So it’s federal budget night in Australia and there have been rumblings for some time now that the government might be looking to reform their negative gearing policy for property investors. The most frequent suggestion that I have heard is regarding the possibility of introducing grandfathering arrangements for current property investors whilst restricting any future negative gearing to newly constructed properties. Whilst this has the potential to save the government billions of dollars, there is still plenty of debate as to the flow-on effects that it might have. Whilst on one hand there are those stating that negative gearing has done nothing but escalate property prices for those wanting to purchase their own home (Check out the beer coasters here that encourage abolishing negative gearing), others view it as a key strategy in encouraging investment and maintaining a healthy supply of rental properties on the market. Time will tell after the budget announcement tonight and you can rest assured that whatever happens it won’t please everyone. Check out the links below to read some of the recent commentary on the potential impact on negative gearing in the 2014 budget. Stay tuned!
A supernatural investment…
Always on the lookout for a good bargain, this listing has appeared in the media a lot over the last day or two. Called the Hiram B. Scutt Mansion and located in Joliet, Illinois (not all that far from Chicago), this impressive building was constructed in 1882. The three-storey, 4,960-square-foot red-brick mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been listed at an amazingly low US$159,000 after the property was foreclosed on.
There is always a catch with something that appears to be such a good bargain though. Just looking at the marketing pictures would be enough to raise an eyebrow about the potential for some ghostly history in this place, investigating the building’s history just confirms it! Listing two murders as well as two other mysterious deaths within it’s walls, some say the original owners are still there and ghost hunters (a respected trade and career) say the place is haunted. There have been séances and searches throughout the mansion and the videos below give a better overview of what it’s like inside now (it certainly requires some work) and also some idea of the supposedly supernatural elements that may still be hanging around!
And here is something much more reputable from the Paranormal Anomaly Search Team. Any place that is full of old dolls always indicates haunted to me. Be sure to put this on your list of assessment criteria for any future investment properties of your own!
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4 Ways Your Brain Tricks You Into Losing Money -Don’t fall into these mental money traps.
4 Ways Your Brain Tricks You Into Losing Money
Don’t fall into these mental money traps.
Your brain may be to blame for some of your bad money choices.
By Meg FavreauMarch 20, 2014Leave a Comment SHARE
Our brains are capable of great things – unfortunately, they’re also capable of some mental tricks that can lose us serious money. The good news? Once you’re aware of these biases, it’s easier to not fall into their traps.
Here are four money-losing brain tricks you should watch out for.
1. Your brain treats the same amount of money differently in different situations.
Which of these will save you more money – a coupon for $25 off a $50 clothing purchase, or a voucher for $25 off a $2,000 couch?
They both save you the exact same amount of money – $25. But according to financial journalist Gary Belsky and Cornell University psychology professor Thomas Gilovich…
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The Golden Rules to buying Property
Investing in property is a preferred investment strategy in Australia and it’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
There are some ‘golden rules’ to follow when buying an investment property, rules that have stood the test of time.
Before we jump into those rules, you need to look at the investment and decide if you have a short-term focus for the property or a long-term one. A short-term focus would likely mean that you would purchase it, renovate it and sell it as fast as possible – making the biggest profit possible in the shortest amount of time. A long-term perspective means that you would purchase the property to hold it, possibly add some upgrades, then rent it out for the highest rent possible.
So what are the golden rules:
1 – Set your rules and know the market: That means know what sort of properties you are after and how…
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Before you invest, be sure to crunch the numbers
Garage Doors — What can go wrong?
With an investment property you need to create a balance between having amenities that appeal to tenants, while eliminating the ones that can create headaches – such as having a pool.
Having an automatic garage door isn’t really a ‘must have’, it’s a ‘nice to have’. But if you have a garage, the chances are it will not be manual and therefore has a high probability of creating issues. When there are issues, they usually need to be corrected immediately, this is especially true if the garage has internal access.
So what can go wrong?
- Lost remotes are a common occurrence and are usually easy to replace. You need to consider if you will replace them on your dime, or if you are going to make your tenant pay for the loss.
- Door opener when they jam half way or doesn’t work, they need to be fixed.
- Broken springs and…
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Your Investment Property questions answered
I can’t resist re-blogging something when I”m on the front cover!
Landlordism 