i have just had my tax done, i have four investment properties and am a single parent of three primary aged children, i do not have my income and expenditure on a spreadsheet. My account for having my tax done this year was $250 with over $4,000 tax return

margaret Lomas has some good books that offer advice relevant to australia.

too funny kooz!!

My brother and i bought a property together and then seven years later i bought him out. As ai recall i did not have to pay any stamp duty etc. We got three valuations of the property and then i paid him his share. Bear in mind this was about eleven years ago so my recollection may be incorrect

another interesting site is walkscore.com where you input the address of the propperty and it rates the amenities that are withing walking disatce, the higher the score the better.

Your plans will also depend on how much you  have in savings, where you wish to buy and what price properties are. Also, does your partner intend to return to work, and what would be the time frame for that?Are you currently paying an interest only loan or a principal and interest loan on her property? is the property in both names or her name…[Read more]

Wow, you have been busy!! The kitchen is looking great, keep us updated.

i think this is very steep, i would try someone else. let forumites know where you reside, (suburb only LOL) and they may be able to recommend someone near you who they currently use and are happy with

The oher thing i just thought of is, look into the possibility of leasing to international students, they generally pay a lot more for their room and can stay anywhere from a few weeks to months or even years. They are screened by an agency and it may also be  a nice wat for your chidlren to learn more about different cultures.Good luckSonya

MissMolly why can't you refinance the loan? Is i locked in to a certain rate or is it a relatively new loan? have you spoken to your lender about other options such as extending the length of the loan or similar, this would reduce your payments for now, when you get on your feet or as more cash becomes available you can increase your repayments.

i like Robert's books and i have the children's version of the cashflow quadrant game. my children love playing this game and are enjoying learning the value of a dollar. My ten year old son was talking the other day and said that he wants to start working part time as soon as he can and buy a house. My seven year old daughter always beas me at…[Read more]

Make sure the paintwork is clean and not an offensive seventies toning, same goes for kicthen benches and tiles, if they are in a sound condition you may be able to resurface them, or if the cupboard caracasses are good, simply remove and replace the benchtops. Same goes for carpets, go for hard wearing, smooth rather than  textured carpets. Does…[Read more]

Hi Miss Molly, i am also a single mum with three children so i know how hard it is to do this on your own.  If i were you I would look into renting another, possible smaller house and leasing your own house out. The reason this may benefit you is as a single mum you may be entitled to rental assistance to offset your own rental costs. The rental…[Read more]

To be honest you don't need to speak to someone face to face to get good advice. There are some very experienced property investors who are also financial planners on this site. My last three mortgages have been set up by mortgage brokers in Qld who i am yet to meet. ( I live in central NSW) If you find someone you trust you can email relevant…[Read more]

james if you google names like margaret lomas you may find a link to a website detailing upcoming seminars. Pow Wow events also offer different investment courses, not just in property, may be worth a look.

Shane i would personally view $30 per month as an unnecessary expense. i do give presents to my tenants at Christmas, usually movie passes, but i could not justice paying $30 per month. Remember tenants are contracted to pay their rent on time, so they should be doing this as a matter of course. I also have three of my properties rented by single…[Read more]

NFBP.You neglect to realise that most peopl do not pay $500k for a $500k property. They only pay a ten or twenty % deposit. So your figures of losing $107K on a $500k property is inherently flawed. personally i would not be putting money into the stockmarket. it is way to unstable and i don't have the knowledge or time to be watching the market…[Read more]

Jacm, I am always surprised at the poor quality photos that accompany some real estate ads. I have seen photos of half eaten food, rubbish on the floor and corners of rooms. How they expect people to be inspired or interested in a property with those photos is beyond me!

Hi,I have found that a number of developers list houses for removal on ebay. They are often listed for less than $1000 and these are houses in okay condition. They usually are on a large block and it is cheaper for someone to remove the house for a minimal payment, than for the developed to knock them down and remove them..

You're no fun Terry!! LOL