Preparation is the key to auction day survival. The anxiety and stress you feel leading up to the big day can be slightly eased by being familiar with the auction process and having a plan for how to deal with issues that may arise. Know the value of your home Ask your real estate agent…
Some of us pay off our home loan as a top priority, while others are happy to stick with the 30-year repayment term. Which is the better option? If you are the type of person who hates debt, you probably think it is a no brainer to pay off your mortgage quickly. After all, the…
You can ignore your super and hope that one day it will be able to support you in retirement, or you can take an active involvement in its growth. For a comfortable retirement, Australia’s super industry research body, the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) has estimated a couple would need an annual income of $59,971.…
The digital revolution has placed Australia on a fast trajectory to becoming a highly automated, cashless society. Some experts believe we will be cash free as early as 2022 and research indicates that over the next 20 years, 44% of current Australian jobs are at high risk of being affected by computerisation. The Australian Payments…
If only a knock down rebuild was as simple as bulldozing an old home and putting a new one in its place. The reality is often a lot more complicated and can involve hidden costs and unwelcome surprises. This might include finding asbestos or coping with the costly replacement of aged water, electrical and sewer…
Business owners who purchase their workplace property through a self-managed super fund (SMSF) can pay rent to themselves, rather than a landlord. Using your SMSF, you can purchase the property in which you run your business. You can then lease this commercial property back to your business – you become the tenant and you pay…
Australian brokers are among the lowest paid in the world, according to a new global research report by the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA). The study looked at remuneration structures in Australia, Canada, Holland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the USA. It found that lenders in Australia pay brokers an average remuneration…
As a first-time property buyer, it can be hard to know which is the best way to enter the property market. Should you buy a property as an investment to rent out, or should you wait until you can afford to buy your own home to live in? A Google search on the topic is…
Your relationship has broken up but you decide to stay on in the family home. How you handle your mortgage will help smooth the way for you to buy out your ex-partner’s share of the property. It’s not as simple as removing your partner from the mortgage agreement Australian law forbids a person from taking…
Here are four easy ways you might be able to legally reduce your tax bill as a property owner without cheating the system. 1. Own your property for at least 12 months before you sell You might be keen to sell your investment property straight away, but if you can resist for 12 months you…
