Originally posted by foundation:
Originally posted by Wylie:
I think you can have lack of stock but a slow market. Unless I had to sell right now, I’d be holding off, hence the lack of stock.
Yes, but I dispute that being the ‘problem’ at the moment. It’s not a lack of stock, it’s a lack of sales. Average time on the market is up around 50% in…[Read more]

I don’t know whether it’s coincidence, but today’s quote is:

“Be known as much for the deals you leave behind as the ones that you purchase.” (It’s the fish John West reject, that make John West the best.)

Anyone who has walked away from what felt like a really good deal but which didn’t stack up in the final analysis knows both the pain and…[Read more]

gilad,

There are more assumptions in your post than you may be aware of. Maybe one flat isn’t a good investment, but what about a whole block that you can strata title? Would you say know to a postive cashflow apartment? What about a commercial building where you didn’t even own the land it was on, but which returned 15%

Deals aren’t good by…[Read more]

Cama,

Think about your options. I’m guessing that you have very little, if anything, in the way of deposit (hence your shopping limit). Perhaps you could look for a no-money down deal? Or wait, and save – peoperty prices apper to be going sideways at the moment.

Search out properties that you could ‘reinvent’ to make them cashflow positive.…[Read more]

Originally posted by westan:
it makes you realize how hard it will be for our younger generation (under 25’s) to partake in part of this nations wealth, (unless they inherit it). Given that a large part of people wealth is in Property i would assume that these people purchsed in at a time that real estae was a lot more affordable.

I’d call that…[Read more]

Rule 1: Don’t panic.

Think about your options. Is there a way you can raise the $7000 and keep your heads above water? Have you checked the exact rules surrounding the FHOG, like how long you have to live in the house?

Think of strategies that might work, not of the difficulties you face. This could be an opportunity like no other.

Piggy,

Have you also seen this thread on Somersoft? It was crossposted here a while ago and I assumed that anyone planning to go to the US would have read it. Not updated since my latest trip, but I haven’t sorted everything out yet.

I’ll have to disagree with Muppet. Buying is not easy, but it’s the easiest part. Finance is a real struggle and management thereafter has it’s own pitfalls.

Free advice, Mabbott? I’ll give you three pieces:
1.) Know your objective
2.) Do your due diligence
3.) Prepare for the worst (and hope for the best)

I don’t believe anything could…[Read more]

Speaking as one of the ones coming over there, I’m not actually looking at california now. Over valued and overheated in most areas I’ve seen, although it’s MUCH to varied to make such a generalisation stick.

What I really meant was that you need to define what you are investing for. Cap growth? Then you’ll have to add value, generally. The…[Read more]

You go to the newspapers to analyse a property deal? And if they say it’s bad and no-one’s buying, you don’t buy either?

Not making a buy/sell recommendation here, just suggesting you look at your information sources and methodology.

You could do worse than to read Foundation’s stuff vs. the market bulls in here to actually get some meaningful…[Read more]

I actually think it comes from a 1997 ABS study and may cover structures. If so, it’s horrendously out of date

It may be the red wine, but I see a communication train smash about to happen. Let’s start from basics: you need to know what your aim is before you invest.

I have met Michael and would recommend him to anyone committed to the capital gain, value adding model. But I’m not sure that this is what jgray1982 is either seeking or can afford.

An…[Read more]

Two reasons: Many people are too politely inculcated (indoctrinated?) to be able to do it.

More importantly, many scam seminars are too well constructed to permit such an interruption. In a hall of 1000 people how do you (unamplified) shout down, or even question, a wired up speaker with no compunction about giving equal air time?

It’s not…[Read more]

This is going to sound rude.

If you are doing the course solely to impress, professionally or otherwise, you have rocks in your head. It will not work.

Only ever, EVER, do a course that you have belief and faith in or it will be a millstone while you are doing it and useless thereafter.

I speak from experience.

Foundation,

I thought, being relatively new here, that you were nothing but an old curmudgeon. I now have to eat crow (fortunately not difficult for one born in South Australia) and admit that you are a wily, cranky, experienced curmudgeon. You may not be a hoopy frood, but you really know where your towel is. (I’d note that TJamesX may be…[Read more]

Going back to the original question, if the course seems empty to you, are you then not wasting your time? Can you find a similar course which touches on the areas that do interest you?

You could approach it by asking if having the diploma will benefit you and the money and time cost is not excessive.

Speaking of the tech wreck, anyone want to guess the highest capaitlised tech stock today? Google, at $80 billion which is a P/E of 50!!

Put option, anyone?

This brings on another point – the risk that super funds are going to contribute to the enxt stock market train wreck, not by withdrawing funds but by investing inthe wrong things and…[Read more]

Uh..1965+65 is 2030, just as a matter of interest. Those born in 45 have just about zero super and most of the boomers are going to have very little in super except for public servants who’ve had compulsory super since the year dot, but a lot of that’s govt funded. The population in Australia is higher now than it was in the baby boom and is…[Read more]

Frankly, I suspect that even if Steve’s net worth and annual income were quartered, (a) they’d be bigger than mine and (b) he’d be able to recover in a very short period.

Of course, that suggests that he has a poor talent in selecting business and marital partners. Given the posts to date, I’d suggest that Steve is not the one with this problem…[Read more]

The ATO really wants to know if you are doing this as a business. If it becomes your major source of income, you can bet that they’ll want to tax it as income.