Loan Market Corporate Spokesman Paul Smith, said the RBA lowering its cash rate by half a percentage point to 3.75 per cent was a tremendous result for consumers.

But he said the key now was how the banks respond given their recent track record of raising their variable rates independently of the RBA or only passing on part of a rate cut.

“Home owners have finally had a win and there will be significant pressure on lenders to pass on this 50 basis points cut in full,” Mr Smith said.

“We have seen one major lender already increase the discounts on variable rates ahead of the RBA decision and we hope that is a welcome sign that the others will follow suit by lowering their variable rates.”

Mr Smith said a Loan Market consumer survey this week had found almost 90 per cent of respondents had expected the first rate reduction by the RBA since December, 2011.

“Any action other than a rate cut by the central bank would have been a massive let down for many consumer groups and struggling sectors such as retail and housing,” he said.

“The RBA had remained on the sidelines until this month to properly assess the impact of some fairly significant market movements, but they now realise the economy needed some stimulus.”

Loan Market 

Your Loan Market mortgage broker will help explain to you your investment loan options.

With negative gearing the traditional way of structuring a property portfolio. One of the biggest reasons however, that many investors are limited to one investment property or even sell their investment property, is due to the negative cash flow.

Find below some tips and advice on selecting an investment property:

• The site should have a good space to build extras such as  a granny flat or pool;
• The property  should be in a good area that will benefit from capital growth;
• Ideally have a separate access/entrance to the backyard;
• Adhere to all local council planning policies i.e. maximum heights, minimum setbacks, adequate parking etc.

Your Loan Market Mortgage broker can help you with different investment loan gearing strategies.

There are many types of investment properties and many more investment property loan options on offer, as well as gearing options to suit different investment strategies. A loan Market mortgage broker will help you do the sums to determine the best investment loan for your individual investment strategy.

Talk to your Loan Market mortgage broker for a free investment loan assessment today.

* Talking to your accountant will give you the appropriate analysis of your specific financial, investment and taxation situation. This is particularly important when you are considering investment relating to your superannuation. Always seek advice from your accountant on investment and taxation rules for your particular situation.

As a landlord it’s important to secure a lease that will not just maximise the return but also underpin the security of the investment. A good lease is typically made up of three elements:

The first element is the quality of the tenant. To ensure you find a good tenant who will pay the rent on time and look after your property, it’s critical for the managing agent to thoroughly check references. Ideally the tenant will have written references as well as verbal ones and checking the tenant against tenancy databases will verify their rental history is clean.

If the prospective tenants are young or don’t have a rental history, a guarantor (like a parent) adds to the security of the lease. Corporate leases from reputable companies generally make for a good choice too.

The second element to consider is the length of the lease. Twenty years ago, six-month leases were common. A decade ago, twelve-month leases became the normal standard but today, tenants are often looking for longer term leases of two years or more.

Longer term tenants make for a solid lease, as much of the wear and tear on a property comes during the process of moving in and out. You’ll also avoid the changeover costs of new tenancies like the letting fee, advertising costs, lease preparation fees and the loss of rent that can occur between the end date of the old tenant and the start date of the new one.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, is the amount of rent. While every landlord wants to get the most rent possible, it’s important to understand that sometimes, setting the highest rent is not the best tactic. Ideally, you want to attract the largest number of applicants to choose from so you can find the best possible tenant with a solid lease term. Advertising the property at even $10 below the maximum may mean the difference between only a couple of applicants and a much larger tenant pool.

Remember, you can always write an increase into the lease after a reasonable period.

Considering each of the three elements before the letting process begins should ensure a positive outcome.

Ray White 

“Walnuts rank above peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and other nuts,” said Joe Vinson, Ph.D., who did the analysis. “A handful of walnuts contains almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut. But unfortunately, people don’t eat a lot of them. This study suggests that consumers should eat more walnuts as part of a healthy diet.”

Vinson noted that nuts in general have an unusual combination of nutritional benefits – in addition those antioxidants – wrapped into a convenient and inexpensive package. Nuts, for instance, contain plenty of high-quality protein that can substitute for meat; vitamins and minerals; dietary fiber; and are dairy- and gluten-free. Years of research by scientists around the world link regular consumption of small amounts of nuts or peanut butter with decreased risk of heart disease, certain kinds of cancer, gallstones, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems.

Despite all the previous research, scientists until now had not compared both the amount and quality of antioxidants found in different nuts, Vinson said. He filled that knowledge gap by analyzing antioxidants in nine different types of nuts: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias, and pecans. Walnuts had the highest levels of antioxidants.

Vinson also found that the quality, or potency, of antioxidants present in walnuts was highest among the nuts. Antioxidants in walnuts were 2-15 times as potent as vitamin E, renowned for its powerful antioxidant effects that protect the body against damaging natural chemicals involved in causing disease.

“There’s another advantage in choosing walnuts as a source of antioxidants,” said Vinson, who is with the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. “The heat from roasting nuts generally reduces the quality of the antioxidants. People usually eat walnuts raw or unroasted, and get the full effectiveness of those antioxidants.”

If nuts are so healthful and nutritious, why don’t people eat more? Vinson’s research shows, for instance, that nuts account for barely 8 percent of the daily antioxidants in the average person’s diet. Many people, he said, may not be aware that nuts are such a healthful food. Others may be concerned about gaining weight from a food so high in fat and calories. But he points out that nuts contain healthful polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats rather than artery-clogging saturated fat. As for the calories, eating nuts does not appear to cause weight gain and even makes people feel full and less likely to overeat. In a 2009U. S. study, nut consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of weight gain and obesity. Still, consumers should keep the portion size small. Vinson said it takes only about 7 walnuts a day, for instance, to get the potential health benefits uncovered in previous studies.

The American Chemical Society
Judy Davy – The Food Coach 

Loan Market Corporate Spokesman Paul Smith said today’s decision by the central bank’s board to leave the cash rate at 4.25 per cent does reflect a stable local economy and mortgage holders will be looking for their lenders to apply the same rate hold.

“The situation inEuropehas been improving and general sentiment in the economy has been steadily showing signs of an upswing, but lenders have not made things easier on borrowers by acting completely independently of the RBA rate decisions,” Mr Smith said.

“For two months, lenders have been independently moving their variable interest rates by modest amounts. It’s proving difficult for many consumers to predict exactly where rates are headed when it appears the RBA currently holds minimal influence.”

Mr Smith said the RBA does appear to be ready to lower rates in the future to combat stalled sectors and recover the economy.

“At the end of the day, if we see further domestic stalling the RBA has made it clear it will act by lowering rates. If that were to happen, banks would be under enormous pressure to move as well.”

Mr Smith said that the cloudy interest rate situation has begun to hold some buyers back.

“After a strong start this year, Loan Market’s enquires from first home buyers had dropped off 20 per cent in March.  For a consumer segment that’s been dormant for nearly two years, this is a certainly a setback.”

Mr Smith said the RBA’s stance on the cash rate and banks going it alone with their rate decisions had prompted an increase in enquiry for fixed rate home loans.

Loan Market 

The first is the presentation of your home you don’t have to spend a great deal of time or money to make sure your home look its best. A fresh coat of paint, well-tended gardens, minor repairs, professional cleaning and de-cluttering will make a big difference to buyers’ first impression.

Properties for sale are often dressed up when available to be shown, it just gives the viewer an appreciation of the lifestyle it offers rather than empty rooms left to be filled by imagination.

Professional styling is one way to achieve this and can be particularly beneficial for vacant properties to make them appear more homely and functional.

There’s no shortage of ways to present your property in its best light and maximise your selling price. And the appearance of the property is as important as choosing the person to put in control of its marketing and eventual sale.

The good real-estate agent will advise the best time of year to sell your property as well as the best method of sale: private treaty, auction and public tender are the most frequent used options.

Each has its advantages for certain properties and in certain markets. An agent will recommend a sales method they feel is most conducive to achieving the highest possible price for your property.

When it comes to advertising your property to potential buyers, the aim is to expose it to as many as possible and create competition, and as a result, increase the sale price.

Finally, you should detail all the benefits and attributes of your property up-front. As an owner it is important to detail all of the inclusions or exclusions so that buyers know exactly what’s included in the sale, whether its light-fittings or pool equipment, all the add-ons need to be promoted and clearly stated in order to achieve a smooth sales result.

Ray White 

Figuring out the best person to handle the project is one of the most influential choices you will make. Without a doubt who and how you choose to work will be reflected in the journey and outcome of your project.

When it comes to project management there are more options than doing it yourself or opting for your local builder and a few of his/her mates who don’t happen to have any current work. You’re about to invest, so it would make sense to consider all the options first.

No matter how big or small your ideas are they will involve numerous design decisions. Designing an extension or renovation is not just about how it will look and function but also what materials are used, what sequence the work follows, who will be undertaking each aspect of work plus there will be logistics around payments for labor and materials and the all-important quality assurance.

If you feel you have the experience to deal with this, great. But be warned it’s not as easy as it sounds, nor will the twenty percent savings be realized if there are delays or low quality results. In fact delays could end up costing you more than the project management fee by the time you add up holding costs and lost income.

Try turning the tradition of a builder running your project on its head. Opting for an interior designer and architect team to design then project manage your job will means you’ll get more than just continuity from start to finish.  Your work will have all the same quality guarantees and costs are comparative to using a builder to manage, especially for renovation projects involving numerous different trades but minimal construction work.

The real upside of engaging a design duo to take care of your project is that you won’t have to figure your way through all the choices of materials, colors and finishes on your own, forget relying on sales  assistants ideas or worse being left at the end with a builders look.

If you want your project to run smoothly and on time, plus deliver a level of finish and innovation a cut above a DIY job then thinking outside the square will be the investment that delivers a healthy return.

Alex Honey – Sterling Interiors 

In truth, none of these are particularly good. Virtually all stocks today, even those from health-food stores, contain yeast extract, a source of MSG. Many have other glutamates, added colours and are loaded with salt.

What’s good:
• Frozen home-made stock available from delis and some health-food stores.
• Due to the naturally salty flavour of fish, cartons of fish stock are free of all free glutamates and lower in salt than many commercial chicken and beef stocks.

What’s not so good:

• Anything with sea salt as the first ingredient.
• Anything with yeast extract and/or MSG or MSG derivates.
• Anything with the colour caramel 150d.

What to look for:
• Avoid MSG, free glutamate and other glutamates used as flavour enhancers. (These include 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 627, 631, 635 and monosodium glutamate, yeast extract and anything that starts with the word ‘hydrolysed’, including hydrolysed vegetable protein, hydrolysed plant protein and hydrolysed protein.)
• Avoid preservatives (in particular 220).
• Check salt content per serve.
• Check sugar content per serve.
• Look out for nitrates. They are added to processed meat as colours, flavours and preservatives. They are widely considered to be carcinogenic.

What’s good:
• It’s so easy to make your own soup that we don’t really like any of the available products.
• Soup mixes with dried pulses and beans are good for using in home-made soups.

What’s not so good:
• Brands that claimed to be ‘fresh’ with added preservatives.
• Brands with MSG, colours and nitrates (from processed meat).
• Gluten-free soups made from high-GI potato starch, maltodextrin and very few vegetables. Most soups made from home-made stocks (recipe below) contain no gluten anyway.

A good, hearty soup is cheap, nutritious and makes an extremely satisfying meal. Another bonus is that it tastes even better on the second and third days after making it, and if you make too much it can be frozen. Pureed, it’s a great way to provide children and the elderly with extra nutrients when their appetites are diminished, but most importantly do like the peasants did and make your own stock. It may take longer, but taking time out of the equation, as well as being much healthier, it’s a much cheaper option and, you may find, like the peasants, your body takes on a leaner form.

Judy Davy – The Food Coach

Loan Market Corporate Spokesman Paul Smith said today’s decision by the central bank’s board was no surprise as most economists had expected the RBA to leave the cash rate at 4.25 per cent.

While a rate cut would help certain sectors, the overall performance of the economy is within targeted areas, including employment and inflation, Mr Smith said.

There are still concerns about the economic situation in Europe where the debt crisis remains largely unresolved.

But in Australia we are seeing consumer sentiment move away from the pessimistic tone that was previously displayed when the Euro crisis first emerged.

Mr Smith said the official interest rate in Australia was still well below the average level over the past 20 years.

While the situation in Europe continues to develop and domestic numbers remain in check, the RBA still has plenty of room to move, he said.

The central bank is well positioned to combat any fall out from any negative influences on the Australian economy.

Loan Market

TV images of an auctioneer waving a hammer around and calling out excitedly, taking bids from people you didn’t even see move don’t necessarily make it look easy. But as with many things in life, it’s likely you have a fear of the unknown, rather than a specific fear of the auction process.

Ray White CEO of Growth Mark McLeod says auction sceptical vendors often cite the pressure of auction day or a fear of not getting the best price as reasons to avoid selling via auction.

Auction-averse buyers may be intimidated by the process, fearing the bidding will be too fast or that they may pay too much. But Mark says the real key to a successful auction outcome whether you’re a buyer or a seller is to understand the process.

When it comes to price, the whole premise behind the auction mode of selling is to find the current market’s best price in the most transparent way.

It’s a common fallacy that the real estate agent’s job in auctioning a property is to sell it for a particular price. In reality, the real role of an agent is to market the auction property in such a way that all active buyers in the marketplace are made aware of the sale and come prepared to bid to their highest limit on auction day.

The basic economic principle of supply and demand will then decide the outcome.

Ray White