Real estate news - a regular newsletter for real estate agents, sales representatives
Disclaimer: The attached editions were published since Spring 2011. Users should note articles relating to a particular topic in more recent editions might have superseded articles in previous editions. It is strongly advised users check for the most recent positions to maintain an up-to-date knowledge base.
Certain property investment methods can carry significant risk, buyers should be wary of:
Property investment promoters, or spruikers, invite people to free 'wealth creation' seminars. They promise investment tips or opportunities to make money. They typically promote specific property developments and push you to buy courses, books, or DVDs. They might also offer financing options. Be cautious, as spruikers are motivated to profit at your expense.
You can sell your property yourself or contact a licensed real estate agent to help you handle the sale for you.
If you plan to sell your property without using a real estate agent, you will need to:
When you hire a builder, electrician, plumber, mechanic, or other tradesperson, you should:
Using licensed professionals protects you in several ways. A licensed tradesperson usually has:
The information on this fact sheet is available on the following pages:
You can ask for property and pest inspections as a special condition in your property contract. The contract should cover:
The Do Not Call Register is a secure database where you can list your Australian numbers to opt out of receiving most unsolicited telemarketing calls and marketing faxes.
You can list your home, personal mobile and/or fax number to reduce telemarketing calls.
Registration is free and you can remove your numbers at any time.
Some groups can still contact you after you register. These include charities, research companies, political parties and educational institutions.
Scammers advertise non-existent goods, hoping to use their so-called bargain to fleece you of your hard-earned money.
They advertise anything from puppies to boats, cars and car parts to concert/event tickets, sometimes masquerading as a local to lull you into a false sense of security.
Scammers may:
When you buy from a private individual seller who is not running an online business, this is called a consumer-to-consumer transaction. Examples include a person selling:
Note: If the seller has any of the following, they may be running a business:
Penny auctions or bidding fee auction sites are a relatively new form of online buying. Participants enter an online auction to purchase heavily discounted goods and services, paying a non-refundable fee for every bid.
The price rises with each bid as participants try to purchase the discounted item. The last participant to bid when the time limit expires gets the item. However, the final bid is not the total cost; the total cost is the final bid price plus the cost of bidding.
