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How to manage your property portfolio
When it comes to purchasing and managing property, there are countless factors to consider. These include but are not limited to the timing of purchase, location, property type and financing options. Of course, these areas are also affected by market variables such as interest rate rises and median property values, changes to your financial circumstances and the ongoing costs associated with maintaining your investment property. That’s why so many Australian property investors (more than 70 per cent) get stuck at one property. So, how do the roughly top 20 per cent of property investors achieve their success? Set and maintain a clear strategy They avoid hype and unsolicited advice and apply proven data-driven investing strategies. Attending strategy sessions with industry-specific financial planners is one step towards turning expert knowledge into wealth-creation strategies. Commissioning a reliable and reputable managing agent is money well spent for the investor. This allows you to take care of business while keeping a watchful eye on the managing of your property portfolio. Have your managing agent pay bills out of the rent Most property managers will offer a free service to pay any bills – such as strata fees, council rates, rental provider/landlord’s insurance and maintenance expenses – out of your rent, and then deposit the balance to your account each month. This creates less work for you and will also make tax time easier. The managing agent will provide yearly rental statements from your property manager with all your income and expenses. Understand cash flow In a low interest-rate environment, you may find your investment has positive cash flow after the yearly tax deductions of expenses and depreciation. However, you may find the holding costs throughout the year are negative, and would therefore need a buffer to maintain the investment before your yearly tax return. Build upon your strengths Alternatively, you can ask your accountant for a tax-withholding variation form, to adjust your week-to-week tax to reflect your allowances for owning the investment — and receive the return immediately in your pay cycle. Some find this helps with cash flow throughout the year. A word of advice if you are serious about building your property portfolio: you must save, rather than spend, extra or unexpected cash flow if your aim is to expand your investment portfolio. Your local estate agent can help with trusted advisory sources and may even offer in-house financial property management services. Start planning for a solid financial future with the right property investment strategy and the long-term benefits should duly follow....
Remembrance Day
In honour of Remembrance Day 2024 we take part in one minute silence at 11 am, on this day the 11th November 2024. We stand, in silence, where ever we are and mark this occasion together. We will remember them Remembrance Day 2024 Lest We Forget. ...
Navigating the Skilled Trades Shortage: Rising Costs and Construction Delays in 2024
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) continues to highlight the significant shortage of skilled tradespeople in Australia, describing it as “the most significant shortage on record.” Current Market Position According to HIA Economist Angela Lillicrap, all trades have experienced a decline in availability. Bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, roofing, general building, and other trades are facing severe shortages. This shortage is driven by a surge in detached house construction and renovations, which has led to skyrocketing demand for land, labour, and materials. As a result, construction timeframes are being extended, and there is no immediate relief in sight. The demand for skilled trades is expected to remain high throughout 2024 and beyond1. Rising Construction Costs The challenge for home builders and those planning home improvements extends beyond the shortage of tradespeople. The latest data shows that construction costs have continued to rise. The Cordell Construction Cost Index indicates a national increase of 7.3% last year, the highest annual hike since March 20052. This spike is driven by increased demand and supply chain disruptions, leading to a severe shortage of materials. Be Prepared Rising building costs and a shortage of tradies could impact your building project. Here are some tips to help you prepare: Check Contracts: Before signing a building contract, ensure you understand how the builder can pass on any cost blow-outs. Realistic Timeframes: Discuss realistic construction timeframes with your builder. Budget for Increases: For DIY projects, allow room in your budget for unexpected cost increases. Finance Options It’s crucial to talk to your mortgage broker about finance options for new builds or renovations. Construction loans, also known as owner-builder loans, differ from regular home loans. They provide funds in stages as construction progresses, known as progress payments3. For home makeovers, you might be able to draw on your home equity through a loan top-up or refinancing, which can help preserve personal savings. The key is to approach any building project with your eyes wide open. Speak to your mortgage broker to understand the finance options available to help you get started on your project....
Lenders' mortgage insurance could help gain entry into the buyer's circle
For first-home purchasers, entering the buyer’s circle can seem overwhelming. A report by mortgage insurer Genworth found 76.9 per cent of prospective first-home buyers believe that saving for a deposit is becoming increasingly difficult. The same study shows that four in five (82.7 per cent) first-home buyers who plan to buy with less than a 20 per cent deposit are likely to use some form of mortgage insurance. Saving consistently to build a deposit is only one rung on the property ladder. But rising house prices often get in the way of progression. Lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI) could offer an achievable solution. With housing values appreciating faster than the cost of LMI, it can make financial sense to buy today and pay LMI, rather than holding out to save a bigger deposit only to end up paying more for a first home later. What is lenders’ mortgage insurance? Lenders’ mortgage insurance is usually a one-off payment made by the borrower at the time of loan settlement. Here is an LMI summary: LMI is a type of insurance you can expect to pay if you borrow more than 80 per cent of your home’s value. LMI protects the lender – not the borrower. You don’t need to arrange LMI yourself – your lender will arrange it for you. It’s possible to save on LMI by accruing a bigger deposit. How much does it cost? This depends on where you borrow, your lender and the size of your deposit. Your broker can show you how to calculate mortgage insurance for your circumstances. As a guide to the cost, Genworth features an online LMI estimator. It shows that a first-home buyer who purchases a property worth $500,000 with a 10 per cent deposit of $50,000 (and a home loan of $450,000) could face an LMI premium of about $8,600. To avoid LMI altogether, the first-home buyer could save the extra $50,000 needed to have the full 20 per cent deposit of $100,000. But this will take time. And if property values climb higher, it becomes even harder to amass a 20 per cent down payment. By getting into the market now, rather than waiting, the first-home buyer may pay $8,600 in LMI but they will pay $500,000 for their home, rather than waiting a year (or more) and paying $550,000 – a difference of $50,000. In this way, LMI can be a valuable tool that helps first-home buyers beat rising property prices. How LMI works LMI is a type of insurance that applies if you have less than a 20 per cent deposit. First-home buyers don’t have to shop around for LMI; your lender will arrange it for you. The catch is that LMI protects the lender – not you – if you can’t keep up the home loan repayments. So it’s often seen as a cost to avoid, especially as the one-off premium can be a substantial initial expense. Managing the cost of LMI Of course, all this doesn’t get around the fact that LMI premiums can be very high. However, there is a way to manage the cost. Your lender may let you add the premium to your home loan in a process called ‘capitalising’ LMI. This allows you to pay off the cost gradually as part of your regular loan repayments. For further details about how LMI may work for you, contact your insurance broker or financial advisor....
How to manage your property portfolio
When it comes to purchasing and managing property, there are countless factors to consider. These include but are not limited to the timing of purchase, location, property type and financing options. Of course, these areas are also affected by market variables such as interest rate rises and median property values, changes to your financial circumstances and the ongoing costs associated with maintaining your investment property. That’s why so many Australian property investors (more than 70 per cent) get stuck at one property. So, how do the roughly top 20 per cent of property investors achieve their success? Set and maintain a clear strategy They avoid hype and unsolicited advice and apply proven data-driven investing strategies. Attending strategy sessions with industry-specific financial planners is one step towards turning expert knowledge into wealth-creation strategies. Commissioning a reliable and reputable managing agent is money well spent for the investor. This allows you to take care of business while keeping a watchful eye on the managing of your property portfolio. Have your managing agent pay bills out of the rent Most property managers will offer a free service to pay any bills – such as strata fees, council rates, rental provider/landlord’s insurance and maintenance expenses – out of your rent, and then deposit the balance to your account each month. This creates less work for you and will also make tax time easier. The managing agent will provide yearly rental statements from your property manager with all your income and expenses. Understand cash flow In a low interest-rate environment, you may find your investment has positive cash flow after the yearly tax deductions of expenses and depreciation. However, you may find the holding costs throughout the year are negative, and would therefore need a buffer to maintain the investment before your yearly tax return. Build upon your strengths Alternatively, you can ask your accountant for a tax-withholding variation form, to adjust your week-to-week tax to reflect your allowances for owning the investment — and receive the return immediately in your pay cycle. Some find this helps with cash flow throughout the year. A word of advice if you are serious about building your property portfolio: you must save, rather than spend, extra or unexpected cash flow if your aim is to expand your investment portfolio. Your local estate agent can help with trusted advisory sources and may even offer in-house financial property management services. Start planning for a solid financial future with the right property investment strategy and the long-term benefits should duly follow....
Remembrance Day
In honour of Remembrance Day 2024 we take part in one minute silence at 11 am, on this day the 11th November 2024. We stand, in silence, where ever we are and mark this occasion together. We will remember them Remembrance Day 2024 Lest We Forget. ...
Navigating the Skilled Trades Shortage: Rising Costs and Construction Delays in 2024
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) continues to highlight the significant shortage of skilled tradespeople in Australia, describing it as “the most significant shortage on record.” Current Market Position According to HIA Economist Angela Lillicrap, all trades have experienced a decline in availability. Bricklaying, carpentry, joinery, roofing, general building, and other trades are facing severe shortages. This shortage is driven by a surge in detached house construction and renovations, which has led to skyrocketing demand for land, labour, and materials. As a result, construction timeframes are being extended, and there is no immediate relief in sight. The demand for skilled trades is expected to remain high throughout 2024 and beyond1. Rising Construction Costs The challenge for home builders and those planning home improvements extends beyond the shortage of tradespeople. The latest data shows that construction costs have continued to rise. The Cordell Construction Cost Index indicates a national increase of 7.3% last year, the highest annual hike since March 20052. This spike is driven by increased demand and supply chain disruptions, leading to a severe shortage of materials. Be Prepared Rising building costs and a shortage of tradies could impact your building project. Here are some tips to help you prepare: Check Contracts: Before signing a building contract, ensure you understand how the builder can pass on any cost blow-outs. Realistic Timeframes: Discuss realistic construction timeframes with your builder. Budget for Increases: For DIY projects, allow room in your budget for unexpected cost increases. Finance Options It’s crucial to talk to your mortgage broker about finance options for new builds or renovations. Construction loans, also known as owner-builder loans, differ from regular home loans. They provide funds in stages as construction progresses, known as progress payments3. For home makeovers, you might be able to draw on your home equity through a loan top-up or refinancing, which can help preserve personal savings. The key is to approach any building project with your eyes wide open. Speak to your mortgage broker to understand the finance options available to help you get started on your project....
Lenders' mortgage insurance could help gain entry into the buyer's circle
For first-home purchasers, entering the buyer’s circle can seem overwhelming. A report by mortgage insurer Genworth found 76.9 per cent of prospective first-home buyers believe that saving for a deposit is becoming increasingly difficult. The same study shows that four in five (82.7 per cent) first-home buyers who plan to buy with less than a 20 per cent deposit are likely to use some form of mortgage insurance. Saving consistently to build a deposit is only one rung on the property ladder. But rising house prices often get in the way of progression. Lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI) could offer an achievable solution. With housing values appreciating faster than the cost of LMI, it can make financial sense to buy today and pay LMI, rather than holding out to save a bigger deposit only to end up paying more for a first home later. What is lenders’ mortgage insurance? Lenders’ mortgage insurance is usually a one-off payment made by the borrower at the time of loan settlement. Here is an LMI summary: LMI is a type of insurance you can expect to pay if you borrow more than 80 per cent of your home’s value. LMI protects the lender – not the borrower. You don’t need to arrange LMI yourself – your lender will arrange it for you. It’s possible to save on LMI by accruing a bigger deposit. How much does it cost? This depends on where you borrow, your lender and the size of your deposit. Your broker can show you how to calculate mortgage insurance for your circumstances. As a guide to the cost, Genworth features an online LMI estimator. It shows that a first-home buyer who purchases a property worth $500,000 with a 10 per cent deposit of $50,000 (and a home loan of $450,000) could face an LMI premium of about $8,600. To avoid LMI altogether, the first-home buyer could save the extra $50,000 needed to have the full 20 per cent deposit of $100,000. But this will take time. And if property values climb higher, it becomes even harder to amass a 20 per cent down payment. By getting into the market now, rather than waiting, the first-home buyer may pay $8,600 in LMI but they will pay $500,000 for their home, rather than waiting a year (or more) and paying $550,000 – a difference of $50,000. In this way, LMI can be a valuable tool that helps first-home buyers beat rising property prices. How LMI works LMI is a type of insurance that applies if you have less than a 20 per cent deposit. First-home buyers don’t have to shop around for LMI; your lender will arrange it for you. The catch is that LMI protects the lender – not you – if you can’t keep up the home loan repayments. So it’s often seen as a cost to avoid, especially as the one-off premium can be a substantial initial expense. Managing the cost of LMI Of course, all this doesn’t get around the fact that LMI premiums can be very high. However, there is a way to manage the cost. Your lender may let you add the premium to your home loan in a process called ‘capitalising’ LMI. This allows you to pay off the cost gradually as part of your regular loan repayments. For further details about how LMI may work for you, contact your insurance broker or financial advisor....