I'd be happy with 4 x average wage (68k or so) as the median house price country wide (270k or so).Anti speculation laws may help but I'm still placing money on the thing correcting because of it's own debt burden.Thing is, bottom end prices are still expensive compared to middle/upper prices. It's like every Australian is convinced that whatever…[Read more]

fword, I get how you are saying land is unique and mass produced consumer goods are not but1) Why is land in Australia still worth more than land in America, or Ireland, or so on?2) Why is food so cheap? Each carrot that grows is unique to the next. Why does no-one care about a carrots uniqueness?3) Why is labour so cheap in many markets? Each…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
Since when was this ever a 'goal'? People set out to make life easier and better for themselves, NOT make life miserable for everybody else. Don't develop a complex here.

Flipside is, the easier the lives of people around you are, the easier yours will also become.Imagine where everyone just worked a single job to afford their…[Read more]

xdrew wrote:
The market HAS bottomed .. and before it starts up again its going to need a supply of people able to get loans. IF as predicted the credit markets overseas seize up .. then even with cash, equity and baseball cards .. you wont be able to pick up a loan from the banks for love or money. That'll plug the flow of cheap money. And as…[Read more]

Papers post whatever sells.If doom and gloom is selling – tey'll post that. If rising house values are selling, they'll post that. It is however a kind of positive feedback loop. Papers sell based on what the public wants to read and they read what the papers post. So bad news generates bad vibes which generate bad news and vica versa.To the OPs…[Read more]

fWord wrote:

ummester wrote:
Your in now, make the most of it. Trying to get out could actually turn out worse. If you have your finances in order, you should be fine.

Interesting that we mention getting out of the market. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. However, I've planned not to get out of my properties for at…[Read more]

fWord wrote:

mattsta wrote:
''This has potential to be significantly worse than the Lehman Brothers collapse and the subprime crisis because now we are talking about nation states,'' Mr Norris told BusinessDay.That's quite concerning. I guess I may have to brace myself for the oncoming GFC2 – What are you all doing to protect yourself (or at…[Read more]

That's quite concerning. I guess I may have to brace myself for the oncoming GFC2 – What are you all doing to protect yourself (or at least be cautious)?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________Not buying a house:)

for 15k, what does it matter? Some televisons cost more and most of us pay more in tax:)If you buy it outright you would be positively geared to the tune of $80 PW – how will that work with your tax (I don't know the ins and outs of it). What are the holding costs and stuff? Does the local council have any out of the ordinary requirements of h…[Read more]

Has been a boom for buyers who got in before 2004:)Wonder if there are any of them out there who were smart enough to buy upbig before 2004, sell it all off since and stay out?

Investment Guru wrote:
Australian Properties will be doing a rebound from recent drops. Goverment steps are being done in order for the drop to stop or be at moderate levels. Anyway it's still a Buyers Market out now. cheers

What steps?And, if they do take them, all they are doing is kicking the can further down the road. This may impact on…[Read more]

Who says the end is coming? World didn't end after the great depression – there was a war but after that things really took off in a good way. I don't think of it as an end but a prerequisit for new, more sustainable growth.And no, I don't have property, or much gold or shares. Just a healthy deposit and a reasonably secure job. I plan to use my…[Read more]

In light of the Euro debt crisis, it could be timely to remind everyone what happened to Australia in the last great depression.From wikiAustralia's extreme dependence on agricultural and industrial exports meant it was one of the hardest-hit countries in the Western world.[58] Falling export demand and commodity prices placed massive downward…[Read more]

sapphire101 wrote:
Just remember, being a landlord ain't easy. You have to manage the manager and it's very proactive when they don't get things right.

So why not just manage it yourself? Save money and get things done the way you like.

Many REAs try on more than what they are legally justified to do with rentals. All tenants should get to know their own state law with regards to rent increases, inspections, property maintainance and so on – I think most would be pleasantly surprised by what they find out.Personally, I'm wonderring if some of the big RE firms currently have…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
That's right, or perhaps the forum is quiet because the property market is quiet.

I agree with you again – wonder of wonders:)I also, obviously, post at a bear forum and it is remarkably quite also with regards to housing. Busy with global economics and stuff. The housing market is going through a massive calm before the storm, I'd…[Read more]

fWord wrote:
but this is key: sell when the news is exceedingly good, and buy when the news is exceedingly bad.

That I totally agree with fWord.Late 2009/Early 2010 – what an awsome time to sell. things were on the up and up from 2008. 2007 likewise.As for buying, I recon the news has to be worse than 2008. Fundamentals are worse but news (and…[Read more]

khorask wrote:
Her plan atm is for a new start.. not a 'quick getaway asap'. Why sell it for 50k less when she could get 50k more and just wait for the best time to sell ? Also, how would she know the 'prices' of the houses in the street to begin with ? (there are none on sale)

Sorry, I confused area with street. You did mention prices in the…[Read more]

Why doesn't she sell for 50k less than the other houses in the street? That way it should move quickly.My 2 cents, it will be an easier sell now than this time next year.

Scott No Mates wrote:
not in the least. Everyone assesses their own risk & exposures. The ones who bear the risk are the investors & the bank. Neither control the market.

So if a whole bunch of wannabe PIs get in on the action – that's not going to effect the demand side of the equation, the consequent rises in equity and lowerring of bank…[Read more]