Wynyard wrote:
"I think governments have to do something about housing. Our housing market is troubling to anyone you try to bring into Melbourne."McNamee is not shy about possible solutions. He challenges one of Australia's great sacred cows: the expectation people can buy and sell their own homes without paying any capital gains tax."I think…[Read more]

SteveMcKnight wrote:
I notice in the news today that Buffett is notes as saying he has loaded his elephant gun and has an itchy trigger finger. Is it rabbit season, or duck season? Hang on a second, I'll go ask Elmer Fudd.http://www.news.com.au/business/warren-buffett-ready-for-more-takeovers/story-e6frfm1i-1226012749416It is interesting though…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
I'm not entirely up to date on the policies regarding investment by foreigners. But is it possible that all this money is coming from overseas? Most of us have heard of seriously loaded folk who come over here, buy premium properties with cash and then fly back home.

I am only loosely across it, but I did read that the Fed Govt.…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
In this instance, do the said millionaires wholly own their property or other assets (as opposed to having significant loans)?

It does not matter if there is a loan, but has to be actual attributable equity, in other words a $US1m house with a $US500K loan = only $US500K actual equity. Logically 'x' number will be using gearing…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
Then again, I gather it would be difficult to be successful to be a 'jack of all trades, master of none' when it comes to investing. Perhaps time could be better spent just targeting two or just three different kinds of investment.

No, not true at all. I think you will find a significant proportion of successful investors will hold…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
… I'm making a genuine enquiry: where is the smart money headed? So far, there have been a few answers as I can see above, and taking these on board. But to say that 'smart money is and has been flowing into assets that will do well during inflation' is akin to somebody saying something to the effect that, 'To make a significant f…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
More to the point. Looking at the stock market (which isn't going anywhere in a hurry) and the property market (which people are saying is overpriced and set to crash), where the hell is all the smart money going?What should we invest in? Pig's ears?

You can get 6.4% in plain old U-Bank at call account, over 7% if you go for a…[Read more]

AussieHousePrices wrote:
Hi Pharvie – you raised some good points – and I agree that price can trade within a tight range. Would you agree however, that it’s usually due to one of two reasons – either a) there’s not much interest or trading happening so not much price movement, or b) there’s a lot of interest but it’s a battle between bul…[Read more]

AussieHousePrices wrote:
Hi Guys,  A bubble relies on a constant supply of new entrants to keep it going.  One day, you eventually run out of people willing to pay ever-increasing prices, and the whole thing comes tumbling down. thecrest, I think there is absolutely no chance of a plateau after a boom.Cheers, Andy.

Hi AndyA good article and you…[Read more]

SteveMcKnight wrote:
Hi team,In summary, the government has a choice… affordable housing, or increased household wealth and happy voters. I'm not sure you can have both.Cheers,- Steve

SteveMy bet is on the latter as successive Govts. have ensured most people's wealth is in their home through grants and taxes, therefore the Govt. will have…[Read more]

thecrest wrote:
OK guys, as an economist I make a great motelier, so I'm punching above my weight here, but i feel a pause or plateau in price growth is more likely than a major correction, and should achieve the same result but more slowly and with less collateral damage.What do you think ?Cheersthecrest

Hi thecrestIf when you say 'I feel a…[Read more]

toe wrote:

pharvie wrote:
 It usually takes some economic reason to trigger a significantfinancial event

Thanks pharvie, you have crystalised my point in that sentence.

toeInvesting (for me) is just an emotionless game of timing, probability and risk-reward analysis.If you can successfully use your economics argument as an edge to stay in…[Read more]

toe wrote:

pharvie wrote:
You can argue these points until you are blue in the face, but at the end of the day unless you are just living somewhere and for some reason don't care what happens to your house price, it is an investment decision.The botttom line is most people will not have an exit strategy except to do what everyone else will…[Read more]

nicolas_b wrote:

toe wrote:

white_goodman wrote:
your first sentence makes zero sense.

I can only assume you've misunderstood my point, because it makes perfect sense.

Quote:
From SMHAbout a quarter of  Australians rent their homes through the private rental market — and nearly half of these (45%) are helped to make the rent through s…[Read more]

Hi again GaryRemember this always, contracts are not a one way street, REIV prepared or otherwise, or just for the vendor's benefit. If you don't like something in it or want to add or delete, you have that right (the other parties might disagree, but you can still propose changes).If everyone agrees, you need to get intiials of all parties a…[Read more]

Hi GaryUnless you can in reality afford to pay more, and it is really worth it, it is only emotive and emotions and making money do not go together. It is only a house and there is always another one.Ignore the agents $340 twaddle and change your conditions and get creative if you can and try to make it attractive that way. Give them a deadline…[Read more]

I always find this crash/no crash discussion in property really interesting.  I don't have a clue what the market is going to do, but I apply the following risk-reward logic to an asset being considered for investment:1. What is the probability of the asset gaining as much as it has over the past ‘x’ time as opposed to going sideways or fall…[Read more]