Landlords
The true costs of investing without expert advice
Property investment has achieved an almost religious following among a large swathe of the country’s population – zealous in their devotion to building portfolios. It’s understandable of course. For starters, home ownership is so deeply ingrained in our nation’s psyche that we’ve classed it as ‘The Great Australia Dream’… and this appeal has flowed into…
Read MoreThe simple solution turning negative investments into positives
Sometime investors are too quick to judge whether a holding is ‘successful’ and end up making the wrong decision about whether to hold or sell. Now, I admit I’m not immune to the occasional bad decision. More than once I’ve reflected on what possessed me as a 20-something to make dubious shirt selections for those…
Read MoreHow the government delivered an ‘accidental investor’ boom
Cause and effect is a well know law of relationships. In 2020, there was an almighty cause, which brought an incredibly response across political and social landscapes. But another lesser-known law is, “If you’re going to throw a party you’ve got to expect a little damage.” In other words, things implemented to bring about one…
Read MoreAverage distance investors are buying from where they live – A surprising Result
In round figures, approximately 2.2 million Australians own an investment property – which is less than 10 per cent of the population. Of these investor figures, the vast majority own just one holding (over 70 per cent). I firmly believe that investors are getting stuck at one property simply by getting the first one wrong.…
Read MoreMy 2021 Predictions – thoughts on what 2021 will deliver
Profound predictions, bold statements and audacious utterings are not something normally associated with the button-down persona of quantity surveyors. But I’m about to buck the trend. Perhaps I’ve been I’m emboldened by this year of challenge. Maybe I’ve gone lockdown stir crazy. Possibly, it’s just the end of the year and it’s time to pop…
Read MoreProperty Investors are being ignored and it’s hurting Australia
The government’s helping hand during 2020 has seen assistance arrive thick and fast to all corners of the community. And rightly so! Our economy would be tanking into an unholy mess if it weren’t for the help on offer. Fortunately, the past decade’s worth of decent fiscal management has seen the nation in a strong…
Read MoreEnsuring your home is adequately insured – What you need to know
Please raise your hands if you have received the “Dear Local resident” letter in the mailbox offering you the free property appraisal on your property? Yes, it appears we have all had one at some point in time. Today one of our staff brought in one such letter and showed it to me and asked:…
Read MoreProgress Claim Case Study – The MCG Method of Assessment
As part of the services of quantity surveyors, we are regularly commissioned to undertake progress claim assessments on behalf of financial institutions. During the last month, we have seen quite a common conversation held between ourselves and a client (developer) regarding the difference between our assessment of the builders claim and the amount that the…
Read MoreWhat you need to know about short term leasing your investment property
I’ll admit that I struggled with an appropriate title as the above one is certainly clunky, but I wanted to share some tips on how to rent your investment property out on a short-term basis, similar to an Airbnb type setup. My pet subject is depreciation, so I’m not going to let you get…
Read MoreDeductions & Depreciation for all – Why the kids are doing OK
Like any good analytical thinker, I love to hypothesise. Some think it’s a character flaw, whereas I – and those of my quantity surveying ilk – enjoy nothing more than ingesting data, extrapolating the assumptions and producing a conclusion. I was thinking about the recent federal election and the discussions put forward pre-poll day about…
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