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Have you been driving the same old bomb for donkey’s years? Then perhaps it’s time to improve your image with a new set of wheels!

If you’re worried about the cost of a new car, fear not! With the right kind of finance through mortgage brokers like us, and the right kind of knowledge about how to negotiate a great deal at the end of financial year car sales, you’ll be cruising in style in no time! Here are our 6 steps and tips for making the most of the End of Financial Year (EOFY) car sales.

6 Steps to buying a new car

Pre-arrange your finance

Before you begin shopping for a new car, it’s a good idea to talk to us about how you’ll pay for it. We can provide plenty of finance options besides standard car loans that could help you save money on interest and make your car more affordable. These may include a lease, a personal loan, or accessing the equity in your home. If you’re self-employed, we may be able to work with you and your accountant to find a way to save at tax time on your car purchase. And if the car is for commercial purposes, you may be able to claim a deduction up to the full price of the vehicle (up to $20,000, including GST) before June 30. So please talk to us about your options!

Pre-arranging finance will also help protect you from the hard-sell of dealership salespeople and to give you more negotiating power. Be wary of 0% finance deals, as the repayment terms are often too short for people to afford, and you may end up being shuffled into alternative finance with higher interest rates. Don’t be taken for a ride!

Do your research

Knowing the recommended retail price before you enter the car yard puts you in a better position to negotiate. Price the car online and be sure to approach at least three different dealerships to get a quote. It may work to your advantage to use the best quote to see if you can negotiate a better price from the next dealer you speak with. Researching the car you’re buying thoroughly will also allow you to negotiate with knowledge of the product and perhaps get some additional extras.

Test-drive prospective new cars

Now comes the fun part – test driving your potential new baby. Like speed-dating, you only have a limited amount of time to get to know one another, so make it count. Take the cars out for a spin in a variety of different traffic conditions, and preferably on different terrains.

Consider trading-in your old car

If you don’t need to keep your old car, you may be able to get a further discount by trading it in on the new one. But sometimes you can get a better price for your old car if you sell it privately, so go online to do some research about what its worth before you decide to accept an offer from a dealership.

It’s ok to haggle

Car dealers expect people to drive a hard bargain, so don’t be embarrassed about a bit of negotiating. If you’re buying during the EOFY car sales, dealers often discount aggressively to clear stock and the increased competition to secure your business means you’re more likely to walk away with a better bargain if you haggle. Buying at the end of the day may also work in your favour, as dealers may be eager to lock in a final sale before home time.

Hit the road, Jack!

Once you’ve signed all the paperwork, don’t forget to make sure your insurance is in place before you drive out of the dealership. We can help with this too. We hope these tips come in handy when buying your new car. Remember, we can find you car finance with terms that suit your needs and budget. We’ll organise pre-approval, giving you leverage during the negotiation process, and explain your options. Happy car hunting!How to get a bargain when buying a new car

Whether you’re a seasoned investor looking for a new opportunity, or you’re after other ways to get your foot on the property ladder, a commercial property investment may be worth considering.

In this article, we explore the reasons why people venture into commercial property investing, and some of the areas to be aware of. And if you do decide to go down the commercial route, we can hook you up with an investment loan that suits your situation and objectives!

What is commercial property?

“Commercial property” tends to conjure up images of dusty industrial warehouses, but it’s a general term that covers all kinds of property that isn’t residential, or is used for some kind of business purpose. That includes everything from offices and retail outlets, to industrial sites and doctor’s surgeries. It can even include car parks!

The benefits of investing in commercial property

Attractive yields

If your focus is on generating income from rents, investing in commercial property may be the way to go. Commercial properties typically return a much higher rental yield than residential properties – usually upwards of 7% return. In comparison, the average residential rental yield across Australia’s capital cities fell to 3.2% in February 2017. (Rental yield percentages are calculated on the amount of rent compared to the cost of the property).

Additionally, the costs of owning and managing a commercial property are usually lower, because most of these costs are covered by the tenant.

Potential to target growth areas

Commercial property investment often provides the opportunity to capitalise on growth areas, both in terms of location and the business economy. For example, a recent report by Deloitte identified that our future business economy is likely to expand rapidly in the areas of communications technology, hospitals and a wide variety of other health industries, food processing, private schooling and education. Hospitality and tourism are other areas that traditionally enjoy steady growth.

What to watch when investing in commercial property

Potentially lower rates of capital growth

While commercial property often provides more attractive rental yields than residential property, the capital growth potential is often not as strong because the land value of commercial premises is usually not as high. This is not always the case, so if you do your research carefully, you may be able to locate a commercial property investment in a growth location. Often it’s the popular shopping and holiday destinations that provide good capital growth potential for commercial property purchases, but these locations can be expensive and difficult to secure, so do your homework.

Associated costs

Goods and services tax (GST) applies when you buy a commercial property, so you need to factor in an extra 10% of the purchase price when you buy. Often investors have to pay more stamp duty for commercial properties than residential properties, too. Properties used in the running of a business are also subject to capital gains tax when you sell.

Additionally, some lenders require a higher deposit for a commercial property investment – 30% instead of the usual 20% recommended for a residential property purchase. But this requirement differs from lender to lender and often depends on the value of the property you want to purchase. To find out more about how much deposit you may require, call us for a chat and we’ll be happy to help you crunch the numbers.

How we can help

If you decide to invest in commercial property, it’s important to have professional advice from your mortgage and finance broker and check with your accountant about the tax implications before you begin. We’re here to help you structure your loan the right way and do all the legwork to help you obtain finance to suit your current financial circumstances and future goals. There’s so much more to know and understand if you’re interested in buying a commercial property, so please get in touch today!Why invest in commercial property?

After weeks of media speculation, on Tuesday, May 9 the Federal Budget was released. To help you navigate the changes, we have pulled together key insights. To review the full budget release visit: 2017 Federal Budget

Childcare & Education

  • A $37.3 billion increase in spending for childcare over four years, has been outlaid in this years budget. This will provide more affordable childcare, including after school care, for around one million families.
  • Working parents earning $185, 710 or less will not face an annual cap under the Child Care Subsidy. A $10,000 cap will apply for families earning more than this.
  • Education: University fees will rise by 1.8 per cent next year, and 7.5 per cent by 2022, increasing the share of fees paid by students from the current level of 40 percent to 41.8% – which could be up to $3,600 for a four-year university degree. HELP: The income threshold for repayments to higher education loans (HELP) has been lowered to $42,000, meaning students will have to start repaying loans sooner.
  • $428 million in funding has been announced for ‘Universal Access’ to support all Australian children to gain access to 15 hours per week of preschool programs, regardless of the setting (this may include day-care facilities) under the National Partnership Agreement.
  • An additional $18.6 billion has been allocated to schools over the next ten years under a new needs-based model. 20% of government schools, and 80% of non-government schools will share an increase in funding. On average per-student funding will be increased by 4.1%.

Housing affordability

  • A proposed $375.3 million in funding for the new National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) will help to provide more affordable housing for the most vulnerable. This funding, which will be matched by State and Territory Governments, will support homelessness support services.
  • First time buyers will be able to make voluntary contributions to their superannuation up to $30, 000 to pay for a deposit on a first house or apartment. Similar to a salary-sacrificing program, this will assist with First home owners gaining access to the housing market faster.
  • A tax benefit for retirees who are downsizing their homes will allow them to transfer up to $300,000 (per person) into a superannuation fund. This is aimed to encourage retirees who are currently living in larger homes to free up housing stock for young families who are entering the property market.
  • SUPPLY: Aimed to address the low housing supply in Australia, the government will divest 127 hectares of surplus Defence land less than 10 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD. This land is large enough to develop up to 6,000 new homes.

Job seekers

  • The new Skilling Australians Fund will support up to 300,000 apprenticeships, traineeships and higher level skilled Australians.

Healthcare

  • The Budget is investing $2.8 billion for public hospitals.
  • An increase in the Medicare Levy to 2.5% (up from 2%) in 2019 will guarantee the funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
  • The budget has funded $65.9 million for the Medical Research Future Fund to support health research. In addition, $5.8 million will support childhood cancer research.
  • $115 million has been directed to mental health, including research, rural support, psychological services and suicide prevention.
  • Freeze on Medicare rebates for bulk-billed consultations has been removed. $1.2 billion will go to funding new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, making them more affordable for consumers.

Transport & infrastructure

  • $1.6 billion of Federal funds towards a $2.3 billion infrastructure package for WA including the top three by proposed dollar investment;
  1. Kwinana Freeway – Armadale & North Lake Roads
  2. Leach Highway – upgrade to High Street
  3. Access to Fiona Stanley Hospital
  • $8.4 billion funding has been announced for an inland rail freight project linking Melbourne and Brisbane offering transit time of less than 24 hours, which will save an estimated 10 hours on the existing route.
  • The Budget includes funding for a second airport in Sydney at Badgerys Creek, which will cost approx $5.3 billion and will likely open in 2026. Further investment of $3.6 billion for infrastructure in Western Sydney to support population growth in the region by a further $1 million by 2030.

It’s been an interesting month for the housing market, with most capital cities experiencing softer growth in April than in the first three months of 2017.

Hobart is leading the way as the strongest housing market, with home values increasing 5.1% over the past three months. In Melbourne and Sydney home value growth slowed in April, but the upside is that this may bring some relief on the horizon for first home buyers!

The Federal Budget was released on Tuesday this week, introducing changes which may affect property prices and buying conditions. Of late, the news has also been dominated by discussions that may impact property buyers and owners – such as the housing affordability debate, negative gearing, capital gains tax discounts, interest-only lending, borrowing through Self-Managed Super Funds and proposed changes to first-home-buyer grants and stamp duty. Please call us if you have any concerns or questions about how any of these points they may affect you, we’re here to help!

Interest Rate News

This month, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decided to keep the official cash rate on hold at 1.5 per cent. Meanwhile, some lenders have raised their interest rates marginally on both owner-occupier and investment loans outside of RBA movements in recent months.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has introduced new caps on lending for interest-only home loans, which may make them more difficult to obtain for some property investors. But there are still plenty of lenders prepared to give interest-only loans to solid borrowers.

Property Market News

Auction activity has picked up, following the Easter lull. The last week of April saw high clearance rates of 79% in Victoria, with 1335 scheduled auctions, and 75% in New South Wales from 1007 scheduled auctions. The Northern Territory had a 100% clearance rate, but there were only four scheduled auctions. The ACT had a clearance rate of 68% for 62 scheduled auctions, while Tasmania’s clearance rate was 67% for 10 scheduled auctions. The clearance rates were lower for South Australia (65%), Western Australia (50%) and Queensland (45%).

Home values only increased by 0.1% across the combined capital cities in April – the lowest month-on-month rise since December, 2015. Home value growth cooled in both Sydney (0% growth in home values for the month) and Melbourne (0.5% growth over the month). In contrast, Hobart’s home values grew 1%, while Adelaide’s increased 0.8% and Brisbane’s rose by 0.6%. Darwin’s property values rose by 0.5% in April, while Perth’s and Canberra’s fell 1% and 2.8% respectively.

If you’re considering refinancing, purchasing your first home, your next home, an investment property, commercial property, or even a car at the end-of-financial-year sales, we can organise the right finance for your individual needs and financial goals. Set yourself up for a bright financial future by speaking to us about your options today!

Welcome to our May Newsletter

If you’re new to property investment, understanding all of the jargon involved can be tricky.

As your mortgage broker, our mission is to help simplify and support you through the process of investing in property, which is why we’ve put together this handy list explaining the key lingo you’re likely to encounter. Right, students, pens at the ready, it’s time for some learning!

Bank valuation
A bank valuation is the bank’s estimate of the value of a property. When you apply for a home loan, your lender will send an independent valuer to appraise the property. The bank valuation is usually more conservative than the market value, because it’s designed to limit the lender’s risk and indicates the amount they can expect to recoup if the property is repossessed. It’s important to note that a bank will not accept your valuation of the property, even if you obtain your valuation from an independent valuer.

Capital gain
Capital gain is the term used to describe the profit on the sale of the property, once all expenses have been deducted. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is applicable to capital gains on investment properties purchased on or after September 20, 1985, but does not apply to your principal place of residence in most instances.

The tax you pay is based on the sale price minus the cost involved in acquiring and holding the property (your cost base), and any gain is included in your assessable income in the financial year you sell the property. There may be several exemptions for paying capital gains tax (CGT). For example under the ‘Temporary Absence Rule’ – if you move out of your home and rent it out, the property may still be treated as your principal residence for up to six years and you are exempt from CGT. However, the exemption rules may vary from state to state, so it is wise to speak to your accountant about CGT and ask them to explain any exemptions that may be applicable to you.

Capital growth
Capital growth is the increase in value of the property over time. The supply and demand in an area impacts the capital growth. If there is high demand from buyers and limited supply, the prices are likely to rise.

Current market value
Not to be confused with the listing price, nor the most recent offer on a property, the current market value, as defined by The International Valuation Standards Council, is: “The estimated amount for which an asset or liability should exchange on the valuation date between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an arm’s length transaction, after proper marketing and where the parties had each acted knowledgeably, prudently and without compulsion.”

Depreciation
Depreciation is the decline in the value of an asset over time. As an investor, you may be able to claim depreciation on the property buildings and the items within it against your taxable income, but again you should check with your accountant to see what tax deductions are applicable to you. In order to claim depreciation, you will need to employ a qualified Quantity Surveyor to prepare you a depreciation schedule. The tax office will not accept a depreciation schedule that you prepare yourself.

Equity
Equity is the current market value of a property minus any outstanding mortgage repayments. Investors can use the equity from the increasing value of an investment property to purchase a new property – if you are interested in doing this, talk to us about refinancing your current loan.

Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)
This is a fee charged by lenders to protect themselves against borrowers who default, in case the net proceeds of a foreclosure do not cover the loan. LMI may be applicable to borrowers who do not have a deposit of 20% or more.

Loan-to-value ratio (LVR)
The LVR is the proportion of money borrowed versus the value of a property. Lenders take into account the LVR when assessing mortgage applications, as the lower the LVR, the lower their risk. Usually lenders will require you to pay LMI if they’re lending more than 80% of the value of the property.

Negative gearing
Negative gearing applies when the property’s expenses surpass the rent earned. These expenses can be used to reduce your taxable income. Positive gearing is when the rent exceeds the costs and the property pays for itself.

Rental yield
The rental yield is the annual rental income, expressed as a percentage of the property’s value. It’s often quoted when examining a property’s rental potential, and may be calculated as a gross percentage (before expenses are subtracted), or as a net percentage (accounting for purchasing or transaction costs). The rental yield can help investors determine the potential income and cash flow involved in purchasing a property.

Suburb growth
Suburb growth refers to the capital growth of properties within a particular suburb. As an investor, it a good idea to thoroughly research a suburb’s profile, including its capital growth potential, before purchasing a property.

Vacancy rate
The vacancy rate is the amount of properties vacant in an area. It is a useful way for investors to assess the rental demand of a suburb before purchasing. Investors usually prefer a suburb with a low vacancy rate, because it indicates a likelihood of being able to find tenants quickly and easily.

Zoning
Zoning refers to government laws specifying how property can be used. Properties may be zoned for residential, industrial, business, or other purposes. It’s important to be aware of zoning, as it affects the home loan you take out, capital growth potential, plus future renovation plans.

Investing in property is exciting, but it can also be confusing with so much new terminology to digest. We can help you make smart investment decisions and alleviate the stress by helping you decide the right structure for your property investment loan and by guiding you through the loan application and settlement processProperty Investment Jargon Explained


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