There are many myths and misconceptions thrown around when it comes to property investment. Believing these property investing myths and making purchasing decisions because of them can increase your exposure to risk and affect your ability to build a profitable and sustainable property portfolio. So here are some common property investment myths that you need to be aware of in order to help you plan a successful property investment strategy.

Property investors looking to have long-term tenants and receive good rental returns from their investment property need to ensure the property is desirable to tenants in the area. You can dramatically increase the property's desirability and increase the rental intake by spending some time and money on the presentation and maintenance of your property. This should provide a good return on investment in the long term.

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'!

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.

If you are considering managing your own investment property here are 7 useful tips you need to be aware of so you can maximise your rental return and ensure you get the best possible tenants.

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.

To keep a grounded view of the market and ensure you don’t lose quality tenants, consider following these simple steps.

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.