Real estate agents can be a great asset to you as a property investor and a valuable source of information. The purpose of this infographic is to identify six key questions you should consider asking the real estate agent when purchasing your next investment property.

Housing prices gained momentum in April after stalling in March, preliminary figures from CoreLogic RP Data show.

The first thing prospective investors need to know is what sort of property to buy and the right price to pay for it. If you want to make money as a property investor, you have to learn to do your research properly and thoroughly.

Finding the next property investment hotspot is important as it can help you invest in high growth areas and potentially grow your equity quickly.

A mortgage broker is the middleman between the borrower (yourself) and the lender (banks), who can get you the best home loan or finance to suit your circumstances. Mortgage brokers do all the legwork, researching products on the market from the hundreds available and work directly with the borrower to support you through the application and settlement process. Mortgage brokers will help you have a full understanding of the paperwork and terms and conditions before signing the bottom line. Here are 6 benefits of using a mortgage broker.

The purpose of this article is to outline the importance of budgeting for maintenance involved in owning an investment property. By setting a realistic budget for regular maintenance and understanding how you may need to distribute your money can help you avoid small issues turning into major costly repairs.

When planning your first purchase, you want to be sure you’ve developed a sustainable property investment budget and one that you can realistically follow. Budgeting is a simple concept and is vital in property investment, as it helps ensure you are spending less than you are earning. It helps you balance your income and expenses and ensures you take a positive, proactive approach to managing and building your portfolio, whilst treating your property investment as a business. Here is a list of seven budgeting tips to help you achieve financial success in your first property investment, which can set you up for a long and prosperous property investment journey.

Australian technology company Real Estate Investar today announced it has won the Xero Emerging Add-on Partner of the Year Award at the annual Xerocon event in Melbourne, Australia. Real Estate Investar’s add-on integration called Portfolio Tracker gives Real Estate Investar members and Xero partner customers the ability to synchronise their property investment portfolio data, valuation data and financial accounts. The result, enjoy real time portfolio tracking and simpler, stress free accounting.

I’m going to extol the benefits of investing in property and why you should take it up. Just like I did. Previously, I’ve written about the things that could go wrong when investing in property. To give you a balanced perspective, you should also hear about the merits of investing in property, even if I appear to contradict myself a little.

Dual occupancy properties (AKA Duplex) refers to two premises on one lot of land - the premises can be attached or detached. Dual occupancy can be a good strategy for new property purchases as they often provide increased rental yield over single occupant properties. The SWOT analysis below gives you the essential information you should be aware of when considering the purchase of a dual occupancy property.

Property investors aiming for long-term tenants and favourable rental returns must ensure their investment property appeals to local tenants. Enhancing the property's appeal and boosting rental income can be achieved by investing time and resources into its presentation and upkeep. This approach is likely to yield a favourable return on investment over time.

Ahead of the Reserve Bank's board meeting on Tuesday, economists have offered their views, often understandably equivocal, on the outlook for interest rates:

When it comes to credit scores and files, there's a wealth of misinformation around what will and won't leave you with a black mark next to your name. Here's a guide to help you separate fact from fiction and ensure you will keep the banks saying 'yes'!

This case study is from Real Estate Investar subscriber John Le Brun, and how he used Real Estate Investar to apply the discount property investing strategy. I have subscribed twice to the Real Estate Investar tools, the first time lead me to the best deal I have ever found.