Hi Snowgum
Wouldnt you be wary getting into something with no experience in a town that was ‘supposed to boom’? I would be questioning to who’s advantage is this vision. Good way to push sales up, any hidden agenda’s. Who really owns the land.

Also, make sure the town has something else to offer and does not hinge solely on the (one?) mining…[Read more]

Hi. Have only just read your post but have been trying to find out about getting loans for NZ for a while now. My accountant tells me that I would pay tax in NZ and have the tax credited to my taxes here. That buying property is not a problem if I have an NZ passport. I have got a long expired one somewhere so will try to resurrect that, but am…[Read more]

Too true Bill. And here I sit on this early Gold Coast morning, the weather sure is beautiful…but…currently it is almost impossible to find a house under $300,000, with possibly Nerang being the only suburb at 220 – 300,000 for end market homes. They have been building apartments at an alarming rate here, especially along the broadwater from…[Read more]

As a newbie I would just like to say that some ‘oldtimers’ posts read as moody and menopausal, some are informative and some are gold mines of information. The mix is all part of the package and you take what you want from each.

There have been a couple of requests for a newbie column and I can see the merit tho obviously the only people who…[Read more]

Hi[] Good idea. I would like to see a column for newbies – with a bit of a key for the phrases as well. LOL, IPPO etc etc

…with maybe a quick word about ethics and integrity!

cheers.

Hi. having read the example I think I assume that the couple have bought this place as their principle place of residence so therefore no capital gains tax, no stamp duty so the profit would be as stated.

However you have an excellent point as more often than not, all those lovely good looking couples on the tele who make wonderful ‘profits’ fail…[Read more]

Thanks muppet, I did check it out – good site and helpful as a starting off point for research. Am now familier with associated persons and assessments etc which would seem to apply in this case.

Just need to see if I am up taking the leap off the fence. Worst case scenario would be that I would have to move there and live in a caravan!Still…[Read more]

Hi Nat 21
I had my rural property valued by the bank for refinancing. Sat in their office and the loan officer told me she had the valuation. I expected 20% less than my own market research of the area knowing banks are on the conservative side. But this was 40% below. She then had to leave the room and turned all my paperwork face down, on her…[Read more]

Hi. Not night owls like you but an early riser! I have two properties right near the uni on the gold coast. One has 4 bedrooms at $80/week each with just a lock on each door, TV connection in each room and the house is secure.

The other home I live in. I have a granny flat downstairs rented at $150/week at the moment and I also have a homestay…[Read more]

definately timber/floating/laminate timber or tiles. Tiles in the bedroom, scatter rugs or not can still be a bit cold looking, not to mention walking on.
In my first investment property – now long gone, we had to replace the carpet constantly, tried vinyl etc and even had a tenant who used the carpet as a permanent ironing board. Also babies and…[Read more]

You can often work out a basic rule of thumb that each bedroom is worth X, the garage is worth X and so on (obviously differs with each area), but if you are paying for your own valuation (as opposed to the bank) pump them for all the info and if possible be there when he does the valuation. Offering ridiculously low amounts is a waste of time in…[Read more]

Yes, you would be right. Thanks Marc. They advertised in the ‘Womens Money’ magazine, a failry new mag which I wont be buying again. I think I am in information overload, trying to understand all this. Am just finishing my Masters in Nursing which has cost me a small bomb and now wish I had invested it in finance education instead. Cheers!

Just a quick note re building inspectors as well. I’m more experienced now but just last year bought a Queenslander, sat on the deck with the buiding inspector and he stated that the deck was safe and in good repair, also wrote this on the contract. The very first day in there my ten year old leaned over the verandah, it collapsed and she fell one…[Read more]

I agree! I too built a granny flat under a home that I bought for 260,000 which is now valued at 500,000. The granny flat cost 22,ooo and is fully self contained and sparsely furnished. It is also rented out at $180 per week to an oil rig worker who is only here every second month. I take care of his dog while he is not here whihc is great as…[Read more]