Financing
How to Depreciate a Rental House You Built on Land You Owned
Learn the simple math for depreciating a rental house you built on land you own. I cover building cost, 27.5 years, and first-year prorating.
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Blog
Automation, tax, and operations for hands-on landlords who run their own stack.
- Financing
How I Screen a Rental Property's Real Cash Flow Before Buying or Refinancing
Walk through a retired landlord's owner-level cash flow test: DSCR, vacancy, repairs, capex, turnover, management fees, reserves, and the backup plan that matters before you close.
- Financing
Can You Live in Your Buy-to-Let Property Before Renting It Out in the UK?
Start with a residential mortgage, rent a room under Rent a Room, then ask for consent to let when you move out.
- Financing
Cheaper vs Dearer Rental Property: Start With Gross Yield
A $500k rental at $400/week versus a $625k one at $550/week. I run the yield, loan interest, and inspection checks before deciding.
- Financing
Is an $8,000 Thank-You Gift to Relatives Taxable in New Zealand?
A landlord asks if a one-off $8,000 thank-you gift to family for free accommodation is taxable. Here's how gifts and boarder income work in NZ.
- Financing
Why Melbourne High-Yield Apartments Won't Create Unlimited Borrowing Capacity
A 7% gross yield on a cheap Melbourne apartment drops to 4-5% net after costs, and lenders stress-test it hard. Each purchase makes the next loan harder.
- Financing
What I'd Tell a First-Home Buyer About a $950k Off-the-Plan Townhouse
Off-the-plan settlement risk can hurt more than a market drop. Here's how to think about valuation gaps, first-home grant rules, and renting it out later.
- Financing
What an $84k Income Really Buys in Auckland
A retired property manager breaks down what an $84k income and $152k savings can really buy in Auckland, and how to structure deposit, emergency fund, and share sales.
- Financing
The First Numbers I Check Before a DSCR Deal
I break down DSCR underwriting: the rent the lender uses, why PITIA isn't cash flow, and the tax and Section 8 traps that kill deals.
- Financing
Selling Your Rental to Your Own Limited Company: Is the Stamp Duty Refund Worth It?
A landlord asked if moving a rental into his own limited company could reclaim stamp duty and cut mortgage interest tax. Here's what the numbers actually look like.
- Financing
How I'd Choose a Lender for a Sibling Apartment Purchase in Brisbane
A retired property manager's guide to choosing a lender for a sibling apartment purchase in Brisbane, including broker tips and co-ownership basics.
- Financing
Why a 3.5% Brisbane Yield Beats a 5% Bank Deposit
A retired property manager explains why comparing a bank deposit to a rental yield ignores leverage, tax, and capital growth. The real return is often far higher.
- Financing
Why I'd Buy a Primary Residence Before an Investment Property
First-home stamp duty savings, equity growth, and negative gearing changes—why buying your own home before an investment property usually makes more sense in Australia.
- Financing
Studio Flats as a First Rental: What I Check Before Buying Near a University
Studio flats near universities look easy. Here's what I checked before buying two and why demand came first.
- Financing
When Your Mortgage Broker Ghosts You Before Settlement
Unresponsive broker before settlement? What still takes days, how to ask the brokerage for a new broker, and when your conveyancer can buy time.
- Financing
How I Squeeze a Retention Offer Out of ASB Before Refixing
A retired landlord's playbook for calling ASB's home loan team before you refix, how cash retention offers work, and why the clawback matters.
- Financing
When Your Lender Values the Flat 20% Below the Price You Agreed
A lender's down valuation isn't a disaster. Use it to renegotiate the price. Here's how I'd handle a 20% gap on a leasehold flat.
- Financing
Should You Buy Your First Home in Corio Now, or Wait for the Market to Crash?
I've managed Geelong rentals for three decades. Here's my honest take on whether first-home buyers should buy in Corio now or wait for a market crash.
- Financing
Making an Offer Subject to Finance Without Pre-Approval
You can make a subject to finance offer without pre-approval. Here's what to put in the clause, why sellers push back, and why a building inspection matters.
- Financing
Sell the City House and Move to Tassie? Rent There First
Thinking of selling your capital city home and moving to Tasmania? Here's why renting first for a year can save your finances and sanity—based on what I've seen as a property manager.
- Financing
House Hacking: How a 27-Year-Old Can Afford a First Home with Flatmates
Struggling to afford your first home on a single income? Here's how taking in flatmates can slash your mortgage and even lower your tax bill in New Zealand.
- Financing
Is Your 6.24% Variable Investment Loan Too High? What I'd Do When the Bank Won't Move
A 50% LVR investment loan at 6.24% variable is likely above market. Here's how a retired property manager would negotiate or refinance to get a better rate.
- Financing
What Brisbane Sellers Really Pay in Commission and Marketing Fees
Brisbane selling costs explained: typical commission rates, marketing fees by suburb, and how to negotiate and vet agents so you don't overpay.
- Financing
Should You Buy a First Home in the Northern Rivers or an Investment Property Inland?
A retired property manager weighs first-home buyer schemes, housemate income, and the real cost of chasing inland investment yields when you already love the coast.
- Financing
Should I Sell My Rental Property or Hold On? My Honest Take as a Retired Landlord
When mortgage costs rise and EPC upgrades loom, selling a rental can feel right. Here's my cash flow first approach, plus what I'd do about CGT and tenants.
- Financing
Should a Doctor Buy a Townhouse Now or Keep Renting? My Take
Doctors get borrowing advantages most renters don't know about—up to 95% LVR and all income counted. Here's what I'd consider before deciding to buy now or keep renting and invest in ETFs.
- Financing
When the Mortgage Is Gone in Your 50s: Allocating Freed-Up Cash and Managing Redundancy Risk
A retired property manager shares practical ways to redirect former mortgage payments, build a cash buffer, and handle redundancy risk without locking money away until 65.
- Financing
When Is a Rental Bathroom Replacement a Repair or Capital Works?
Water-damaged bathroom in an investment property? Here is what I learned about repairs vs capital works, depreciation schedules, and scrapping the old bathroom before you demolish.
- Financing
Should I Put My Emergency Fund into a Flexi Mortgage Account? Here's What I Do
Learn why parking your emergency fund in a flexi mortgage account can slash interest and keep cash accessible. A retired property manager's practical take.
- Financing
Can a £25k Salary and £60k Savings Get You a Rental Property at 23? Here's What I'd Tell My Younger Self
A retired property manager breaks down the real affordability of buying and renting out a home at 23 on a £25k salary with £60k savings—and why it's almost never the right move.
- Financing
The Truth About Condo Down Payments When You Want to Rent It Out
Learn the real rules about down payments on a condo you plan to rent out. Can you put less than 20% down and live in it first? Here’s what I’ve seen work—and what can go wrong.
- Financing
My Renovation Savings Plan: How to Save for Each Property
How I determine renovation savings targets for each rental property using a simple capital reserve study approach. Learn to budget for big-ticket repairs without guessing.
