Since time immemorial there has been a stereotypical, idealistic perception of how we choose to live in Australia. Think suburban backyard Hills Hoists, dad mowing expansive lawns with the Victa on a Saturday and the 2.5 kids playing cricket with friends on a home made pitch.

Investors in Melbourne apartments are set to reap a 30% increase in the value of their property value between 2009 and 2014, according to property expert Angie Zigomanis of BIS Shrapnel.

The global financial crisis is setting the scene for the next upturn in the inner Melbourne apartment market according to Zigomanis.

Read on to find out more...

A recent report released by economic research firm Commsec, revealed that Australia is currently witnessing its biggest population boom in history, as a record 253,415 migrants arrived on our shores in 2008. This translates to almost 700 new arrivals every day.  

Additionally, we are currently experiencing a baby boom, with 296,700 babies born during 2008, representing the highest rate of births reported since quarterly records began 27 years ago.

So what does this mean for property investors? Read on to find out...

There are increasing signs that we are moving into the next stage of the property cycle with the increased buyer confidence that has been evident at the lower end of the property market now rippling its way up into properties around the $500,000 mark.

The Westpac – Melbourne Institute recently reported that consumer confidence has rebounded in the last month since it was announced that Australia has, so far, escaped recession. This was given a further boost of confidence with a report from economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel, which predicted that house prices could rise by as much as 22% during the next three years.

Read on to find out more...

The REIV June quarter median prices show moderate growth in the Melbourne housing market over the last quarter. The median house price increased by 4.9% from $430,000 to $451,000.

While this is good news, I know it's not the end of the bad news. We still have some challenging times ahead in property. But I also know that times of uncertainty in any market, and particularly property markets, also create opportunities.

Read on to find out more...

Elwood is an inner bayside suburb in Melbourne. Its name is surmised to have come from the Quaker historian and poet, Thomas Elwood.

Originally a working middle class suburb in the early part of the 20th century, Elwood has overseen waves of gentrification and is now one of Melbourne's most sought after bayside addresses.

Read on to get the low-down on Elwood...

While most investors are familiar with the real estate cycle for large markets like a city or a State, many don't recognise that smaller markets like individual suburbs also experience cycles that may not always move in line with the broader market.

This creates opportunities for investors who do their research properly...

Why would anybody buy a property that hasn’t been built yet? Plenty of people do, you know. It’s called buying off the plan. With our property markets starting to take off again, some investors are enticed to buy investment properties “off the plan” by the advertising hype of large stamp duty savings and cheap prices. They hope that by getting in today and settling on their properties down the track when the property markets have moved on they will make some money as values increase.

Does this mean that buying “off the plan” makes a good investment? Well…like many other questions about real estate investing the answer is...it depends.