The unwritten rules of gift-giving The holiday season is full of tough questions. What to wear to the office Christmas party, whether to go in for seconds (or thirds) of ham, how long leftover seafood keeps for (don’t push it), whether pudding is an acceptable Boxing Day breakfast (it is). But the toughest dilemmas of all have to do with exchanging gifts. If you’re feeling a bit nervous about gift shopping, you’re not alone. A …
Should you own the roof over your head? When it comes to the rent-versus-buy debate, like many of our clients you may be weighing up the pros and cons. You might be thinking that you’d love to buy a house but it all seems out of reach right now. Are you asking whether it’s still a good idea to invest in property at all? You’re not alone. In today’s housing market, many people are considering …
Am I better off renting or buying a home? – revisited About a year ago, we took a look at one of the biggest questions in property, whether to rent or buy. We now revisit this debate to examine whether the property market has changed over the last 12 months and how this might impact you if you were thinking about renting or buying a property. The debate continues If you’re following the rent vs …
Put your backyard to work Across Australia, the granny flat is currently experiencing somewhat of a construction boom. And it’s not hard to see why. Rising property prices, coupled with an ageing population, have resulted in an increased demand for multi-generational and multi-dwelling living. These popular and relatively affordable buildings offer considerable lifestyle benefits for homeowners. At an average cost of $100,000i, they can be used as a home office, a teenage retreat or even …
To sell or not to sell? For many Australians, the family home is their largest asset. And if you’re planning to wind down from work, you may be considering what you’ll do with yours. Like many people, you may have worked for a lifetime to build the value you hold in your family home. While selling your home may not be your first choice, if your super balance is low this may be one …
Preparing for the time of your life The choices we make in life have a big influence on our personal happiness and also on the wellbeing of those we love. Sometimes we anticipate choices with a sense of excitement. And sometimes life throws us curve balls in the form of unexpected events and important decisions. Perhaps you are thinking about a career change or how to achieve a better work/life balance? Maybe you …
Dreaming big with property Owning your own home has long been the Australian dream. Even if it means making a significant upfront investment, the long term gains are generally personally and financially rewarding. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the price of an average Australian home increased by about seven per cent a year between 1986 and 2013. In dollar terms, the average home has grown in value by 6.3 times over the …
How can property make me better off? If you’ve built up some equity over the years, it may be time to look at the options your property may give you. Here are four possibilities that could help you: You could buy an investment sooner. Borrowing against the value of your home—which is one way you can access your equity—may enable you to buy an investment sooner than if you had to save the money. …
Gen Y investing in home and away Gen Y has been brandished a generation of non-savers but that is not the reality. Gen Y is saving but unlike earlier generations they are not necessarily saving for a home. Some of that move away from saving for a home comes down to the high price of property, particularly in the major cities. According to the Bank for International Settlements, Australian house prices are the second …
Investing in a holiday home Is it really your great Aussie dream? It happens every year. You’re strolling down the high street of your local beachside town enjoying a long hot summer with the family when a holiday home in the real estate agents’ window catches your eye. And you start thinking: “If we had our own place, we could go there all year ‘round and instead of contributing to someone else’s financial future we …
