Investing in property is a whole different ballgame to buying a home, and there are a whole lot of strategies that you need to consider before you decide on which is best for you. And this is before you even start to look for the property! My advice: Do some research, talk to a professional about your circumstances and goals for investing BEFORE you [...]
I'm not a financial adviser, but I do take a professional interest in the way people manage their money. While some of us might be bored senseless at the thought of managing money or paying bills or discussing budgets - let alone living on a budget (or spending plan as I prefer to call them!), it's important that you at least have a clue [...]
I was reading an article yesterday written by a financial planner and she was talking about who people (particularly women) get their financial advice from. The answer she heard most was "Dad". While I love dads and think that the vast majority of them are awesome, unless they work in finance or are actively investing or buying property, they're not the best person to [...]
Finding a home loan can be hard work. Finding “the best” home loan can be really hard, so let’s break it down. 1. Decide what's important to you - remember, “the best” home loan is different for everyone. What works well for some, doesn’t work well for everyone, so figure out what will work best for you - ie, flexibility to make additional repayments, [...]
When you go to your bank to discuss your home loan, they’ll usually discuss your plan, take a look at your financial history and tell you whether or not they’ll give you the money you need to buy a home. Going to see a good mortgage broker is a bit different. We often don’t already have your business - we want to win it. [...]
Some people think that it’s easier to get a mortgage through their own bank. They know them, that’s where their bank accounts and credit cards are, so it just makes sense and should be easy, right? WRONG! There are some things that your bank will probably never tell you: They have a limited number of home loan options available to offer you and they’re [...]
Property investing is a different game than buying a home. It requires a different mindset and different criteria. The rewards can pay off big time, but there are some mistakes that investors make that you need to avoid. Buying with the home owners mindset. You're not going to live in this home. You're buying it for someone else to live in, so switch your [...]
Fitness is something that most of us strive towards. We want to be strong, fit and healthy. We pay for gyms, personal trainers, active wear, yoga mats and the best runners that we can afford. We spend time and energy on our pursuit of physical fitness. But how much time do you spend pursuing financial fitness? How financially fit do you consider yourself? If [...]
If you’re planning on investing in property, chances are high that you’ll be renting to someone from Gen Y or Gen Z. We’re always hearing about their need for connection and their desire for instant gratification, so why not give them what they want! According to the experts, these are the two “must-haves” when it comes to renting to Millennials: Convenience WOW factors in [...]
Owning a home is like Nirvana to some of us. It’s the goal we’ve been working towards, the ideal that we something didn’t think we’d ever achieve. It’s bliss! But is it really? It’s a roof over our head, somewhere to keep our belongings and a place that seems to need constant cleaning… It’s also a place to create memories, build relationships, grow [...]
