The Aqua Blog — Aqua Wealth
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Feeling useful and having a sense of purpose in life are clearly beneficial psychologically, but now research is revealing that there also physical benefits. No matter what your age, new research finds, having a sense of purpose helps you live longer. However, the earlier you find a sense of direction and purpose, the better. The findings come from a study of more than 6,000 people who were followed over 14 years (Hill & Turiano, 2014). The results showed that people who strongly agreed with statements like the following were less likely to die over the course of the study: [blue]“Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one of them.”[/blue] The researchers were surprised that these findings held, even for younger people. Lead researcher, Patrick Hill, said: [blue]“There are a lot of reasons to believe that being purposeful might help protect older adults more so than younger ones. For instance, adults might need a sense of direction...

Most property developers would say risk is an unavoidable part of their trade and being prepared for what lies ahead can mean the difference between success and failure. The most effective way to minimise the chance of things going wrong is to do your homework. Be ready for the following common scenarios to occur and have a plan for how to reduce your risk and work towards returning a profit. Interest rate rises It might seem obvious to factor in the possibility of rate rises over the life of your development, but you'd be surprised how many developers have been caught out when they have borrowed too much money on lower interest rates and then could no longer meet their loan commitments as rates started to spiral upward. Talk to us about a loan that can be tailored to suit your individual needs. Rising building and construction costs Your budget should include set construction costs...

Between all the Christmas parties, gift buying and holiday activities, it's all too easy to wake up in January with a credit card hangover. Start thinking now about ways to practice safe Christmas spending and you may well avoid the New Year pain. Pay with cash When you pay by credit you don't think much about the cost, but when you pay with cash or a debit card you have to know that you have the money before you can make the purchase. Resist impulse shopping Before you hit the shops, make a list of what you need and then resist the urge to add impulse buys unless you really need them. Read catalogues and go online to find out where the best prices are before you leave home. Set a limit When it comes to gift buying, nights-out or holiday activities, set a limit on how much you allow yourself to spend. Why not ask...

Hotspotting has been credited with providing property investors with the inside edge on where to buy. Here we look at what it means and whether it can work for you. What is hotspotting? It's the process of identifying the locations that will show superior capital growth in the future. These are often suburbs that are currently underperforming but are within close proximity to more popular suburbs. When these popular areas become too expensive, buyers often look to the neighbouring suburbs, causing an outward ripple effect. How do I find a hotspot? Investors trying to buy into the next hotspot will often get their advice from online reports, magazine articles and wealth creation seminars. It's important to look carefully at who is providing the 'expert advice' that an area is a hotspot, as it may well be the PR agent of a developer or someone with a vested interest in the area. Is it possible to...

'Pool' is the number one most searched for feature by browsers of Australian property website realestate.com.au. It also appears twice in the top ten ('pool', 'swimming pool') along with 'waterfront', 'living + areas', 'granny flat', 'bedrooms', 'views', 'investment', 'duplex' and 'shed'. While some say that owning a swimming pool may affect a property's sales potential by ruling out some groups of buyers, it seems Australians are still attracted to the delights of a backyard pool. In deciding if a pool really does add value; experts advise it's important to consider design features and quality of construction. Many pools are now almost an extension of the house, making them part of the entertainment area and visible from living rooms for easier supervision of kids.  A well-designed pool should not overwhelm the garden, but instead fit with the landscape and still allow room for outdoor entertainment and a grassy play area. It's likely that as...

We all set goals, either consciously or unconsciously, but most of us are content with vague targets that are just as easily forgotten the next day. We sort of know where we're going and we count upon fate, luck and quick-thinking to get us there. This might work sometimes, but it also makes it easy for us to find excuses, get side-tracked or give up. Goal setting is one of the simplest and most powerful tools you have to bring about positive changes in your life. Like driving in a big city, it's harder to find your way if you don't know exactly where you're going. Setting goals is like stopping to look at a map - it takes a few minutes to do it, but it makes sure you're headed in the right direction. Put pen to paper Make your goals real by getting them out of your head and onto paper. Be...

A Deposit Bond offers a quick and convenient way to offer a deposit for the purchase of a property if you don't have the cash on hand. Rather than paying the full 10 per cent deposit you would normally have to produce up front, you hand over a deposit bond, which is a guarantee that the deposit will be paid at a future date. Deposit bonds are underwritten by an insurer to guarantee the vendor that they will be paid their deposit in full at settlement even if the purchaser defaults on the contract of sale. They are in effect a form of credit because when the time comes to settle, you will still have to produce the balance of the purchase cost, plus the 10 per cent deposit that was covered by the bond. Once issued, deposit bonds can't be refunded, and if you default you are responsible for paying costs...

Save money on your energy bills and add value to your property by going green. Improvements that reduce your home's energy and water use will significantly increase its resale value. A study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that increasing a home's energy efficiency rating by half a star adds 1.91 per cent to its sales price - which equates to $7,000 for a property worth $365,000. The study was conducted in the Australian Capital Territory using 2006 sales price data and since then the demand for eco-friendly houses has increased to the point where it is now well-accepted that buyers are prepared to pay more for a property that ticks all the green boxes. Conduct a search of properties for sale and there's a good chance you'll find that solar hot water, photovoltaic roof panels and water tanks are common additions. The building regulations that set minimum standards for energy efficiency...

Should you accept an early offer on your home or hold out for a better price? According to a recent study by RP Data, the longer you wait, the less you may get. It seems a quick sale is a good sale, with quick sales experiencing low levels of discounting while properties that sit on the market for longer typically see excessive levels of discount. Over the past five years, homes that sold in less than 30 days recorded an average vendor discount of 3.9 per cent. Homes that sold between 30 and 60 days attracted an average discount of 5.2 per cent while homes sold after more than 120 days on the market were discounted by 10.1 per cent. While not every home is going to get an offer within the first 30 days, a property is most likely to receive offers when it is newly listed for sale. Buyers rush out...

At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 2.5 per cent. Recent information is consistent with global growth running a bit below average this year, with reasonable prospects of a pick-up next year. Commodity prices have declined from their peaks, but generally remain at high levels by historical standards. Inflation in most countries remains well contained. Overall, global financial conditions remain very accommodative, though the recent reassessment by markets of the outlook for US monetary policy has seen a noticeable rise in sovereign bond yields, from exceptionally low levels. Volatility in financial markets has increased and has affected a number of emerging market economies in particular. Notwithstanding the higher volatility, Australian institutions have ample access to funding markets. In Australia, the economy has been growing a bit below trend over the past year. This is expected to continue in the near term as the economy adjusts to...