Weekend Reads — Must read articles from the last week
There are more interesting articles, commentaries and analyst reports on the Web every week than anyone could read in a month.
Each Saturday morning I like to share some of the ones I’ve read during the week.
The weekend will be over before you know it, so enjoy some weekend reading…and please forward to your friends by clicking the social link buttons.
Rising Property Values Present A Golden Opportunity For Investors
Australian property values are going from strength to strength, giving property investors a whole to to be excited about.
It’s been reported in an article for Your Investment Property Magazine that most Australian capitals have experienced a significant rise in property values.
Residential property values in Australia continue to increase since June, providing exciting business opportunities for the savvy real estate investor.
According to Global Property Guide, Sydney’s house prices rose by 3.6% in June after experiencing property value declines for six consecutive months.
Meanwhile, Melbourne posted an 8.2% increase in property values over the past 12 months, marking the most profound growth of any capital city in the said time period.
Other cities also registered gains, including Canberra at 6%, Hobart at 4.9%, Brisbane at 4.3%, and Adelaide at 3.5%.
This has led to an 8.2% increase in the average price of a house in Australia at $623,000.
However, both Perth and Darwin posted losses of 4.8% and 6.5%, respectively.
With most capital cities posting satisfactory growth numbers for 2016, it looks like Australia’s real estate market is set to continue growing.
Read the full article here
What you should be telling your kids about property and investing
Another great Real Estate Talk show produced by Kevin Turner.
Michael Yardney talks about the lessons he was taught by his father and how he has educated his children about investing. [adrotate group=”7"]
Ken Raiss says he understands the importance of discussing wealth at home as part of educating them that it is not an evil word.
John McGrath CEO of McGrath Real Estate, adds to the topic of how to educate kids about investing in property and the power of money by sharing his experiences growing up in a family where it wasn’t that important.
Effie Zahos from Money Magazine says she is trying teach her kids the value of money and the power of compound interest.
John Symond says kids need to appreciate that money doesn’t grow on trees.
If you don’t already subscribe to this excellent weekly internet based radio show do so now by clicking here.
What’s going down with first homebuyers?
It would seem that the topic of affordability for first home buyers has no end.
This Blog by Pete Wargent, looks at the current state first first home buyers, to see if any light has been shed on this ongoing dilema.
The ABS produced its muchly awaited revised first homebuyer numbers today.
As flagged previously, the numbers are a bit lower than previously reported, although the month to month movements remained broadly consistent with what we have already seen.
The statistics more or less confirm what we already knew: that there are fewer first homebuyer loans being written than there were in the lead up to the financial crisis (though actually not that many fewer Australia-wide).
Unfortunately the figures don’t shed any light on how many first-time buyers have elected to buy an investment property instead of a home (which the NAB survey implies more than accounts for the downward shift in first homebuyer numbers).
And nor does these series cover first homes bought without finance i.e. for cash, thanks to the so-termed ‘bank of Mum and Dad’.
Read the full article here
ATO Exposes Dodgy Deductions
Throughout the year we all collect receipts and invoices all for the purposes of one day — tax day.
But while most of us approach our tax deduction honestly, there are still those trying to outsmart the law.
In this article on zjl.com.au it’s been reported that the ATO is exposing those who claim dishonestly on their tax return.
With over eight million Australians claiming work-related expenses each year, the ATO is reminding people to make sure they get their deductions right this tax time.
Assistant Commissioner Graham Whyte said that, in 2014/15, the ATO conducted around 450,000 reviews and audits of individual taxpayers, leading to revenue adjustments of over $1.1 billion in income tax.
“Every tax return is scrutinised using increasingly sophisticated tools and data analytics developed (by) the ATO.
This means we can identify and review income tax returns that may omit information or contain unreasonable deductions,” Mr Whyte said.
The ATO also set out some case studies, which provide a fascinating insight into the ATO’s methods, including:
- A medical professional who made a claim for attending a conference in America.
- A taxpayer who claimed deductions for car expenses
Click here for the full article
The interior trends you’ll be loving in 2017
While 2017 seems like it’s miles away, the truth is it will be here before we know it, so why not get ahead of the curve with your home styling.
An article on Domain.com.au has shared the 2017 interior trends that are a must for every home.
With Christmas only 71 days away, there’s never been a better time to spruse up your home.
Just splurged on some marble and copper homewares?
You may want to stop reading.
While it seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the new year, trend forecasters and designers are already thinking well into 2017 – and there’s a big shake up of interior trends predicted.
“In Australia, our prolific use of technology and social media consumption has shortened the gap in our adaptation of global trends, meaning we are seeing international styles hitting our stores a lot quicker than in previous years,” says the team at homewares business Nathan + Jac.
If you’re renovating or building a new home, look out for the following trends to include, and those to avoid, for 2017.
WHAT’S IN
- Terracotta
Warm materials such as terracotta tiles will replace currently popular cool and white tones.
- Cork
You heard it here first — cork is making a comeback.
Not only is cork a stylish material idea that adds warmth and texture to spaces, it’s also ideal for absorbing noise in our increasingly large, open plan homes.
- Dark green
Dark shades of green will become the new must-have dark interior colour as we say goodbye to navy and midnight blues.
- Upholstered bedheads
Beds will change dramatically in 2017, with upholstered bed heads set to replace the timber bed frames currently dominating the market.
- Escapism
Homes with nooks and places to retrieve will become more popular as humans react to our increasingly technological lives.
- Jewel tones
While pastel shades of pink and blue are currently having their day in the sun, they will soon be overtaken by jewel tones inspired by metals, space, stars, clouds and the cosmos.
Click here for the full article
Weekend video: THE TEST
Originally published at Property Update.
