While the aim should be to keep your vacancy periods to a minimal amount of time to ensure steady cash flow, a property vacancy does in fact have an upside. How? If your property is on the brink of becoming vacant it can be a perfect opportunity to assess any potential to add capital value…
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Being the owner of an investment property is similar to running a small business. There are rewards as well as risks and it is very important to maintain good records for administrative purposes. The biggest mistake many property investors make is not keeping up with regular maintenance. In the long run this is counter-productive. Unkept…
A rental bond is a sum of money – usually equating to four to six weeks’ worth of rent – paid by tenants upon commencement of their tenancy agreement. It provides financial security for the landlord in the event that a tenant breaks any clause of the rental lease, which could include damage to the…
Securing strong rental yields from rental income should be the strategy of many property investors. Strengthening this further does not always have to wait until market conditions improve. Here are a few tips to consider: Adding security – ensuring that doors and windows have good key locks, and even adding a security alarm provides peace…
As an owner of a rental property, you are entitled to claim tax deductions for some of the expenses you incur while your property is rented or available for rent. To work out what you can and cannot deduct from your tax, you need to understand which expenditure category your costs fall into. The three…
Managing your lease is a lot like running a business. When running a business you need to ensure you have adequate cash flow coming in to the business to pay your bills and finish the financial year in the black. Managing a lease is no different. It’s all about managing cash flow. A fixed term…
With winter just around the corner now is the time to ensure both your investment property and your home are adequately prepared. The following checklist will help you tick off the most important areas to consider. Insulation – ensuring your home is well insulated and protected from draughts will not only make for happy comfortable…
The days of the ‘set and forget’ home or investment loan are long gone and now more than ever, it’s up to us as consumers to stay vigilant when it comes to mortgage rates (or interest rates of any kind for that matter). To demonstrate the difference a phone call to the right person can…
Of course we always recommend consulting with your accountant for the best way to manage your investment property: income; expenses and tax returns. However there are some common practices that we know can assist in having a smooth-sailing property investment as opposed to facing unforeseen expense blow-outs and disruptions to your tenants that can affect…
When they are in the news, much of the press about Gen Y tends to be less than flattering. Not only do they job hop, show little loyalty to their employers and have three second attention spans, they also want to have everything now. While Gen Y might be criticised for their short-termism – take…