Learn Property

Our property guides explore a wide variety of subjects – from buying and selling a home, to property investment, renting and finance.

Ten Tips to Avoid Trashing Your Home’s Value

By Peter Sarmas on 9 Jan 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

With the recent influx of hit DIY home renovation television shows, more and more people are undertaking their own house renovations in an attempt to freshen up their home and add value to their property. Keep reading for our list of 10 top tips on how to add value to your home when renovating ...

First Time Investors: Should You Get Property Investment Advice?

By Kristie Kwok on 8 Jan 2014 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

Are you wondering whether to adopt a DIY investment approach or ask for expert help in relation to your investment property project? First time investors are often put off by the hefty fees that come with professional property advice. However, statistics tell us that half of the people who buy an investment property will sell up within the first five years ...

Twelve Low Cost Security Ideas for your Investment Property

By Sharon Fox-Slater on 12 Dec 2013 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

Properties offering good security have extra appeal for both tenants and insurers – and improvements don’t need to cost a fortune. Consider the following twelve simple and inexpensive security measures when preparing your investment property, and reduce the risk of intruders and burglaries ...

What Should You Consider Before Buying Interstate?

By Kristie Kwok on 11 Dec 2013 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

Opportunities are plentiful if you are open to buying interstate. However, you need to have a bigger risk appetite in order to invest in markets further away because there are added dangers to this type of investment. Thorough research is required to build up your knowledge of an unfamiliar area in a different state ...

Slumlords Sublet by the Room – But You Should Think Twice

By Sharon Fox-Slater on 21 Nov 2013 1 Comment

Given the potential profits, some property owners are tempted to rent their house by the room, but this strategy can be a legal and logistical minefield. The situation is particularly alarming if you find your tenant is a potential ‘slumlord’, secretly subletting individual rooms for profit. The ‘rooming house’ concept is becoming increasingly common ...

How to Beat your Competition at Auction

By Peter Sarmas on 25 Oct 2013 No Comments yet, your thoughts are very welcome

If you’re a first home buyer looking to purchase your first property in Melbourne, it’s highly likely you’ve attended a few auctions over the recent weeks and seen some properties go for prices well above what the agent has been quoting. It’s not a nice way to enter the property market, but unfortunately that is the nature of the beast right now ...