[old] 2016? What A Year!

 If you were to list the adjectives that come to mind when reflecting on the past 12 months, it’s unlikely “boring” would be among their number. We’ve lost performers who’ve dazzled us for decades, and witnessed humanity at its best during the Olympic Games and its worst through war and terrorism. 2016 will also be remembered as the year of unexpected political shifts, with Brexit’s shock result only outTrumped by the election of a supposedly unelectable candidate to the United States’ Presidency. The year was an unusual period for our property markets, too. Sydney’s price hikes kept climbing, which caught the majority of analysts off guard. The situation was similar for Melbourne, too, but step beyond the south-eastern capitals and it was a different story. Brisbane’s gains have, generally, been disappointing while Perth and Darwin have seen some of their metrics slip into negative territory

A look back over the 366 days of this leap year makes for a compelling tale – so we’ve written it! From page 77, our stable of journalists has put together a state-by-state wrap of the major real estate happenings in 2016. Enough of the heavy stuff – it’s time for summer. As you get comfy on your deck chair, sip upon a piña colada and muse, “This is the life!” we’ve decided to make it even more difficult to deflate the pool pony and head back to work. From page 40, we’ve asked experts how to build a property portfolio that sets up your early retirement. And just to prove it’s not all academics, there are six investors who’ve either ditched the boss or are heading that way, so you can learn from their experience. For superb vacation reading we’ve compiled topical stories under our special Holiday Feature banner. Yarns to help you while away the summer days.

There’s also Eric Wu, who started with little more than determination and tenacity… and now controls a $4.8 million property portfolio. For anyone keen on a little strategy, we’ve discovered how to create instant gains from your projects by completing most of the work before you get the keys on settlement day. In addition, regular contributor John Lindeman shows us how to analyse markets and pick the bottom of their price cycle so you can get in before values rise once more. All this, and plenty more besides. May your summer days be filled with relaxation, fun, family and friends as you make plans to ensure you never need to “clock on” again.