How to get the most out of property renovations

Australians love a renovation. We spend billions every year on extensions and refits big and small. According to recent reports we’ve even overtaken America when it comes to the world’s biggest homes.
We renovate for two reasons – for the pleasure of reshaping and living in the home we want, and for financial gain.
This week, I [...]

Average houses will be worth $1,000,000 by 2019

Back in October 2009 I wrote a Yahoo7 column called Buying an Australian home – still worth it? I asked whether Aussie homes were still worth the sacrifice. One thing I examined was the financial pressure to buy – that is, people’s worry that if they didn’t buy soon they’d be forever priced out of [...]

How to survive an increase in mortgage rates

 
Today the RBA lifted official interest rates by 0.25% taking them to 4.0%. Last month the RBA governor Glenn Stevens indicated rates were around 1% below average and with economic activity and confidence up it is matter of when, not if rates will rise to 5%. Most pundits believe official rates will be at 5% [...]