Rents always drop in winter and go up 10%-15% in summer. It’s the old storey of supply and demand.

Our agency http://www.rentingmelbourne.com.au has about the same number of properties to lease all year round, yet enquiries are far fewer in winter and properties sit vacant for longer.

So to lease them Pam, my wife and director of the comany, suggests…[Read more]

Originally posted by AmandaBS:
I agree walk before you run.
Start by subdividing 1 into 2 and learn the process and develop a relationship with Council, Engineers, Surveyors etc.
We are finding the interest a real squeeze on land we’re subdividing (1 into 7). The DA still not through after 10 months.

That’s a great point Amanda- start small.…[Read more]

The simple answer to ‘how do I get the money out’ is that a trust distributes its profits whenever it wants to or at least at the end of the financial year.

It discretionary distributes its income to any beneficiary ar its “discretion”- this year it may be to you, next year it may be to your kids.

A unit trust must distribute the profits in…[Read more]

A number of years ago, proeprty watchers predicted that the Commonwealth Games would boost the Melbourne property market.

Apart form some extra construction work, it has done little to the property market and will do nothing for prices.

It will boost short term accomodation and hotel usage for a while.

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE…[Read more]

Avoid this size unit.

As you say the abnks don’t like lending for them. Valuers will value them at a lower figure.

Fewer tenants want them

If you ever have to sell it will be much harder for the above reasons.

OF COURSE IT IS CHEAP and it will always be

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE PROPERTIES
Author of Australia’s leading property…[Read more]

Originally posted by Yasmina:
Hi Michael,

I thank you very much for your reply, it was very informative and useful. I am more than prepared now. Cheers.

Yasmina

I’m glad I could help

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE PROPERTIES
Author of Australia’s leading property e-magazine.
Join over 10,000 readers each month.
FREE subscription http://www.metropole.com.au

Originally posted by Yasmina:
Hi everyone,

Tomorrow i have first meeting with my Property Manager -my first investment property. What should i be asking him? Please give me some pointers here.
Cheers.

Yasmina

Choosing a PM is important – they are not all the same. Don’t select on fees alone
this report may give you some ideas of what to…[Read more]

We use valuers all the time so I could make some suggestions. I even know some “friendly” ones.

But it depends upon your lender – the valuer must be on their panel.

Give me some details of the property and where it is and if you have a lender in mind. Either on the forum or by email to myardney@metropole.com.au

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE…[Read more]

Originally posted by chrisholt452:
Hi WtbNow

I have just recently completed my Estate Planning, I own property in my own name and a trust, I formed a Discretionary Trust, which comes into effect only when I die. This seemed the best way to pass on my assets to particular people. A good solicitor should be able to advise you. Costs between…[Read more]

Originally posted by Misty1:
Can anyone tell me where I can access some info on suburb by suburb stat’s for FREE (there’s plenty of sites you have to pay for the info) regarding percentage capital growth figures?
I would really appreciate it.

In Victoria you can gets stats and graphs for free at the REIV web site – http://www.reiv.com.au

Michael…[Read more]

Originally posted by dave_pious:
I’d really appreciate views about Melbourne properties (Australia’s Melbourne, not Florida).

Help !!

I could give you some views on Melbourne if I knew what you were looking for. What are you after eg capital growth, cash flow, renovation etc.

How much do you have to spend and what is your borrowing…[Read more]

Originally posted by kerwyn:
Hi Michael
Reading the latest reports on Sydney property it seems there might be a prolong downturn. Property has already fallen 5% in most suburbs except some of the more affluent areas. The forecast is for this to continue for the next 2-5 years.
What is your estimation of the length of this downturn?
Have you an…[Read more]

You will find some information at http://www.metropoleprojects.com.au under investor’s learning centre

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE PROPERTIES
Author of Australia’s leading property e-magazine.
Join over 10,000 readers each month.
FREE subscription http://www.metropole.com.au

Yes it comes out monthly but you should get your first email within minutes of subscribing.
Thanks for letting me know about your probelms as we get 10 -15 subscriptions a day and it all happens automatically. Pleasesend me you details to myardney@metropole.com.au and I will check what is going on

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE PROPERTIES
Author of…[Read more]

THINGS ARE CHANGING!

Last year a senate subcomitte recommeded that people giving property investment advice be regulated.

Their suggestion was to bring them under the Financial Services Reform Act and have them regulated like financial planners.

They recognised that a real estate agents license is NOT enough to enable you to give property…[Read more]

Originally posted by foundation:
What? >100 views and nobody has a comment? After hearing “real estate cycles are typically seven to ten years”, “we’ve reached the low point in the current cycle”, “it may look like a bad investment NOW, but time heals all wounds – in ten years you’ll be quids ahead” etc so frequently of late, surely somebody is…[Read more]

Originally posted by Pete&Jackie:
Hi Everyone,

I’m a registered builder and have built a couple of Spec homes in the past preferring not to advertise them until they were completed.
I have someone wanting to buy my next house off the plan. Am I better off selling him the block at market value then building the house for him? More like a…[Read more]

You are correct that Australia’s proeprty markets move in cycles. While these occur every 7 to 10 years, they don’t occur because a period of time passes, but because a set of economic circumstances occur.

These are macroeconomic – on the large scale in Australia and microeconomic – effecting local markets – things such as supply and…[Read more]

Originally posted by Property Passion:
When looking at a development site, how do you seasoned developers create a feasibility report ?

what is the best way to go about it? what costs do i need to take into consideration? and what should i watch out for?

Sort of hard to get it down on paper when there are so many unknowns when looking at a…[Read more]

To ensure we don’t leave out any costs we use a program called feastudy http://www.devfeas.com.au.

Of course it is only as good as the numbers you put into it. It tends to spit out an 18 page reports with lots of “what ifs”‘- a sensitivity analysis

Michael Yardney
METROPOLE PROPERTIES
Author of Australia’s leading property e-magazine.
Join over 10,000…[Read more]