There would be two reasons your house is not selling:1.  The agent is not doing his/her job2.  You are asking too much.Given that your agent has sold other properties in the area recently I would suggest that your house is overpriced.  Why don't you call the agent and ask why your house was not getting enquiries?CheersK

If there is no timeframe on the inspections then you can get out of the contract.  Even if it is dated you can probably get out but it becomes more difficult.  I assume that the special condition contained words to the effect of "subject to satisfactory pest inspection …"  If you notified the vendor prior to the date on the contract that your in…[Read more]

Hi MysteryYou could have a sunset clause but it is not really necessary.  A clause in the contract only takes effect once there is a valid contract in place, that is, once both parties have signed the contract.  Obviously if the vendor has not signed the contract the sunset clause is useless.You should just be able to give a timeframe to accept t…[Read more]

I had PRK surgery done about 6 months ago.  My eyes weren't suitable for LASIK.  LASIK is when a flap over the cornea is peeled back and PRK is when the cells over the cornea are scraped off.  Apparently PRK is a little more painful and the healing time is greater.I am now 39 and I LOVE it.  My eyes still occasionally get a bit dry but other tha…[Read more]

When it still hasn't sold in two weeks' time go back and offer $275 …CheersK

I agree with trakka.  The best way to have one person know all your financial details is to work with a (good) mortgage broker.  With over $5mil in property we still have all sorts of problems dealing with banks who continue to refuse us finance based on our lack of servicability (despite having nearly $2mil in equity).  We are just now bu…[Read more]

Hi NarellenUnfortunately yes, you are kidding yourself.  The property is only half yours.  The other half belongs to your brother.  Unless and until you ascertain that the people living there are not there with the permission of your brother there is nothing you can do.  If it turns out they are there with the permission of your brother then he,…[Read more]

The offer is still valid until either:1. if you wrote an expiry time in the offer and that time lapses2.  If your offer is rejected3.  If the vendors make a counter offer (which is essentially a rejection of your offer and then an offer by the vendors to sell)Was your offer in the form of a signed contract?  If so, then the contract is binding fr…[Read more]

Hi SammiAt the risk of offending Scott No Mates (although no offence intented) DON'T set up a trust yourself.  It is too complicated a document with too many potential ramifications to risk getting it wrong.  I had my trusts set up when I was a practising lawyer and I still got someone else to set it up.I paid about $1000 and then about $1000 p…[Read more]

I agree with Cattleya (stretching my mind years back to Family Law).Even though financial arrangements are kept separate, as per Millie and Yellina's comments, a court may still find that a de-facto relationship exists if there is other evidence to suggest that they were more then "just friends".  One of the things a court will look at is whether…[Read more]

Hi GeoffI'm afraid I'm with the others.  The only reason I would buy in a small town (and I would never buy in a town of less than 10,000) is if the property is positively geared with AT LEAST a 10% return.Your property is about a 4.5% return.  As the others have said, we can get better in a capital city with a much greater chance of guaranteed r…[Read more]

If the vendor has already accepted an offer then there is a valid contract in place with a special condition that the contract will become unconditional once the buyer has sold his place.  The vendor cannot accept another offer until the contract on the first offer has fallen through.  That is, there cannot be two valid offers on the one p…[Read more]

I also do all my development work in a company and buy and holds in a Trust.  Have a think about what you are planning to do long term.  If you want to buy and hold several properties, then I think it is worth setting up a trust, not only for asset protection, but also for income splitting benefits.If you are only ever going to buy one or two p…[Read more]

Oh yes I forgot, make sure that you rescind the contract IN WRITING.  Even though the RE Agent assures that the vendors cannot enforce the contract you have signed, if the deal falls through with this other guy, the vendors can then sign your contract including the shortened timeframes and can charge you default interest if you fail to settle on…[Read more]

Hi CarlinYes it is very unfortunate.  You should, at the very least, have been given the opportunity to counter-offer.  You could always find out the name of the vendor through the Land Title's Office, or even knock on their door, and tell them that you weren't given the chance to counter offer.  If you do it quickly enough, if the new pu…[Read more]

Hi Qlds007My understanding was that purchasers are unable to charge default interest if the vendor delays settlement.  At least that's the case in SA and the NT.  Blaze, you would have to look at the specific contract, or, as others have pointed out, get your conveyancer to look at the contract.Certainly in SA and the NT, the only remedy a p…[Read more]

In my opinion, DHA properties are a relatively good, safe investment.  If you want a hands off property with minimal worries then DHA is not bad.BUT if you are prepared to be a bit more aggressive, then In my opinion, there are far better ways to make money, such as that suggested by hgwells, buying privately near a military base.  There is a…[Read more]

I would get a builder in to inspect them and ask the questions of the builder.I wouldn't ask the agent anything at all.  They often don't know council regulations.  When I have done this in the past I have given the builder strict instructions not to disclose to the agent that I am looking at subdividing.  I have found that if the agent knows th…[Read more]

It depends on the state.  I am currently in the process of putting a wall in a property in the NT.  I don't need council approval because it is not affecting the structural integrity of the property.But I agree with the other posters – just call the local council.CheersK

Hi TammyThe reason we are getting the mortgage now is because we have a serious cashflow shortage!  We need the money to continue the subdivision.Terry, the valuation didn't say that the approval made it more valuable, but what the bank has agreed to do is to lend me 80% of the current value and once it the three titles have been issued the bank…[Read more]