So for the average Joe who is not the next Mark Zuckerberg or young millionaire, pay attention. The 4 wealth fundamentals you’re about to read are not only practical and realistic, but integral to your success.

Goal

When it comes to building wealth, always start with the end in mind. By knowing your goal, all your other decisions and actions will be better guided towards its attainment. Although it’s the most simple, it is also fundamental.

Ask yourself – How do I want to live after I retire? Comfortable? Lavishly? The answer will help find the solution to the next question which is – How much would I need in my retirement for this lifestyle?

Once you know this information, you need to create a flexible plan that can be adjusted as time goes by.

Income

At the foundation of your wealth building strategy will be your start up capital, which usually derives from the income you create.

There are a lot of factors that you need to take into consideration when it comes to income. One would be whether you know if your present income is going to be stable, increasing or decreasing in the future based on your circumstances and career. The answer will dictate how freely you’re able to spend or how cautious you should be with the money you’re currently making.

Aside from living expenses and leisure, your income should be set aside for a smart and proactive savings plan. This is a factor that is highly recommended especially if you’re young, as the earlier you begin the longer you have to build this up.

Investing

Only after your savings plan is set up and active, should you start investing. Every other factor in building wealth is based on surviving. The reason why investing is so important is because it’s geared towards thriving and having a great future instead of just preparing for a “rainy day”.

In many cases, time is the most important factor in investing, oftentimes more important than the amount you invest due to compound interest. The most important component is that you start as soon as possible, even if it’s a dollar that you can build on over time.

Expenses

Without a doubt, expenses are the one factor that if you get wrong, can cause failure for the rest of the fundamentals. The fact is, if you’re spending more than you’re earning, not only are you losing money, but you cannot save, invest or create a prosperous future for yourself.

If this is the case for you currently, feel good that you came across this article. Have a look at your weekly expenses, what are the musts and what are the purchases that don’t really matter?

This could be as simple as cups of coffee, excessive shopping or anything that you feel you do to an excess. Although cutting these are small at first sight, in hindsight you will find they build up to massive savings and will tip you over the scale to more income than expenses.

There are many more facets and factors to learn of course, but these tips will give you a basis of understanding on what to initially pay attention to. Wealth is a major component in our lives, so making these fundamentals a focus will be one of the most important decisions you make. Contact us today to discuss further. 

Although it seems like much of the work is already finished if a property is tenanted, this can very often be a negative. If you are in this situation or it relates to you, carefully study this article so that you can be certain that the tenanted property you’re looking at is right for you.

The Potential Pitfalls of Diving Straight in

Before assuming the best and going for the purchase, detailed research must be conducted as to why the property is still tenanted and is it for the wrong reasons.

The most common pitfall is that the tenants are substandard. Often-times this is the very reason as to why the property is up for sale in the first place.

Management disagreement can sometimes be the issue, especially when the current tenant has unrealistic expectations. A very real and potential scenario could be that you’re forced to put a property manager in charge, and that shift of responsibility and routine for the current tenant causes issues.

Often-times it is not advised to investors if a tenant is short term or not. Many of the times when they are, the rental price is elevated which at first sight will create an attractive deal for the investor. When price is the deciding factor,  you will be in for a shock when it comes time for the tenant to leave. Not only do you need to find a replacement, but one at standard market price.

In rare cases, tenants can be quite opportunistic or even greedy, for lack of a better word. This can be common when the investor is a beginner. As soon as you take ownership, there may be unrealistic material demands made upon you for improvements that the other vendor did not consider.

These are just some of the potential pitfalls that could arise. Although there are more,  the foundation you need is research. As an investor looking into a tenanted property, you must be willing to put in the time to find out as much as possible to be certain that the property is tenanted for the right reasons.

The Importance of the Lease Agreement

So you’re now certain that the property is tenanted and none of the above or other issues are apparent. There are certain variables that you will need to look at to avoid any silly mistakes, and these involve the tenants.

A common thought that ponders around new investors heads is whether they’re eligible to kick out tenants or not. This would especially be critical to know if they fall into one of the negative categories mentioned above. This brings us onto the lease.

Is the lease fixed term or periodical?

A fixed term is exactly what it sounds like. For whatever period the contract is set (usually 6-12 months), it cannot be terminated unless the tenant and new owner make an agreement. Alternatively, a periodical lease is the opposite. A monthly contract is usually the case in which the tenant can be granted 60 days notice to vacate.

Aside from the above, it is critical you know other details about the lease so that you’re in control. What is the amount of bond held? Are inspections held, and how often? How much does the tenant currently pay in his or her current contract? All these questions can be answered in the agreement or with a bit of investigation and communication.

As always and as mentioned with tenanted properties, research comes first. Use this information as a guideline as to what to look out for immediately, with every different circumstance there may be a different factor involved with the tenant. It’s worth going to the trouble of finding out as much as possible before making an investment that could be potentially detrimental. Contact us to research your next investment.

Despite there being many, the following fundamental factors will serve you incredibly in determining whether an apartment is lucrative or not.

Research

As basic as it is, research will be the starting and most important step in your investment. You must be able to decipher between what’s hot and what’s not.

In your search, find out what’s in demand and in what areas. Aside from the internet, speak to experts, view local ads and do everything you can to collect as much data as possible.

Location, Location, Location

As overused as this term is in real estate, it’s still the most fundamental to your investment’s success. More than the apartment interior itself, the location will have the biggest influence on the interest of tenants.

Make sure you aim to invest in a major city if possible, and to avoid rural areas. If your capital does not allow for this, then be sure to find a deal that will have proximity to hot sites where a large population resides.

Parking

An apartment with an enclosed locked parking garage cannot be understated, especially if you’re purchasing in an area that may be near a high crime rate sector.

If your tenants are forced to park outside, this will be a big turn off for certain individuals. When possible, always ensure there is designated parking space that is safe, the extra cost will be worth it.

Renovation

This depends on your budget and the state that the apartment is in. If you are financially comfortable and the apartment space is rundown, then renovation should be high up on the priority list.

There are not many things that will better yield an impressive return on your money than fixing up an apartment so that it attracts your ideal tenants. The risk is attracting the opposite due to your lack of respect towards the property.

Public Transport

Although this is tied in with location, it deserves its own heading. If buying in a city is too out of your budget right now, make sure that wherever your purchase, it has convenient access to public transport.

The fact is that most people commute to work, and if your location does not allow for this to happen in an easy way, you simply won’t gain half as much attention as you could.

Background Check

This applies mainly to new apartments, be sure to research not only the developer, but the builder as well. This means credentials, past work, what tenants say from their other projects and so on. Most people don’t take the time to conduct it despite its massive returns in data.

This alone can save you a whole heap of money if you find out that all their past tenants and associates are not happy with the work they have done, and the opposite is true as well. If you’re unsure about the apartment’s credibility or sustainability, a background check will give you enough information to come to your own conclusions.

When applied, these 6 factors in choosing an apartment will skyrocket you ahead of the masses when beginning to invest in apartments. Some of these do take effort, but that is what will ultimately eliminate the risk of your investment and increase the chances of a massive return.

More than anything, be patient and don’t rush into anything when it comes to choosing an apartment. To get started on your investment journey, contact us today!

With all investments there comes risks, but fortunately with granny flats that risk is minimised greatly. Read on so that you can get a perspective of both sides of the coin when it comes to protecting your money whilst also growing it with this potentially great investment choice.

Advantages of Granny Flats

Affordability

Whether you’re purchasing an already established granny flat or building it from scratch, it is remarkably more affordable than a standard property. The power in this is that if you’re new to investing or just tight on funds, you can wet your feet in the market without as much risk.

Asset

If you are purchasing a granny flat as an addition to your current property as opposed to a separate standalone, it will add value to your residence. The power in this is that if and when you sell your house, you earn the added value on top of its already existing rental income if there are tenants.

Risks Involved

Substandard Tenants

This applies especially if they are in proximity to you. When renting out, there is always the risk of having less than ideal occupiers. Be sure to have a certain criteria for who you want to occupy the granny flat. Bad tenants can far outweigh the financial gain and even create a negative cash flow in certain situations.

Unexpected Charges

Additional funds must be set aside when those unexpected costs arise.You’d be surprised at what can arise during a tenant’s stay or just standard costs that weren’t anticipated, so preparation for these potential situations is a must.

Overcapitalisation

Generally the banks will not increase the value of your property that much compared to the capital you initially invested. This means that you could potentially be spending $100,000 on a granny flat, and the banks will only raise the value by $75,000.

Rules and Regulations

In every state there are different rules and regulations, so this must be something researched by yourself. Despite the division in rules, there are fundamental regulations that apply nationally, so ensure you’re aware of these:

• Granny flat space  should not exceed 60 square metres (can vary slightly across states).
• Must have differentiated access from main property.
• Primary property already has zoning permission.
• Primary property owner owns the granny flat.
• One granny flat per property.
• Property exceeds 450 square metres in space.

As you can see, like every investment, granny flats have their ups and downs. In the current Australian economy with the affordability crisis, they are a great option for investments due to their low initial costs.

Ensure that you conduct research in not only the points addressed in this article, but in relation to the tenants you’re considering or the area you’re buying in. This will always be a viable option for investment, and if you’re a beginner, it is ideal due to its massive price saving compared to standard properties.

Keen to learn more about investing? Contact us today!

Fortunately for you, this article will outline some of the top methods of increasing your rental yield so that you don’t go missing out on the potential earnings that countless of other property owners do.

Furnishing

It is common knowledge that the more stylish and well managed a property is, the more it will rent for. Unfortunately, many landlords make the mistake of seeing a property as it is rather than what it could be and be worth.

Although it may not be needed or even worth the investment, sometimes it can pay to offer your investment property as already furnished. This will appeal to those tenants who need to move somewhere quickly, and will also mean you can charge a little more rent than if it were just the empty property.

Spare bedroom

This applies mainly for a property that has a garage or spare space that could be much better utilised as a new bedroom or study. Transforming a space to a new room could yield an enormous increase on your rental yield, especially considering the minimal work that is required seeing as it’s just a redressing.

Parking

Depending on the tenant and location, adding a spare off-street parking spot can be the deciding factor for someone contemplating rent. If your ideal renter is travelling around a lot and not using public transport, this add on should be heavily considered.

Adding off-street parking is not separate from the property, this means that your total property value will rise as a result of this added luxury.

Pro pets

Inspect the location where your property is, is it a pet safe area? Or more business orientated? What type of tenants will be interested in your property? If the answers point towards a pro pet demographic, then you ideally want to allow it. This may or may not apply to you, but if it does, you should know that you are disregarding much of your target market if you disallow pets.

Proximity

This applies if you have not already yet purchased your property to rent out, or are looking to relocate. There can be much said about location that you will find in just about any real estate manual or guide, but if there is one niche to target in relation to it, students would be it.

Choosing an area close to where students study will in itself give you a lot of potential tenants, and it also means you won’t have to spend a lot of money on the touch ups that normal tenants would require.

Applying even one or two of these tips will certainly increase your property rental yield. Although they are all practical, ensure you study the circumstance in regards to the tenants, location and so on before making any decisions.

More than anything, conduct in-depth research on each of the 5 ways before taking action, remember this article acts as a general guide on the methods rather than a step by step on executing them. Contact us today to discuss this further.

The 5 tips in this article are foundational life lessons of those who have crossed the property investing path before:

Head over heart

Like poker players, experienced property investors all know to leave their emotions at the door. This is not a home that they’re buying for their three children and wife, this is a vehicle through which they intend to make money with.

If you’re a beginner reading this, your tendency will be to go with your emotions because of the thrill, which is why you must internalise this lesson and take it with you to avoid that trap.

Listen to others

At the end of the day, the decision is yours to choose which property you want to invest in. However, although this is true, getting several third party opinions can go a long way for many reasons. Like the above tip, emotions can get in the way of rational decisions, which is why getting a logical third party opinion can help in giving you perspective.

Despite your experience or lack thereof, there is almost always one or two things your investor buddies know that you dont, which is why it’s essential to gain this birds eye perspective. If you are a beginner, this tip should go without saying.

Building inspection

One mistake that is unfortunately prevalent is not having a building inspection. Experienced investors realise that this mandatory in order to avoid any unexpected expenses down the road. Aside from this, you do not want your tenants giving you a hard time for any hidden faults or insects crawling around once they move in.

It’s a business

There is a misconception that investing is a “side-gig” towards your real job and that it should be treated as such; this is a mindset that will lead you to failure. Whether this is your only source or just a side source of income, you need to treat investing like you would treat your own business.

This means that the activities conducted by you should involve standard business procedures like setting up financing, protection, relationships with other smart investors and so on. Like everything in life, you get out what you put in, and unfortunately you’re at risk of losing a lot of capital if you treat this with little regard.

Long term > short term

Many people are overly dramatic about the short term fluctuations in investing, and how to seize them. The problem is that these are quite unreliable and very volatile. On the other hand, long term charts provide a very good scope of statistics that are much more proven to be profitable if followed.

In terms of property investing, going in for the long haul is much smarter than short term gains. Of course, there are situations and people who profit of the latter, though for the general public it’s much like gambling.

So remember, if you’re just beginning in the world of investing, you could save years of heartache and pain by learning from others mistakes instead of making them yourself. To get started on your investment journey, contact us today!

This article will outline some of the fundamental mistakes that property investors make when starting out, so be sure to keep them as your guide as you head into the world of property investing. 

Narrow focus

Many investors, and beginners in particular, tend to get very excited at the first site of a promising property and totally cut off all other options. This can be for a number of reasons including an authority figures’ influence.

Although third party advice is viable and definitely recommended, most of them have another agenda which is why it’s always smart to do your own research and seek advice from various sources. Avoiding this pitfall opens you up to a world of financial opportunities and rids you of financial stress by not choosing the wrong property.

Using emotions over logic

Choosing a house for an individual is a very intimate decision, it’s a place where they will call home and create many fond memories. Unfortunately, these same emotions tend to arise in people when they are choosing a property to invest in, which can lead to all kinds of chaos.

When going to look at your potential investments, always look at it as an investment to make money with. The garden in the backyard may bring back blissful memories of your childhood, but are your potential future buyers going to care? Not likely. This is a skill in its own and will require time to develop, but it is crucial to your decision making process and must be consciously utilised.

Untouched rent adjustment

Many times property investors go into a deal thinking that it is done once the papers are signed, and this isn’t so. There are several things that require monitoring for your income to keep flowing as well as increasing, and rent payment adjustment is one.

As the rental market changes, you need to be able to adjust the per price cost of your property accordingly. Most importantly, this needs to be performed incrementally rather than all at once.

Disregarding external factors

It’s common knowledge to include the neighborhood and surrounding area, but many investors underestimate its importance. The conveniences in the local area can be the make or break for any tenant no matter how good the property is, so it makes sense to pay it as much if not more attention than the property itself.

Depending on the area and your ideal tenant, the external factors can range in level of importance. In general, factors such as neighborhood safety, education, transport and shopping luxuries will all play a major role.

Not having enough capital

This applies mainly for freedom of choice rather than the ability to invest. For starters you will need enough to even invest in a house, but that should not be the marker. For a safe and profitable decision, you need to have enough to consider as many options as possible rather than the ones that fit within your budget.

This is a mistake for a simple reason, missing out on opportunities. The last situation you want to be in is having to settle for a less than great house where all you would have needed is more funds to seize an extremely profitable property.

Many of these mistakes are instinctual rather than situational, meaning that if you don’t consciously decide to avoid them, you may find yourself doing them out of human nature. Be patient and take your time, avoid these common pitfalls and it will pay off in the long run. To discuss this further, contact us today.

Units

Compared to houses, units tend to be smaller abodes, with smaller rooms and less private open space. They may be stand alone (i.e. detached), or they may have common walls with abutting dwellings (i.e. semi-detached), and may also have shared space for driveways and parking.

Once the domain of the pensioner or downsizer, units (aka apartments, condos, and plexes) are now popular to the point of becoming mainstream for these three reasons:

1. Affordability

In general, in any given suburb, a unit will be cheaper than a house. This will be because it is a smaller sized building with more compact bedrooms and living areas, but more importantly, because it has less land.

As mentioned, having to put up with small used to be seen as a compromise. Not so much anymore. Smaller now means less cost (i.e. rates, utilities, etc.) and less effort to maintain (i.e. cleaning, garden, repairs, etc.).

2. Convenience

While apartment living has always been a necessity in population dense cities like London and New York, and in places like Europe, Australia was urbanised on the back of a “house in the suburbs on a quarter acre”, and a commute (usually via public transport) to the city for work.

Yet, as travel times increased, and as the amenities in city areas improved, the CBD area has morphed from a place to work and be entertained, to a place to live and work and be entertained. For some, the convenience of walking to the office and access to superior amenities such as restaurants, entertainment, transport, etc. have outstripped the benefits of a traditional house in the ‘burbs and a long commute on a congested freeway to work.

Furthermore, as mentioned, while seen as odd by past generations of Australians, unit living is the norm in many Asian and European countries where space is in short supply. Without any prejudice, immigrants see nothing unusual about living in the same type of (compact) accommodation as is the norm in their country of origin.

3. Yield

For investors, compared to houses, units generally provide a better income return. That is, despite needing to accept a lower rent compared to what could be achieved owning a house, investors are more than compensated with a cheaper purchase price so that when the numbers are crunched, it is usual for a unit to have a higher percentage gross return (i.e. annual rent divided by purchase price) than a nearby house.

Houses

To qualify as a house, the dwelling normally has to be on its own title and have no shared or common area, including walls, driveways, etc. Houses are usually larger than units – both in respect to room size and the amount of private open space.

As mentioned, for many generations past and present, the Great Aussie Dream was to own your own house, which was typically on a substantial parcel of land (such as the classic quarter acre which is a little over 1,000 square metres). While land sizes have diminished (most new houses today come on land parcels of 500 square metres, or less), houses remain the pinnacle of home ownership for those who like their space, are raising a family, and/or who prefer not to be living a wall away (i.e. a few metres) from their neighbours.

Which Is The Better Investment?

Consider this conundrum: you can either buy an older 2-bedroom house for $500,000 in suburb Y, or a new 3-bedroom unit in the same suburb. Which should you choose?

As we flesh out an answer, here’s a general investing principle to remember:

You are better off purchasing the worst house in the best suburb you can afford, than the best house in the worst suburb you can bear living in.

Have you heard the saying “Land appreciates while houses depreciate”? It’s true. What makes a dwelling more valuable is not the bricks and sticks it is made from, which will deteriorate over time and require maintenance, but rather its land size and proximity to appealing amenities. This is sometimes paraphrased as “location, location, location”, but that is only partly true. For land to be valuable it must be usable and it must be scarce; land that is not usable or scarce is unlikely to be a good investment.

The principle mentioned above captures the reality that a bad house on good land will be a better investment than a good house on bad land.

Another general principle to remember is:

Buy the best-worst house you can afford rather than the worst-best unit.

In other words, dollar-for-dollar you are better off buying a run down house in your chosen location than a spruced up unit. Why? Because over time the land will become more valuable (as it comes more scarce) whereas the unit will depreciate in appeal as it suffers wear and tear from use.

It is true that your rental yield will probably be lower for the house, but whatever you miss out on in income should be well and truly made up for in extra capital appreciation over time.

These two points made, you may be faced with limited deposit capital and/or borrowing ability. If so, then a unit can still be a smart investment if it helps you get in the property market, rather than having to watch on the sidelines as property prices increase faster than your ability to save.

If you are considering purchasing a unit, then here are four recommendations to remember:

Buy old, not new. Older units are usually bigger, and you won’t pay a premium for shiny and new which is only temporary anyway.

Don’t get attached. The less attached a unit is, the better. If possible, avoid common walls abutting living areas.

Less is better. The fewer units on (or in) the block, the better. The more dwellings there are, the less scarcity there is, and the more cramped the living conditions, and the less land that would be “yours”.

Aim high, or low, not middle. You are better off with a ground floor unit (for convenience), or a high floor unit (for the view), rather than being in the middle with the masses.

To conclude, data that tracks rental yields and movements in median dwelling prices over time indicates that while units deliver a better rental yield than houses, houses outperform in terms of capital appreciation. Given Australia is largely a growth (rather than income) property market, you’re better off with a house than a unit, and better off with a unit than nothing at all.

Source:

https://www.propertyinvesting.com/units-houses-make-better-investments/

Just east of Ipswich, and within a half hour drive of Brisbane’s CBD, lies Greater Springfield – one of Australia’s most ambitious master-planned cities.

With two rail stations, and direct, non-stop access to Brisbane airport, Greater Springfield’s vision is to become a world-class regional city and services hub by 2030. And by the time development is complete, an expected $85 billion will have been spent on infrastructure and commercial and residential construction.

Greater Springfield has been carefully designed around three key pillars – Education, Health and Technology – ensuring that sufficient infrastructure and employment opportunities are available to support the rapidly growing population – tipped to reach 138,000 by 2030.

In our latest Spotlight series, we take a look at each pillar, and provide some compelling reasons as to why you should consider this region as part of your investment portfolio.

Pillar 3: Technology

As the final key pillar, Technology has been an important driver in Greater Springfield’s establishment as an innovative ‘smart city’.

Greater Springfield has its own Digital Master Plan – a digital eco-system that businesses can easily connect to and integrate with their own products and systems.

The Greater Springfield community also has access to intelligent platforms and data to enhance their lifestyle, health, education and business performance.

This investment in technology and development of a state-of-the-art working environment has resulted in companies, such as GE, relocating their state headquarters to the area, and plans to entice tech giants such as Google and Microsoft being discussed.

Technology fast facts

• Digital Master Plan includes interconnected network of infrastructure and services, allowing community and businesses to easily connect and collaborate
• $230 million Polaris Data Centre, Australia’s leading purpose-built technology facility
• GE Australia State Headquarters
• State-of-the-art dark fibre network throughout the CBD
• IDEA City precinct, designed to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship and research
• Intelligent platforms to enhance residents’ lifestyle, health, education and business performance.

Greater Springfield investment opportunities

With apartment development at unprecedented levels in the Brisbane CBD, we’re looking to the west for its exciting investment potential.

Greater Springfield’s focus on the key pillars of Education, Health and Technology means that population growth is well supported by significant investment in infrastructure and employment.

Housing is currently affordable, with good capital growth prospects and no signs of slowing down in the near future.

We have a variety of off-market investment properties in Greater Springfield that are only available through CPS Property.

Please contact us today to learn more about Greater Springfield, or to arrange your free property investment consultation.

Information and images sourced from Greater Springfield.

Greater Springfield in Brisbane has a vision to become a world-class regional city and services hub by 2030. By the time development is complete, an expected $85 billion will have been spent on infrastructure and commercial and residential construction.

Located just east of Ipswich, and within a half hour drive of Brisbane’s CBD, the area covers a total of 2,860 hectares – almost six times the size of Sydney’s Parramatta.

It’s been carefully designed around three key pillars – Education, Health and Technology – ensuring that sufficient infrastructure and employment opportunities are available to support the rapidly growing population – tipped to reach 138,000 by 2030.

In our latest Spotlight series, we take a look at each pillar, and provide some compelling reasons as to why you should consider this region as part of your investment portfolio.

Pillar 2: Health

With Health one of the three key pillars of Greater Springfield, the region has been designed to encourage a healthy community, with plenty of open, green space, and pedestrian and bike-friendly pathways.

Health City Springfield Central is a 52 hectare integrated health precinct providing health care facilities, medical research and aged care. The hub is home to the 80-bed, $85 million Mater Private Hospital which provides a range of medical and surgical services, as well as a cancer care centre.

And Australia’s largest dementia-friendly retirement village is currently under construction, with 2500 housing units planned. This will create 580 permanent jobs once the development is complete.

Health fast facts

• 52 hectare integrated health campus
• $85 million, 80 bed Mater Private Hospital Springfield, including cancer care centre now open
• Plans for a 1,200 bed Public and Private Hospital
• 2,500 new seniors’ housing units integrated with allied health facilities
• Specialist suites facility to be completed in mid-2018.

Greater Springfield investment opportunities

With apartment development at unprecedented levels in the Brisbane CBD, we’re looking to the west for its exciting investment potential.

Greater Springfield’s focus on the key pillars of Education, Health and Technology means that population growth is well supported by significant investment in infrastructure and employment.

Housing is currently affordable, with good capital growth prospects and no signs of slowing down in the near future.

We have a variety of off-market investment properties in Greater Springfield that are only available through CPS Property.

Please contact us today to learn more about Greater Springfield, or to arrange your free property investment consultation.

Information and images sourced from Greater Springfield.