I have to disagree that sellers are greedy. Would you not want the best price for your house?

I also disagree that sellers chose their agent simply because they give an inflated price estimate. I don’t think all people are that one-dimensional or so easily have the wool pulled over their eyes.

Unlike the bad old days, my understanding is that…[Read more]

I think you will find agents inflate the estimated price simply to “buy” the listing. It is nothing to do with their self-esteem. Many people will go with the agent who tells them their house is worth $600K if the other agents are saying $550K. The $50K difference is nothing to the agent.

Of course, once the vendor is signed up, they then start…[Read more]

If your agent is prepared to put in the low offers, go ahead, but beware of two things –

1. Agents will get sick of wasting time on offers that they believe have no chance of being accepted.

2. Many vendors will be so annoyed at your lowball offer that they would probably sell to the devil rather than negotiate further with you.

I know of…[Read more]

I have read in other answers on this forum that you can buy a kit for about $10 or so from newsagents (or maybe it was post offices) in some states. I have always wondered why people don’t download them for free, but maybe RTA Queensland is just generous. Could this buying from a newsagent be the answer for NSW forms?

Wylie

RTA is Residential Tenancies Association. I don’t know how to put a link but a Google search will bring it up. I don’t know where you are but I assume each state would have a similar site. They explain what you need to do at the start of a tenancy, what forms must be given to tenants etc. You download the forms, fill them in on the screen and…[Read more]

I manager our IPs myself. I get all the forms and information from the RTA website. We live close by so it is simple for me. I have had very few problem tenants over nearly 30 years and have heard many stories about slack PMs, so why not save yourselv some money.

I put any receipts during the year into a folder for that particular house and at…[Read more]

Only thing I can think of is that you could give a solicitor a phone call. They will tell you quickly whether your idea has worth.

I would think the big company will tell you to “go whistle”.

Last year we took the same type of risk, got owners permission to start renovating and the more we spent, the more anxious I became about the “what if…[Read more]

Hi Lena.

With our latest purchase we asked our solicitor to seek a letter from the vendor’s solicitor to allow us in to begin renovating in the month leading up to settlement. We were flying to the US the day after settlement for two weeks and wanted to make a start so most of the work was done and we didn’t have it all ahead of us straight after…[Read more]

For us (in Brisbane) a house having had termites at some stage of its life is no big issue. As long as it has been treated and there is minimal repair required, we are happy.

Also, at least with Queenslanders you can get underneath and see the damage yourself. Of course, too much damage would mean big spending to repair, but the last house we…[Read more]

I have heard from real estate agents that battleaxe block properties are similar to busy road properties in that they are harder to sell, and buyers will pay less than a comparable property in a quiet street with a street frontage.

However, having said that, they should also be cheaper to buy so as long as you pay less than for a similar property…[Read more]

Woodrow –

Can you actually read? I was asked to clarify an earlier post. I am simply providing an answer.

Read the whole thing before you put your mouth in gear.

Wylie

It is possible some insurance companies may take the view that if your house is worth $200K and you insure it for half its value, they can decide to pay you only a percentage of the insured figure. I suppose they assume you are prepared to carry some of the risk yourself. You may only get $50K.

I don’t know how many companies do this, but I do…[Read more]

As it is not your money, I would keep quiet but talk privately with your girlfriend about your own plans. Could you get her to read some of the posts on this forum and Somersoft to help her to understand the way property works.

What her father does with his money is his business and I don’t think you should place yourself in a position where you…[Read more]

I would be inclined to tell them you will call it even, your damaged covers for their damaged shirt. Claim what you can on the covers either under insurance or write the couch off on your tax return – and then give them an old sheet to cover the couch with.

Wylie

[thumbsupanim]

I agree with the above comments. It is his wish to have broadband and it is his cost. I do, however, also agree that if it meant getting the house rented then $250 is less than a week’s rent, and could be worth spending as an enticement.

However, as he has already moved in, he should be on a lease and is going to stay for the term of the lease so…[Read more]

Could I suggest if you go down this track, that having visited a few of these types of facilities in Brisbane there are two things (in my opinion) that are essential –

1. Glass partition between 59 excited children all yelling at each other at the loudest possible level and the parents, who are trying to chat to each other without yelling.

2.…[Read more]

We only have bought old houses. This one sounds like a good one, so maintenance would only be repaint every so often. If you are careful and don’t let it go too long the repainting should only be a quick coat and not require too much preparation.

Apart from that, in the inner 5km we buy, that is what people want.

Wylie

Please don’t act on these suggestions. It is not the cats that are to blame, it is their owners. I don’t know what to suggest but feel sure there must be something that cats don’t like that you can spread around your yard to deter them, but that will not harm them.

Why not do a google search, or give your local vet a call. I’m sure they will have…[Read more]

We have “dressed” houses for sale. We use appropriate furniture and accessories from our own house and my mother’s house. It really makes a big difference to the look and a huge improvement on an empty room.

We have a good eye for design and have enough “spare” leather couches, prints, coffee tables between us to make the house look great. People…[Read more]

We actually try to stay in the same inner 5km area because we are too lazy to do any research and we know this area like the back of our hands. There are streets I would not buy into and streets I’d rush to buy into.

Wylie.