June 14, 2013
If you’ve been reading my property investment blogs, you’ll know I feel confident about the long-term prospects of our property markets, which are underpinned by the dual prongs of a growing population that requires housing and a wealthy nation that can afford to pay for it.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
I know some commentators are concerned that our economy will slump as the resources boom slows down and some doomsayers are gloating that the property market has fallen for two consecutive months.
June 7, 2013
When economic news from around the world gets all gloomy, one sector that always seems to get hit is Australia’s tourism industry. But there are some changes in the wind that could be good for certain property markets.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
They’re probably not the specific real estate markets you’re thinking of either.
Read more →
May 31, 2013
Australians seem to have lost their mojo! For much of the past few years we’ve been an unhappy lot. Just as confidence seemed to be returning earlier this year, it took a slump again.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
What does it take to make us happy? Obviously it’s more than money –we’re already the world’s richest people.
Read more →
May 24, 2013
Savvy property investors know how to negotiate themselves a better deal by applying three critical negotiating pressure points. These are at work in every negotiation.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
You’re either applying these points to the other party or they’re using them on you. So let’s look at them.
May 17, 2013
The latest stats from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that Melbourne once again had the strongest growth of all capital cities, adding 77,242 people in 2011-12 to reach mid-2012 with a population of almost 4.25 million.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
Victoria added 88,966 people to close the financial year with 5.624 million people, just under 25 per cent of all Australians.
May 10, 2013
According to a recent article, financial planners often recommend that a couple would need close to $1 million in superannuation when they retire to live modestly, based on current average annual returns.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
In my opinion that’d only give them a very basic lifestyle since they’d in general live off the $40,000 in interest they receive on this, or on dividends from the shares in the fund.
May 3, 2013
Just like successful property investors share common traits that average people might not have, the most successful people in business work differently too. Inc.com recently had a peek at what they do – and why it works.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
Here’s what they found.
1. They don’t create back-up plans
Back-up plans can help you sleep easier at night. Back-up plans can also create an easy out when times get tough.
You’ll work a lot harder and a lot longer if your primary plan simply has to work because there’s no other option. Total commitment – without a safety net – will spur you to work harder than you ever imagined possible.
If somehow the worst does happen (and the worst is never as bad as you think) trust that you’ll find a way to rebound. As long as you keep working hard and keep learning from your mistakes, you always will.
April 26, 2013
It’s official – we’ve overtaken the US as titleholder for home to the world’s largest houses. McMansions on big suburban blocks have long been held as the ideal great Australian dream, while smaller city apartments copped a bad rap as the cheap and nasty end of the market.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
Times are changing. Many homebuyers and tenants find themselves forced to reflect on whether their priority is square footage and a big backyard or getting into a property without breaking the budget.
April 19, 2013
Many young Australian families are having difficulty getting a foot on the rungs of the property ladder. Some blame the high cost of housing on greedy developers while others blame ugly wealthy investors using tax dodges like negative gearing.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
But is that really the case? There’s no doubt housing in our capital cities is expensive, but is it really unaffordable?
April 12, 2013
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. These words seem as relevant describing the Melbourne property market today as they were when they were written by Charles Dickens over 150 years ago.
BY MICHAEL YARDNEY
The latest RP Data stats show that overall Melbourne dwelling prices increased by 2.5 per cent over the past quarter and have risen 4.9 per cent since the market turned in May last year.
Not a bad result! But when you dig deeper you find more to the story.
