Jac, we pay for the convenience in Sydney – atm you’ll find a few 3 bed units or townhouses down around $700/wknd but they won’t be too glamorous. The rentals have tanked a bit due to some changes in the fbt/living away so the rug has been pulled on investors at this end of the market.

I don’t know where you’d be thinking of which would be in budget?

Hi Carl, the budget seems a little tight for a 3/4 bedder (you might scrape a very unrennovated place for that sort of budget on the LNS). Top it up by $100-$150 per week and then the doors should open otherwise you may be stuck around Beecroft/Epping/Eastwood/Cheltenham/West Ryde stations or along that rail corridor.

I haven't seen any further updates from the legal eagles. Basically the courts said that they wouldn't touch it. It may have a knock on effect in other states but each state's legislation is different.

I doubt the OFT will move too quickly on the issue. They'd prefer to remain a toothless tiger.

If all else fails you can use the financial formulas in excel to do the dirty work for you.

Look at Formulas/financial/pmt

=pmt(rate,nper,pv,fv) will return what your repayments will be. Remember to keep your units uniform ie interest rate if annual, then keep no. of periods as years or interest as monthly rate then the number of months of the loan.

I'm with Shahin on this one. 50 m2 is the minimum that the bank will lend on with max lvr but this is tiny for a two bedder.

it won’t harm if you have an extra bedroom

Having just spent a few days up in the Hunter, I did notice a few things: new subdivisions on the south side of Muswellbrook, most of the people that I spoke to who work in Muswellbrook (non-mine related) don't live there (they travel in daily from as far as 1/2 hr away or longer), the rental returns on face value are quite good (just have a look in a few of the agents windows/websites. It is still virtually impossible to find a hotel room at short notice ie potential for another provider if you can find a site and finance it (although I did see an approve retirement village site for someone looking for a change of use).

Get it in writing from the council town planner including the clauses from the LEPRE/DCP.

Some councild won’t allow zero lot lines but others will allow it.

There is also ‘oops’ get the plans approved retaining the wall, build the tie-in walls then oops the old one fell over and gets rebuilt.

Take a visit to Bondi – you should find a kiwi expat or two down there.

But seriously an oz based kiwi would have the requisition knowledge.

You can always appoint another agency to manage the property and getting them to take the condition report.