It’s sure good for the have-nots.

Thought aussie and wayne might like this. Here’s a bastardisation of Marie Antoinette’s “Let them eat cake” thing… (when MA was told her people had no bread to eat, she said let them eat cake. [baaa]

So Howard gets told of the problem of homeless people in Australia, and he responds with “Let them buy IP’s.” hehe. (I know, it’s a shocker, but hey- it’s only Tuesday!)

kay henry

Stranger,

You said in your other post that your girl left last thursday. Will she be on this new lease if she’s not there?

Millions of students all over Australia live in rented accommodation. Given that rental vacancies in major capital cities, including melbourne, are probably around 3%, it’s likely that out of one of these tenancy applications, you’ll be successful. I’d put written references relating to past tenancies, in with your application.

kay henry

Some of us look *exactly* like our avatar, WAF. Why, dont you?

kay henry

Pig,

Here’s a link to TAFE’s finance courses. There are also links on that page to “finding employment” and “getting the job”.

http://www.lg.tafensw.edu.au/2385/1867/courscar.htm

TAFE provides a good pathway for those who may have left school early. The courses also might be cheaper than other private courses, but TAFe is universally recognised by employers, so I reckon it’s more the go than other courses.

kay henry

Razor Ray,

I’ve bought 2 properties sight unseen, even though it can be seen as a bit of a property no-no by some. With one of the properties, I was completely familiar with the area, and knew the stratch of that particular road, so when a place came up there, I just bought it. Of course, I did the “property” due diligence to purchase, as opposed to the “location” due diligence if I didn’t know the place.

For the other property, I began with no knowledge of the area. I had seen other similar properties for sale there, and really started doing some research on the area. Initially looking up “blahtown crime” “blahtown” population” and then broadening my search until I had read everything on the net about the place- I probably read 300 links from google.com.au, and read every edition of the local online newspaper, so I could get a “feel” for the place. I then had the confidence to feel like I would buy there. I rang up owners of the IP’s that had been for sale online (the old ads were not yet taken off the net but had been sold) and tracked down who I would have to find to be able to purchase one of the properties. I asked to be informed if one of the properties came up, and voila, in 2 months, one did. I got sent a large number of photos, did my “property due diligence, and bought it.

From these checks, I now know about the history of the place, have checked maps of the region, and pretty much like I feel it inside out.

There are so many ways to approach a new location- you can find out all about the “concrete” aspects, such as physical features, and other demographic stuff, but it is also good to be able to get a “cultural feel” of the place, which often, the local rag can give you. They can include the types of activities that go on in the town… for example, what do people do for recreation? eg horseriding, on the one hand, or recreational shooting, on the other. It all depends on what you’re looking for. I also check out the politics of hte local member, to see what kind of town it might be. Everyone’s looking for different things, but to me, I’d rather know as many aspects of the place as I can- there can never be too much information, in my mind- only too little.

kay henry

hillind,

Guess you’re aware that if you sell within 12 months and one day, you’ll be paying 100% CGT. Also, remember (some of) these people are pozz gearers, so anything beyond a tuppence is considered too much [baaa] hehe.

You’ve said it’s on a major road- well, that means it’s not in the middle of nowhere. Being in the middle of a city can be a decent quality. I sold a place on the main road of a city- if you reversed out of the driveway, you’d be likely to squash a pedestrian, or get the back of your car hit, but still, it wasn’t seen as an impediment to sale- on the contrary- it was considered “central”.

How come your RE multilist didn’t work? Did your agent give you advice on what to sell at? What happened at the auction? Any bidders? Room for negoatiation afterwards? Is your RE contract to sell expired?

In a way, I feel like your post is a bit of an ad encouraging people to PM you, but I may be wrong (you know, 1st post etc). Anyhoo, there’s been lots of info put here for other posters to read, if my first thought is actually the case.

kay henry

Sonja,

The problem with putting a tenant in for selling is that it kills off those who wish to buy a PPOR (I think the loans ratio for IP buyers : PPOR buyers is currently 1:1. The vendor I bought my last place from had vacant possession until she knew I was going to be an investor, and then she whacked a tenant in for me, but she didn’t want to kill off her oportunity for 100% of purchasers by having it tenanted.

kay henry