Property investment guru and Sky Business Host, Chris Gray, explains what to do and what to avoid when investing in property to build your wealth. There are many different property investing strategies, and no one single strategy is perfectly suited to meet everyone’s needs. Choosing the right strategy for you will depend on your income, life stage, time availability, skill and your attitude to risk – among many other factors.  Before becoming a property investor or adding another property to …

Every now and then the ‘next thing’ comes along for investors and a lot of it is just inter-generational change.  ‘NFT’ is the next new thing to come along; and suddenly people who are into crypto are dinosaurs! Before crypto people with an appetite for risk invested in tech stocks and we had the Tech Boom of the 1990s. The generation before that favoured FX trading and other derivative products and before them it was a mix of trading gold and …

Current design trends are all about extending the inside of your home outside and bringing the outdoors indoors. The expansion of outdoor entertaining areas and the use of indoor plants are reminding us to focus on how important it is to live close to nature. Chloe Warren, from The Greenery Sydney, shows us how… Not only for design focus but also because of the many health benefits that being close to nature brings. I am a huge advocate for being …

As our electioneering political parties start talking about superannuation and home loan deposits… it sees timely to introduce Dr Steve’s 90sec suggestions for your own superannuation strategy!

Following lots of speculation regarding interest rates, the Reserve Bank has this week announced an increase to the official cash rate. What does that actually mean?  What is the Reserve Bank?  The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is the nation’s central bank; producing and issuing currency (notes, but not coins), managing a secure payments system, and setting monetary policies to ensure a stable financial system operating within defined target ranges for inflation and employment.  The Reserve Bank is also essentially …

Buying a property requires a level-headed approach, but for many buyers that is easier said than done! Here are some tips from Albion Avenue buyer’s agent Shelley Horton, to help make your offer stand out and at the same time ensure you don’t pay more than you need to for a property. What’s in it for them? As much as buying a property is about what a purchaser is looking for, it needs a willing seller to come to the …

The key factor of having a good emergency fund is that it should be easily accessible money in case you need it.  That could be for a sudden house issue like weather damage, or an expensive car repair, or unexpected medical/dental bills or even a change in your employment situation like losing your job. The nature of an ‘emergency’ is that it’s usually unexpected and if it happens you really want to be able to quickly access your money to …

The first step to taking control of your personal finances is clearly understand what money is coming in, and where it’s going out.  Step 1: Download your data Go to your First Option internet banking app and download your financial data to help you focus in on where your spending is, and where savings can be made. Now put your data into a spreadsheet like Excel, or go old-school and print it out on paper and get your highlighters out …

Sadness, stress or anxiety are complicated emotions often rooted in bigger feelings like disappointment or powerlessness. Retail therapy can provide you with a sense of reward and control that counteracts these feelings.  Choosing to make a purchase (or not to make a purchase) can help you feel empowered and it can also help others: especially when you choose to shop from small businesses, sharing the love and supporting your community.  But don’t cross the line… Your brain’s dopamine reward system, the same chemical …