mrd

A recent article in Brisbane’s Courier Mail – Price Growth Is Strong Near Railway Lines - identifies that properties near train stations have grown in value faster than those in other areas. This article prompts me to write that “It’s Not What (You Buy) But Where”!

I’m guessing you want the best results from your investment efforts; if so read on.

When describing what they’re looking for, people generally tell me the type of property they’re after. Some say they want a ‘house and land’ type investment, others a townhouse in a certain area etc. I disagree! People don’t really want a specific property type in a specific area; they want an outcome, a result!

You will see people stand up and say they “love” property. I don’t “love” property; I love having choices. The choice as to whether I work or not today, the choice of taking a holiday, spending more time with my family, perusing other interests and importantly the choice of having any necessary medical treatment all without the concern as to whether I have the money or not  – showing my age now

Read more…

About a month ago I wrote an article titled: Caution! Positive Gearing, Positive Cashflow and Risk. Today I want to add to what I previously wrote. Please enjoy “Further Caution! Positive Gearing, Positive Cashflow and Risk”.

Despite what you may read, no one can really promise that a property will produce “positive cashflow” without knowing what your taxable income is. The software we use for cashflow analysis is comprehensive, of a commercial standard and used by numerous financial planners and real estate agents alike. Again, I recommend you be very careful when presented with what someone alleges is a “positive cashflow property”. As interest rates go up it’s becoming a bit of a myth for most people.

Speaking recently with a client led me to run some numbers to determine what rental return would need to be achieved in order for a particular property valued at $325,000 to produce positive cashflow. By that I mean that the rental income and tax savings alone would cover all of the property expenses and outgoings; with zero cash contributed to the initial purchase or ongoing expenses. I used an interest rate of 7%. Read more…

Cassia Park Residences

Luxury townhome living, in a sanctuary of space and greenery.  Cassia is an idyllic community of 75 contemporary Gold Coast Townhomes centered among rolling parklands and beautifully landscaped gardens. This exciting development is well positioned to take full advantage of panoramic views to the mountain hinterland and the Surfers Paradise skyline. At Cassia Park Residences, architecturally designed townhomes will be the focal point of relaxed luxury living.

Cassia showcases two-storey townhomes that take inspiration from previous award-winning collections:  as comfortable as they are contemporary, with open plan interiors that cleverly maximize space and feature private terrace, three bedrooms plus quality fittings and finishes.

Read more…

I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes (he is 66).

We decided to grab a bite at the food court.

I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him.

The teenager had spiked hair in all different colours – green, red, orange, and blue.

My dad kept staring at her.

The teenager kept looking and would find my dad staring every time.

When the teenager had had enough, she sarcastically asked:

“What’s the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?”

Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response; I knew he would have a good one!

In classic style he responded without batting an eyelid…

Read more…

All Framing Work Well Underway!

Riverhills is located in the heart of the growing Southern Growth Corridor of Brisbane positioned 35km from Brisbane CBD and 46km from the heart of the Gold Coast.  The project is surrounded by quality infrastructure in less than a 2km radius including the Pacific Motorway, Beenleigh train station, shopping centres and schools.

The property comprises 12 three bedroom townhouses with two bathrooms and a powder room, single car lock up garage, each with its own private garden.  All town houses are fitted with European appliances in the kitchen and a dryer. Split system air conditioning to living areas. Read more…

HOUSES are selling almost twice as fast as last year as Queensland’s property market bounces back from the global financial crisis.

Buyers fearful of missing out have started offering over the asking price.

With sellers jumping at quick deals, more than 14,300 properties have been put on the market in the past month.

More than $37 billion worth of property is now for sale. Since the end of last year, Brisbane prices have shot up by about 5 per cent and agents don’t expect a slowdown any time soon.

Sales in regional Queensland are happening even faster.

Buyers agent Meighan Hetherington of Property Pursuit said buyers were fearful prices would rise, so homes were taking far fewer days to sell.

Across Brisbane it now takes on average 58 days to sell compared with 98 days a year ago.

“The market is similar to how it was at the end of 2006 and start of 2007,” Ms Hetherington said. “I think prices are already going up.”

She said some buyers were starting to offer just over the asking price so they did not miss out.

RP Data figures show homes in outlying suburbs are selling even faster than those near the central business district. Griffin, north of Brisbane, is the hot spot. Selling time averages 31 days.

David and Amanda Wiebe have recently placed their Griffin home on the market, after buying a house in Mango Hill. They are hoping their property sells as quickly as others in the neighbourhood.

“The house on the corner from us went up for sale last weekend and since that sign went up they had three or four offers on it,” Mr Wiebe said.

From: The Courier-Mail April 16, 2010 10:15PM

Michael Matusik is a respected property commentator and the author of Matusik Property Insights.  He wrote an article titled ‘Anticipated Shortage of Dwelling Stock’; which proved to be both “Timely And Accurate Information”.

The current situation is Demand with NO Supply

In his article Michael wrote: “The current situation is Demand with NO Supply”! He went on to say: “Sometimes these laws can be artificially stalled but they will always win through in the end. Every market returns to its long term average; that is a mathematical certainty. The market has bottomed out and he expects it to get back to a more normal pattern in about six months”. NB: Click above image to view enlarged copy.

What I found most interesting about what Michael wrote was not so much WHAT he said… but WHEN he said it. It was in December 2008.

Collapse Of US Investment Bank, Lehman Brothers

It was just two months earlier when the world markets went into free fall over the collapse of US Investment Bank, Lehman Brothers. It was December 2008 when Kevin Rudd and the Australian Government couldn’t print $900 cheques fast enough; to send to families, people now living overseas as well as deceased persons… in a frantic attempt to stimulate the Australian economy.

One month before Matusik’s comments and a month after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, I invited mrd clients to be part of a webinar that we hosted called “What In The World Is Happening With Property”?

My motivation for hosting this webinar was to bring calm and balance to what had become a pretty hysterical reaction to world events from many Australian property owners.

Irresponsible journalism and way too much attention being given to the opinions of Professor Steve Keen left many home owners and investors alike contacting us in a panic wanting to sell their properties before they nose dived by the 40% that Steve Keen was telling them to expect; a claim/prediction that has since been discredited.

In the webinar of November 2008, I outlined the sober facts that would see our market sustained and suggested it would recover in mid to late 2009. In 2009 both the Sydney and Melbourne residential property markets did in fact more than just recover; they had great growth (Melbourne the best in many decades). Queensland has lagged these markets as it traditionally does and has its next spike in values still to come; and in the not too distant future, in my opinion.

While the information given by mrd at the time flew in the face of then popular opinion, it was nevertheless accurate! I am ecstatic that we successfully prevented a number of people from making the huge mistake of panic selling their properties at a time when prices were temporarily low due to the hysteria and misinformation prevalent at the time. Read more…

Live Events

Over the past two and a half months I have travelled  the country sharing with audiences on “How To Prosper In The Slipstream Of Population Growth”. The information in this series has been up to the minute accurate. These LIVE Events have helped many, many people gain clear insight into how to interpret current economic conditions and how to take advantage of them for their personal gain. The feedback we have received from so many confirms this.

Web Seminar (or Webinar)

My series of LIVE Events has now concluded. Perhaps you missed out. Well this coming Tuesday night I am going to run the event again; live from 7:30pm EST.

If you have access to a broadband internet connection, regardless of where you are, you will be able to watch and listen to my event streamed live around the world.

I encourage you to hear the information I’ll be sharing which i know you will benefit greatly from it! Read more…

Confidence in the property market among established purchasers is at an historic high as first home buyers recede from the market, a survey finds.

Three quarters of established – or next time – buyers believed it was a good time to snap up an investment property – a record high proportion, according to the latest BankWest and MFAA Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia index data. Read more…

A Woman was out golfing one day when she hit her ball into the woods.

She went into the woods to look for it and found a frog in a trap. The frog said to her, “If you release me from this trap, I will grant you three wishes.”

The woman freed the frog, and the frog said, “Thank you, but I failed to mention that there was a condition to your wishes.

Whatever you wish for, your husband will get… times ten!”

The woman said, “That’s okay.” For her first wish, she wanted to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Read more…