March 2024

Key takeaways Considering a 10-year timeframe prompts deeper reflection compared to shorter-term scenarios. It allows for significant but manageable adjustments. Spending time with loved ones becomes paramount, emphasizing meaningful connections and creating lasting memories. Focus shifts towards honing skills, sharing knowledge, and leaving a positive impact. This includes refining expertise, mentoring others, and establishing legacies…

On your deathbed, it’s too late to make wish lists. That’s the thought that went through my head high over the ocean, willing the plane to go faster as I rushed thousands of miles back to New Zealand to meet up with my gravely injured wife in the hospital near Christchurch. Let me back up….

What’s your financial time horizon? If you think about it, the average Australian has a very short financial time frame. Often they live week to week and wonder how they’re going to get through financially till the next pay packet. Then there are some Aussies who think about the months or the years ahead. But,…

When you’re struggling to achieve financial freedom, rich people can feel like an entirely separate species. They move in different circles. They have different routines. They even seem to think differently from others. This is not a myth. Rich people are not actually different, of course, but they do act differently from those who are…

Key takeaways Over the past year, CoreLogic’s Home Value Index has risen by 8.9%, contributing approximately $63,000 to the national median dwelling value, reaching an all-time high in February. A significant majority of house and unit markets (88.4%) across Australia saw values rise over the year, reflecting broad-based capital gains. Despite challenges such as rate…

Key takeaways Over a quarter (28.5%) of residential properties in Australia’s major eastern states (Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland) were purchased entirely with cash in 2023, amounting to $129.6 billion. Cash purchases are dominated by two groups—regional buyers and inner-city urban buyers. Regional purchases are likely driven by retirees and downsizers seeking lifestyle changes,…

Renovating a property before renting it out is a smart move that many landlords prefer. This investment can be fruitful because property with fresh paint and new flooring attracts quality tenants. But renovation creates a lot of waste. So, how do you manage that massive pile of waste after demolition or renovation? Note: With home…

In the past year, the rental market in Australia’s three major capital cities—Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne, and Greater Brisbane—has experienced a narrowing gap between house and unit median rents. This trend offers critical insights into the evolving dynamics of the housing market, with significant implications for both renters and investors. Rental landscape of major capital…

Key takeaways Over the last decade or so, the capital growth of most Melbourne apartments has been underwhelming, to put it mildly. Detailed analysis of the established unit market (i.e. townhouses and apartments) shows established units are currently undervalued by between +15% to +20% and given the supply / demand imbalance will continue to correct…

On paper, your investments in stocks, real estate or even cash may look like your greatest assets. While all those things are super important, you have something else that’s even more valuable. It’s the investment called you.   Finding ways to increase your value while doing the things you love may be the most important…

Despite pandemics, rising interest rates, and challenging supply issues, the Australian property market remains a remarkably resilient, unyielding force, with two out of every five Australians determined to buy a home within the next five years. A recent Westpac Home Ownership Report reveals a surge in home buying intentions – 44% of Australians plan to purchase…

I am a big fan of habits. Good ones that is. Of course, not all habits are productive ones. Some are bad for us, they stop us from succeeding, and they reinforce negative patterns that we’ve picked up from parents, friends or colleagues. No one is perfect, but I’ve found that the most successful people…

Properties in some Aussie suburbs are being snapped up at record rates as issues of scarce supply and high demand continue to strain the market. Recent Ray White data reveals that time on the market (how long it takes to sell a property) is still significantly higher in most cities across the country compared to…

Key takeaways Just in case you didn’t know, successful people have just as many failures (in fact probably more) than the average person. But when things go wrong they tend to handle the situations differently. We outline 10 ways successful people think differently and what they do differently when they mess up. There may be…