1. Do you know the risks? When buying an apartment, unit or house off the plan, you’re purchasing a promise. You can’t step into the future and inspect the property you’re buying. Thoroughly investigate what the finished product will look like and explore the risks with your broker. 2. Does your contract limit the risks? The contract should be comprehensive, covering everything from price, completion date and your legal rights, to conditions such as: • whether you can on-sell the property before it’s completed • what happens to your deposit if the building doesn’t go ahead • what happens if completion is delayed It’s important to obtain legal advice before entering into any contract.
When it’s time to renovate, everyone wants to save money. It’s fine to be hands-on for some tasks, but there are a few projects that are definitely not DIY friendly. Here’s a guide to what you may want to do yourself and what you should leave to the professionals. What to do yourself Painting A fresh coat of paint can give you a strong return on your renovation dollar. Painting is a job almost anyone can take on themselves, although it can be messier and more time-consuming than you might imagine. The key to a successful paint finish lies in the preparation. Take the time to clean, sand and tape as necessary. Also, choose the right paint for the job and invest in good-quality equipment. Don’
We’ve just clicked over the half-way mark of the year and the markets are looking interesting. A shift in interstate migration and general market expectations, as well as a drop in auction clearance rates, may finally indicate the hot Sydney market is starting to take a breath. Each year Herron Todd White asks their residential team where they would spend a ‘lazy’ $500,000 - the theme paints an extraordinary picture on how markets move. In this issue, you’ll find there are a number of areas beyond the major capitals that might be worth further research. For commercial investors, they've taken a look at the office sector, and specifically, the affordable end of the price range. Happy EO
At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent. The broad-based pick-up in the global economy is continuing. Labour markets have tightened further in many countries and forecasts for global growth have been revised up since last year. Above-trend growth is expected in a number of advanced economies, although uncertainties remain. In China, growth is being supported by increased spending on infrastructure and property construction, with the high level of debt continuing to present a medium-term risk. The rise in commodity prices over the past year has boosted Australia's national income. Headline inflation rates, having moved higher over the past yea
