If you’re considering setting up a self-managed super fund (SMSF) to invest in residential property, it’s important to understand the rules, risks and costs involved. An SMSF is just that, but there’s more than one manager and multifarious financial commitments, legalities and responsibilities. The Australian Taxation Office states that the difference between an SMSF and…
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Go to your letterbox and, most weeks, householders will find an offer of a free market appraisal from one or more real estate agents. Designed primarily as the first contact point in what agents hope is a lifelong relationship, the obligation-free quote can be a positive experience for interested parties, depending on how it is…
Bringing up babies and toddlers is challenging enough in the outside world. Your number one asset warrants the highest level of protection in all environments, but particularly on the home front. Help is at hand With sound advice, the right safety measures and surveying your young charge under an ever-watchful eye, you can safeguard your…
Imagine that your dream home is up for sale and you can’t live without it. The only problem is that your current home isn’t even on the market, never mind sold. But don’t lose hope. Bridging finance can be the answer to your property aspirations, provided you meet certain criteria. Bridging finance or a bridge…
Buyers are being warned not to succumb to temptation and borrow beyond their means. As record-low interest rates in Australia attract first-time buyers to the property market at their highest level in years, the Federal Government is relaxing the responsible lending laws in place since the global financial crisis of 2008. The free flow of…
The COVID pandemic and its extended lockdown periods have altered the way most people live and their must-have qualities when buying a property. Expectations have drastically changed, resulting in conditions that were favourable to buyers but now are equally rewarding for vendors. Careful research and advice from industry experts culminate in the top 10 qualities…
Whether you’re bidding for a prized piece of real estate or rare work of art, auction results — on the surface — can be a triumph or travesty. The outcome should always depend on the financial discrepancy, rather than an emotional attachment. But how do you navigate the adrenaline-charged auction environment without overpaying, overplaying or…
The thought of exchanging the maintenance of a larger home for a hassle-free future full of travel, friends and newfound freedom is a common aspirant for downsizers on the move. Given the ideal replacement residence, more than half of Australians and New Zealanders aged over 55 are open to downsizing opportunities, according to Australian Housing…
The concept of strata or unit title is relatively new. Strata title came into being around 50 years ago and, according to the Strata Community Association (SCA), and other research, there are an estimated 270,000 such schemes encompassing more than 2 million land lots (with strata and community titles potentially closer to 3 million) in…
Vertical walls of decorative vegetation have been popular in Europe and other countries with high-density cities, where ground cover is at a premium, for years. Professional installations on a large scale — such as the 24-storey Tree House in Singapore, Patrick Blanc’s CaixaForum in Madrid, the towering green wall at One Central Park in Sydney…