Articles
UNDERSTAND THE PROPERTY ESCALATORA renewed warning to homesellers.
The property market is like an escalator. Sometimes it goes up - as it has recently. And sometimes it goes down. In different areas, it may move at different speeds, even in different directions.
HOW TO ACHIEVE A QUICK SALEWhen selling a property, most people have two conflicting emotions. They desire a quick sale, but if that is achieved, they fear that the property may have been undersold...
HOW IMPORTANT IS A GOOD INTERNET STRATEGY WHEN SELLING?Real estate agents have been using the internet in different ways to attract maximum benefit for themselves and their clients.
THE SILLIEST REASON TO SELLNever gamble with the family home.
Of all the reasons to sell a property, punting on profiting from a price plunge would have to be the worst of all.
GEN Y - STILL LIVING AT HOME AND LOVING IT!More than half the people we old people call "Gen Y" (those born between 1976 and 1991), are continuing to live at home.
SELLING IN A TOUGH MARKET?When you think of marketing a property, it is natural to want as many prospective buyers inspecting your property as possible. In the end, you will only sell your property once.
OPEN INSPECTIONSDangerous Restrictive, Inconvenient Impersonal and Frustrating
"It is amazing - a person needs more identification to hire a video than to wander through a family home!"
HOW TO KNOW THE TRUE VALUE OF YOUR HOMEThere is one excellent way to know what your home is truly worth: Before you call an agent, call a valuer.
HELP FOR HOME BUYERSSix hints to make it easier.
Don't be bluffed. It's not illegal to approach the owners of a home and ask questions or make comments.
HOW TO SAVE YOUR HOMEA fight worth fighting.
Here are seven suggestions that should help. They aren't all easy, but then there's not too much in life that's harder than losing your family home.
HOW TO FIND A HOME - EASILY
A simple solution to a great frustration.
How many weekends does it take before the average couple finds the right home? How many hours do they spend trawling the Internet?
BIG RENT RISES IN MOST CITIES - BUT GROWTH MAY BE EASINGMelbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth have all had exceptional rises in residential rents in 2007, according to the Quarterly Domain-APM Rental Series report.
DOWNTOWN DRIFT RE-INVENTS THE GREAT AUSSIE DREAMBy Bob Wilson.
The number of people moving into or near the central business districts of capital cities is rivalling the move to suburban growth corridors, according to demographer Bernard Salt.
BUYERS WARNED TO STEER CLEAR OF ONLINE BIDDINGBy Terry Ryder.
Home buyers and investors are being warned to avoid online auctions or risk falling victim to dummy bidding.
RENTS AND YIELDS UP IN MOST MAJOR CITIESBy Terry Ryder.
Big rent rises in all of Australia's major city markets have lifted gross returns on investment properties over the past year. Australian Property Monitors' September quart�
THE DEFINITION OF A GOOD DEALA good home or a good price? Both, if possible.
If I were a spruiker, I'd have charged Bob and Vicki at least $10,000 for my "secrets".
THE HARD WORK TRAPThousands of sellers wasting millions of dollars.
Imagine you were sick and went to a doctor who cured you instantly. Would you prefer a doctor who put you through weeks of pain?
BUYING BARGAINS - FAIRLYBe a smart investor, not a grubby predator.
Is it possible to buy properties cheaply and with a clear conscience? Of course.
THE TRIAL OF HENRY KAYEPart One - A simple explanation of the charge.
Now, please understand that he may be completely innocent and this could all be a terrible mistake by ASIC.
10 PROPERTY TIPS FOR TODAY5 for Sellers and 5 for buyers.
These few brief hints, in today's fast-paced world, may save you several thousand dollars if you are buying or selling today.
HOMES CAN'T BE STOLEN SAYS REIAIgnore the evidence, criticise Neil Jenman.
A 54-year-old Sydney woman has been arrested and charged with stealing a home.
AVOIDING WESTPOINT-STYLE LOSSESSuggestions from a financial planner.
If it doesn't look risky, it is only because you haven't spotted the risk.
TENANTS ARE CUSTOMERSThe Golden Rule of being a Landlord.
A cranky tenant can easily thwart a sale or, worse, cause a property to be sold for thousands less.
HOUSES OF DARKNESSWorried about interest rate rises?
Every day, after he finishes work, Conrad Joseph stops briefly at a five-star hotel. Striding up to the reception desk, he hands over his credit card and books a room for the night.
LOSERS OR CHEATERS?The predicament of property investors.
Property investors have now painted themselves into a difficult corner - either they are dishonest cheaters or honest losers.
THE SUCKED-OUT SCAMSGet angry about equity robbery.
The business people (make that 'con artists') responsible for the loss of this couple's equity should be treated like criminals.
AUCTION INSANITYDon't fall for it, sellers!
In a falling property market, only the chronically dishonest or the most hopelessly incompetent of agents could seriously recommend that sellers put their properties to auction.
THE CHOCOLATE SULTANA SWITCHIt's not just unethical, it's downright illegal.
What's the matter with us? Can't we see that being deceived is something we should never tolerate? Never.
BE FAIR AND REALISTICBE FAIR AND REALISTIC
Make negotiation a pleasant experience.
One of the main causes of distress in real estate is trying to do the impossible. People often stretch themselves too far financially or try to buy or sell at levels not possible for thei
THE CENTRAL EQUITY PITCHA classic example of the importance of research.
Despite the share price and the losses of apartment investors, not everyone is losing with Central Equity.
THE WESTPOINT DISASTERFinancial predators not planners.
Anyone could have seen it coming. Anyone, that is, who wasn't playing with the predators surrounding Westpoint.
TRUSTING EXPERTSWho can investors trust?
Investors who follow the advice and opinions of most of these people, should be safe and profitable.
GET SMART, USE YOUR HEARTImportant message for property investors.
If you don't like it, don't buy it. If you wouldn't live in it yourself, don't expect others to want to live in it.
FALSE QUOTESHow sellers can protect themselves against false quotes.
Sellers who believe the false quotes given to them by the agents - and then sign-up with the agents - are placing themselves in grave danger.
HOW AUCTIONS GET LOWER PRICESNine Reasons Auctions Get Lower Prices
Home-sellers tempted to auction their homes should remember four words: AUCTIONS GET LOWER PRICES.
AGENTS BETRAYING SELLERSBuy with them, but don't ever sell with them.
This increasingly-common behaviour borders on criminal neglect of agents' duty to their clients.
SAFETY IN REAL ESTATESAFETY IN REAL ESTATE
A few safe rules for property consumers.
Thousands of consumers are hurt in property every year - and all because they did not know or did not follow the safety rules of real estate.
BY GEORGE, THIS IS ONE SHAMBehind that glowing testimonial and guarantee.
There's just one snag. It's not true. George's "satisfaction guarantee" is as big a sham as Pat's testimonial.
THE SUNSET STINGHeads they win, tails you lose.
Like all sneaky deals, sunset clauses sound fair. They are presented to buyers as a safety mechanism.
MEDIA BURST THE BUBBLESo say the petulant property players.
If sellers knew the truth, they could price their homes accordingly and avoid selling at a lower price when the market gets worse.
GIVE US AN OFFERHow buyers should make offers.
You have found the home you like. You've heard that it's a 'buyer's market', so you're thinking of making an offer.
FROM BAD NEWS TO GOOD NEWSHomesellers - this time it really is the market!
Many times, agents just hope that a buyer will come along and pay yesterday's price. But hope is not an effective method of selling a home, especially when yesterday's higher price has gone and t
THE PROPERTY CHOPPING BLOCKSydney first, others follow.
You may remember this unit. It was auctioned in front of 3.3 million people on Sunday August 17, 2003; yes, the grand finale of Channel Nine's hit series, The Block.
DOLLARS FOR HORRORSDOLLARS FOR HORRORS
Finally, a price for "the murder house".
No matter what the opinions may be, "the murder house" is worth $715,000, perhaps even less as time goes on.
HOW TO SMELL A BAD INVESTMENTThis is a stinker!
Just because lots of properties in a new development are being sold, it doesn't mean the buyers are smart. Often it means they are the victims of slick sales spiels.
AUCTION SPIN ROARINGPity about the sales results.
When their homes fail to sell, the sellers then have to read the headlines which describe their no-sale auctions as a "roaring success".
TANKED & CACTUSSellers can be serious about the silly season.
People don't stop wanting shelter at Christmas, anymore than they want to stop eating. Housing, like food, is an essential human need.
