Is a spare bedroom, second bathroom or ensuite a must? Will everyone be safe or comfortable climbing stairs? Does your dog need space to roam? Be realistic about the features you can’t live without. Floor plan and room sizes Walk around the property to get a sense of how one room flows into the next. Check whether the rooms are the right size and shape for your existing furniture and appliances. If not, are you prepared to splash out on replacements? The rooms should also be practical. For example, does the kitchen layout suit your needs? Is there enough space for a dining table? Orientation and natural light Check where the property’s windows are, and whether trees or nearby buildings w
It’s important to look after the tenants in your investment property – it encourages them to stay long term and take care of your property. So how can you keep your tenants happy? By treating your property like a business and your tenants like valued customers. The tenant as customer The rental market in most Australian cities is tight, with plenty of renters looking for accommodation. But that doesn’t mean you have your tenants over a barrel. They pay good money to rent a property and in return they expect a clean, safe and well-maintained place to live. If you can keep your property in good order and your current tenants satisfied, you’ll save yourself the time and money it takes to find
With the first quarter of 2019 behind us, markets are now setting their path for the year. While a Federal Election in the next few months may cause some stakeholders to alter their plans, there are bigger influences than this around finance and the economy directing markets. Statistical analysis is an important resource when assessing property market performance and one of the key indicators is median price. That said, it's important to not just consider 'the number on the page' but also look to what calibre of property you can purchase at an area's median figure. This gives you a wholistic view of what median price really means. This month, the team are providing a wrap of what the median
At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent. The global economy grew above trend in 2018, although it slowed in the second half of the year. The slower pace of growth has continued into 2019. The outlook for the global economy remains reasonable, although downside risks have increased. The trade tensions remain a source of uncertainty. In China, the authorities have taken further steps to ease financing conditions, partly in response to slower growth in the economy. Globally, headline inflation rates have moved lower following the earlier decline in oil prices, although core inflation has picked up in a number of economies. In most advanced econo
