We often hear stories from tenants who have had experiences in the past of unannounced or frequent visits from their agent or landlord. Unfortunately, especially when a landlord lives nearby to their investment property, the landlord can feel too comfortable simply "dropping past" the property to check on something, complete a minor repair, and so on. 

There are very clear notice periods required in order for a landlord, real estate agent or any other party acting on their behalf to enter a rental property.

Investors of course want to minimise vacancy in their rental properties. However many investors tend to wish to hold out for a higher rental return rather than fill their property (and start receiving income!) more quickly. 

In this post we'll run through a real example of the outcome of holding out for higher rent, based on a property in the Newcastle area which we had proposed to manage. Details of circumstances are contained in the text, but if you want to cut to the chase, you can scroll to the table at the end of the post.

Most investors and tenants have heard of people being put on a tenancy database or placed on a "blacklist". Often there is little understanding around how these lists work, the circumstances under which a tenant can be added to the list, and how someone can be removed from the list. 

There are many ways to increase the value of a home through renovation, as countless property renovation and styling experts have shown us on television!

While bathroom overhauls, kitchen replacements and improving "street appeal" can improve sale and rental value of a home, often investors are seeking to make relatively low-cost improvements to increase their rental return.

In this post we'll take a look at some great ideas to improve the rent you could ask for your property, in ways which generally cost in the hundreds rather than thousands of dollars. 

This article serves as a sad reminder that things are not always as promised when you select a Newcastle property manager to look after your investment. We have recently taken on management of a property for a landlord who continues to be astonished by the shocking service provided by their previously-selected agent. 

We've since had desperate tenants walk into our office in the hope that there is still life in an application they previously submitted to the outgoing agency.

The quick summary of this more detailed article is:

DO NOT SETTLE FOR A SERVICE YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH OR AN AGENT YOU ARE NOT CONFIDENT IN. 

There are many factors which influence how long a rental property may remain on the market before a suitable tenant is found. Some of these relate to the property itself, others to the agent selected to list the property, and others to the rental market at the time of listing. 

While the following list is not exhaustive, it provides a good starting point for understanding the reasons impacting how long a property may remain on the market, and what can be done to up the pace. 

There are pros and cons to both positive gearing and negative gearing an investment property. In this post we'll briefly outline what each approach entails, and the primary benefits and considerations of each.