LJ Gilland Real Estate

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Confidential email:- The information in this message is intended for the recipient name on this email. If you are not the recipient please do not read, copy distribute or act upon the message as the information it contains may be privileged. If you have received this message in error, please notify the writer by return email. Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter and your co-operation.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Alexander @ Chris & Brooke's engagement party

Alex @ Chris & Brooke engagement

Best regards,

Linda and Carlos Debello

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LJ-Gilland-Real-Estate-Pty-Ltd/169194919788253

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Time to buy?? confidence across Australia via RPDATA - LJ Gilland Real Estate Pty Ltd

From: Linda [mailto:linda@ljgrealestate.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 26 November 2012 1:47 PM
To: info@ljgrealestate.com.au; glenashmore@hn.ozemail.com.au
Subject: Time to buy?? confidence across Australia via RPDATA - LJ Gilland Real Estate Pty Ltd

Time to buy home confidence up in NSW, Victoria and WA, but Queensland, SA and Tasmania still pessimistic: Tim Lawless

By Tim Lawless
Monday, 26 November 2012

The confidence level among Australian consumers (as measured by the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index) has been on an upwards trend since April this year, and over November the index recorded a sharp rise to reach the highest level since April 2011. An easy way to interpret the index is when the reading is over 100, optimists are outweighing pessimists, and when the index is lower than 100 pessimists are outweighing optimists. In November 2012, the Consumer Sentiment Index was showing a value of 104.3.

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I have found measures of consumer confidence to be one of the most important indicators for the housing market, with the index showing an 85% correlation with the number of transactions in the housing market. To put it simply, when consumers are lacking in confidence, transaction volumes tend to be low, and when confidence is high, the number of home sales follows suit.

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Confidence readings aren’t the same across all of the states. In fact, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania are continuing to record index values below the 100 mark, although each of these states has recorded an improvement in the confidence reading. The most optimistic states are New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, where the index is now tracking higher than 100 (note the index is not available for the territories). Interestingly, the Confidence Index has moderated in Western Australia, most likely a response to a weaker resources sector, while New South Wales and Victoria are the primary drivers of improving confidence levels.

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One of the subsets of the Consumer Sentiment Index is the "time to buy a dwelling index", which has shown a significant improvement nationally and across each of the states. The national index is now showing the highest reading since September 2009 and most of the state level indices are approaching their 2009 highs as well.

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State-by-state breakdown follows

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The indicators are further affirmation that the Australian housing market has moved out of the down phase of the cycle, and there is mounting evidence that conditions will continue to improve. Average selling time has shown an improvement, so has the level of vendor discounting, and auction clearance rates are holding firm above 50%. Additionally we have seen values on an improving trend since the beginning of June. Despite the October fall in the RP Data-Rismark Home Value Index, it is looking like the November reading will be another positive month for the capital city housing market, with values up 0.3% over the first 21 days of November.

Tim is national research director of RP Data.

Best regards,

Linda J. & Carlos Debello, LJ Gilland Real Estate Pty Ltd

Tel: (07) 3263 6085 | Mobile: 0409 995 578 & 0400 833 800 http://www.ljgrealestate.com.au

Confidential Email:- The information in this message is intended for the recipient named on this email. If you are not that recipient, please do not read, copy, distribute or act upon the message as the information it contains may be privileged. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by return email. Thank you for your co-operation.

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Time to buy?? confidence across Australia via RPDATA - LJ Gilland Real Estate Pty Ltd

Time to buy home confidence up in NSW, Victoria and WA, but Queensland, SA and Tasmania still pessimistic: Tim Lawless

By Tim Lawless
Monday, 26 November 2012

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State-by-state breakdown follows

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Tim is national research director of RP Data.

Best regards,

Linda J. & Carlos Debello, LJ Gilland Real Estate Pty Ltd

Tel: (07) 3263 6085 | Mobile: 0409 995 578 & 0400 833 800 http://www.ljgrealestate.com.au

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Investor signposts - week beginning 25 November 2012 - The Experts | Switzer

Market up – how come? - The Experts | Switzer

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Carlos

Don’t invest in apartments without a car park: Monique Sasson Wakelin

By Larry Schlesinger
Friday, 23 November 2012

Property investors should avoid buying an apartment that does not come without a parking space, says investment adviser Monique Sasson Wakelin.

Sasson Wakelin says there are plenty of developers and estate agents “flogging carspaceless apartments” who are happy to tell would-be investors that it is a good idea to buy these sorts of properties.

“They talk about the paradigm shift away from car ownership and all those tenants happy to limit car use to the occasional hire vehicle for weekends away,” she says in a News Limited newspaper column.

But while there are some people who are happy not to own a car, they remain in the minority.

Wakelin says this is borne out in the 2011 census data, which shows that more than four-fifth (81%) of households own one or more cars.

Among those who live in apartments and flats, the figure is slightly lower at 75%.

Sasson Wakelin says her advice has remained steadfastly constant on this issue: “Don’t handicap your investment property by restricting the pool of potential tenants and future owners. A car park space is a must."

Delving further into the census data shows that 77% of Australian use a motorised vehicle to get to work and only 12% take public transport – the rest cycle, walk or work from home.

But Sasson Wakelin says investors being close to public transport is still important for an investment property.

She says being close to public transport is a “major plus” for investors because 1.7 million Australians work in the city or in the surrounding inner suburbs, making it “neither desirable nor feasible for everyone to drive to their place of work”.

Demand for property remains high in suburbs that have good public transport options because it means they can choose between their car and catching a bus, train, tram or ferry, says Sasson Wakelin.

Best regards,

Linda and Carlos Debello

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LJ-Gilland-Real-Estate-Pty-Ltd/169194919788253

Don’t invest in apartments without a car park: Monique Sasson Wakelin

From Switzerland with love !



		FROM SWITZERLAND WITH LOVE !

Changes to the Local Government Act 2009 and Sustainable Planning Act 2009

Glen

Thought this of interest to you.

Best regards,
Linda and Carlos Debello
http://www.ljgrealestate.com.au
http://twitter.com/GillandDebello
http://au.linkedin.com/in/lindajanedebello
http://gillandrealestate.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/LJ-Gilland-Real-Estate-Pty-Ltd/169194919788253

Confidential email:- The information in this message is intended for the
recipient name on this email. If you are not the recipient please do not
read, copy distribute or act upon the message as the information it contains
may be privileged. If you have received this message in error, please
notify the writer by return email. Thank you very much for your assistance
in this matter and your co-operation.

142552_Planning_and_Environment_no_1_-_22_November_2012.pdf Download this file

142554_Planning_and_Environment_no_2_-_22_November_2012.pdf Download this file

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Gold Coast Land!

Offers over $300,000

One of the last large flat blocks left that have an elevated view over the valley. Continuous breezes in the hotter months.
The rear neighbours are way below the level of the back fence.
A lot of money has been spent cutting and retaining the block ready for immediate building.
There is not a lot of land left in this area and is valuable when all gone. Blocks in the latest stage releases were all 600m2.

LJ Gilland Real Estate - Aspley

Pacific Pines, address available on request

Residential Land

OFFERS IN THE LOW $300,000 CALL CARLOS 0400 833 800 TO INSPECT!

LARGE FLAT BLOCK - ALL OFFERS CONSIDERED - CONTACT AGENT FOR PROMPT AND PERSONALISED SERVICE BECAUSE WE CARE.

UBD: P:26, M or L:1. Vacant land of this quality, size and location is becoming harder to come by. This decent size block is a wonderful opportunity to build your dream home. Situated on a 1,110m2 block this area is focused on family living and you will be delighted with the lifestyle benefits it has to offer.
Situated in this ultimate location this block of land is close to:
*Schools.
*Childcare,
*Parks,
*Helensvale Westfield shopping centre.
*M1 Helensvale

If you are seeking for a good location with strong demand then be sure to inspect this one.

Pacific Pines is a fast growing residential estate located about 21 km north of Surfers Paradise. The suburb now offers a community centre and well manicured parkland and recreational areas including Central Park by Central Lake with multi purpose sports fields. Neighbouring suburbs are Gaven, Oxenford and Helensvale.

Residential
Pacific Pines is a popular area for families looking to purchase homes. Land is still available and many people are purchasing house and land packages in the suburb.

Shopping
There are stores in the area that cater to locals everyday needs.
Helensvale’s Westfield Shopping Centre is 10 minutes by car and has a Kmart, Target, Woolworths and Aldi among many other specialty stores. Other local shopping centres are located in surrounding suburbs and Harbour Town Shopping Centre, an outlet having selling brand names at a discounted price, is a 15 minute drive.

More Gold Coast shopping centres

Schools
Primary: Pacific Pines, Gaven, Jubilee College (Christian), Oxenford, Helensvale. Secondary: Pacific Pines, Helensvale. Colleges: Saint Stephen’s, Coomera Anglican, Assisi Catholic College, AB Paterson, Upper Coomera State College.

Retirement
The Gardens on Lindfield, a resort-style retirement village, has one and two-bedroom homes available.

Medical
Pacific Health Medical Centre, Pacific Pines Town Centre.

Gold Coast after-hours medical centres and after-hours chemists

Transport
A number of local buses run through Pacific Pines and the Helensvale train station is a five-minute drive. There is easy access to the M1 Motorway for those looking to head to Brisbane or Coolangatta.

Gold Coast bus, train, plane timetables and transport planners

Recreation
This area is well located close to shopping centres as well as three of the Gold Coast’s famous theme parks, Dreamworld, Movie World and Wet ‘n’ Wild.
The Gold Coast City Marina is located nearby in Coomera with 200 water berths and everything needed for boating available. The Waterlife Restaurant & Café is available for a coffee, meal or functions. Numerous restaurants and cafes are situated at Westfield Helensvale, about five minutes away, as well as Options Tavern.

Golf
Helensvale Golf Club has an 18-hole, 70 par golf course that welcomes visitors both experienced and those new to the sport. The Gold Coast Country Club is an 18-hole championship course located next to the Helensvale train station. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the facilities including a fully licensed bar and bistro

*Important* Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of the information contained herein, L J Gilland Real Estate Pty Ltd will not be held liable for any errors in typing or information. All information is considered correct at the time of printing. Any interested parties should satisfy themselves in this respect.

View Details

realestate.com.au Pty Ltd (ACN 080 195 535)

Ground Floor, 678 Victoria Street, Richmond, Victoria 3121

Contact Number: 1300 134 174 (8.00am - 7.00pm ESDST)

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Difference between repairs, maintenance and improvements article fyi

Difference between repairs, maintenance and improvements

It’s a common question among new property investors: “What’s the difference between repairs, maintenance and improvements?”

This is important stuff to know if you’re going to invest in property because it affects your tax deductibility and hence your cash flow.

Many landlords forget about the new tap or roof repair that they can claim a tax benefit for because their primary focus is on rental returns and capital gains. But it’s the smaller things that can add up to a big tax advantage if you document every item. So the first thing to do is understand the difference between them.

1. A repair is usually partial and restores something to its original state eg. repairing part of a fence by replacing two palings

2. Maintenance is work that prevents deterioration or fixes current deterioration eg. painting your property or oiling the garage door

Repairs and maintenance must relate directly to wear and tear or damage that occurred due to renting out your property. The ATO provides the following examples of repairs and maintenance for which you can claim an immediate deduction in the same year.

Gardening and lawn mowing
Cleaning
Pest control
Servicing a water heater
Replacing guttering damaged in a storm
Replacing part of a fence due to a fallen tree

3. An improvement makes something better than it was originally or provides something in a new and more valuable or desirable form. They generally improve the property’s income production or expected life. A repair becomes an improvement when you go beyond simply restoring an item to its original function. For example, if you replace a worn paling fence with a brick fence, you are going beyond simply repairing the fence – you are improving the fence with a better material

The ATO provides the following examples of improvements.

A new stove
New kitchen cupboards
Building a garage or carport
Removing or adding an internal wall

The differing tax benefits between a repair, maintenance and improvements

Generally speaking, you can claim an immediate deduction for repairs and maintenance in the same financial year, as long as your property is being rented out

Generally speaking, you can claim a capital works deduction or a deduction for decline in value (depreciation) over a number of years for improvements

The ATO provides the following examples as to which improvements should be depreciated and which ones attract a capital works deduction.

Depreciation deduction

Ceiling fan (depreciated over 5 years)
Carpet (10 years)
Floating timber floors (15 years)
Hot water system (12 years)
Window curtains (6 years)
Dishwasher (10 years)
Air conditioner (20 years)

Capital works deduction

Fixed floor coverings, such as tiles and vinyl
Grease traps
Hand rails
Ducts, pipes, vents
Shutters
Wardrobes

Important note for new investors

When you buy an investment property, there are often items that need repairing before you can lease the property out. The ATO has a name for this – they’re called ‘initial repairs’. They are not deductible. Instead, they are considered part of the acquisition costs of the property and may be included in the capital gains tax cost base.

All the information above is general in nature. Use it as a guide only. As with most tax stuff, it’s important to get professional advice. Speak to your accountant regarding individual repairs or improvements and get a quantity surveyor to take stock of all the items in your property that are depreciable.

If you haven’t been monitoring your repairs, maintenance and improvement expenses, you might be missing out on thousands of dollars in tax benefits!

Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Best regards,

Linda and Carlos Debello

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LJ-Gilland-Real-Estate-Pty-Ltd/169194919788253

Investor signposts - week beginning 18 November 2012 - The Experts | Switzer

Compliance update - The Experts | Switzer

Red tape reduction may support QLD property investment - | Homeport Property News

Thursday, November 15, 2012

RP Data Research Blog - First home buyers prefer Western Australian and Queensland

Subject: RP Data Research Blog - First home buyers prefer Western Australian and Queensland

RP Data Research Blog - First home buyers prefer Western Australian and Queensland

First home buyers prefer Western Australian and Queensland

Posted: 15 Nov 2012 03:48 PM PST

First home buyers have been stepping up their activity in the market over recent months, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics housing finance commitments data showing a 14.3% jump in the number of first time buyer loans over the September quarter of 2012 compared with the September quarter of 2011. First home buyers now comprise 19.3% of all owner occupier housing finance commitments, which is slightly higher than the decade average of 18.5%

The number of housing finance commitments for first time buyers has been very much influenced by the specific concessions and stimulus available at the state level. For example, the stamp duty concession that was available in New South Wales up to December 31^st 2011 resulted in a surge of first time buyer activity leading up to the cut-off date (see black trend line below). Similarly, in Victoria, the expiry of the state level First Home Buyers Bonus on July 1 saw a similar surge in activity leading up to the expiry of the stimulus (red trend line in graph below).

More holistically, the First Home Buyers ‘Boost’, which was provided by the Federal Government in late 2008 through to the end of December 2009, saw a record number of first home buyers flow into the housing market. First home buyer, as a proportion of all owner occupier housing finance commitments, peaked at just over 30% in May 2009.

The response from first home buyers to the concessions and stimulus demonstrates how much pent up demand there is across this important segment of the housing market. Affordability constraints are a significant factor for first time buyers, and a stamp duty saving or grant clearly makes a big difference to their sentiment towards a home purchase and their willingness to enter the market.

On a proportional basis, first home buyers are most active in Western Australia and Queensland. It seems that housing prices have little to do with attracting first home buyers to a market, with the most affordable states for housing, Tasmania and South Australia, attracting the lowest proportion of first time buyers.

Common sense would dictate that employment opportunities would be a factor in attracting first home buyers, and that case can absolutely be argued in Western Australia, where there were over 68,000 new jobs created over the past year. That isn’t the case in Queensland, which has shown a fall of nearly 43,000 jobs over the past year.

One explanation for the popularity of Western Australia and Queensland for first time buyers is the fact that these two states attract the largest proportion of interstate migrants (you can see our wrap on population growth and interstate migration in a recent blog here).

While first time buyers are becoming more active and comprise a larger than average proportion of the owner occupier market, the raw numbers remain low from a historical standpoint, with the September number of first home buyer finance commitments tracking almost 17% lower than the five year average.

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Best regards,

Linda and Carlos Debello

http://www.ljgrealestate.com.au