This year has been like no other. Even while we are living through a pandemic, the usual milestones and celebrations are continuing. As we count down the weeks until Christmas (and Christmas spending), many unemployed Australians and struggling business owners may find it difficult to get through the financial pressures of the festive season. Last…
How astute landlords can secure their rental returns, in any market The latest National Residential Vacancy Rate figures from investment research house SQM Research have some investors feeling uncertain. The figures show that in some parts of the country, vacancy rates are still substantially higher than previous years. These increased vacancy rates, combined with amendments…
First homes, like first loves, are important milestones in our lives representing more than just bricks and mortar. And like our first loves, most of us eventually move on from our first home. Needs change, families grow and we find ourselves looking for a new property. This is often a time that property owners turn…
With official interest rates trending downward, shrewd mortgage holders may take the opportunity to call their lender to ask for a better deal. But when even a small interest rate reduction means potential savings of thousands of dollars, is a simple phone call really enough to get you there? In 2019, ‘your interest rate should…
Is the key to saving a home deposit as simple as giving up smashed avo toast for breakfast? Well not quite, but spending less does make a difference. Increased savings will of course help in accumulating funds for your deposit but also the bank’s are increasingly evaluating living expenses in the application process. Many major…
There’s an old saying that you should never judge a book by its cover, and this is true for houses – after all, who would buy one having never seen more than the front door? Open inspections are opportunities to really flick through the pages, and here’s how to take full advantage. Really use your…
With the ongoing concerns about increasing property prices, home ownership , the cost of living, and small or no wage increase , the question that continues to come up in general conversation is ‘how will our children ever enter the property market?’ Did you know that approximately 28% of our Australian population at any time…
Be realistic about what you can afford to borrow and repay. Understand that borrowing calculators only give you approximations. Get the facts . Planning to renovate or have kids? Check your plans aren’t going to stretch your budget too far.Cover your income and mortgage with insurance in case of illness, death and disability as well…
A recent study1 showed that 39% of Australians wouldn’t have enough savings to maintain their lifestyle if they lost their income for 3 to 6 months. In fact, an alarming 17% would find it difficult to get hold of $500 to $1,000 in an emergency. For millions of Australians, maintaining a lifestyle simply means paying…
In today’s market there appears to be an abundance of credit available with banks continuously making offers to customers for new credit cards with pre-approved limits or allowing you to simply ‘tick a box’ to increase your existing credit card’s limit. As a result many of us have access to a large amount of credit…