Why you must tell buyers about strata nasties
How much do you have to tell prospective purchasers about problems in your strata scheme when you are trying to sell? For instance, do you have to warn them about…
buy
Flip or stick – buying off the off-the-plan buyer
You like the idea of a brand new apartment, but you’re nervous about buying off the plan before construction has even started? An increasing number of people are now choosing…
Podcast: Deposit option smashes avocado barrier
This week’s podcast discovers a new way of buying property – or at least putting down a deposit. The problem for many prospective home buyers is that, all the time…
Live where you love, buy where you can afford
First-time buyers and investors can have the best of both worlds – live where they want and buy an affordable property, rent it out but have a toehold in a…
How to find the perfect apartment to rent or buy
With record-high rental vacancy rates across much of Australia, tenants are suddenly able to choose how and where they live more freely than ever. But, despite all that, renters are…
Best of times and worst of times to buy a new flat
There’s never been a better time to invest in an apartment. No, sorry, there’s never been a worse time to buy and let a unit. Obviously both points of view…
Podcast: Ep 3 of the Wrap looks at buying and selling
Is this the best time to buy an new apartment or just the worst time to sell? And what you should look out for in offers that seem to be…
Flat Chat Wrap #3 – best and worst times to buy, bullied by by-laws & lawn parking
Is this the best time to buy an new apartment or just the worst time to sell? And what you should look out for in offers that seem to be…
Live where you love, buy where you can afford
There are few feelings of financial disappointment greater than scrimping and saving (not to mention begging and borrowing) for a deposit only to see the prospects of living where you…
New options put renters first in housing affordability
There are two new buzz-phrases in the housing affordability lexicon – ‘build-to-rent’ and ‘rent-to-own’. Build-to-rent and rent-to-own are at opposite ends of the housing culture spectrum but both are being…
How to avoid buying a high-rise lemon
Flat Chat is now appearing in the Australian Financial Review, both in print and online at weekends. This is the first column in its new home. With recent revelation that…