Hi Folks

We regularly get rats dying under the floor. And occasionally possums dying the same. They get into the roof, then walk down the cavity, drop off into the under floor space, then can’t get up again. And we can’t get down there either.

The smell from dead rats becomes bearable in about 2 weeks and disappears in another 2 weeks. For…[Read more]

Hi Lee

Have you investigated the ones sold on this site? Go to Online Shop and browse. Then ask on the forum re the different programs and how useful they are. I don’t yet have any of them so I can’t help you there. I only know they come recommended by many others.

Margaret

Hi Lee

How good are you at spreadsheets?

It is not too hard to write a spreadsheet for yourself. It just takes time and effort which you may be better using looking for good properties. A few hundred dollars buying good software easily pays for itself if it means you can easily do what-ifs to your scenarios.

If you do decide to write it…[Read more]

Hi MGR

Re your second question first, have you tried providing references from renting overseas, and/or references from your employment or other people of good community standing?

Re your first question, the ABS quotes average income, not median. In this instance, average is much higher than median as it is skewed by the very high incomes paid…[Read more]

DD

You took my answer right out of my mouth.

Other suggestions for vines are passionfruit, jasmine (though don’t ever tell my husband I recommended this as I object to the smell), various natives especially hardenbergias, wisteria (though that is relatively slow growing and deciduous), climbing roses (some of which grow quite quickly although…[Read more]

I’ve seen the following in several properties recently.

Leaking pipes in bathroom walls may not show up on the bathroom side if the tiles have been applied properly or repaired recently. But can show up on the other side of the wall. Puffy rendering or plaster is where I saw it first. Like the early stages of salt damp on kitchen walls behind…[Read more]

Hi Sally,

There are quite a few of us from Adelaide but apart from Dr X we seem to be quieter than others from Q, WA, NSW and Melbourne. Keep posting and you will find us coming out of the woodwork.

You can also email those of us you find, including me.

It looks like there are many different experiences with fly screens out there so I thought I would add mine.

I generally have fly screens and air cons already in so my tenants don’t have to ask for them. And, again generally, I don’t have problems with tenants over the fly screens.

Except for those tenants who have cats despite the no pets rule…[Read more]

1. There are 2 categories in our (Adelaide) yellow pages under Transportable Buildings – (a) Buildings Prefabricated &/or Transportable (commercial and industrial), (b) Buildings Relocatable & Transportable (domestic).

2. Dave, you might check with your newspaper and/or Trading Post to see if there is a market for private sales of…[Read more]

Hi Surrey

It is going to depend on who built the crossover in the first place. If the developer and they are the ones who put the caveat on your land, then you have a case against them.

But if the council and they had no knowledge of the caveat, then I suspect you will have to foot the bill. Councils are a law unto themselves. We have had an…[Read more]

Thanks for that, Richard.

Next silly question – what if there are additional features such as views which which only one of the properties gets after construction? Adds value to one of the subdivided blocks but not all? Is this ignored in calculating the cost base?

Hi Luciano

We have LPTs in our share portfolio as a sort of surrogate cash component as they produce good steady income. At least the good ones do.

If the 2 end properties are different sizes, who gets to decide how the costs, etc are divided for calculating CGT?

Can the owner arbitrarily decide what cost went where and effectively delay some of the CGT by putting more of the costs to the first sold property?

Would it be better to get valuation/appraisal done at the time of sale to divide…[Read more]

Take care with distributions to non residents as the amount of withholding tax depends on
1) the type of income distributed (ie interest/dividends) and
2)the beneficiaries (tax) residency

Also, don’t forget imputation credits are wasted on non resident beneficiaries.

Can’t the trustee distribute interest income and unfranked dividends only to…[Read more]

A quick update – the property was withdrawn from sale this morning.

Thank you for your help everyone. I have learned heaps.

Margaret

What we did for our kids was set them up with a small (about $10-20K) share portfolio while they were still at school. Benefitted very well over the years – over roughly 12 years they roughly quadrupled and the kids also learned about long term objectives as well as the nitty gritty of share investing. We put no limits on what they could use it…[Read more]

Thank you, thecrest.

You have been really useful. Begs the question as to how much of your additions to the leases comes from bitter experience of your own or others close to you.

Have you had many commercial tenants get really picky over who does what to whom and when?

And, how often does a lessee sub lease or sell their business and you…[Read more]

Thanks for the info, Dazzling.

1. The property is up for sale as deceased estate.

2. I understand your reasoning re buying with an established tenant. I have added that question to the list to ask – why sell now when they could have sold 6 months ago with a tenant.

3. Re leases, since this is my first, I thought I would get someone else to…[Read more]

Hi Stargazer

Don’t you mean community title for shared driveway?

If company title, then you will have difficulty with finance. Banks and others don’t like company title or even moiety title (there are still some of those around the Glenelg area).

Also, check out the property manager if you are going to continue with them. Are they related to…[Read more]

Hi Viral

Have you checked with the “Dial before you dig” number (1100 I think) to see if the pipes are actually there? And where they are if they are there?

I am surprised someone in Sydney Water can’t help. Try to find someone who knows about easements and the conditions imposed. Possibly the Land development or building approvals section…[Read more]