You’ve been dreaming of that new kitchen and dining room for as long as you can remember, and now the time has come to put your plans in motion. But do you really have the budget to afford the works? Here are a few things to think about before making the leap from Pinterest board to blueprints. Work out your budget Before you look at borrowing any money, you first need to work out how much your renovation will cost. Ask An Architect to send you their comprehensive guide to costing a renovation. Before your finalise your plans, you can arrange for a building inspector to help identify any structural work that might be needed. Major work could significantly increase your budget, so it may be w
Given you don’t have to spend much time with your tenants, you may think it’s not important who they are. If they pay their rent on time, they’re ok – right? Not quite. Good tenants can actually mean the difference between a high and a low-performing investment. In fact, finding a great tenant may be just as important as finding the perfect location for your investment property. Here are some reasons why it’s worth trying to attract high-quality tenants. Minimise your maintenance costs Good tenants will treat your property like it’s their own, so you’re less likely to find unpleasant surprises when they leave. By respecting your investment and keeping it clean and tidy, it will show less we
The first six months of 2019 have proved more exciting than many may have imagined when the year began. While the general outlook was potentially of markets just finding their feet in the wake of post-boom Sydney and Melbourne, the influence of borrowing challenges and the national economic outlook played their role in driving market direction too. Of course, in the lead up to mid-year, we were all awaiting the federal election. While that outcome is now known, most observers were presuming a different result and it seems the market were factoring this in during the first half of the year – as you’ll see from this month’s submissions. While there’ll be plenty of column inches writte
At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 1.25 per cent. The Board took this decision to support employment growth and provide greater confidence that inflation will be consistent with the medium-term target. The outlook for the global economy remains reasonable, although the downside risks stemming from the trade disputes have increased. Growth in international trade remains weak and the increased uncertainty is affecting investment intentions in a number of countries. In China, the authorities have taken steps to support the economy, while addressing risks in the financial system. In most advanced economies, inflation remains subdued, unemployment
