API Blog :: Have your say!

October 11, 2010

How to get your children interested in property


I’m a father of four children and property investor for 20 years and have tried a number of strategies to get my children involved and interested in property. Some have worked and some haven’t. I’d like to share with you my top four strategies.

BY PETER KOULIZOS

1. Take your kids with you to open inspections

When the children were very young, we couldn’t leave them at home by themselves while we were out and about inspecting properties, so we took them with us. Sometimes my wife would stay in the car with the kids while I inspected the property and then we would swap over. If there were a number of properties in close proximity to each other, we would try and find a playground and my wife would stay with the kids while I checked out the properties. So as to make the outing a pleasurable experience for the kids, we would finish off with a visit to the shops for an ice cream, lollies or cake. Read more →

October 8, 2010

Who buys investment properties in Australia?


What do Aussie property investors do right and what do they do wrong? One researcher recently found out.

BY MICHAEL YARDNEY

In a recent report Michael Matusik, a Brisbane-based property analyst, gave his insight into the make-up of property investors in Australia.

Reading between the lines one can see why many beginning investors get it wrong and have to sell up in the first few years.

In his report Matusik said: “Not surprisingly, most are between 35 and 54 years of age, with just one in five being under 35 years old and just seven per cent over 65. Many older residents look to rebalance their wealth portfolios toward more liquid assets. On average, the typical Australian investor holds 1.5 residential investment properties. The vast majority are of average means. Read more →

October 7, 2010

What does latest RBA decision mean?


Slower property markets could mean opportunities for investors.

BY MICHAEL YARDNEY

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) voted to keep interest rates on hold this week despite financial markets and economists being almost certain of another hike in the official cash rates. But with predictions of the mother of all resources booms ahead of us many economists are still predicting four to six rate hikes by the end of next year.

This week’s decision is good news for property investors. The property markets didn’t need another rate rise – the six recent hikes we’ve had have done their job in slowing down our property markets. Read more →

October 6, 2010

What’s love got to do with it?


Property investment can sometimes involve both head and heart.

BY ELIZABETH ALLEN

Almost all of the advice about investing in property tells us that the head must rule the heart. But does that always have to be the case?

Many years ago, I had a weekend home alone while my husband attended a conference interstate.

By the time he returned three days later, I had bought my first house.

The price tag: $43,000 reduced to $39,000. Now, even for 1985 that was ridiculously low. Read more →

October 1, 2010

Where’s the next property hotspot?


One question I’m frequently asked by property investors is “where’s the next hotspot?”

BY MICHAEL YARDNEY

People who ask me about the next hotspot are usually disappointed that I don’t know and that I don’t really care. I tell them I’m not in the business of speculating, instead I make my investment decisions based on proven long-term performance, rather than shorter term speculation.

The truth is hotspotting – seeking out the “next big” boom location – is speculation and not true property investment. To “invest” in property requires the intention of generating long-term capital growth that tracks above average long-term price growth for the area. Read more →

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