Matt007
 
sounds like you are over analysing (5 years?)   did you actually started with anything?  Pick something , start small and adjust as you go.  Personally I think the main risk is doing nothing.

Behrendorff

Home ownership may in fact be out of reach for many people.    We have had a model were average wage earners could buy a house.  We wanted to beleive that would always be the case.  In many parts of the world people rent for life,  I think that will be the case here.   For me the way to progress was through self improvement.  I am not a great financial risk taker so I improved/diversified by skills and education.  First bought in the 70's when my house was 2-3 times my salary.  Currently houses are 2-3 times my salary.    If I had stayed in the same trade there would be no way I could have had the finacial backing to get ahead.  Others have a different path,  just saying what worked for me.

not really sure what you are cranky about,  apart from your expectations you have no rights to access the property apart from a final inspection prior to settlement.   I can imagine the may be a bit upset that you are advertising something that they currently own and you dont , but its surprising that they would pursue it.   If it is a difficult time given its a deceased estate,  they may be cranky on their side that you are putting your commercial interests above their feelings.   People arent always rationale at those times and the property may have a lot of emotional attachments for them.

good luck with the project once you get over these hurdles

a bargain property can mean a couple of things e.g. good value or just cheap…..how much are you willing to spend?

what sort of suburb specific info are you after ?   there are pay for use services and you can get basic info from sites like :

http://www.homepriceguide.com.au/snapshot/price/index.cfm?action=view&suburbORpostcode=3200&st_locale=Frankston%20North&source=apm

http://www.domain.com.au/public/apm/default.aspx?mode=research

I will leave the futures questions to others.  I have invested in Melbourne recently (and live there) and would happily do so again if I can find the right deal and also create enough financial breathing space to do the deal comfortably.   You will probably get the full range of views from …. now is a great time to invest ….through to it being suicidal.  Suggest you do your research and come to your own views rather than relying on mostly anonymous opinionated views on the internet.   My only direct advice is that if you decide to do anything ,  make sure in the current environment you can comfortably hold the property.   This is not a time to be in a strectched holding position.   But thats just another opinion I guess

"Getting back to the topic. It seems crazy to me to have all the single occupant cars travelling to the same point at the same time and it would make more sense to build another city closer to the new suburbs that have no public transport. It seems to work this way in Simcity."

Its a good thought and to some extent it happens already just due to economic forces but it would really need some government incentives and leadership (how many government departments still sit in CBDs??).   I used to work for a large unnamed oil company that has lots of red and yellow service stations.   In the early nineties they realised that no-one actually cared that they had state HQs in CBDs and moved out to their oil terminal locations.   I work with another evil multi national now based 20k outside the CBD,  its a real pleasure not to have to join the morning gridlock towards the city.     Its funny you still see recruiting adverts with "CBD location"  as if its a +ve.

These people arent millionaires just middle class folks not looking for hand outs.    I provide real world observations, you generalise……..and I have to provide data?  mmmmmmmmmmm  sure i'll get right onto that 

well done with the pic Bardon…..a moment of genius

I did my inventory last night…….I have a shack in the high country, fireams, ammo, water, machete, swiss army pocket knife…..but no beans…..buy Heinz shares, I'm stockin up!!

"Australia is going to pay a high price in human lifes later.Hopefully people will realise this soon or when people will start to die from cancer due to the amount of radioactive dust spread across Australia during the transpor tof it."

This has already been going on for decades in Australia and elsewhere.   Is there any evidence of this happening anywhere with reasonable work standards?  or do you think it will evolve like asbestos?  

Not sure were you live TT but there is the small matter of immigration and births and more single occupant households.   If your country has reached zero population growth thats probably a good thing.   Just better make sure all the boomers die in the next 5 years to fit your scenario……oh yes then theres that increasing life expectancy thing as well.   

Really you have no option but to proceed .   Re the cost,  hard to say without more deatils …but….15 squares, say 7 rooms (if all use downlights) say 2 lights per room plus a couple for the lounge area = 16 lights.   $2200/16 = $137 a light.   If he is supplying and installing and fixing up someones elses non professional work this sounds pretty reasonable.