Viewing by month: August 2012
Ways to save money on your electricity bills
In a recent speech before the Energy Institute of Australia, Australia’s Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, noted that the average Australian household has experienced a 48 per cent rise in electricity bills in the last four years. In the face of such...Read complete post
The tax benefits in renovating your home
An increasing number of property owners are deciding to invest in renovations to increase the value of their property. However, many Australians are still unaware of the tax benefits that can be associated with such projects. In light of this, I’ve decided to share with you the following article provided by BMT Tax Depreciation, which appeared in the August...Read complete post
How to make the most out of a home valuation
Before a home owner or investor is able to purchase, refinance, or access the equity in their property, a loan provider will require a valuation to take place in order to determine the security value of a property. A number of factors are taken into account when determining a property’s value including, but not limited to: the location of a property, the...Read complete post
Interest rate update
At its monthly meeting in Sydney, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) elected to hold the official cash rate at 3.5 per cent. This decision was welcomed by CENTURY 21 and we expect that it will help to continue to stabilise Australia’s residential property market. Speaking on the RBA’s second consecutive monthly rate-hold, Chairman of CENTURY 21 Australasia, Charles Tarbey, said: “For the second month running we have seen the Reserve Bank hold the official cash rate at 3.5 per cent –...Read complete post
Capital city housing values update
Australian capital city dwelling prices rose 0.6 per cent in July, following a 1.0 per cent increase during June, according to RP Data-Rismark's Hedonic Home Value Index. The July figures mean that dwelling values are down only 0.6 per cent from the start of the year, a rebound from figures released on May 30 which showed housing prices 2.2 per cent below the calendar year starting level. According to RP Data’s Research Director, Tim Lawless, the figures may suggest...Read complete post
Population growth and the housing market
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australia’s estimated resident population is 22.3 million as of June 2011, a rise of 15 per cent since June 30, 2011. Read complete postA way to maximise your existing property space
Whether you are building a new home or have some extra space on your existing plot, constructing some additional rooms to act as a separate dwelling – a granny flat, can potentially be a great way to maximise the benefits associated with your property.Read complete post
Looking to co-purchase? Consider a co-ownership agreement
Real estate is one of the largest asset classes in the world today, yet many individuals do not have the financial capacity to purchase a property on their own. For these individuals, co-buying with family and/or friends may be a good option. Co-ownership can offer many benefits, the most obvious being the lower financial contribution required from each...Read complete post
Housing demand may support property market as mining slows
With a Deloitte Access Economics report recently forecasting the mining boom to slow in as little as two years, there is a high chance that investors will be keeping an even closer eye on future developments within Australia’s property market. One particular think tank, BIS Shrapnel, believes that investment in the residential property sector will make up for...Read complete post