"Trust me - I'm an ex-policeman" . . . If you ever hear this from a real estate agent, be on your guard. We recently purchased a property through an agent who said these very words. Luckily, every warning bell in my mind went off.

Virus or no virus, there's one big mistake property buyers continue to make. This issue will make the difference between property success or failure, financial wins or downfalls, continued government dependence or early financial independence.

Even before the Great Virus Crisis landed on our doorstep, the property market had become a very tricky environment. An area with vast potential to make a huge amount of money has exploded with opportunity, along with a multitude of ‘experts’ telling us what to do and plenty of shonkie players ready to fleece as much as possible from us.

Irrespective of your views of what COVID-19 will do to the Australian property market in the future, there’s no doubting there’s been changes in the market. Any market change will open up opportunities as well as problems that need to be mitigated, so it’s timely conduct a review of your current situation to ensure you’re maximising your position.

First . .a confession. I'll say right up front this will be a bit of a sarcastic blog. But after years and years of watching what happens to people who become victims of bad advice, I have finally reached my limit and it's time to speak up.

Yes. I can hear you complaining. How boring is land tax? Well you will find it intensely interesting if you understand the thresholds and consider the implications when making your next property purchase.

With so much misleading information flooding through the media, three property experts have banded together to deliver the truth about the property market.

"Gee . . they've been lucky". I hear this quite often when speaking to groups about what our clients have achieved. The truth is that people who experience 'property luck' have listened and acted upon experienced and independent advice.

First home buyers (FHBs) are currently in line for the opportunity of a lifetime, and now they can access a unique buyers' support system that will ensure the all important first purchase is one that will put them on a successful financial footing.

In the theme of looking towards a lovely break – whether it is just one day or three weeks – thoughts of moving to holiday or lifestyle locations often come to mind.

I love this time of year. Not only do you get to attend fun events, but I find the week just after Christmas to be a great opportunity to relax, review and plan for the year ahead.

Homebuyers and novice investors need to be wary of spruikers pretending to be advisors as the property market heats up.

No . . I'm not referring to beautiful cars, jewellery or fast men – although all those things are great. Property success indicators are pieces of information or data that should influence your property activities. This includes purchasing decisions, renovation and development decisions, as well as the crucial 'hold' or 'sell' choices.

Has a family member asked you to provide a guarantee for their home loan or personal loan? If so, you need to be clear about your obligations under a contract of guarantee.

Mother-daughter duo, Karen E. Laine and Mina Starsiak are redefining what it means to rehabilitate rundown homes. Karen and Mina were recently interviewed for a story in our new publication, Property Portfolio Magazine.

Those in the know will tell you in relation to property ‘you make your money when you buy’. So what should you be looking for when making your selection? Get insights into the less obvious factors that can add huge value to your property’s potential here.

Finally the truth is starting to come out. Unfortunately, the reality of what has been happening in the property market is worse than any of us could imagine. A recent report conducted by financial monitoring firm – Mozo – reveals the extent of poor quality builds and their impact on buyers over the past ten years.

Glowing property hotspot reports have long been seen as a 'cheat-sheet' into what's up-and-coming, however industry experts have revealed the information often influences poor choices rather than good quality selections.

There's good news for first home buyers as one of the initiatives of the freshly elected Federal Government is the establishment of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS). So, what's this all about?

In light of the horrendous outcomes still evolving from the Mascot Towers (Sydney) incident and the similar stories coming to light, there's a timely reminder for buyers considering apartment purchases to check the property prior to purchase.