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[blue]Read the full article at - http://theage.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/private-or-auction-how-to-pick-20120907-25hvv.html [/blue] You want to sell, but which method is right for you? Our guide can help. If you're selling a property that is unlikely to generate sufficient competition at auction, private sales are a far better option. The managing director of Wakelin Property Advisory, Monique Sasson Wakelin, says a private sale can be an especially smart move when the property cycle is in a slump or a flat period. The following are the most common ways to sell privately. Expressions of interest This is often used to sell commercial properties and top-end residential real estate. The head of buyer's advocate company Secret Agent, Paul Osborne, says some vendors see an advantage in expressions-of-interest campaigns because the sales method does not reveal the intent of the seller as much as other methods. ''They are often run very similarly to a tender,'' he says. ''Usually, a date and time [to complete...

Check the policy before buying any insurance, writes Lesley Parker. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/money/planning/price-isnt-everything-20120821-24j39.html#ixzz24teIWQna The huge growth in ''direct'' selling of insurance, and the high-rotation  television advertising allied with that, has attracted the attention of  financial services regulators. They are keeping an eye on both the quality of the products being sold and  the depth of information consumers are getting. ''Direct life insurance business has been growing at a high rate and is now a  significant proportion of the retail market,'' an executive group member of the  Australian Prudential Regulation Authority,  Ian Laughlin, told a conference  recently. ''We are concerned that the quality of the products and of the business being  written may be poor in some cases. We see examples of expensive products and  high [policy] discontinuance rates.'' The commissioner of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission  (ASIC), Peter Kell, says there's nothing intrinsically wrong with selling  insurance directly, but if the consumer isn't getting...

Borrowers hoping for a rate cut will have to wait at least another month with the Reserve Bank of Australia keeping the official cash rate on hold at 3.5 percent at its August meeting today. The RBA board has already slashed the cash rate by 75 basis points this year — a half-percentage reduction in May followed by a quarter-percent drop in June. Nine finance editor Ross Greenwood said the RBA is overlooking historically low inflation and concerns about a potential rise in unemployment, which would "enhance the case for a rate cut". "The decision is based on a potential turn around in the economic fortunes of the US and Europe," Greenwood said. "It's a long shot but it's colouring their thinking at this time." A freeze on the official rate was widely tipped with an AAP survey of 15 economists published on Monday revealing just two believed the board would lower rates. Reports that a...

Property owners looking to undertake a property depreciation report to obtain legitimate tax deductions for their property investments should only use properly qualified companies that are fully compliant with ATO rulings and certified members of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS). AIQS is the professional standards body for quantity surveyors throughout Australia. Over recent years, AQIS has worked with the ATO on the review and revision of the requirements for investment/rental property depreciation reporting. Paul Bennion, Managing Director of DEPPRO says it is essential for property investors to get the right advice regarding their property. Property depreciation is a complex area of finance and tax and expert advice is important. “The ATO has spent a lot of time removing ambiguities from the legislation dealing with depreciation on residential properties. As part of this process, the ATO consulted with professional bodies such as AIQS and ensured they were kept informed about of changes...

Despite the common adage 'never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins', many of us are too quick to judge others without considering the full picture. How long since you have given someone the benefit of the doubt rather than forming a quick judgement? How long since you stopped to take in someone else's perspective? If your answer was 'today', then congratulations, it means you have what it takes to be empathetic - to place yourself in the shoes of another person and be able to identify and understand their situation. It has been said that a common characteristic of people who are successful as business leaders, teachers, parents, spouses and healthcare professionals is their ability to be empathetic. By gaining an insight into what others are feeling and thinking, they are able to create bonds of trust. They are also able to understand how or why...

  [dropcaps]T[/dropcaps]here's a very public stoush going on between the banks and the politicians about out-of-cycle rate rises. While each side argues its case, consumers are left confused about whether they are getting a raw deal. Since the RBA began cutting interest rates by 125 basis points from last November, there has been a shift in the tradition of lenders moving their rates in line with the RBA. Lenders have instead chosen in many cases to withhold part of each reduction and to make their rate announcements up to two weeks after the RBA's first-Tuesday-of-the-month announcement. We have lately fielded many questions from confused clients, asking  'who is driving rates', 'am I being ripped off', 'why are out-of-cycle rates rises happening'? Here we'll take a look at both sides of the argument and what it means for you as a mortgage holder. The government argues ...

How to build equity in your home quickly Every home owner has the chance to build equity in their home over time, but here's how to speed up the process. Equity is the difference between the market value of your property and the amount you still owe on your loan. The quicker you build equity, the earlier the opportunity to invest further, expand your portfolio and build your wealth. Buy at a good price At the start of your investing career, it doesn't hurt to knock $25-50k off an average priced home. Paying a lower price not only saves money up front, but also long term through reduced interest payments. Mastering the art of negotiation is your best bet for knocking down the purchase price. Start by doing your sums and knowing your limit, but never let on to the seller what your top price is. Place a time limit on your offer and...

[dropcaps]T[/dropcaps]he stereotypical Aussie family home made up of mum, dad and a couple of kids is on the wane, as couples without children fast become the family norm. As our population ages and baby boomers become 'empty nesters', it is predicted that couples without children will increase the fastest of all family types, making up 43% of all families by 2031. Other big changes include a massive increase in the number of Australians living alone - again largely a result of an ageing population. This type of household is expected to increase by up to 91% over the next 25 years, representing the fastest growing household type over the period 2006 to 2031. The number of people in our households will continue to decline until it reaches an average of between 2.4 and 2.5 by 2031. By 2016 Australia's household size is projected to be the same as Japan and New Zealand and...

[dropcaps]M[/dropcaps]ortgage holders hoping for a third successive rate cut will have to wait at least another month after the Reserve Bank of Australia today left the official interest rate on hold at 3.5 percent. Announced at 2.30pm AEST, the RBA board's decision comes as no surprise to economists who widely backed no change to the official cash rate this month. "At today's meeting, the board judged that, with inflation expected to be consistent with the target and growth close to trend, but with a more subdued international outlook than was the case a few months ago, the stance of monetary policy remained appropriate," RBA governor Glenn Stevens said in a statement. A survey of 21 economists conducted by AAP earlier this week found unanimous belief that rates would stay on hold following the release of positive employment and GDP figures. The RBA has slashed 75 basis points from the official rate since May with...

[dropcaps]H[/dropcaps]OUSE prices will mirror Australia's two-speed economy as a two-tiered  property market develops over the next three years, a leading forecaster  says. Home owners and investors in New South Wales and resource-rich Western  Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory will benefit from above  inflation price growth but in other parts of the country they will ''fall in  real terms,'' economists BIS Shrapnel said. A BIS Shrapnel report Residential Property Prospects, 2012 to 2015  predicts a recovery in those states that will ''gain traction through 2013'' as  resource investment flows through to other sectors of the economy. By contrast, conditions in the other non-resource states (Victoria, South  Australia, Tasmania and Australian Capital Territory) would continue to be  tough. "Median house price growth in Melbourne is forecast to be minimal. After  accounting for inflation, prices are actually forecast to fall by 6 per cent in  real terms," it said. The stars were ''beginning to align for...