Forum Replies Created
Hi Mackers. I have posted a question in the other thread regarding asbestos and would love your opinion and help on my problem. Thank you so much.
Hi Mackers (and anybody else who can help me).
We had our fibro roof replaced about nine years ago. The roofer assured us he would remove it safely, wet it down, try not to break it etc etc. I made sure the kids were not around, but I was home and what a load of rot about the safety precautions. They were up on the roof breaking it, dropping it all over the yard and throwing it into the back of a plastic lined truck, with someone hosing it every so often. I was disgusted, but too late to stop them.
Just recently, a tech went into the roof to fix the air-con ducted through the roof space and he commented that there is lots of asbestos dust up there. I am wanting to know if we should be getting this dust vacuumed or is it best to leave it intact rather than stir it all up.
If I should get quotes for having it vaccumed, do you have the name of a company that would do this properly (rathern than "cowboy" style like the roofer)?
Chamferboards have a "straight" finish with a bevelled edge at the top of each board. Because of the bevel each board sits flat and creates a nice straight finished line down the outside wall. Queenslanders usually are weatherboard and Californian Bungalows generally are chamferboard. Weatherboards don't have the bevel and each board slopes out towards the bottom. They look quite different. Chamferboards look a bit more refined and "finished".
We have queenslanders, and I think you will lose value if you gyprock over them. People generally want VJ walls when they buy a queenslander and I think you could be making a mistake hiding them. At least if you gyprock over them, somebody can take it off later if they chose, but that is a waste of money for you to have somebody knock down your future sale price because of the work they have to do do return it to its former glory.
I have painted many VJ walls, and if you have time, gapping them certainly looks best, but if you don't have time, just paint and gap them next paint job.
1. Probably sell one house to reduce our debt, or I would get a job two or three days a week if we didn't want to sell.
2. No problems for a buy and hold situation as long as rents keep coming in.
3. Highly unlikely, so not really needing an answer.
4. Contact the bank immediately to ask for a repayment holiday for a short time, but less important for us right now as we have paid interest in advance for twelve months, so we have breathing space if hubby lost his job.
5. Wait for the best time to offload it.You probably are too late. The forms have to be in weeks prior to the end of the financial year. New documentation needs to be prepared and signed.
With our loans, organising a prepayment means fixing the rate for a number of years as well.
If you have a big tax bill, why not prepay your rates and land tax and insurance, and anything else you can.
On Entry Condition Form 1a there is space for you to tick that various things are in place and read the meter. We self-manage and have yet to sign a lease after 1 April, but plan to fill out the Form 1a, tick the appropriate boxes as they all were checked by the water audit we had, and sign it, and start charging for water usage. I don't see the problem that the PM is having.
There is plenty of information on the RTA website.
Have used one coat ceiling paint, and as long as it is over the same colour, it covers well enough.
I just freshened up a ceiling using it and it was fine. I have also used the paint that goes on pink and dries white and it is fantastic because it is very hard painting white on white to see where you have done.
Same house we chose a wall colour almost the same (but nicer) and used "normal" good quality paint (not "one coat" type). I made sure that I cut in with good cover and then rolled the walls with good cover, and because the colour was almost the same, didn't have to do the second coat YEAY!!!!
I too am a lazy painter, but after doing the walls and ceiling, the windows looked shabby, so painted the whole house with gloss enamel as well (which I was hoping to avoid). Also painted 21 doors in gloss enamel and for the very first time I used a small roller to roll on the enamel and brushed it to finish. I cannot believe how much faster the job got done and I wish I had tried it 30 years ago.
Wylie
We have been married 21 years and would both have preferred to do a low key quiet wedding, even registry office and a nice restaurant after. Our nephew has just done that, and it was a lovely day and I reckon pretty inexpensive. I am an only daughter so really did the big wedding for my mother's sake. I was uncomfortable being in the spotlight all day and couldn't wait for it to be over.
We both felt the same way, but we gritted our teeth and got though the day. We are really happy and how we felt about our wedding day is no reflection on how we feel about being married. It is just that we are low key types and were both wanting it to be over so we could relax.
Anyway, it was paid for by my parents and the alcohol by hubby's parents. These days many weddings seem to be organised and paid for by the couple, and that gives them much more control over things. (The day was much more important to my mother than to me, so I am happy she got the wedding she would have liked for herself.)
I have three boys and they saw how lovely the simple ceremony was we went to recently. I really hope they meet sensible girls who don't want to go overboard for one day. I have a little plan in my head to offer them the money we would put towards a wedding to put towards a house instead of a big splashy wedding.
Wylie
You will find them all over at Somersoft.
I know things are changing but in Brisbane landlords pay for water. We have always written in to the lease that tenants are liable for excess but it has been a very grey area as to who interprets "excess". It has never really been an issue until the drought hit, and now we are all very aware of water usage.
I have leases due in a few months, and I hope that by the time they are ready to renew, this will be clearly sorted out.
Wylie
My brother works for a landscaper/mowing business in Brisbane. It has been hit hard and he is doing less work right now.
Wylie
If it is a nice feature, I would not paint it. I have lived in a panelled house and understand how dark it can be. I had lights on during the day. But the silky oak was so beautiful I would NEVER have painted it.
Could you put in a couple of those small skylights?
If you paint panelling that is a selling feature you may regret it. If it is not in good condition, that is different.
Wylie
From memory, the comment was made by a moderator (I think) that there was no "secret" suburbs mentioned, just an advert for a buyers agent, or something like that.
This same question was posted on Somersoft and has been yanked for being bait for the unwary. Be careful.
Does this mean that if I build a second house in the back yard but do not subdivide, I am still up for headworks costs etc even if I don't subdivide.
Wylie
With a family member having been an extremely well regarded estate agent, I would very much doubt that any vendor would have someone push a price up to the last minute. It is too big a risk that the other party will pull out and they are left with no sale. Having said that, my relative (who didn't much like promoting auctions – preferred private treaty) watched as her vendors (who really wanted to auction their house) had a dummy bidder make a high first bid, and no-one else bid after them. It was a dismal failure and served them right. There were genuine buyers in the crowd, but the first aggressively high bid blew them away. They would have paid more, but the psychology of an auction is rather intimidating.
She often said that offers prior to auction can be the best price a vendor will get because people offering prior to auction go in with a figure they think will be attractive enough to the vendor to cancel the auction. We had a case in a street near us several years ago where the offer prior to auction was $375K which was refused. Auction day saw the highest bid $310K or thereabouts. They were gutted as the first offer people had bought elsewhere. Sometimes it pays not to be too greedy.
I don't say in the first auction you saw there was not some vendor bidding, but I would think the vendor would not take such a huge risk s to take it to the wire with a dummy bidder.
Wylie
Why not offer a three month settlement with an appropriately lower purchase price. Vendors should see that accepting a lower offer for their house means they don't fork out for rent for the next three months. Work our how much rent they would pay in three months and work backwards.
They may also be more inclined to accept your offer, because the next offer that comes along may want vacant possession, which they obviously don't want to do. It could turn into a win/win for you both.
Wylie
I think you are in a really fantastic position, holding three investment houses for such a small weekly amount, and with a good income. I would hold onto everything and pay off the personal debt as quickly as you can. ($70K personal debt is small fish compared to the assets you are holding.)
We have sold a couple of houses to clear personal debt, but really had no choice. Still wish we had held on, even though it was not possible. When I look at what the houses we sold would sell for now, it hurts.
I'd hold on and never sell.
Wylie
I'd like to know just what $40K would have bought in 2003. Obviously not in a capital city.
If I was young and just starting out now, I would buy a cheapie house, rent it out while living at home. If living at home is not possible, next best strategy (my opinion only) would be to buy a cheapie (best cheapie I could afford) and rent somewhere even cheaper. At least I would have a foot on the bottom rung of the real estate ladder. Equity will increase over time.
This is exactly how I started 26 or so years ago and I have suggested the same to my 18 year old son. He has just started uni and is only working five hours per week, so cannot do anything yet, but I am encouraging him to think about it.
When I bought my first house, it was just as hard to find the money each month as it is for someone buying their first house now.
Wylie
