Tag: Property

journalism

How to build a multi-million dollar property portfolio

From The Australian, Wealth: Building a portfolio of multi-million-dollar properties is easier than you might have thought, Ed Charles writes | July 18, 2007 WHAT can be better than owning property? All you need to do is to know how to navigate the mortgage maze and have a sense of timingfor the peaks and troughs of the property market to build a multimillion-dollar portfolio, according to experts. It also takes self-discipline and nerves of steel, as you will need what […]

journalism

Multiple loans or one-lender

From The Australian, Wealth: Ed Charles | July 18, 2007 ONCE upon a time it was difficult to borrow money. The major banks required a 20 per cent deposit and some evidence of financial prudence. Now, thanks to the influx of smaller lenders known as the non-banks, it’s possible to borrow more than the value of an asset. The trouble is choosing the best product and which lender will give the best service. “Because there are so many loans, low-doc, […]

journalism

Lucky country is unlucky for some

From IN THE BLACK May 06 Wherever you are in Australia houses are bloody expensive and have been for some time. State and federal governments have debated the issue and there has even been a Productivity Commission report. According to the Demographia International Housing Survey (using September figures) Sydney is the seventh most expensive city in the world to buy property, with the median house costing 8.5 times the median take-home pay. Still, at least you’re not living in Los […]

journalism

Office space: rent or buy

From IN THE BLACK April06 The big debate on property is whether to rent or buy. When property values and rents are falling the market favours the renters. But when the market is in an upswing – as it is now – owning a property can shield against rent rises, an attractive option for small business owners. One option is the strata office. The fact is that 71 per cent of strata office buyers are the occupiers themselves, while the […]

journalism

In The Black: Space Invaders

Commercial property from the March edition. The insatiable demand for office space, especially in Perth and Brisbane, is completely out of step with supply. So expect steep rent hikes over the coming years.

journalism

In The Black: The house always wins

For In the Black in December 2005. Ed Charles tells why reverse mortgages should be handled with care, and vetted by professionals. This is a story about how a new car or a cruise might cost pensioners their home. It’s about the lucrative reverse mortgage, where banks will lend up to 45 per cent of a home’s value and compound the interest over a pensioner’s lifetime. It’s about the gap between compounded interest rates and increasing property values. And about […]

journalism

In The Black: On the (high) rise

Only a short time ago the Australian commercial property sector was looking rather off-colour, but now for the first time in four years demand for office space is on the up. From In The Black October 2005.