Residential

If you are constantly checking your bank account leading up to the day your mortgage payment comes out or you have been late with a payment or even missed a payment then you understand the stress this causes. Your mortgage payment is different to other debt as it ultimately provides you and your family with…

Scary Facts How much money do I need to retire? Naturally, what individuals need to live varies greatly according to their own standards and tastes but here are some general figures released in December 2013: To live comfortably, a person needs $42,000 per annum and a couple needs $58,000. In Australia, the aged pension is…

Review of website getrichslowly.org This month we are reviewing the website www.getrichslowly.org Whilst this is an American website it offers lots of sound advice and practical tips on all aspects of money. There is a comprehensive section called ‘Essential Money Skills’ and this covers a wide variety of topics from getting out of debt to…

Title: Post-election property focus So the federal election already seems like a distant memory. The Liberal Coalition is settling in to their position of running the country. In reality, most of us are concerned about how this change of guard will impact us personally and this typically means the things that we hold dear such…

Perth property is on the way up 2014 is set to be a great year for the Perth property market. David Airey, the President of the Real Estate Institute of WA has even gone so far as to review his estimate on what the median price of a home will be in Perth. He had…

Selling things on eBay Christmas can really put the finances under pressure as we need to buy presents, attend lots of functions and host meals at our house. All this equals lots of spending and generally there is no more money coming in than at any other time of the year. As well as needing…

Last week, the Reserve Bank decided to keep interest rates on hold. The official cash rate is currently sitting at 2.75%. This means that interest rates at their lowest level in more than five decades. Currently, Australia has low inflation, low growth in borrowing, restrained wages and a strong dollar. Low interest rates are a…

Weekly blog – 28 Jan 2014 Is a rate cut likely next week? Next week we will see the Reserve Bank meet for the first time this year. There is a lot of speculation around what decision they may come to regarding the official cash rate. Currently, the official cash rate in Australia is sitting…

Investing close to home: the granny flat solution! With the eldest of the baby boomers well into their 60s this year, the challenges of an ageing population are confronting us all, with social spending and economic growth set to feel the pressure as Australia’s population ages. A 2008 Productivity Commission report, ‘Trends in Aged Care…

Want to pay off your mortgage faster? When you take out a mortgage, you set a term for this. Term refers to the period of time that it will take to pay off your mortgage. This is generally 20, 25 or 30 years but there are plenty of options and the choice is normally yours.…