First home buyers find success with advice and coaching Most of the conversations I have had with clients about their adult children are about buying and paying off their first home. Getting into debt is relatively easy, but high home prices and the need to pay it off make the challenge of home ownership more difficult than a generation ago. This is especially true in Sydney where home prices are over 12 times average earnings …
Dealing with redundancy How you spend your time and money after redundancy can make a difference to your future career and wellbeing. Find out how to plan for your best outcome. When your time at work comes to an end because of redundancy, it can stir up all sorts of feelings, ideas and possibilities. For some it’s a great opportunity to rethink how you want to be spending your time. Fear of the unknown can …
A quick guide to property investment Not only is property the largest asset class in the world, for many Australians it’s also the largest component of their household wealth. Indeed, of the top five people listed on the AFR’s 2018 Rich List, three have accumulated their wealth through property investment. Part of the appeal of property has been that it has proven to be a great ‘store of value’ with prices rising over the long …
Weekly Market Update 7 September 2018 Investment markets and key developments over the past week The past week saw share markets fall on the back of worries around emerging markets, trade wars and the potential regulation of US social media stocks. After being resilient to global threats over the last few months Australian shares also got hit and fell 3.1% to their lowest since June. Bond yields were generally little changed although they fell in Italy. …
What’s next for house prices? The bottom line is we see more downside in Australian house prices. That is, of course, a broad generalisation and it depends on where you live. Australian house prices have fallen for ten consecutive months driven mainly by declines in Sydney and Melbourne, which are coming off the back of a huge boom. Nationwide, there is likely more downside to go with expectations of another 5% decline. We’ve seen a …
Under 40 and broke: Why young people need financial advice more than ever With increasing debt and falling home ownership among the under 40s, their financial prospects are less than rosy. If this trend is set to continue, young people are going to be needing financial advice more than ever to help them make the best choices for a secure future. There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about how much better off …
Weekend saving ideas – for your pocket and lifestyle When weekends are crammed with Saturday sport, shopping and screens, it can be hard to feel like you’ve had fun and relaxed. Discover how to get more from your precious days off and spend less. 1. Plan for all the right ingredients To have a happy weekend to look forward to (and back on), it’s important to get the balance right between the different activities you …
Get real: how we delude ourselves about investments In 1988, I bought $750 worth of special $5 coins, minted to commemorate the opening of Australia’s Parliament House. I figured it was a one-way bet to investment success. They were legal tender costing $5 and would always be worth at least $5, and if they became sought-after by collectors, the sky was the limit. I found the box of coins recently while cleaning the attic. They …
Five things you need to know about the Australian economy Key points The Australian economy grew solidly over the last year. While recession remains very unlikely, the combination of a slowing housing cycle, constraints on consumer spending and still subdued business investment will likely see growth slow going forward to around 2.5-3%. As a result, spare capacity is likely to remain significant, keeping wages growth and inflation low. We don’t expect the …
How to invest for your kids’ education When kids are starting school, will your finances be ready too? You’ll often have many other financial commitments at this time – your mortgage, family holidays, insurance, grocery bills and more. If you think a fee-paying school could be on the cards, how will you cope with another big bill to pay? We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Paul Garner, financial planner and principal at Novo Wealth, …
