hi mad-cat

That’s a bit like asking ‘what the vacancy rates are like in Australia’.!

The answer would be the same – it varies depending on the place.

Check with one or two rental agents in the area as to what’s happening. The last few agents I talked to told me the only ones they had vacant on their books were the most inferior properties for…[Read more]

I agree with Lu,

you are an investor so make investment decisions.
Do your financials and work out what debt you have and what equity and assets you have and your living costs. Then figure out what you could improve. I don’t think asking people’s opinions is really going to help you, unless you do the numbers. There are too many opinions out…[Read more]

I’ve done more than 30 property deals this year (for other people) for cashflow positive properties (all in NZ) with our lowest yield being 10.5 percent, but that was in a capital gains area with all the usual statistical indicators, and the highest being as high as 20 percent. The current typical deal is around 12-14 percent yield.

I also did…[Read more]

I give to St Vincent de Pauls.
I like them because they help the local community.

Of course there are many good causes. Just pick the one that feels right to you, that you are interested in, that you are drawn to

cheers-
Mini

PS Emcdonald, you said ‘i think people really are ‘giving’ at heart.

I agree.
i think this is our natural state. When…[Read more]

Hi there!

Get a builder’s report and photos, and research (or have someone do it for you i,e, a bird dog) the context of the house in regards to area, demand, neighbours, price, etc etc – there are a lot of other important things that need to be in place to make a purchase a ‘good investment’, apart from the quality of the structure…[Read more]

Haha Yack,

who is referring to Rotorua’s natural thermal activity. It is common to see – even on a freezing cold day after it’s rained – boiling hot puddles bubbling along on the side of the road! Not to mention the actual tourist resort thermal areas and hot pools. The whole place smells like sulphur (which smells like rotten eggs, or ‘worse’,…[Read more]

As I understand it, taxable income is not necessarily ‘profit’ – because it’s profit minus what you can claim as a tax deduction. But what you can and can’t claim – like for example the difference between maintenance (you can claim) and renovation (you can’t) could be quite subtle which is why you need to talk to a professional – at least once!…[Read more]

I actually agree with what DD said, but I didn’t want to give out negativity – and no problems are insurmountable.
I know the reasons why *our* clients trust and use us, but I don’t know the reasons *your* future clients will trust and use you. That bit is up to you. But as Steve says, you make money solving people’s problems.

BTW DD is also a…[Read more]

Hi there,

Castledreamer and I don’t touch Invercargill for bird dogging for many reasons – one of which is that our good friend and fellow bird-dog Westan has got it covered. I believe he has some properties there at the moment for sale, so check in with him and get on his list.

cheers-
Mini

joy to the world

Hi there,

Bird-dogging is like a small on-spec freelance business. It’s like you do the work and get paid if someone likes your work, and if they can see value and quality in it.

Things to ask yourself are:

a) what is my area of expertise i,e, perhaps a type of property or an area that you can concentrate on getting to know backwards.

b) how…[Read more]

Ah! Niki is a total fake! Nikki? Niki? can’t even remember how to spell her name. Back of Burke? An Aussie saying that someone from the USSR wouldn’t know. And yeah, the english degeneration is another red flag…as is the ‘accidental’ russian spelling of Aussierogue’s name. HAAHAHAHA Busted!!

now let’s play the ‘let’s guess who Niki is’.
Which…[Read more]

The Kiyosaki fiction thing is just an accusation because Kiyosaki has never named Rich Dad. So what, I say!

“As for J.T Reed being the saint he proclaims to be, I leave you with the title of one his books: ‘How to Buy Real Estate for Little or No Money Down’.”

Treed is such a hypocrite. He rubbished de Roos for saying that (kay – I didn’t r…[Read more]

Hi there,

the first question, what I do is have a NZ bank account both with internet banking and an ATM card. This means you can withdraw your NZ currency in local cash equivalent, anywhere in the world. brilliant. I also have internet banking, which I use not for o’seas transactions but to pay rates and other NZ bills etc online.

You don’t want…[Read more]

Storage is a biggie for me.
We have an attic in this house with good access, and it’s a godsend.

Decor is important. Neutral i.e. white, beige, cream, offends the least amount of people and if using dark colours, like for feature walls etc, navy blue offends the least amount of people. Purples, reds, greens, yellow are very personal and can make…[Read more]

yes, yes, and yes to all who posted after me!

I just hate how FEAR headlines have this kind of attraction for….OK I’ll say it….all the people who aren’t doing anything, who are looking for validation for doing nothing.

“look, these guys are crooks, leading people astray, it doesn’t work, they are hoaxes, I knew it, I am right to do…[Read more]

I was extremely tempted to enter the Aussie Market a few months ago. I am so glad I didn’t.
6 and a bit percent yields seem to be standard, with maybe 7 percent if you’re lucky, or perhaps do a reno. But that’s not enough (for me!) to break even. I’ve been spoilt by 20 percent plus yields in NZ which I created by doing renos.

And capital gains?…[Read more]

I totally agree! Apartments….*holds up cross and gets wooden stake ready*

I too have read the sad statistics of Melbourne apartments and i wouldn’t imagine Auckland apartments to be much different.

Read this:
http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/bulletin/EdDesk.nsf/All/716CA9A406A48FDACA256C170010BF31

“Investors have rushed into new inner-city…[Read more]

I’ve just read his guru watch list and I reckon I could just about rebut every single one.

And you know what, if I thought he would read it, or post it on his site, I would.

Just picking one at random:
his words I have quoted, unquoted is me.

“26. Advocating the use of independent, percentage-of-the-gross property managers.”

um, yeah….

“…[Read more]

What I so GET is how when you’ve realised how it all works yourself, you don’t want to be on your rich island alone, you want all your mates to be there too. it’s natural to want to share that with people. OK, not every successful investor is going to have the ‘calling’ to go public with information, and take it as big as demand will let them. But…[Read more]

“deeper desire to grow”

AHHHHHH Manic
You’ve utterly nailed it!
Wanna be my new best friend?

Absolutely and totally.

Kaye, I hear ya about the things going on in the world that we feel powerless to stop.

The richer I become the more power i will have to change the world for the good. Money is just another form of leverage. A poor person is…[Read more]