General Interest (Page 4)

Contributed By: Mike Phipps Finance on

I find newborn infants interesting. They seem to appear with little personality and a case of sheer exhaustion, presumably due to the rigors of their recent journey. They spend most of their time sleeping or crying and apparently pining for a return to the warm safe place from whence they recently emerged. As such I’ve previously been one of those people who finds the little ones far more appealing once they become mobile and start to develop a personality. In the case of our 3 year old granddaughter that would be very mobile and some personality indeed! We love her dearly but after a dayRead More →

Contributed By: Holmans Accounting on

Holmans is a well-recognised and respected name in the Management Rights industry. We provide comprehensive advice and personalised service to give you peace of mind – whether you are purchasing, managing, or selling your Management Rights Business. We take pride in presenting the most experienced and knowledgeable team in the business to service your needs. We, together with other specialist Management Rights advisors and agents, regularly host information workshops to provide you with a range of strategies to assist you to legally minimise your tax liabilities, increase your wealth, and protect your assets. Whether you are considering Management Rights as a business venture for theRead More →

Contributed By: REIQ on

As the state peak body for real estate professionals, the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) has today welcomed reassigned Ministers to the Palaszczuk Government Cabinet. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella congratulated Meaghan Scanlon on her appointment as the Minister for Housing and Yvette D’ath on her appointment as the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence. “We welcome these appointments and renewed focus, and look forward to continuing to work in an effective and constructive fashion with both Ministers as Queensland faces significant challenges ahead,” Ms Mercorella said. “In particular, housing accessibility and affordability are complex and criticalRead More →

The Holden Monaro is considered, among a certain demographic of the population, an icon of Australian motoring. Indeed, when we actually made things like cars the modern version produced between 2001 and 2005 sold in vast numbers to petrol heads, mums and dads and collectors alike. Man, I loved that car when it was launched but alas, as a poor long-suffering PAYG slave I could not afford one. So, I’d spend time in Holden showrooms just looking at the thing and dreaming of the day………. It will come as no surprise that as a Toowoomba girl the managing director also had a soft spot forRead More →

Contributed By: REIQ on

The REIQ says last month’s pause in interest rate hikes has proven to be a short-lived relief for mortgage holders, as the RBA has today hiked the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85% – the highest level since April 2012. REIQ COO Dean Milton said the RBA’s decision to forge ahead with its aggressive tightening cycle would weigh heavily on homeowners and investors. “We have seen regulatory chaos from State and Federal Governments, and whiplashing back to another interest rate rise only adds to this pain,” Mr Milton said. “There’s barely been time for the market to absorb the lagged impact of theRead More →

Ian Crooks – ResortBrokers Chairman Back in the ‘70s in my native New Zealand everyone used to talk about this sparkling paradise across the Tasman called the Gold Coast. When I first visited in ’79 the hype didn’t disappoint. I was absolutely blown away by it. It had a beachline of golden sand that seemingly stretched forever, luxury high-rise to rival Miami, and there was a real energy about the place. The tallest building at the time was a circular apartment building called Focus built by the late great Lou Ferro, who was a friend of mine. It was a tremendously eye-catching skyrise that lookedRead More →

The managing director and I recently celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Yes, I know. How the hell could she have tolerated me for so long? Surely a mystery for the ages and not one I am keen to shine a light upon. In any event this significant life milestone was cause for both joy and reflection. How do relationships stand the test of time? In our case it’s very simple, I agree with everything she says and when that fails I correct her, seek medical attention for that nasty bump on my head and buy jewellery and fizzy drinks. She, on the other hand, putsRead More →

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is calling out a questionable and concerning move by the State Government to treat rent control separately to stage two rental reforms, without the transparent legislative process that is reasonably expected. The Deputy Premier has stated that a reform to limit rent increases to once-yearly will apply from 1 July 2023 onwards – but the transition arrangements will mean that contractually agreed rent increases after this date will also no longer be valid. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said it was absurd and questioned the legality of the retrospective nature of the new laws. “As a property investor, youRead More →

Contributed By: REIQ on

Obscenely tight rental conditions continue in Queensland according to the latest Residential Vacancy Rate Report released by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). The REIQ report covers more than a decade of quarterly vacancy rates for 50 local government areas (LGAs) and sub regions in Queensland, with the March 2023 quarter showing sustained historically tight rental conditions and mostly minor fluctuations from the previous quarter. Of the 50 regions, 11 remained at the same rate, 13 grew slightly tighter, while the majority of 26 relaxed slightly, indicating improved but still limited rental options. This saw the state-wide vacancy rate rise marginally from 0.8 perRead More →

Contributed By: REIQ on

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is applauding the Mackay Regional Council for doubling the region’s concession on infrastructure charges for new social housing. The boost takes the discount from 50 per cent to 100 per cent, up to the existing cap of $500,000, in a bid to bring builders to the region to develop much-needed social housing. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella welcomed the incentive as an exemplary way Councils could help attract new private investment in the regions and boost targeted housing supply. “The REIQ commends Mackay Regional Council for making housing diversity a priority for the region,” Ms Mercorella said. “We welcomedRead More →

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