| How cooling off periods work A cooling off period starts on the day you sign the contract and is usually five business days from this date. NOTE: There are different regulations in different states. Please be sure to do your state specific research. What is a Cooling Off Period? A cooling off period is [...]

When applying for a home loan one of the important criteria a lender will ask for is a history of “Genuine Savings”. These are funds that you have gradually saved by yourself. It proves to the lender that you have the self discipline over time to save a certain amount. It helps them assess your capacity to make monthly loan repayments.

There are many unexpected expenses you need to be aware of when you decide to become a property investor.
Investing in property has many financial benefits.  The purchase price of the investment property is where it starts.  There are quite a few extra both upfront and ongoing costs involved.

| How Long Does It Take to Buy a House? There are many steps to buying a house, and that takes time.  Most of the time taken depends on how much time you spend looking for one.   Once you have a signed contract, it takes an average of 30-50 days to close. Step-by-Step preparation is [...]

There are many unexpected expenses you need to be aware of when you decide to become a property investor.
Investing in property has many financial benefits.  The purchase price of the investment property is where it starts.  There are quite a few extra both upfront and ongoing costs involved.

| Property Settlement Tips for Buyers Property settlement is the legal process that transfers the ownership of a property from one owner to another.  There is a lot of legal paperwork involved that will be taken care of for you by your conveyancer. It is where you finally take legal possession of the property.   Getting [...]

If you’re a landlord with an investment property to rent, you need to consider how you can attract good quality, long term tenants.
There are many properties for prospective tenants to look at for rental. You need to stand out.

There are a great number of factors taken into account when lenders are assessing your home loan application. L.V.R. is one of the important ones.

The higher your deposit, the lower the L.V.R. This means the higher the security for the lender.

| Lenders Mortgage Insurance (L.M.I.) - Explained L.M.I. is an insurance policy that your home loan lender takes out to protect themselves if you default on the loan. Lenders Mortgage Insurance is normally dependent on your “loan to value” ratio.  Put simply – Your deposit amount in relation to the property value. You can easily [...]

| What to Consider when Buying a Home with Children Buying a home can be a complex process, adding children’s requirements makes it even more so.   All of a sudden it is not just about you, you also need to take into account your children’s needs and wants. Kids Love to be Included It is [...]

| Understanding Supply and Demand in Real Estate The basic principles of supply and demand in real estate have a major impact on your property investment success.   It is important to carefully consider the supply of, and the demand for, property in the area where you are looking to buy. Generally the prices of property [...]

There are many unexpected expenses you need to be aware of when you decide to become a property investor.
Investing in property has many financial benefits.  The purchase price of the investment property is where it starts.  There are quite a few extra both upfront and ongoing costs involved.

| Questions to Ask When Touring a House on Video-Chat Video chat home tours have seen a surge in popularity.  Even before COVID we have seen substantial increase in Video tours.  This trend is set to continue. Video tours have come a long way recently.  They are not science fiction - They can be a [...]

| Tips on Saving for a House Deposit The Great Australian Dream!  With increasing house prices and cost of living, you need a well thought-out deposit strategy. In recent years, Australian house prices have increased dramatically. Obviously this also increases the size of the deposit that you need. Get Started NOW At 20% deposit, a [...]

A property can have 2 different valuations. A market valuation – This helps provide an indication of what the property may sell for. A Bank valuation is done by a lender to help determine their risks.

For a number of reasons, trusts are increasing in popularity as ownership structures for Australian property investors.   There are various ownership structures available to you for the purchase of investment properties. There are pros and cons for each structure.  

| Tips to Buying at Auctions Auction day is both exciting and stressful. It is a day when you really must be cool, calm & rational. You need a well researched plan and set yourself a strict financial limit.  If you can't be unemotional, have somebody else or a good buyers agent to do the [...]

| Making the Transition from Rent to Mortgage Home ownership is often referred to as the “Great Australian Dream”.  This is a major goal for may renters.   It is achievable - but not without hard work and discipline. To be clear, purchasing a house costs far more than your deposit and your monthly mortgage [...]

Simply put – “Body Corporate” is the organisation that is in charge of running an apartment/unit building or townhouse complex, and handling all of the common area maintenance issues. It also sets budgets, manages issues and sets by-laws. It technically is a legal entity that is created when land is subdivided and registered.

Conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of property from one person to another.  A Conveyancer will assist you with this process.   
Both the seller and buyer will engage a Conveyancer to act on their behalf.  This ensures that the  property transaction flows smoothly inline with the contract of sale, any misunderstandings are addressed.

| How to Invest in Mortgagee in Possession & Distressed Property If a homeowner stops making mortgage payments, the lender through legal action can take possession of the property.  If the lender is forced to repossess the home, the lender then needs to sell the property without fuss to recoup what is outstanding on the [...]

Purchasing an investment property is exciting, complex and can be stressful. After all you are putting a lot of money on the line. So you need to be as sure as you possibly can be that you are making the right decisions. This takes lots of research and asking the right questions.

Understanding how home loans are actually assessed will give you an advantage in getting yourself and your finances ready for a home loan. The 3 C’s of lending that you need to consider: Capacity Character and Collateral. 

| Checklist of Questions to Ask when Buying a Home So you're about to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars (sometimes more) on a home.  Probably the largest purchase in your lifetime. So it stands to reason you should put some serious research into it first.   Below is a checklist that will help you.   [...]

| How important is Employment Status in Applying for a Mortgage “Very Important” is the best answer to this question.  Each lender will have their own criteria and each job can be uniquely different.  There are some general criteria that apply to most lenders.  You are definitely best to talk to a professional Mortgage Broker [...]

| How to Determine What to Offer on a House Finding the home you want is a good starting point. The next step is crafting an offer that enables you to secure the home at a price you are happy with.   Before you submit an offer, you need to do some research and work [...]