Finance

Things could be looking up for homebuyers, with a new report forecasting a drop in property prices over the next three years. But could this also signal the end of the Australian property market's golden era? According to BIS Shrapnel's Residential Property Prospects 2016-2019 report, median house and unit prices in our capital cities will be lower by 2019. This is due to a perfect storm of slower population growth, falling immigration levels and an oversupply of new homes. The Australian [...]

No one wants to feel like they've been taken for a ride, so when you've found the right property, how do you get it for the right price? Here are some things to consider when it comes to purchasing negotiations.   Do your homework Property prices are influenced both by demand and how much other potential buyers are willing to pay. Before you make an offer, research similar properties that have sold recently in the same area. Also consider organising a pre-purchase [...]

Selling isn't a certainty at auction. In New South Wales and Victoria, for example, around a quarter of all auctioned properties are passed in.1 What does it mean for the vendor and prospective buyers when no one makes a bid? After the auction An auction campaign puts a property into the public eye, but not all interested parties will attend the auction or make a bid. This might be because they aren't in a position to adhere to an auction's binding [...]

Short of capital to buy equipment for your business? Consider asset finance to support your operations. Asset finance is an umbrella term for any loan structure that helps a business purchase equipment, such as machinery or vehicles, for its operations. There are a number of loans designed to suit different situations. 1. Chattel mortgage or equipment loan A chattel mortgage allows you to borrow money to purchase an asset. Your business owns the asset, but the lender has the asset as [...]

Whether you're buying a property to invest in or call home, it's a good idea to look at emerging property trends, to support your purchasing decision. Lifestyle locations Buying a property that can accommodate a growing family in a major city is challenging on the average family income. Instead, some buyers are looking in outer metropolitan and regional areas within two hours' drive of a capital city. These are considered "lifestyle locations", according to REA chief economist Nerida Conisbee, because buyers [...]

Favourable interest rates are a borrower's best friend, but should you lock in a low rate or go with a variable rate? Here are five things to consider. 1. How low can rates go? Interest rates are at historically low levels and the current outlook suggests there may be further cuts in the medium-term. If you lock in your rate now, you won't reap the benefits of later decreases. The question is: how low do you think the rate will go [...]