Going to re-read now. Both of you contribute such valuable info and opinions on here and it makes even more sense now

Our IP in North Mackay is sitting empty since Wednesday and we are nervously awaiting a call from the Property Manager to tell us if it is ok or not. I check all the flood plain mapping pre purchase however I have found a new one today that shows that for a one in 100 year flood it may just cover our street…yikes. Crossing fingers although apart…[Read more]

In my experience on both ends of the stick I have found  that your standard real estate agency will expect 2-3% and property marketers anywhere from 3% but usually 4-6%. 

Haha not a chance Nathan! I always said if we came across any hurdles, no matter how big, we would still dust ourselves off and try again.

Our original plumber sent us a quote the other night…from $20 000 down to $2,650! Too little, too late as we made our decision to go with the middle of the road quote that provided detailed and quick…[Read more]

I just got two from Australian Tax Depreciation Services – $450 each including GST with site inspection.

Yet to check the figures as I only got them back last week.

They took a while though…just over two months! But could have been the time of year?

Thanks for the idea about calling the Master Builders. 

We have found a really great, licensed plumber, Dirk at Jayden Enterprises, who was referred by someone from the MBs.

He has been incredibly helpful and polite and was out at the property within three hours of calling. I have been waiting around two to three days for most of the other…[Read more]

Hi Dubstep,

Three of us went up there and were laughing so much as it is all so close. By the end of the weekend we were feeling more like locals and I must say going from one inspection to the next on the schedule was made more annoying by the traffic on the bridges. Hate to think what it was like prior to the new bridge being built!

I guess…[Read more]

But still change property managers!

We bought a few months ago in North Mackay (the part just near Mount Pleasant). Having some troubles at the moment with the plumbing but aside from that bought a 30 yr old 4 bed brick house and renting for $590 per week to four young people working in different industries up there. Could use a reno in five years or so but because the rental market…[Read more]

Mozilla I will call them this morning as *sigh* I need to get a fourth quote – good idea! 

Haha unfortunately the fishiest  thing in Mackay is turning out to be the plumbers.

Today the lovely plumber who has had the cheapest figures, been the most helpful and sounds like he knows the most told me he has had a falling out with his brother…the leak detection guy because he is stressed out having too muCh work on but not enough staff.…[Read more]

We have found with all our places that when we are satisfied with an agent but not some of the management contract conditions they will usually agree to cutting these out if you negotiate or just cross them out when signing. Eg we didn't want to pay a $15/mth admin fee, so we crossed it out. Also didn't want to pay a half week rent for re-newing a…[Read more]

Hi Moxi,

Yes this is definitely something I have been thinking about. It would be much easier to manage from up there and remind myself why we thought this place was so wonderful just two months ago! My skills on the end of a fishing line leave a little to be desired however

We were suckers with a scamway presentation when a 'friend' of our tricked us into coming around to discuss a 'business deal' we may be interested in.

When he first suggested it I straight away said 'It's not Amw*y is it? Because if so we are not interested'. He knew we were into property investing and so twisted the conversation to sound like it…[Read more]

We are so unsure of what to do. Things are a little harder to manage being so far away and of course this is the one week our property manager is away on holidays! 

Terry – we checked with our insurance and they won't cover it, apparently as there is no damage to the house. I asked him how we could possibly know if there is damage in areas we…[Read more]

Hi Keiko, 

Yes that is what we are concerned about…the whole open ended scenario. The leak detection guy said it would be hard for him to hear under the slab and didn't want to waste our money. Do you have any properties that had slabs that were fixed?

Also how much did the repair itself cost?

Its funny the plumber and builder friends we…[Read more]

Sooo just had lengthy conversation with plumber number two.

 Definitely is a hot water leak and he said that it is leaking at around 1L per 10s. Said that he may have been able to detect a hot spot if the water was still running but as there is a valve that the  plumber installed yesterday to enable the tenants to shut off the water in between…[Read more]

Thanks thecrest,

I will be sure to ask about this too. I would much prefer $150! At the moment the first guy is suggesting re routing the plumbing through the roof at around $10,000 plus the cost of fixing any damage. We have already decided we are suss on him so even if this is the path we take if there isn't an cheaper solution we will go with…[Read more]

Haha yes Janice what is your dog's hourly rate!?

Who did you use for the sonar?

Thanks Joe, will do.

The second opinion plumber has had to reschedule until tomorrow so results to come. 

We also talked to a plumber and a builder who are each friends of ours here and in Brissy who have said for $20,000 they would fly up there and do the job themselves. In other words that is ridiculous.

So at least it is looking a little…[Read more]