Hang out at your local nursery home…
Make buddies with all the grandmas and read books… even better if you can play a musical instrument.

Tend to their bedside just like their real grandchildren should…
Then at one of their most vulnerable moments..

subtly suggest that perhaps you could look after their assets when they are unable.

The best time to do this is generally 15 minutes after they've had their subscription or during a weekday episode of the BOLD.

Ensure that all that "unnecessary" paperwork is dealt with, and enjoy what time is left with your new ageing friend.

These days with hospitals and aged care facilities the way they are…
you shouldn't have to wait too long for your ROI and if you want to speed things up a little… just makesure she's visit's the Royal North Shore Hospital.

A little effort now, should make for a brighter future and HEY… the returns should be better than your average Bingo night!!

Hi mate…

It's important to note that the US and the Australian housing markets are very different.

Prices are not as volatile here in Australia as the US market… 

As you would know is not uncommon in the US to see a house sold for $100,000 less than what it was purchased for…
Whereas, generally speaking, housing prices in Australia tend to hold their value (especially at the lower end of the market) during a downturn.

Most Australians would not be familiar with the "second mortgage" concept as that sort of thing doesn't happen here.

Obviously there is a difference in the tax systems aswell… this is something you will need to read-up on… (there is a lot of information on this site)….

Now…
I must say you sound like you are on the right track…
If affordability is not an issue, then I would BUY BUY BUY in Brisbane (and buy LAND)…
Buy a house (preferably on the northern suburbs) within 5-10km of the city and you will NOT look back.
Lock in the interest rates… don't listen to the media… and you will be a happy man!!

Just quietly… I recently looked @ 50 blocks, ALL around 400sqm in the city, all around $500K…
I would have bought any of them… It was too bad… they were all sold

If you would like any more specific information… feel free to private message me.

All the best,
Anthony.

I find that the Australian Bureau of Statistics has a lot of handy information…
 http://www.abs.gov.au

Also, check with local council, state govt sites, public transport sites, etc.

It's also a handy to keep an eye on companies like Westfield, Stockland, Meriton, Laing and Rourke, Australand, to monitor their actions
i.e. the ramora fish feeds off the shark's kill.

You might find these ones useful:

http://www.domain.com.au/Public/FinancialCalculators.aspx

Cheers,
Anthony.

Hi Bex,

A true investor can make money in any market.
I respect Steve and his investment strategies and believe he has helped many people.
But even Steve would agree that sometimes PROPERTY (cash flow or negatively geared) is NOT always the answer. Investing is ofcourse about diversification. Property is one vehicle… there are many vehicles to get you where you want to go. All of them have different purposes.

I am from sydney and can tell you there's lots of options…
If you would like some specific advice… feel free to PM.

cheers,
Anthony.

Are people flocking into this town…?
or
are they going the other way?

Hey BigCol…

I tend to agree with some of the other statements on keeping the winners…

Ofcourse to sell, then repurchase…
you already loose out with exit costs, agent fees, Cap Gains Tax, only then to reinvest and pay again (in most cases) for stamp duty, legals, new loan fees, insurance etc… This can amount to 10s of 1000s of dollars.

You could instead redraw the equity and re-invest in other good cash producing assets…

It sounds like you are on the right track anyways…

Keep up the good work.

Cheers,
AC

Mate…
If the strata is cheap…
It’s in a good building (not too big)
no pool, no spa, no sauna, comes with parking, in good area, easy to rent, close to schools, transport, etc, good infrastructure…
for that price… Do it..

Treat it as your PPOR for atleast first six months to get the $7K FHOG and stamp duty exemption… then pour your money into it as if it were a bank account…
Starting small is always the best way to go….

Just make an offer… If it’s in a good area at that price… you’ll be fine… the only way you can go wrong is if you don’t take your first step.

Cheers,
Anthony.

G’day raddles…
I have an investment property in Canberra.
I bought last year and I am VERY happy with the rental return.
It’s also increased in value about 25%, so I can’t complain about that either.

In regards to tradies… I have noticed a HIGH DEMAND and LOW SUPPLY…
For eg. I had to wait two months for a security door to be fitted @ $300… that was the going rate and time to have it done…

I’ve heard of people waiting months to get TURF put down…
If I hadn’t got my AIR CON put in through my builders… I could have
waited a few months for that also.

Canberra has some of the highest rental returns in Australia, partly due to the low vacancy rates in both residential and commercial property…
I think the GOVERNMENT is doing a great job in terms of infrastructure… I mean it makes sense doesn’t it… they all live there… so why not spend taxpayers money in your own region. (OPM)
The Gungahlin / Belconnen / Woden expressway is a fine example of them be pro-active rather than re-active.

The way I see it:
Sydney is like a bastard son… It just sort of happened…
People arrived THEN the plans were made.

Canberra is like a loved child.
It is the product of years of thought, planning and care.

I also get the feeling that despite what Lil Johnnie has said recently… there won’t be a nuclear plant put at his residence in Deakin.

In regards to your query about listing…
I think allhomes is the ONLY choice…
I ran an ad there and had about 10-15 calls…
It’s all about creating WIN-WIN situations.
Personally I manage my property myself…
I don’t see why I should pay an agent $10-20 per week to be rude to my tenants…
This ofcourse is a personal preference…

So wrapping up… Don’t settle for less, Canberra is a quality area which has some great opportunities available…

If you need some tradie contacts… PM me (perhaps I can help)

Happy hunting everyone,
The Contrarian.