Recent content by Ray Brown

When we discuss the reasons why inner city property seems so out of reach for first home owners we often forget one important factor. The Price of Energy. As the price of Energy begins to rise steeply, which is almost a certainty, it will create enormous pressure to build up, not out...

May I ask who "all these older people" are who paid off a mortgage in ten years? My parents took out a 40 year mortgage in the 1960s, couldnt afford to live close to the Canberra CBD, so bought a less desirable property, took about 30 years or so to pay it off. They never bought investment...

Great story Erica, thanks for sharing the ups and downs. When my Dad heard I was going to build my dream PPOR with architect and the works, he said "Double your budget and halve your expectations." And although your reno budget doubled, your original estimates are not going to be too...

Hi Hugh, people would have been reluctant to invest in lots of out of the way places before the mining development decade(s) sent them stratospheric. What you have to ask is, what is the future of highly productive agricultural land? I dont know the timeframe, but I think agriculture is set...

Atherton Tablelands What a difference 7 years makes. These last few posts describing huge growth in the Tablelands inland from Cairns look pretty wrong in hindsight. I bought a house in Atherton in about 2003. It had doubled in value by 2007, now, 7 years later it is down by a third from its...

The old Somersoft PIA program cost me about $180 from memory. The rate of return on that small investment is incalculable. Now, 15 years later, I have just thrown the last Windows ? dinosaur PC out. So I was wondering if PIA was going to be made into an app for Android/Iphone? It...

Yes they are approved, that why the council feels it deserves so much in rates. It works out at $1700 per tenant p/a. :mad: It is true that Atherton does not appear to be going gangbusters, but agriculture is where the money comes from up there. It is a growth industry IMO. What are all...

I had a RE agent give me a rough guide about a year ago. A rediculously low appraisal, low $200k's from memory, almost like they did not consider the two renovated flats out the back. Not been vacant in 10 years, very close to town. I want to sell so I can buy a toy with the proceeds.

My yield is pretty good. And surely that depends on the sale price? And with three tenants, you can spread it around a bit. The insurance is cheap. It is the council rates that are offensive.

Hi DT, The insurance is not that bad at about $20pw. Just building insurance, not landlord. Also, the agent charges about $30pw. So fixed costs are $150pw total not including repairs and maintenance.

I have a 3br house is Atherton QLD 4883. Out the back are two large 1br flats. It brings in $460 pw gross. (Council Rates are an unpleasant $5200pa. :eek:) The thing is, the median price in Atherton is around $310k for a similar house, and the median rent is $300pw. I have left the rent too...

"Aussie houses are world's most overpriced" When you see this sort of stuff in the press... I think it might be a flag to consider property as an investment again. Remember the headlines late 2007? Like "invest in property now!" Great returns! No money down! Bad credit? No problem, you can...

Hiya urbanprospector, I appreciate your comments regarding the effect of Euro debt on Australia and the fact that some of us don't always understand to what extent our countries prosperity is put at risk by those events. Certainly stirs up some strong feelings here. Could it get as bad here...

Perhaps the forecaster you refer to should change thier name to B.S. Schrapnel. Based on previous forecasts, they don't have a clue! Latest is "houses up to 22% rise next three years." sounds like " removes up to 22% reduction in fine lines and wrinkles"

Finn is correct in saying aircraft do not fly lower on cloudy days however they may follow different routes when instrument approaches are required. If the weather is bad enough, they can pretty well ignore noise abatement altogether. Also, transport aircraft pilots almost always fly "on...