Only thought would be that put an advert in the local paper. If your pool is accessible by truck, people building a pool will love that they don’t have to pay a fee for dumping their soil somewhere. You should not have to pay anyone for soil. If a truck cannot get up to your pool and you are willing to shovel and barrow, at least you could do it…[Read more]

If you are using a solicitor, I’d be asking him/her about this. Whatever advice you get on this forum, you need to KNOW exactly where you stand.

Wylie

I would not take out contents insurance because I assume you don’t have any contents in the house. Just take out building insurance so it if burns down before you settle you are not just buying a pile of ashes.

When you renovate, just increase the insurance to cover the cost to rebuld from scratch. Don’t forget to add things like clearing the…[Read more]

We use Ron Webb – 3343 6333 – at Mt Gravatt and are very happy with his office. We don’t have a trust set up but he has given my parents advice in this department and knows his stuff. I don’t know whether he is a property investor, but he can answer any property and tax questions we put forward.

Wylie

I totally agree with fernfurn. Get it rented from day one and no hassles with building. Save that for later in the scheme of things.

Wylie

While my mother in law was visiting for an overnight stay (arghhhh!!!!) we all sat down for a game of Monopoly. How I hate Monopoly. With three boys it always ends up being a no holds barred, all out competitive war!!!

Whenever we play it, we end up skulking around in the doldrums afterwards because someone cheated, or wouldn’t sell someone else…[Read more]

I would try to not pay for the second plumber. I agree that you don’t have much weight in the matter because the PM is holding the money, but I’d be giving it a try.

I manage our IPs myself, have done for about 25 years. My parents have managed their own IPs for 30 years. I could count on the fingers of one hand the problems we have had over that…[Read more]

Don’t forget Cannon Hill, Morningside, Carina, Greenslopes, Holland Park, Holland Park West.

Wylie

Personally, we have a shower over a bath, which I loathe, but we had to make a choice and couldn’t fit a bath and shower and I had heard so many times “you must have a bath” we went that way..

My close relative who used to sell real estate always said you MUST have a bath if possible. Most families want a bath. I know with our IPs that on the…[Read more]

We rented our latest IP in January and within the first week or so our tenants reported (self managed by us) a black ant problem. We got our trusty pest man to treat them (the ants, not the tenants).

House was spotless but when we renovated we noticed tiny black ants in the new bathroom. Once they put food in the cupboards the ants found it in…[Read more]

Seqrents do take private house ads but I have tried a couple of times, a couple of years ago with no answers. Their site has a lot of apartment complex type properties and this seems to be where their expertise lies.

Wylie

Simon,

I think you may have misinterpreted my post, or perhaps I didn’t word it as well as I could have .

Our broker simply told us during discussions about keeping our top up loan totally separate, that many clients do the opposite and claim interest. He certainly wasn’t advising us one way or the other. He suggested we check with our…[Read more]

We have a separate loan which we use if we need to top up our repayments on our negatively geared last purchase. Our broker said many clients do claim the interest. Our accountant said not to take the risk.

Much as we respect our broker, we chose not to do anything that will jeopardise our position regarding the ATO. I have heard audits can be…[Read more]

In Queensland you can only charge four weeks’ rent as bond, unless the rent is over a certain weekly amount.. I don’t know if anyone has got around this but would like to hear from anyone who has because sometimes four weeks’ rent doesn’t cover the damage tenants can leave.

Wylie

I don’t know if you self manage or not. It sounds like you do and if so, get a copy of the ingoing condition report. As far as I am concerned, he should be up for cleaning the house and grounds to a standard that he started with. Of course, he is not up for general wear and tear but as far as dirty windows, shower recess etc, he needs to leave it…[Read more]

Could you rip up the carpet, (write it off against your tax), and then polish the floors?

I don’t know what your floors are like. If you are on a concrete slab, maybe put down a floating floor.

It would be a shame to replace the carpet and then have the same problem again.

Wylie.

Personally, I’d go the polished floorboards. I would never attempt it myself though. All credit to those who have, but a close relative who was a real estate agent for many years said she had seen some really ordinary do-it-yourself jobs which detract rather than add to value of a house.

For the work involved, heavy machinery, stinky fumes, it is…[Read more]

Simon is right. If they are in breach of the lease, your PM can start proceedings to get them out NOW. In Qld they only need to be 7 days overdue to be in breach and for the appropriate paperwork to start.

If they do pay and you want to get them out at the end of the lease you (or your PM if you are using one) need to give them the appropriate…[Read more]

Thanks brahms and mja. I have forwarded the thread to my friend. Much appreciated.

Cheers, Wylie.

Thanks Brahms. The apartment is on floor 20 with three bedrooms, two carparks, 8 square metres of storage space, two bathrooms, gym and spa.

Does that spec seem okay for $920K. Apparently they put down 10% now as deposit.

My friend’s father is happy but her mum is a bit worried.

Thanks, Wylie