How to put together a strong rental application
There are several details you need to include in a rental application. Here’s everything you need to put together a strong rental application
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What market forces drive up your rental return?
There can be many factors you need to consider and eliminate when you weigh up whether to make a rent increase to raise your rental return.
What are 5 common investor mistakes to avoid?
What are 5 common investor mistakes to avoid? Let’s face it we all get busy with day to day life however how do you avoid common investor mistakes and make the most of your investment? From interest rate changes to the ups and downs of property prices, it’s important you remember a few key things…
Are you being smart about your tax deductions, and tax depreciation report?
Additional deductions may be available with a split tax depreciation report if you own your investment property with another person.
5 Steps to Get Your Rental Bond Back in Full
When vacating your rental property there are a few steps you can take to ensure your Rental Bond is returned in full. Here is 5 steps to help you.
Things you need to buy before you move with flatmates into a share house
Here is a list of things you need to buy before you move with flatmates to make your transition smooth and to feel more at home.
5 Fantastic Reads to propel your Property Investment Experience!
Want more learn more about property investments? Here are 5 Property Investment Experience books. Enjoy the reading!
Could rentvesting be the key to building wealth and your dream lifestyle?
In recent years, the concept of rentvesting has grown in popularity as property prices around inner-city suburbs grew rapidly. For example, you may have wanted to enter the property market close to Sydney’s CBD but didn’t have a large enough deposit saved. With rentvesting, you can invest in one area you may not live in…
Tips for Splitting Rent and Expenses with your Housemates
Moving in with housemates can be great fun. Here are 5 Tips for Splitting Rent and Expenses with your Housemates.
Is Lawn Mowing Maintenance a Landlord or Tenant Responsibility?
Is it the tenant’s responsibility to mow the lawn? In general, it will be the tenant’s responsibility as well as tenant Maintenance.
What are tenants looking for in a property?
As the number of long-term tenants in Australia continues to rise, we’ve listed the top things they are looking for in this blog.
What is an Urgent Repair on an Investment Property?
We want your home to be safe and secure for you to live in. So, if your property requires repairs and maintenance, we want you to let us know straight away however what is considered urgent repair and what can wait to the next working day? If you have an after-hours, urgent repair, you…
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE PROPERTY MARKET FOR THE REST OF 2020?
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many industries, including the real estate – property market. With some landlords and renters facing financial hardship, it’s understandably a stressful time for people. For property owners and investors, how the property market performs as we move to the other side of COVID-19 is top of mind. Depending on what…
Top Tips for a Spring Clean, no matter what time of year!
No matter what time of year it is, now is a perfect time of year to “spring clean” your property, and let the brightness of spring clean fill your place with new energy. Whether you’re already a clean freak and your home is clean, or you know your place needs a bit of extra cleaning…
The conversations you need to have with potential housemates !
While moving into a place with new housemates can be an exciting change, there are some direct conversations you need to have with your potential housemates before you apply for a place. To make sure everyone is on the same page, we’ve listed the things you need to discuss when you’re looking for a place.…
How to create more storage space in your home !
One of the hardest things about renting is that you can’t change much about the property. And if you’re living in an apartment or small place, lack of storage can be one of the biggest challenges to overcome. There are things you can do; however, that will create more storage space in your home. Here’s…
How minimalism can make renting more convenient!
While many people could criticise renting saying that the money you pay for your weekly rent isn’t going towards paying off your own home, there’s also an array of benefits that come with renting. Not only does renting allow you to experience living in areas where you may not be able to buy a home, …
The best multipurpose items for your home
With the rising popularity of minimalism in recent years, owning multipurpose items for your home can help you have a minimalistic approach to your lifestyle. Whether you’re a fashionista, couch potato or a keen cook, there are multipurpose items that can be useful in every part of your home. Here’s our list of the best…
Covid-19- What does easing restrictions mean for Real Estate and the Market ?
Slowly but surely we are returning to a life with less restrictions as we move through the three phases of easing restrictions in QLD, but what does this mean for Real Estate and the Market? What affect has the restrictions had on the Market? Despite the fears and restrictions caused by Covid-19, Astute has readily…
Four things to consider when you’re searching for a new home
Searching for a new home to rent can be a tedious process. Between scrolling through listings, attending inspections and putting your application paperwork together, it can be easy to be quickly exhausted by the whole process. However, with a specific list in mind of what you’re looking for in a new home and understanding what’s…
Four ways to freshen up your space in Winter!
The winter months can take a toll not only on our bodies but on our homes too. With cold days, foggy mornings and dark evenings abound, it can leave your home feeling damp and stuffy. Your home doesn’t have to feel this way throughout winter, however, and there are a few easy things you can…
How to dress up a drab bathroom!
One of the hardest parts of renting is trying to dress up rooms that haven’t had much love in previous tenancies. With some luxurious additions, however, you can dress up even the hardest rooms such as the bathroom. If you’ve got a drab bathroom that looks a little more yesteryear than modern, spa-like retreat, try…
7 DIY ideas to save you time, space and frustration !
Food storage containers are one of the trickiest things to store and organise. If your kitchen is small and lacking storage space, these containers can be even more annoying! Even if you’ve tried several different ways to store your food containers to no avail, there might be some things you haven’t tried. We’ve listed some…
What are two money mindset mistakes that are holding you back from building wealth ?
Anyone who’s done any personal development work or read a book about building wealth will know how important it is to have a winning mindset. Not only is a winning mindset important in all aspects of life, it’s also particularly important when it comes to paying off debt and building wealth. Below, we’ve listed two…
Got paperwork? Time to catch up on all your investment administration!
As the end of the financial year fast approaches now is a good time to catch up on all your paperwork and investment administration. With additional time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the extra time you spend on getting organised now will give you something productive to do, while leaving yourself time before…
Home Improvements to assist in a competitive market!
Simple home improvements not only maintain your property however assist in ensuring your property remains a popular prospect for future tenants giving it the edge when quality potential tenants are comparing properties in a competitive market. This is particularly important during these unpredictable times where it may take some time before we know the full effects…
Is your Tenancy Covid-19 Impacted and what does this mean for the Landlord and tenant?
At Astute we have specific procedures in place to assist tenants to provide all relevant information and documentation relative to their financial situation should they indicate they have been financially affected by the Covid-19 emergency. We are also ensuring Tenants have access to information relative to Government Assistance and options of income support. From here…
4 Ways To Optimise Your Rental Return During a Crisis
We’ve never experienced anything like COVID-19 in our lifetimes, and when faced with uncertainty, it’s easy to worry about your rental return. So, whether you’ve been a property investor for decades, or you’ve just purchased your first investment property in the last few weeks, there are a couple of things to consider as you optimise …
Cleaning to Prevent the Flu
With the coronavirus now widespread around the world, it’s a timely reminder to make sure you’re not just cleaning your home, but disinfecting things, so germs don’t spread. According to the US Center for Disease Control, the flu virus can live for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces — gross! To make sure your…
Lawn Grub, what is it and how do you get rid of it ??
What is Law Grub? Lawn grubs are surface dwelling larvae of moths and other species such as sod webworm, cutworm and armyworm. These caterpillar-like larvae feed on your grass during the night that causes the surface of your lawn to present as brown patches. If Lawn grub is rife in the local area and needs…
4 steps to growing your property portfolio!
Selecting the right property for your next investment is a process! If you’re a seasoned property investor, you’ve likely been through it many times — the research, the negotiating and the waiting. There’s a few key steps you need to follow to make sure your next property investment is a wise one. Here’s our steps…
What are the most effective supply and demand indicators for future growth?
We all know the basic premise of value growth in most industries is supply and demand. For the property market, demand is a property investor’s best friend. To understand the state of supply and demand across markets in Australia, there are specific indicators to keep an eye on as you research. Here’s our list 5…
THE IMPORTANCE OF NEGOTIATION SKILLS !
Negotiating skills are essential to have in many situations particularly when you’re navigating the purchase of large items or assets. With the high value that property transactions attract, knowing how to navigate the negotiation process is crucial. Not only can strong negotiation skills help you in other areas of your life, but it can save…
Should you buy an established or off-the-plan investment property?
Deciding whether to buy an established or off-the-plan property as an investment takes a lot of consideration. Like any investment, there are upsides and downsides to both options. We’re taking a look at some of the factors to consider when deciding between established or off the plan investment properties. With established properties, investors can value-add…
Is it worth buying a budget property?
With the rapid growth that occurred in Australia’s property market throughout 2016 and 2017, many investors may have been priced out of the best investment markets in Australia. But what if you could find a bargain property somewhere just outside these markets to grow your portfolio? Not only would a budget property potentially increase your…
How to make tax time go smoothly!
Tax time turns up every single year, so we want to make sure you’re organized when tax time rolls around again next! To make sure your tax time goes smoothly, there are things you need to do throughout the financial year. Here’s are the two most important things you need to do to save potential…
How do you manage maintenance of a property investment?
The team at Astute Realty understands reducing the risk for you as an investor is a high priority particularly with Legislative requirements . Maintenance matters are carried out in accordance with your instructions as the property investor, with guidance from our Management Team in terms of Legislation and ensuring your properties potential capital growth is…
How much time are you spending on property market research?
As a property investor, a large portion of your time, energy and thoughts probably go towards researching the property market. Whether you’re looking to grow your portfolio or sitting tight in the current market, it’s clear Australians love spending time researching property. According to new research by HSBC, Australians spend around 2.5 hours per week…
4 things you can do to increase your chances of a loan approval !
With credit tightening for property investors for well over a year now, making a strong case in your loan applications has never been more important. To make a strong case towards loan approval, there are a few things you can do. Here’s our list of what you can do to make the strongest case possible…
How could Rental Law Reforms affect Landlords, Tenants, Property Investment and QLD as a whole
With PROPOSED Rental Law reforms being such a controversial topic it is important that Landlords and Tenants alike ensure they are well informed with what is being proposed and the resultant outcome on property investment of such reforms. The Real Estate Institute Queensland has published a lot of information which assists in understanding what outcome…
Holiday reading for the savvy property investor !
With the holiday break around the corner, it’s the perfect time to relax with a good book. As a property investor, you’ve probably noticed it’s not just property books that help you focus, but it’s other non-fiction books that help you progress with building your wealth and improving other areas of your life too. The…
How effective is your goal setting?
How effective is your goal setting. Maybe you want to buy another investment property, sell one of your properties, or finally build up to running in the half-marathon that’s passed you by every year for a decade. Whatever your focus is for the new year, you need to properly set goals to give yourself the…
4 ways to stay focused and avoid financial pitfalls in your property portfolio !
As a property investor, there’s a lot you need to manage every day. While your property manager will likely take care of most of the everyday administration of the property, there are a few key things you need to do for your property portfolio to be set up for long-term growth. Here are 4 things…
ACCESSING YOUR PROPERTY EQUITY TO GROW YOUR INVESTMENT PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
Accessing the equity in your investment properties is essential for growing your property portfolio and staying nimble as the property market goes through cycles of change. As the mortgage market continues to undergo changes, understanding how to access your equity is key if you come across investment opportunities. As a property investor, equity is likely…
How often should you update and freshen up your Investment Property?
Some of the things that start to show their age quickly in an investment property are fixtures and fittings. While some fixtures and fittings may need to be updated due to damage or a fault in the item, knowing when to update things in your home is important. This keeps your home in excellent condition…
EASY WAYS TO TURN YOUR PROPERTY INTO A COSY WINTER HOME
Winter has officially arrived, and for many people round Australia, that means cooler days and nights are here to stay. As it gets more difficult to wake up on a cold Winters morning your property living spaces may start to feel cold all the time Fortunately, there are ways to keep your home warm throughout…
3 FINANCE HACKS EVERY PROPERTY INVESTOR SHOULD KNOW
Whether you’re strictly a property investor, or you have other investment holdings as well, understanding how to properly manage your finance is crucial. The key principle that underpins effectively managing your money is making sure that once you’ve worked hard to earn your money that you put it to work for you. Here are three…
Five Tips for Property Investor Success !
There are five key things you can do to accelerate your climb up the property ladder. Investing in property can involve significant financial commitment and also requires regular dedicated time and effort. Before making your investment, it is worthwhile considering the following top tips that may help ensure investor success . Time in the market not…
How much will my investment property lease for?
One of the most commonly asked questions by clients is -How much will my investment property lease for? At Astute we take the time to ensure that we provide our clients with enough information to make informed decisions and be involved when pricing the property for lease. The price will ultimately be decided by- the…
How does Astute Realty, save you time, money and stress with maintenance management?
The team at Astute Realty understands reducing the risk for you as an investor is a high priority particularly with Legislative requirements. Maintenance management is carried out in accordance with your instructions as the property investor, with guidance from our Management Team in terms of Legislation and ensuring your properties potential capital growth is not…
How Do You Choose The Right Property Manager ?
Of course it is important to interview several potential agents so as to make an informed decision on who will best property manager for your investment property, which you have put your hard earned savings into. At Astute Realty we manage each investors property as if it were our own, avoiding a “one size fits…
The importance of your property manager preparing an investment for Tenancy !
The Property Management team at Astute Realty – Hope Island, understands the importance of the Entry Condition Report at the start of a General Tenancy Agreement. When a tenant moves into a property, both the tenant and the property manager are required to complete an entry condition report. This report is an extremely important document…
How do you manage maintenance of a property investment?
The team at Astute Realty understands reducing the risk for your investment property is a high priority particularly with Legislative requirements . Maintenance matters are carried out in accordance with your instructions as the property investor, with guidance from our Management Team in terms of Legislation and ensuring your properties potential capital growth is not…
When should I increase my investment rent and how often?
As an investor, we understand your primary objective is to maximise rent and optimise capital growth on your investment property. The team at Astute Realty understands this. As part of our service to you, we realise the importance of rental returns and we are constantly monitoring the current market rent on your behalf. A minimum…
10 tips to protect your home over the Festive Season!
With the holiday season fast approaching, it is important to be as vigilant as ever when it comes to keeping your home and family safe. The summer months can be peak times for residential robberies with opportunistic thieves tempted to take advantage of homes filled with new gifts during the Christmas period or break into…
8 STEPS TO GETTING STARTED IN PROPERTY INVESTMENT
8 STEPS TO GETTING STARTED IN PROPERTY INVESTMENT At Astute we have a holistic approach to property and can also assist your Property Investment Journey. Here are eight steps to starting a property portfolio on a solid ground, without losing your mind, which we can assist with: Check your finances. This can be as simple…
Risks for private investors which inevitably cost both Time and Money!
One of the most important decisions a landlord will make is whether to manage their rental property themselves or enlist the services of a professional property manager. While DIY property management may sound easy enough, it can actually be quite complex and there are potential traps. One of the biggest issues facing landlords is the…
The ins and outs of investing in Real Estate
The Real Estate Investor A real estate investor makes money through real estate. An active investor may attempt to analyse real estate market values and trends themselves or use a Property Investment Specialist who can also assist with cash flows and borrowing capacities to strategically plan a property portfolio to build wealth. Investors use…
How can having my air-conditioning unit cleaned and serviced save me money!
Each summer one of the most common maintenance requests to Astute by tenants is the Air-conditioning Unit failing to function optimally, or even at all. This seems to be most common over the Christmas /New Year’s break when Summer is at its hottest, and trades are on leave or charging call out fees over…
HOW DOES ASTUTE REALTY MANAGE YOUR TENANTS VACATE AND SAVE YOU MONEY?
Over the years I have come across many cases where agencies have failed to follow vacate procedures, leaving the property substandard for the next tenancy, resulting in the property deterioration between each tenancy, costly vacancy periods, loss of rent, or even a trip to QCat due to disgruntled new tenants living is substandard conditions. As…
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REPAIR AND AN IMPROVEMENT?
Whilst Astute Realty manages repairs, maintenance and improvements for their Landlords to ensure their investment is maintained and in good order, deductions for such works are areas the Australian Taxation Office pay particular attention to on annual tax returns. For this reason it is important that investors understand the difference. Repairs are considered work completed to…
APPLIANCE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT- How Astute protects you saving time and money!
Astute Realty Landlord’s commonly ask for special conditions to be inserted into the tenancy agreement that should an appliance cease operating during the tenancy that it will not be repaired or replaced. Such clauses are in breach of tenancy legislation. Legislation requires that should an appliance be present and in working order at the…
What is Lawn Grub…… How can I Save My Investment Property Lawn
Throughout the warmer Summer months some Landlords and Tenants may experience their beautiful lawn falling victim to Lawn Grub. The good news is- your lawn can be revived and look as good as new with very little effort, here is some Astute Realty pointers to help detect and treat lawn grub…… Signs of Lawn Grub – If…
Experience the Astute difference with your next listing!
Call our team today to see how we can make you stand out in the crowd!
How Does Astute Help You Choose The Right Tenant?
Selecting the right tenant for your investment property can be tough, especially when you want to get someone in there and paying rent straight away – but make sure you look out for these warning signs. Many people make the mistake of not paying attention to the quality of the tenant – as long as…
How much will my investment property lease for?
This is a common question asked by our Astute Realty Landlords. It is important to remember that as your property manager, unfortunately we are not the gatekeeper of rental values. Rental levels, like sales values, are determined by the market. In other words, what a tenant is prepared to pay for a given property in…
Getting the most from your Tax Return with Astute Realty
As a Landlord Astute Realty Clients may be entitled to a range of tax deductions which can help increase your tax return and provide you a greater return on your investment. As rent received forms part of your income, you are entitled to claim legitimate expenses in the pursuit of earning that income. This can…
Your Guide to Negative Gearing
As the most popular investment strategy used by Australians, it is important to understand how negative gearing can create wealth. Gearing is a term that means borrowing money to purchase an investment property. Negative gearing is when that money is used to purchase a property that generates less money than the cost of owning and…
It’s nearly Easter!
At Easter most Australians will take advantage of an extended weekend and go away to enjoy the first holiday after the Christmas break. Easter to many means Chocolate Easter Eggs and a Easter Egg Hunt and perhaps an Easter Bonnet parade at school or kindergarten. However other countries celebrate Easter in a variety of ways.…
Lawn and garden maintenance in a rental property
Setting up your Investment Property for renting is a pivotal part of minimising stress, with Lawns and garden maintenance, as well as occasional tree trimming needing to be considered. It is important to state the differences with lawns and gardens, as opposed to tree trimming. Generally speaking, if it is within reach for the Tenants…
How can annual airconditioning servicing save you money?
As property owners it can be very tempting to just have things repaired/replaced as problems surface – and often without any real effort into prevention. Although this approach can reduce your short term financial cost, in the long run it can be quite costly in future repairs/replacements of items that may not have been necessary…
Astute is hosting Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea all week!
Come into the Astute Office, this week and make a donation, grab a Zarraffas Coffee voucher, a treat, or even a raffle ticket to go into the draw for a bottle of Moet, and help us surpass our goal of raising $500. If you can’t make it in feel free to donate via the link: http://qld.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/AstuteRealty…
What is ‘Fair Wear and Tear’ and how does Astute manage it?
Our Residential Tenancies Act’s refer to “Fair Wear and Tear” with regards to the handing over of a property by the Tenant at the conclusion of a tenancy. There are many definitions available for Fair Wear and Tear so what do you go by? There are many Tribunal cases each year in all states across…
Pool Safety Laws- Do you pass the test?
With Summer heating up, a favourite past time of Queenslanders is swimming in the family pool, however a primary focus for all pool owners should also be to ensure their pool complies with the Pool Safety Laws. The Laws require all new and existing pools to comply with the standards by 30 November 2015,…
Astute Realty is dedicated to education and the community?
Tammy presented to Year 12 at A. B. Paterson College Property Management and Tenancy is becoming more and more Legislative and Litigative, which unfortunately means that all too often when we take over properties managed by previous agencies, we come across tenants and owners alike who have managed to get themselves into trouble. Astute Realty is…
Carols at the Links Hope Island with Astute
Last night Astute sponsored Carols at the Links Hope Island Golf Club, which was fantastic family event enjoyed by all and a great example of the Astute Realty’s philosophy: Real Estate is more than Bricks and Mortar, it’s about people, homes, neighbours, and communities. It’s about raising families, creating wealth living comfortably and belonging. Once again…
Meet Phil and Tammy Game – Owners and Directors of Astute Realty
Licensee Phil Game Phil is a licensed Real Estate Agent and Financial Planner who also holds a Masters of Business, Financial Diploma, and Engineering Degree. In his life before Real Estate he spent 14 years as an Officer in the Australian Army flying Military helicopters. His time in the Military has taught him Loyalty, Camaraderie, Honesty…
Meet our dynamic team
The Astute team strive to consistently deliver accountable results for its clients with total integrity and transparency, providing customers and clients with the most up to date and innovative property solutions. Over the next few weeks we would like to introduce our team so stay tuned or come into our Hope Island Office and say…
Is Your Property Managing You!
Do you stay awake at night worrying about your rental property? Do you phone your Property Manager and never receive a call back? Do you find out too late that once again, there is no money in your account? Do you need care and attention for your most valuable investment? If you have answered ‘Yes’ to any of…
Entry Condition Reports Can Save You Money
I have been amazed at the low expectation of Landlords in regards to the process undertaken by their previous Property Managers when new tenants are approved to live in their house. At Astute Realty , based at Hope Island, we make sure the 9 page Entry Condition Report is completed in detail along with approximately…
Astute Realty is proud to sponsor Links Hope Island
This week Astute Realty – Hope Island, is honoured to announce that we are sponsors of the Monthly Medal at the Links Hope Island (Hope Island Resort – Golf Club). We have been proud residents of Hope Island for many years, as well as equity members of the club, as such we are dedicated to…
Confidence is Returning
Confidence is returning to the Australian housing market, with a survey finding 38% of people expect house prices to rise in the next six months and 51% expect them to rise over the next year. Last October, when the previous housing market sentiment survey was conducted by RP Data and Nine Rewards, only 33%or respondents…