Real Estate
The Top 5 Hidden Costs of Building a House
Building a house can be exciting because you have choices. You get to pick the colour of your house, the style, the location, and little things such as counter tops, cabinets, and flooring. There was likely always something that you didn’t like about your home, so building a new house seems like a great way [...]
Timing the Property Market: Is it a Good Time to Buy a House?
As in many other areas of the world, the housing market in Australia recently has been subject to close scrutiny. Multiple factors have contributed to Australia’s high property prices namely decades of the flowing credit with home loans requiring only 5% down (or less). Other factors include the strong economic conditions, homeowners desiring bigger residences, [...]
How to Negotiate Estate Agent Commission Fees
Since the first boat load of convicts and settlers arrived in Australia, real estate agents have not been far behind. Despite the many years they have been operating, their core services have remained virtually unchanged. A typical Australian Real Estate Agent will charge a rate of 3% on a property worth $400,000. When faced with [...]
Australian House Prices: What $500,000 Buys in 2011
It takes half a million dollars to buy the average Australian house. That’s what the typical new home loan is these days. Instead of prices going down during the global finance crisis prices actually went up. So we thought it was about time we revisited our Feb 2009 post on what $500,000 Aussie dollars buys [...]
6 Tips for Choosing a New Home Loan
Image: Omar Omar Once you’ve found your dream home, the one that ticks all the boxes on your list, the next thing you’ve got to sort out is the financing. However, actually choosing a home loan that meets your needs and doesn’t cost the world is much easier said than done. And without a road [...]
5 Home Loan Tips for First Home Buyers
Image: TheTruthAbout Purchasing a home for the first time is an exciting, yet confusing, event. Suddenly you are forced to choose from different mortgage products, complete a seemingly endless stream of paperwork, and commit to a multi-year relationship with one company. Instead of being overwhelmed, the tips for first home buyers below will help you [...]
10 Tips for Refinancing Your Home Loan
Image: woodleywonderworks Are you thinking about refinancing your home loan because you aren’t happy with your current rate or desire better features in your loan? Making the right choices every step of the way is very important and can literally be the difference between you saving some money and saving thousands of dollars per annum. [...]
5 Tips for Paying Off Your Home Loan Early
Image: jakeliefer The joy of buying a home is immense, but so is the cost. Those huge loan payments can eat away at your emergency funds, ruin your spending and investment options, and add significant stress to your life. Moreover, until you have made the final payment on your loan, your home is not truly [...]
7 Wicked Home Wine Cellars
In Ancient Egyptian times it was known as ‘the tears of Horus’, in Roman mythology the inspirer of ritual madness and ecstasy, Dionysus was hailed as it’s god, and in Medieval times, like mead and ale, it was safer to drink than water. Yes, wine has been around for millennia, and our appreciation of the fine beverage has changed little over the years.
7 Tax Havens for Hideaway Bankers
Say, one day, we had just as much money as the fat cats, able to stash our cash in the tax havens of the world… where would you choose to live?