This article is aimed at prospective and first-time property investors.

It is tempting to perceive property inspections as an unnecessary task, prolonging the property investment buying process and another expense out of your pocket. Getting a pre-purchase property inspection completed however, can actually save you thousands of dollars in future expenses and help you during the negotiating process. By investing in a professionally carried out building inspection, you avoid the possibility of expensive financial outlays due to repairs and structural damage, and also the risk of putting yourself and others in danger.

So, you've found the perfect project - a property below fair market value, it is poorly presented, well below the suburb median price and you believe it has great potential as an investment property you can renovate for profit. Before you start on your renovation however, here is a checklist of 10 renovation mistakes to avoid.

Understanding how to invest in property can be complex, and each investor will have their own unique journey to follow and goals to achieve. This is designed to be an article aimed at first time investors who want some practical tips that can help them get started, along with some free tools, data and resources to assist along the way. As always, please use the comments at the bottom to give us your feedback.

The purpose of this article is to outline the process of due diligence, and the importance of this process in property investment. Comprehensive due diligence in property investment is a risk management strategy that should be undertaken by all serious real estate investors. It is not only the most prudent property investors who engage in thorough due diligence before making an offer on a property, but business-minded and serious real estate investors who can appreciate the risk that a bad investment could have on their entire portfolio.

If you are planning to buy your next investment property, it’s possible to use the equity in your home or other investment properties to help you do so. You can gain equity by your property increasing in value, whether that is through capital growth or renovation, or paying off your home loan. Check out this beginners guide to using equity to learn more.

A growing number of Australia's biggest banks and top economists have changed their tune from talk of rate hikes to predictions of rate cuts next year, so what does that mean for borrowers? Is now the time to lock in a low fixed rate, or are variable rates the way to go? Banks big and small have spent much of the year trying to lure in new customers with temptingly-low fixed mortgage rates, and borrowers have been lapping it up, amid expectations that rates would start rising in 2015.

Here's a handy guide to get you started on financing your property investment purchase.

Purchasing property off-the-plan means entering a contract to buy the property before or during its construction, so you can view the design and building plans but you won’t be able to inspect the finished property until construction is complete. Many people consider buying off-the-plan because they anticipate the property will be worth more once it is completed. After all, it seems logical that if you sign a contract to purchase a property at today’s prices, it should be worth more when construction is completed one to three years time.