Investment Properties – Some Common Buyer Blunders

Investing in property carries with it a huge and varying series of decisions to make; and according to Australia’s REIA Buyer’s Agent of the Year Simon Pressley, poor decision-making skills are a serious problem among both potential and realised investors. Here, he points out some common mistakes that both potential and current property investors can make.

1. Choosing tax advantages over capital growth potential – One of the sometimes-touted benefits of property investment are the tax advantages; the fact that losses against the property can be offset against other income (negative gearing) and that the investment loan, maintenance costs and more are a tax deduction. But while tax advantages may be an attractive initial incentive, an investment property should really be chosen on the basis of its potential for income and capital growth. Try a mortgage calculator to help you determine whether an investment is going to be both affordable and worthwhile.


2. Letting pests be a deal-breaker – if you’ve found a property in a great location with good potential for capital growth, pests shouldn’t be a reason to walk away. Take a look at how serious the situation is, how much it’ll cost to fix, and whether a deal with the owner is possible or likely. You could turn an initial downside into an opportunity to knock down the price of the property. Do make sure that you get a professional opinion on the extent of any pest-related damage though.


3. Ruling out apartments from the get-go – you might’ve heard the saying that ‘land appreciates, while buildings depreciate’, however this is not always true. While buildings may be depreciable, this doesn’t of itself make them a bad investment choice. Investing in an apartment in a built-up city area is worth considering, because apartments are desirable in such an area. So do the sums carefully, but don’t rule apartments out of your initial considerations.


4. Being inflexible on rent – the market dictates what’s reasonable to charge for rent, and if you don’t take that into consideration, it’s unlikely you’ll find a tenant. Every month you spend demanding a higher rate is another month of vacancy and no rent paid. You might not want to compromise, but 80% of something will always be more than 100% of nothing.


5. Choosing insurance based on price – A good-quality landlord insurance policy is a must-have protection for property investors. So whatever you do, make sure that you find a policy that suits your needs, based on the type and location of the property that you have. Check our Landlord Insurance Star Ratings report for more information on what to look for.

So if you plan on investing, making the right decisions will ensure that you have both the best property and the best potential for capital growth possible. You can also find a shortcut to do your homework on investment loans and interest only loans here. How much can I borrow? Go to CANSTAR’s mortgage repayment calculator to do some sums.

Investment Properties – Some Common Buyer Blunders

Toyota Finalizing Buyer Rally Version of GT86 (That’s the Scion FR-S to You)

Toyota Motorsport GmbH has been functioning on a rally kit for the GT86 (that’s the Scion FR-S for us North Americans) for a very good extended even though. For clients, the wait for the so-called CS-R3 has most likely been both gratifying—TMG wants to get the auto dialed in, right after all—and frustrating. It’s challenging cooling your heels for months while waiting to acquire the €79,000 kit when you currently know what the finished product will entail.

Of course, it appears great. The GT86 and its FR-S and Subaru BRZ siblings are great road-course cars, but a rally version could propel them into the realm of legend, and it recalls the rear-drive Toyota Celicas of the early 1980s that dominated rallies prior to AWD became the norm. Rear-drive rally cars may well not be competitive at the highest tiers of of the sport, but they’re enjoyable to watch and cheap to run.

What does the kit entail? Costing $ 89,700 or so at today’s exchange rate—that’s a $ 5700 discount over complete retail!—you can expect to receive a body shell, an engine, a 6-speed sequential transmission, a limited-slip differential, subframes, a full suspension, a steering technique, cockpit instrumentation, wiring, and a cage. It’s perhaps also useful to know what it doesn’t incorporate: seats, security harnesses, fire suppression, battery, tools, rally computer, wheels, tires, or mud flaps—although these are all items teams almost certainly want to customize to their specific builds.

This close to-turnkey race automobile is eligible for FIA R3 competition, and it will give owners the satisfaction of wheeling a appropriate rear-drive coupe in a class primarily intended for front-wheel drive cars. TMG expects to begin delivering client automobiles in Could of this year.

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A version of this story initially appeared on roadandtrack.com.

Toyota Finalizing Buyer Rally Version of GT86 (That’s the Scion FR-S to You)

Targalicious Ferrari Sergio Delivered to 1st Buyer in Abu Dhabi

All Ferraris are specific, but some are special-er than other folks. Generating its very first public appearance at the Ferrari Planet Challenge in Abu Dhabi is one particular such extraspecial cavallino: the 1st of 6 Ferrari Sergios to be constructed from the proverbial rib of the spearlike, windshield-significantly less Ferrari Sergio idea automobile that was first shown in 2013 at the Geneva auto show.

Sharing its underpinnings with the 458 Spider, the Sergio was so named to honor the late Sergio Pininfarina, with whom Enzo Ferrari established one of the most profitable design partnerships in automotive history. The addition of a full windshield renders the Sergio a targa, but the pointy nose, semifloating chin splitter, horizontal headlamp graphic, and jarring black physique-side swoosh have translated nicely into production form. Like other 458 models, the Sergio’s sculpted rear finish is dominated by twin round taillamps and a vaned diffuser, while diamond-turned wheels with gold-painted insets are stuffed into the wheel wells.

One particular of the Sergio’s most exciting design and style components is its portholed engine cover, which truly waterfalls into the 458-primarily based cabin and wraps around the seats. The absence of rear glass permits the symphonic rouse of the 597-hp 4.5-liter V-8 from the 458 Speciale to flood the cabin as the Sergio rockets to 62 mph from a standstill in 3 seconds flat, according to Ferrari.

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Every of the Sergio sextet has currently been sold and spec’d by its owner at Ferrari’s Tailor Produced atelier in Maranello for an undisclosed price tag. This customer, the SBH Royal Auto Gallery, chose a standard red and black theme, with a black interior piped and stitched with red. As exciting a style as it is, we look forward to seeing the subsequent 5 Sergios roll out of the factory, must Ferrari make their deliveries as public as this a single.

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Targalicious Ferrari Sergio Delivered to 1st Buyer in Abu Dhabi

Buyer Satisfaction with Vehicle Insurers Reaches Record Higher

Drivers reported record-high levels of satisfaction with their auto insurance firms in spite of recent premium increases, according to a recent J.D. Energy study.

Primarily based on a 1,000-point scale comparing 5 factors—interaction, policy offerings, price, billing and payment, and claims—customers reported a satisfaction level of 810 this year. It’s the highest point total considering that J.D. Power’s 1st U.S. Auto Insurance coverage Study in 2000.

Here are the study’s point totals in overall satisfaction for the final 4 years.

2014: 810

2013: 794

2012: 804

2011: 790

Insurers ‘More Effectively Communicating’ with Customers

Practically 1 out of each 5 buyers reported this year that their auto insurer raised rates on them, which was about the exact same rate who said so in 2013.

Even so, the size of rate hikes shrunk. Among drivers who reported price increases in 2014, the typical boost dropped from $ 153 last year to $ 86 this year.

The average rate improve in 2012 was $ 113.

Typical shoppers will shop around for another car insurer when their rates improve about $ 50 or far more, Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance coverage practice at J.D. Energy, stated in 2012.

Even so, he mentioned that this year’s survey final results show that fewer individuals are purchasing, which highlights a bigger trend in client satisfaction.

“[T]his indicates that insurers are far more effectively communicating with their consumers, creating them aware of the premium increases when they happen and why they’re needed, and demonstrating the value of their coverage,” Bowler stated in a statement.

In truth, of the 5 variables impacting client satisfaction that J.D. Energy measures in its study, a customer’s “interaction” with his or her auto insurer carries the most weight, the firm said.

According to J.D. Energy, insurers have partly been capable to reduce the blow of price tag increases since they have more often employed customers’ “preferred communication channel” to notify them about value hikes.

2 out of every 5 clients surveyed said that they had only utilized digital channels—like their automobile insurer’s website or social media platforms—to communicate with their vehicle insurer in the previous year.

Another J.D. Energy study released this month identified that an auto insurance coverage company’s web site plays a significant role in whether or not or not a consumer picks it for coverage. The 2014 Website Evaluation study also ranked automobile insurers that very best met consumers’ buying and policy service wants.

Firms with the Highest Satisfaction Levels

Right here are the top-performers amongst auto insurers, reported in J.D. Power’s most recent satisfaction survey by region:

California: Wawanesa

Central: Auto-Owners

Florida: The Hartford

Mid-Atlantic: The Hartford

New England: Amica Mutual

New York: GEICO and State Farm

North Central: Auto-Owners

Northwest: PEMCO

Southeast: Tenneesee Farm Bureau

Southwest: State Farm

Texas: Texas Farm Bureau

Buyer Satisfaction with Vehicle Insurers Reaches Record Higher