The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has made its first cash rate announcement of 2019, at a time when most of the industry is still concerned with the fallout from the Royal Commission report. To no surprise, the rate has remained on hold at 1.50%, where it has stayed since August 2016. While RBA governor Philip […]
All’s fair in love and war, and the same might be said for negotiating with real estate agents. Whilst you want to get the best possible deal on your purchase, the agent is responsible for getting the best possible price for their client – the vendor. Depending on how long you have been looking, you […]
The typical home purchaser spends around 90 hours over 6 months browsing the internet, researching websites, visiting real estate agencies and inspecting no less than a dozen properties. However, we only spend a little more than one hour inspecting the home we eventually purchase. Not surprisingly, many of us discover ‘hidden problems’ after the settlement. […]
• When is the right time? • What is the right location for me? • How much will you save and how much will you spend? • What should I keep and donate? • How much space do I need? • What type of property is right for me? • What items will I need […]
RBA governor Philip Lowe announced the rate would be remaining at 1.5%. As there is no cash rate meeting in January, this means the rate will have remained the same for at least 29 months in a row. Experts and analysts were expecting the decision, citing low unemployment and wage growth. While many over the […]
The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced its decision on the November cash rate. The rate would be staying the same at 1.50%. The rate has now been the same for 27 consecutive months and many analysts believe it will remain at this rate into 2019 and possibly to 2020. This announcement was mostly expected […]
Seller expectations are high but buyers want low prices – what’s to be done? Two real estate agents detail how to negotiate in a declining housing market. After years of rapidly rising house prices, the recent slowdown took many people by surprise – not least those with a home to sell. “For a while we […]
Making the most of your money often requires common sense more than a commerce degree. Let’s take a look at five misconceptions about money that could be holding you back from greater financial freedom. 1) I DON’T EARN ENOUGH TO SAVE A lack of savings generally has less to do with how much you earn […]
Following its monthly board meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced that it has held the official cash rate at 1.5 per cent. All 31 economists surveyed predicted the RBA’s verdict, citing uncertainty in domestic and foreign markets. Over 90 per cent of brokers surveyed also predicted a rate hold. Prior to the RBA’s […]
Understanding your borrowing capacity First of all, it’s important to understand how much you can realistically afford to borrow for a home loan. Consider Reviewing your income, expenses, other financial commitments, potential loan details and number of dependents to get an understanding of how much you can afford to borrow. Remember, what you can save […]