You’ve probably heard about how much Victoria and Melbourne is growing in terms of population, and this in turn has helped fuel economic growth. In simple terms, Victoria has been growing by about 130,000 a year for the past few years, and this is forecast to continue for the next few years. Basically, the state [...]
property values
When you throw a stone into a calm pool of water you get ripples moving out from where the stone landed. In property, the ripple effect occurs when a suburb becomes so popular it becomes unaffordable for many people who want to live there. This rise in popularity and prices can often push buyers into [...]
An article in The Age took a look at the question of whether it is cheaper to rent or buy a property. While it may seem cheaper to rent in the short term, say two-three years, if you take a longer view then the answer becomes clear; buying is the way to go. According to [...]
When you buy an architect-designed home you will get a beautiful home, thought out and designed by a professional who has completed at least five years of study at university and finished two years practical experience before obtaining their professional registration. This focus on learning how to best design homes results in smarter layouts, higher overall [...]
For most people, a home is undoubtedly the biggest investment of a lifetime. Typically, but not always, the value of a house rises over time due to many reasons including: • inflation • capital investment • mortgage rates • supply and demand • proximity to schools, shopping, parks and other attractions • population changes • [...]
A common trait of wealthy people is that they own real estate. They don’t rely on shares alone to maintain or grow their wealth, they look to property. But for many people investing in property seems risky, scary and just too hard. But it should be a part of your wealth accumulation planning. Wouldn’t it be [...]
An article in the weekend Age paper outlined that real estate agents are saying Melbourne’s property market has turned, with the eastern suburbs now experiencing boom sales conditions, and buyers are struggling to buy the properties they want. According to their own analyst Dr Andrew Wilson, sellers were enjoying Melbourne’s best market in four years, [...]
Stamp duty is basically a tax on your property purchase and is often the biggest cost of buying a home. However, clever property buyers know that many state and territory governments offer stamp duty savings or concessions for some properties including off the plan homes. Generous grants are also available to first home buyers to [...]
Some people who live in large family homes may find that the kids have flown the nest and they no longer need such a big place, so they can use the equity in their home to buy a smaller, cheaper place (right sizing we like to call it) and the use the difference to fund [...]