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 …
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 …
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 …
3 ways to get a foot on the property ladder Creative ideas for younger Australians to invest in property It won’t come as a huge surprise to learn that Australian homes are among the most expensive in the world. In a recent surveyi every Australian town and suburb was rated as ‘seriously’ or ‘severely’ unaffordable. And if you’re in a capital city it’s even worse, with the average Sydney home costing nine times average household …
Property Myth Busting If you’ve always thought property prices only go up… With so much emphasis on property in the media, it can be difficult to sort fact from fiction. But before investing in any type of asset—including property—it pays to consider the pros and cons, and any commonly held misconceptions. We bust 3 property myths. Myth 1: Prices always go up Believing that property always goes up is understandable—especially given prices have dramatically increased …
Tips for selling your home How to prepare your property for a successful sale Property is a hot topic. Like most of us, you’ve probably found yourself around the backyard BBQ discussing house prices, interest rates and local demand. But we don’t tend to move that often – more than half of us have been in our present house for over five years.[1] So if you’re selling your house it’s important to get it right. …
Understanding lender’s mortgage insurance Find out what lender’s mortgage insurance is and how it may affect your home loan. You’re looking for the house of your dreams or maybe you’ve already found it. It’s an exciting time but it can be daunting when it comes to arranging finance and meeting all the upfront and ongoing costs, such as lender’s mortgage insurance. How lender’s mortgage insurance works When it comes to arranging a home loan, if …
