Empower Blog Property & Financial Investment

My Greatest Fear, Disappointment & Possible Regret

In taking a moment to reflect on what Jane (my wife) and I have been able to achieve financially over our 16 years of investing in residential property and amassing a multi-million dollar property portfolio before the age of 40, it once again highlights to me a couple of valuable lessons that have resulted in our household becoming financially inde...

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$13,000 saving on loan set up costs!

At Empower Wealth we believe that making sure you have the right finance structure is paramount to the success you will achieve in your wealth building journey. In this newsletter I would like to share a story of how we were able to save a client $13,000 in loan set up costs, by ensuring that they had their loans structured in a way that was cost e...

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RBA Rates Decision – May 2011

The RBA has left the official cash rate on hold again in May, making it 6 months since the last cash rate movement.  Minutes from the previous RBA board meeting certainly indicated that the board position was that rates remained adequate for the near term, as subdued consumer spending and the impacts of major disasters still filter through the eco...

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Where to Get Started?

As we have highlighted in recent newsletters, Money Planning is a critical factor in achieving your goals and dreams, and the earlier you get started, the better the outcome is likely to be. So, where to begin? Like any other form of planning you may do in life, Money Planning involves the three basic steps of knowing where you are now, knowing w...

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Five Tips for a Happier Rental Property

To ensure your tenants are enjoying renting your property, and looking after it too, it’s important to remember a couple of things so that your relationship with your tenants and property manager is a prosperous one. So I thought I’d pen a few tips to help remind fellow landlords that if they undertake these recommendations then owning their...

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What is the outlook for Melbourne?

On occasion I get asked if it’s time to start considering our interstate capitals now that Melbourne has had a recent and fabulous run. Naturally many investors are keen to identify the next booming city to perform for their portfolio. Before they take our beloved city off the shopping list, I bring their attention to a few compelling reasons why...

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PROPERTY BUBBLE? ….Really… Please!

The property doomsayers ‘noise’ has settled a little since interest rates have stopped increasing for now.  However, with price values stabilising or showing decreases in some markets in the early months of 2011, I’m expecting this media ‘noise’ to start getting louder as logic is not going to get in the way of a good story that sells pa...

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Exit Fee Passed as Legislation

The legislation to ban Exit Fees has been passed into law on 23rd March, by the Federal Government. These new laws will see Exit Fees, including Deferred Establishment Fees banned from 1 July.  The new regulations are: Regulation 79A The new Regulation 79A provides that a credit fee or charge is prohibited if:  it is provided for in a c...

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When should you start investing?

One of the decisions that will typically flow from undertaking Money Planning is a decision to get your money and your equity working for you, generally through some form of investment.  One of the most important factors in the returns to be achieved from investing is time.  No matter what investment you choose, the longer you can hold it, the mo...

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RBA Rates Decision – April 2011

For the x month in a row the cash rate has remained on hold as the RBA looks for further indications that the economy is continuing to grow following the recent major flood and cyclone disasters that hit our shores earlier this year. If the economy rebounds quickly and the insurance works provide inflationary pressures on materials and labour, p...

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RBA Rates Decision – March 2011

The cash rate remained on hold again this month as the RBA awaits more critical data on the performance of the economy before looking to adjust the cash rate. Most economists expect further rate rises in 2011, with many tipping an increase in the cash rate of around 0.5% over the course of the year. Events in the Middle East region could play a ...

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It’s Mortgage ‘Sale Season’

Over the last month, we are seeing signs from the lending sector that they believe their costs of funds are going to improve in the coming years. (Margin = the difference between what costs lenders source money for and what they on-sell it for – i.e. Profit margin) Cheaper costs of funds means one of two things: 1 – Increased mortgage len...

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So when is the best time to buy?

It’s a well-accepted theory that buyers shop in spring right through to Easter – and then the cooler months in Melbourne take hold and buyers slow down – but is this really what happens? The correct answer is that the season is only one tiny factor in what dictates property buyer and vendor behaviour. Economic outlook, suburb, location, go...

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