Cheers Bear,
I’m in Sydney and was hoping it may be a bit further off or even on the weekend so I could make it down there but unfortunately I can’t due to work commitments. I’ll see what I can do for you though How much are the discounted tickets?

Noooo [angry2] Tinkerbell’s sold her tickets.. I just called Ticketek and tonight is sold out [glum] And I worked so hard to get my girlfriend interested about it.. [blush2]

Hi Geo,
Due to work and other commitments I can’t make the Melbourne seminar. Would have been a nice break though Tinkerbell, I’ve sent you an email.. just trying to convince the missus now

Hi Nell,
So the lenders want security of your investment property AND your own home? If I understood correctly then that seems a bit odd to me as I thought there’d be enough equity in your investment property to finance the new purchases (I could be missing something here.. a mortgage broker will probably come and corret me I hope!). The returns on the houses you’re looking at look pretty good too. I’m guessing your plan is to use the positive cashflow to cut down the mortgage on your own home (where interest isn’t tax deductable)? Goodluck and all the best

Good point there. I was in the same boat a short while ago and was considering giving the tenants free movie tickets or a bottle of wine as a ‘thank you’ gift. But then I read a discussion about the general public’s views towards investment property owners. I just got paranoid thinking that if I start giving gifts the tenants will think I’m some well off real estate investor and change their ways.

‘My’ view now is that a tenant should not be given a gift unless they’re over the board nice, or go out of their way to look after your property (like the examples given above). In the end it’s up to the landlord as each case is a different situation.

Cheers [biggrin]

Hi Jaffasoft, you forgot to include the phone charges.. i.e. line rental and local call each time a user dials out.. it adds up to quite a bit more. It’s actually more affordable to go to ADSL broadband these days. There are plans starting from around $30 but you’d need to put data restrictions on the account in case people go overboard.. [biggrin]

Can we call you mrdodgey from now on? [biggrin] just kidding. Apart from being illegal and immoral, what you’re trying to do is just not a nice thing to do [jealous]

Hi Misty,
I’ve always been under the impression that the banks didn’t regard RE valuations too highly. The main reason in their minds being that the agent would most likely give them an inflated price (hoping to encourage them to sell). I’ve noticed in general from my experience that bank valuations seem to always come up short compared to what the real market values of properties are. With a unit I own here in Sydney for example, it was valued @ $205k late last year by a valuer organised by the bank. My unit has been renovated and is probably the most modern and nicest in the block. There have been two sales in the block since then, both units un-improved (this block was built in the 60’s mind you) and both going for $235k! I don’t like banks..