December 23, 2011
For as long as people have been securing their financial futures, a debate has raged about what type of investment offers the best long-term returns.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
Well, a recent study by ANZ Research called Asset Returns: Past, Present and Future has provided some clear answers – residential property has outperformed all other asset classes over the past 24 years.
December 21, 2011
Happy new year! Well, almost. Since we’ll be seeing in the new year – 2012 – very shortly, I thought it was time for me to write down some new year resolutions this week.
BY VANESSA DE GROOT
There were lots of things on the list, including trying to improve my golf game and become a professional cyclist, seeing as I was recently given a new bike, but I also had lots of financial goals on my list.
December 20, 2011
Many homeowners and property investors are delighting in the decision of the Reserve Bank of Australia to start slashing interest rates, as the global economy once again hits a rough patch and economic uncertainty grips much of the developed world.
BY ROLF SCHAEFER
As the banks pass on these cuts (at their discretion of course), most mortgage holders jump at the chance to save money in the short term, with the promise of an immediate reduction in their monthly repayments. And that’s fine.
But what if I told you there was a way you could save a lot more by taking a longer-term perspective on your loan? What if I told you that instead of saving a few hundred dollars over the course of a year, a 0.5 per cent fall in interest rates could save you thousands over the life of your mortgage?
Interested? Then read on… Read more →
December 16, 2011
At this time of year it’s customary to look at the year that’s just passed and make some forecasts for the year ahead.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
Well… 2011 will be remembered as the year the property market slumped. It didn’t crash like many property pessimists predicted, but it stalled in some areas, dropped a little in others and prices fell significantly in a few spots.
December 14, 2011
Every property investor (except for a few rare exceptions) needs to use a bank, or some form of lender, to undertake their activities. Without a lender, we wouldn’t be able to invest. We need someone to lend us some money to buy our properties and renovate if we choose.
BY VANESSA DE GROOT
But how many people really pay that much attention to their lender, or really research all the lenders out there before deciding which they’ll go with?
December 12, 2011
The demographics of our cities are changing at a dramatic pace. While most are distracted by the state of the Euro and the possible consequences to the Australian economy, long-term property investors should have their sights set on the emerging trends affecting Australian real estate.
BY CATHERINE CASHMORE
Immigration has brought a wonderful diversity of culture to Australian shores, but the effects on property have been startling. The biggest increases in population between the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2001 Census and 2006 Census were from China (64,000) and India (52 000) – two countries with dense populations and lifestyles very different from that of the typical Aussie family. As a proportion of our population, ratios of migrants born in Asian countries are on the rise and it’s suggested that by 2025 they’ll be the majority, not minority.
December 9, 2011
Supply and demand are important factors in the performance of our property markets and currently we have subdued demand and an oversupply of properties.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
This means that our property markets are likely to remain flat for much of 2012.
Recently RP Data reported that based on the current rate of sales and total number of homes being advertised for sale, the Australian residential market has 7.4 months of effective housing supply overhanging it.
December 7, 2011
In this day and age many of us – especially in the younger generations – are used to getting what we want when we want it.
BY VANESSA DE GROOT
But often that instant gratification is not the best thing for us, or our future. “Why on earth not?!” I hear you ask. And the answer is that it’s often better for our financial health to wait for the things that we desire so much.
December 6, 2011
In my opinion, 2011 was annus horribilis. For those of you who aren’t up to speed with your Latin, ‘annus horribilis’ is a Latin phrase meaning ‘horrible year’. I don’t know how your year went but so far as property investment is concerned, I have never known the property market to behave as it has this year.
BY PETER KOULIZOS
It hasn’t been catastrophic, but to have dwelling prices in all the major Australian capital cities fall over the past 12 months is almost unheard of.
Read more →
December 2, 2011
What’s the most important economic question in the world today?
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
While many of us are concerned about the collapse of the euro or whether the US will fall back into recession, closer to home a more important question could be: will the China bubble burst?
