Julian, you might consider getting a wireless modem/router for home. You pay a few hundred bucks more for router and nics, but it’ll do away with the need to have cable running all over the place, and allows you to sit outside by the pool with your notebook. Netgear products are good.

If you go wireless, get the latest standard 802.11G. Further,…[Read more]

James, I take on board what you say.
The Qld Govt has been proactive in courting business to move up here. However, results are still anecdotal.
There is still a strong perception that education and culture are inferior in Qld cf Vic and NSW. Until international and national market dollars are being drawn into the area, then we still have net…[Read more]

Thanks Brendon. I have also been trying to learn all I can about bigger developments. And like you, know one has to be cashed up to carry lower LVRs, higher acquisition, holding, and dev’t costs. The one gotcha that scares me is local council fickleness. I have friends who are big players and they have spent heaps on the best legal representation…[Read more]

I agree with what everyone says above re SEQLD.
Until large corporations move up here, wages and job opportunities will remain inferior. (Of course, what this masks is that the wealth of the south is being artificially fueled by the profits corporations make out of the national market.)

Until the Qld state govt gets even more aggressive about…[Read more]

My parents have had a stack of rental property ever since I was 8. Back about 14 years ago, my mother had trouble with one of the tenants. And it got too much for her to sort out, so I took over.

– as the story goes, it was a 4 pack block of flats in a lower socio economic area. A young 18yo girl, first time out of home, living upstairs got…[Read more]

regarding the USD, I looked closely at putting my money into a syndicate trying to raise $50million to do USD currency trades a few months ago. The trader we were going to use believed there would be a lot of volatility with the USD in the first half of 2004.

I doubt the US would raise their interest rates unless key economic indicators show…[Read more]

Just a few anecdotes on how China got economically strong. I believe it was due to the govt opening up to foreign trade. Everyone else thought the huge market would be worth taking a risk on so started courting the Communists. The US govt has been right there in the front line fostering relations, believing that a more open China dependent on…[Read more]

“if you prefer to do your own researching, then do it.”

there’s one little fascist dictate….
I suppose you don’t have the subtlety of intelligence to understand that two sources doing it has a cumulative effect.

“But don’t decide that…..”

and there’s another.
Can’t help yourself huh Kay? I’ll decide what value to put on a $1000 thanks…[Read more]

Leigh and Mini (who I thought was a guy), not trying to be a wet blanket, but have you considered getting some local knowledge on board?

I’d certainly feel more comfortable with a sheep loving local digging up the due diligence then Leigh, who is going to have serious time constraints and apparently has no long term local connections???

There…[Read more]

Elves, I take your points. Of course, i understand what i am talking about is highly idealistic. However, there are several interim setups one could take towards that ideal. i.e. for one person to do due diligence on many towns is very time consuming. If a group of 5-20 act cooperatively and do due diligence on 50 towns, and share the data, then…[Read more]

Pisces, if you are happy with the detail in their reports, then keep paying your $65.

I don’t think they do focus reports on regional towns either.

Bruce
Mooloolaba, Qld

Mini, I take your points above re refinancing locally in NZ.

Another issue I think you need to provide reassurance on is tenancies. We all know marketeers promise 18 months or whatever of guaranteed returns, only because they do dirty deals with tenants. When that period is up, the owner soon finds out what real tenant demand is like. If you…[Read more]

Pisces, the website would have absolutely no value if it wasn’t carried out at the highest ethical level. It would have to be done strictly to template consistency, in a business like manner, with the integrity of an .org site.

When wading through the postings here, I think of the time we all put into it, and think how much more efficient and…[Read more]

Ado, you might be onto something here.
Reading through this forum and Somersofts, I reckon it would be a wealthy resource for forumites to contribute jointly to a website that kept uniform up to date due diligence information on regional towns, and city suburbs. At the moment, this forum has lots of snippets covering lots of different areas. If we…[Read more]

Mini, there are several risks that you need to clarify:

– whether the loan is taken out via Aus or NZ banks. I was under the impression some Aus banks don’t lend for foreign property. If the loan is made with an Aus bank, then you need to factor in a risk margin for the NZ dollar weakening after purchase. In the last 10 years, the exchange rate…[Read more]

Very apt and succinct Aaron. If we all looked at the market economy with a sense of obligation to make it work more efficiently, all Australian citizens would be wealthier, via increased exports, tax revenue, and productivity. This involves more than just the private sector doing property efficiently. When there are too many property investors…[Read more]

I’ve been considering a similar deal where the labour and capital are unequally distributed.

Haven’t done a lot of research, but have spoken with a few wiley old codgers about it. I have come up with two options:

Scenario 1.
my accountant recommmends just taking a private loan from the passive partner. Any profit or blow out in costs will have…[Read more]

sorry that last reply didn’t come across clearly…..
try again.

1.
they pay for the treatment before settlement and the price stays the same.

2.
you deduct twice the amount of the pest remedy from the original purchase offer, and you will take care of the pest treatment after settlement.

The rationale for the differential being this:
– the…[Read more]

glad to hear that last post of yours. I was going to suggest you make two offers to the vendor.

1.
they pay for the treatment before settlement and the price stays the same.

2.
you deduct twice the amount of the pest remedy from the new purchase offer and you will take care of the pest treatment.

The rationale for the differential being if the…[Read more]

Deception Bay happened at least a year ago.
As has Beachmere and Bribie.
Deception Bay used to be known as the Inala of the North.
The demographic is still pretty bad down there. And it may take 10 years for things to change significantly.
Personally, if you have to buy now, I’d go back towards the city or down to Wynnum Manly.

Bruce
Mooloolaba, Qld