Thanks Chris-Syd, While you are at it, what is a IMHO & LVR?  Is there a posting somewhere, where I am supposed to have picked up on the shorthand?

I recommend looking at the Australian Bureau of Statistics site (http://www.abs.gov.au/).  They can tell you a lot of what you are looking for, plus the latest cencus is due out any day now.  Placing the name of suberbs will often give you links to local council web sites also, these can be very insightful, as far as any new developments, plans an…[Read more]

I live in a mining town myself.   Place is located in North East Arnhem Land, called Nhulunbuy – better known as Gove.  Known mostly as a bauxite mining town, remote area where the people earn big bucks.  But if you dont work for the mine, you rent. Rent costs no less than $650/week and more like $700- $800/week.  Extreme housing shortage.  I hav…[Read more]

Hi Sunsetred, Just a side note.  You mentioned you are working in Blackwater.  I purchsed an IP there about 5 months ago.  Are your IP's from there also? Was glad to read the mines are going strong there.  Took the advise of a friend who had been researching the area for a while and bought quickly…. never been there nor do I plan to go ther…[Read more]

1st IP purchased for $300K 2 years ago.  rented for $800/week, valued at $360K 2nd IP purched for $270K 5 months ago rents for $320/week, valued at $350K 3rd IP purchased for $220K 5 months ago – halfs with sister in law and rents for $400/week (doubt value has raised?).  Shareholder in consortium (talked my family into investing 'safely'; we pur…[Read more]

Much like 'A New Man' mentioned in  their post, we sold our first property, purchased a car… and got hit with CGT. Ahhh However we wanted to sell and needed the car, and the CGT was a good lesson.  We had not researched this enough and should have looked into it more (in case this is relevant).  We researched sale prices in the area, adverti…[Read more]