10 online resources every novice buyer should use

Whenever anyone needs to know information, it’s likely they head to the internet first. For novice investors or first home buyers, it can be daunting to come in with little knowledge and needing to start afresh with your research. We’re always suggesting searching the web and educating yourself first. But where to start? Property Observer has […]

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Tips and tricks for increasing your borrowing capacity

Have you been refused a loan and concerned about looking elsewhere? While there are a number of reasons you may not be eligible for the home loan you need, one may be that you aren’t seen as “serviceable”. This, essentially, means that you are not deemed able to pay off the loan due to calculations […]

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150,000 new homes a year – still not enough

Australia may be building 150,000 on average each year, including 180,000 over the next year, but these figures are not coming close to bridging the housing shortage, according to a new report. The Australian Residential Development Outlook, from RP Data and the Residential Development Council, report shows a strong forecast over the 2014/2015 financial year […]

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Superannuation funds to boost direct property holdings

Major superannuation funds will boost their holdings of direct property as the population ages, according to predictions by actuaries Rice Warner. “With the consolidation of the market, there will be a shift to more illiquid investments as the very large funds will have significant, stable and predictable cash flows. Investments in infrastructure and property will […]

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How to navigate the building and pest inspection

Building and pest inspections may set you back a few hundred dollars, but are a crucial piece of information that can serve to be either a negotiation tool or a warning sign about the property you’ve been considering. For those who haven’t seen many building and pest inspections, you need to be prepared. A mention […]

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The five reasons why there is no Australian house price bubble: CBA

The Commonwealth Bank has pinpointed five reasons why house price bubble signs are not evident in Australia. It listed the five factors that typically characterise a house price bubble. It then gave their reasons why they are not evident in Australia. Unsustainable asset prices, but the current situation is: Prices supported by the excess of demand […]

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71 Home Loans with fixed terms slashed

With yesterday’s decision to keep rates on hold coming as little surprise, industry groups are now turning their attention to banks and lenders. Over the past fortnight, 71 home loans with a five-year fixed rate term have had their interest rates cut by up to 0.80%, according to RateCity research. Unsurprisingly, this is becoming of […]

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Pre-approval is the perfect word

Precarious, preachy, preeclampsia, premature, prejudice, preposterous, pretentious – all negative words. But, when it comes to home buying, preapproval is a perfect word. One of the most stressful parts about buying a home is worrying about whether the bank will approve you for a loan or simply wondering what you can afford. Pre-approval takes away […]

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11 questions every first home buyer should ask themselves

If you’re looking at buying a first home, or perhaps a first investment property, there are many hoops to jump through. For those of you who have just started considering and becoming serious about purchasing, here are 11 questions that you should be looking at answering for yourself – including links to more helpful information. […]

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The 10 most in-demand suburbs in Australia

Realestate.com.au has released a list of 10 suburbs that are most in demand by potential buyers, based on the most people looking per listing. Balgowlah, New South Wales, which secured top spot in the last list has fallen spectacularly to number nine on this quarter’s seller’s list. Ormond, Victoria, which appeared for the first time on […]

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