mrd

Being the Friday ahead of the Reserve Bank (RBA) meeting I have to address interest rates… but more on that soon. The Greek bailout announced last night (our time) is far from a done deal. Effectively, Greece has defaulted on half its debts – just in an orchestrated way – and in my view Europe and the USA still face “The Threat Of Another Recession”.

“The Economist Magazine” (a US publication) ran an article in May 2011. It said “Australia’s economy – and with it inflation, interest rates and house prices, though not the share market – has decoupled from America’s…”. I shared with the Melbourne and Perth audiences how the likely impact of this on Australians has been misrepresented. With the stock market (that includes your superannuation) being the one exception, Australia now finds itself very much tied to Asia… travelling in the fast lane of a two-speed global economy.

The negative bias from some sections of the media produces fear that results in the ill-informed making costly decisions. To counter what I struggle to refer to other than ‘crap peddled as intelligent conversation’, hundreds of hours of my time (and that of others) has been invested into the research and preparation of my latest presentation; i.e. the one I just shared with those in Melbourne and Perth.

Webinar This Wednesday Evening

I can’t possibly address all that I’d like to here in this article… so I invite you to join me this Wednesday evening in a webinar where I will share some of this knowledge with you.

Don’t fall victim to these unique economic times but learn to set your sails and take advantage of the prevailing winds. My webinar will be chock-a-block full of solid, fact based information to empower your immediate prosperity… 2011, 2012 and beyond!

Register for Wednesday evening’s webinar

- 7:00 pm AEDT (i.e. Sydney time) >>>here

- 7:00 pm AWST (i.e. Perth time) >>>here

What action you take is not what concerns me… but whether the action taken is based on accurate knowledge and understanding does!

Give me just 80 minutes and I’ll accurately explain:

• Today’s global economy and how current events will impact you
• How to minimise your risk today and into the future
• Why your superannuation is under threat; RIGHT NOW
• Current property hot spots
• Boom towns vs. Muscle towns… and what’s the difference
• How to buy property that will put cash IN your pocket
• How to own your own home sooner
• The secrets to slashing investment property holding costs

Register for Wednesday evening’s webinar

- 7:00 pm AEDT (i.e. Sydney time) >>>here

- 7:00 pm AWST (i.e. Perth time) >>>here

Interest Rates

On Tuesday the reserve bank will meet to decide what to do with official interest rates. I have been calling for an interest rate cut of up to 50 basis points (0.5%) this side of Christmas for a while now. The Reserve Bank is ultra conservative and seems to err on the side of extreme caution – concerned more about keeping inflation in-check than they are in stimulating growth in sluggish sectors of the economy.

While nobody really knows how they will act this week, I hope they ‘bite the bullet’ and drop rates a full half a percent this coming Melbourne Cup day. I suspect they are more likely to drop rates than leave them on hold… but by .25%. Then they will leave it until they meet again in December before deciding on another .25% drop. Of course they may sit tight and leave rates on hold again this month… but I doubt it. I’ll have more to say about all this in my webinar next Wednesday… ‘see’ you then!

Register for Wednesday evening’s webinar

- 7:00 pm AEDT (i.e. Sydney time) >>>here

- 7:00 pm AWST (i.e. Perth time) >>>here

Scared?

Are you scared to take wrong action that you will later regret… or are you scared at the thought of facing a bleak future with little to show for the years you spent working? Fear will guarantee a lousy future… but it doesn’t have to be like that! mrd offers you the opportunity of a life of choices by mentoring you to make right decisions today. Don’t put off a bigger, better and brighter tomorrow any longer – start the dialogue with a property mentor today >>>here

How much property might I reasonably be able to afford >>>here Read more…

There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer. When asked to define “great” he said,

“I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that will make them scream, stuff that will make them cry, stuff that will make them… Read more…

ALL Sold Out

One of Brisbane’s most prestigious yet moderately priced investment development opportunities in the thriving North Lakes precinct offering incredible value right in the ‘heart of town’ - Completed

These 17 Terrace Homes are designed to reflect an ultra modern and chic feel with quality designer finishes. Each home has 3 levels with 2 living areas, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms that includes an ensuite to the master bedroom AND the fourth bedroom!!  The homes are a very comfortable 200 sqm – 220 sqm. That’s a WOW! and…$10,000 Govt Grant Available.

Read more…

NRAS Available – Right In The Heart Of “Australia’s Modern Gold Rush”

One of the fastest growing regions in Queensland with over $60 billion in major developments recently completed or planned, Mackay is the gateway to the rich coal deposits of the Bowen Basin.

The region’s growth is fuelled by the boom in the mining industry, resurgence in agribusiness, growth in tourism and an emerging marine sector.  The region hosts much of the engineering, manufacturing and mining services industries supporting the regional economy. Read more…

In 1851, Edward Hargraves discovered a ‘grain of gold’ in a waterhole near Bathurst.

Hargraves was convinced that the similarity in geological features between Australia and the California goldfields (from where he had just returned) boded well for the search of gold in his homeland.  He was proved correct.  He named the place ‘Ophir’, reported his discovery to the authorities, and was appointed a ‘Commissioner of Land’.  He received a reward of £10,000, plus a life pension.

The discovery marked the beginning of the Australian gold rushes and a radical change in the economic and social fabric of the nation.

Ophir was home to more than 1000 prospectors just four months after Hargraves discovery.  Gold fever gripped the nation and the colonial authorities responded by appointing ‘Commissioners of Land’ to regulate the diggings and collect licence fees for each ‘claim’.

A complete mental madness appears to have seized almost every member of the community.  There has been a universal rush to the diggings. (Bathurst Free Press)

A Nation Transformed

In 1852 alone, 370,000 immigrants arrived in Australia and the economy of the nation boomed.

The ‘rush’ was well and truly on.  Victoria contributed more than one third of the world’s gold output in the 1850′s and in just two years the State’s population had grown from 77,000 to 540,000!

The number of new arrivals to Australia was greater than the number of convicts who had landed here in the previous seventy years.  The total population trebled from 430,000 in 1851 to 1.7 million in 1871.

Because so many people were travelling to and from the gold fields, the 1850′s also saw the construction of the first railway and the operation of the first telegraphs.

Mining changed our country and established our sense of national identity.  The ‘Aussie Digger’ originated from the mateship that developed in the gold fields of the late 1800′s and was demonstrated defiantly at Gallipoli.

Our population grew and infrastructure was developed to support it.

Men made their fortunes and a nation was born.

A Modern Day Gold Rush

History is being written right now!

We are in a modern day gold rush that is inspiring thousands to chase their fortune in Australia’s own Wild West.

This week the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast hosted the Mining and Gas Jobs Expo (two of five to be held over the coming months in Qld) with cashed-up mining companies offering lucrative jobs to lure a new generation of workers away from the coastal cities.

On the Gold Coast over 10,000 people had attended looking for an opportunity to find their wealth in the mines.

Australian Mines and Metals Association director Minna Knight was overwhelmed with response.

“This is completely beyond our expectations,” she said.

With unskilled tradies assistants and even cooks commanding up to $80,000 at mine sites, it is little wonder interest has been so intense.

Skilled workers such as diesel fitters and surveyors start on more than $110,000 while other highly-skilled jobs earn more than the Prime Minister.

Daniel Wade is one of the thousands with dreams of making it rich out in the mines.  The 19-year-old was at yesterday’s expo chasing information on tradesmen jobs with mining companies, hopefully in the electrical field.

“Work out in whoop whoop for a while and earn a lot of money in a short time” he said.

He said the jobs offered the best of both worlds.

“You could be working out there, but still getting to come home to the Coast,” he said.

Acting Premier Andrew Fraser said the lure of ‘fly-in fly-out’ work had many people thinking that working in the mines was a dream job.

“Taking the opportunity to work in a mine site while potentially still living on the Gold Coast means they can hit the jackpot,” he said.

Many of the mining areas are also close to established regional cities on the Queensland coast that offer a lifestyle for the families and a closer commute to the mines. 

People have options… Read more…

Read more…

One reason I love “Residential Property Over Other Investment Types” is that it is the only market not dominated by investors. 70% of all residential property in Australia is classified as ‘owner occupied’.

Even when we consider the rest of the pool of residential property – the 30% that people rent – the strength of this asset class is underpinned by the very simple reality that everybody needs a roof over their head.

Did you know that if you asked any bank today what they would lend you to invest in their shares it would be less than they would lend you to invest in residential real estate. Why do you suppose that is? Simple… residential property presents them with less risk (than shares in their own bank). This ability to leverage higher into residential property than other assets is a definite way to fast track your wealth.

The two biggest concerns Australians have today are:

1. The cash flow associated with holding property
2. Managing risk into the future

Both these are legitimate concerns, they ought to be addressed and can be addressed. Given right information I have no doubt that most rational thinking people would agree that NOW is the perfect time to secure (selective) property so as to not wind up an unfortunate statistic.

The Pension

Read more…

Mackay is facing a rental crisis!

Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday Region is one of the fastest growing regions in Queensland.  Currently there are $60 billion in major developments in the region in various stages of completion (not started, in progress or recently completed).  Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday Economy generated in excess of $18.1 billion in economic value in 2009-10, and is one of the fastest growing economies in Queensland.  Despite the global economic uncertainty the region’s economy remained buoyant and grew by 23% in 2009.

The region’s growth is fuelled by the boom in the mining industry, resurgence in agribusiness, growth in tourism and an emerging marine sector.  The region hosts much of the engineering, manufacturing and mining services industries supporting the regional economy.

Only a one hour flight from Brisbane, the Mackay region boasts an enviable lifestyle and a buoyant economy with the benefits of a fast-growing coastal city. Boasting one of the best climates in Queensland, the region is home to natural attractions of reef and rainforests and great liveability supported through quality cultural and recreational facilities.

The Mackay region is the gateway to the rich coal deposits in the Bowen Basin.  It is the largest sugar-producing region in Australia and nearly a third of Queensland’s export goods originate from the Mackay region.

Strong economic growth of at least 30% in the next four years is projected for Mackay supported by the Bowen Basin’s production of 85% of Queensland’s coal.  Booming commodity prices have led to expansion of existing mines, creating opportunities for thousands of new jobs.  There are currently a massive 48 operational mines in the region with another 8 mines within the catchment area to be developed.

• The Seaport is the fourth busiest multi commodity port in terms of cargo and includes one of the world’s largest bulk sugar terminals and the only bulk refined sugar terminal in the southern hemisphere.
• The city council is investing $2 billion in infrastructure for revitalisation of the CBD.
• A total of 50 new major projects are planned in the next few years creating up to 30,000 jobs in the next six years.

The population of Mackay at 30 June 2010 was 118,842 persons. The population of Mackay has been growing at an average rate of 2.9% (2005-2010).  Looking to the future, strong growth is forecast with a projected regional population heading towards 200,000 over the coming decades.

Mackay has vacancy rate of 0.5% currently and with just 865 dwellings approved for the 12 months to June 2011, it is heading for a rental crisis.

All the ducks are lined up… Read more…

It was not the ‘A Current Affairs’ program but Steve Jobs said… “Passion Is Meaningless Without Vision”. Steve died yesterday and the world has lost a true genius.

So many wonderful pearls of wisdom were uttered from this man’s lips including:

• “A vision is how you will make the world a better place”
• “Passion won’t protect you against setbacks, but it will insure that no failure is ever final”
• “Don’t let your obsession die. Embrace it, revel in it, and use it to stand apart. Follow your heart and not the crowd”

No one person has been attributed with ushering in even one major computing paradigm shift but in Jobs’ relatively short life he brought about three – the windows type computer, the personal computer that could be used in every home and touch computing.

• Apple Macintosh – ‘The Mac’ (windows & cursors)
• The personal computer (in every home)
• The graphical user interface
• The mouse (for everyone)
• neXT Computers
• Pixar Animation (and animated movies such as Finding Nemo)
• Shifting computers from being like typewriters to ones with windows and cursors
• The iPod and iTunes as a new way to buy, store and play music
• Touch computing – the iPhone and iPad

Jobs pushed the boundaries and disrupted the way people went about their personal and business lives. He mastered selling us – not just products – but a way of life that we never knew we needed.

During an ABC Lateline program interview last night with Tony Jones… Mike Daisey said:

“I think we’ll never actually know how much we have lost. When you think about what could have happened in 20 more years, where he could have taken computing to…”

Read more…