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353 | What’s Coming Next? The Future of Australian Property! – Chat with Simon Kuestenmacher

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What’s coming next for property?? Well… quite a lot!

Folks, it turns out Covid has a “little” bit of a say in the property shift taking place in Australia… one that might actually be here to stay!!!

So, back by popular demand and here to co-host our AweGuest series is none other than expert Demographer Simon Kuestenmacher, Co-Founder and Director of Research at The Demographics Group!

Yep, you might remember his ol’ German accent and ridiculously-wise insights back in Episode 314 where we discussed ‘The Millennial Movement’ and how it’s shifting property demand right across the country…

… but now with a continuing ‘exodus’ to regional locations since the global pandemic swept in and, err, overtook our lives (and work environments), there might actually be WAAY more to this shift in the Australian property market!!

 

“… You mean these changes might be here for good!?!”

 

Plus, the recent 2021 Census has just rolled on in…

… so what can someone who studies the changing structure of human populations tell us about HOW this will affect the future demand for property!?!

Well, step right up Simon Kuestenmacher! Aside from working directly alongside Bernard Salt (yep), Simon holds degrees in geography from leading universities in both Berlin and Melbourne and has also worked for several years as a business consultant with KPMG Australia. … Oh, and did we say he is the most entertaining Demographer ever!?!

 

This expert does NOT disappoint. You’re about to get the most exciting Demography Degree of your life! (it’s much more fun than it sounds… PLUS you’re about to level up your property prediction abilities like nothin’ else! 😉)

Tune in now to find out the future of the Australian property market… it’s a ripper!!

 

Free Stuff Mentioned:

 

Here’s What We Cover:

  • 01:14 – Meet Simon Kuestenmacher
  • 01:57 – Money conversations in Germany!
  • 02:03 – Wise lessons from two parents who are authors!
  • 03:13 – Money Karma…
  • 05:12 – The best thing parents can do to teach their kids about Money!
  • 07:52 – Is it possible to predict irregular cashflow?
  • 12:32 – “Minimal Happiness” – What is it?
  • 17:23 – CENSUS TIME – What does this mean for a Demographer?
  • 21:11 – Is OLD Census data immediately irrelevant?
  • 23:22 – How does Australia rank internationally?
  • 24:48 – Why should investors CARE about Census results?
  • 27:47 – The Fried Egg vs The Scramble Egg!
  • 30:07 – How COVID has dramatically affected the CBD!
  • 33:30 – “The yolk needs to reinvent itself…”
  • 36:11 – Are all businesses headed towards the unique Google office?
  • 38:26 – The COVID Generation & “The Bottom Drawer of Masks”
  • 38:59 – Like Deleting The Uber Eats App: Australia’s border closure
  • 41:28 – How the TAFE system comes into play…
  • 42:47 – Key trends coming out from The Knowledge Economy…
  • 48:58 – Has COVID made Aussie’s drink more alcohol than ever before!?!
  • 52:04 – What drives Australians more than anything else?
  • 52:46 – What are we seeing with Melbourne’s CBD?
  • 55:31 – The trend to regional – is it here to stay?
  • 56:23 – “Extreme commuting distance from the main job cluster” – Err, what happens if you cross that threshold?
  • 58:42 – What would drive someone to live in, say, Warrnambool?

And…

  • 1:00:10 – Which regional centres will FURTHER increase in growth?
  • 1:02:03 – The ‘Donut’ That Massively Impacts Where To Invest In Property!
  • 1:04:01 – The Goldilocks Zone for the Australian City…
  • 1:05:47 – The Future of Launch Pad Suburbs!
  • 1:07:43 – The Mass Exodus To Queensland – Is It A Boom & Bust?
  • 1:19:33 – Simon’s Life Hack!

 

And our community’s questions!

Question from Maggie on The Trend towards Regional Australia

Hi thanks for bringing on some awesome guests for the AweGuest edition. This is a question for Simon, I’d be interested to know based on recent trends with the move towards Regional Australia and increasing prices across Regional Australia, do you see this trend continuing or is it just a kind of a kickback or a side effect of COVID?

 

Question from Julia on The Donut Theory!

Hi there Simon.  Hi there Bryce. I’m thrilled that the topic of demography is up again it was my favorite subject at uni and I loved it on Simon’s last visit to The Property Couch. B&B have described a donut? In terms of housing in the city centre; meaning the centre of the donut is to be avoided for investment purposes. I was wondering Simon if that is true for all other capitals in the world for example London and Paris? I have bought a place in the heart of the city of Sydney that is certainly not doing much while international borders are closed. It has, however, been consistently rented albeit for reduced rent. I’m just wondering where what your thoughts are in terms of buying CBD for residential investment purposes, and what you think of the notion of the donut? Look forward to hearing your response.

 

Quesstion from Mirela The Exodus North to Queensland

Hi Simon my name is Mirela. I have a question in regards to the exodus of population towards North most likely Queensland. They have quite few projects in the pipeline possibly in Olympia, you know far away in the distance. Do you think that is sustainable? It has been something similar, a shift in population towards Queensland and Western Australia due to the mining boom but that eventually crashed during that time. How do you now compare this new opportunity for Queensland with the opportunities in the past when they open mines and so on? I hope this is clear; if not just come with the best insight that you have regards to this. Thank you so much!

 

Question from Dillon Next Growth Suburb

Hey Bryce and Simon. When looking for the next growth suburb what Data do you look for to identify the start of a growth cycle and where can you find this data. I’m currently subscribed to Corelogic‘s property value, but it’s limited data and I’m not sure what to look for. Cheers, Dillon

 

 

 

352 | Healthy Houses: Is This The New Way For Property Investors? – Chat with Amelia Lee & Raphael Siket

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Is your property HEALTHY? Look, this question probably isn’t what property investors commonly ask themselves… but after listening to this episode, we reckon’ you’ll start thinking completely differently about the health of your home & your investments!!

Full disclosure: our minds were blown! Sure, we all spend a significant amount of time in our homes, which has obviously increased since the great ‘work from home experiment’… but once you learn exactly how your property affects your physical and mental health… well, wow. This will TOTALLY shift your thinking!)

Here’s the deal: Today’s topic is largely around ‘healthy’ homes – with a unique spin on what’s called ‘passive houses’– that is, ultra-low energy buildings that are truly energy efficient, comfortable, affordable and ecological at the same time…

And ‘cos this is such a special episode, we have a guest co-host joining Bryce today…. PLUS, a very, very special guest!

Co-hosting today’s podcast as part of our AweGuest series is Amelia Lee, the architect behind Undercover Architect, an award-winning online resource to teach folks how to design, build or renovate their homes. To give you an idea, she’s been in the industry for over 25 years and has solid personal experience in the trenches as a “serial renovator” and has worked on more than 250 projects and counting.

And here with an interview that you won’t ever forget is Raphael Siket – Director of Ecolibria – a leading building biology service in Australia. He is a qualified building biologist and has completed the most comprehensive course of study currently in his field with an Advanced Diploma in Building Biology, a Bachelor of Commerce and – wait for it – is a Certified Mould Testing Technician (ACES) and past president of the Australasian Society of Building Biologists.

And, here’s where it gets EVEN MORE interesting……

… Let’s just say some guy called Bryce Holdaway first met Raph Siket under personal circumstances he’d rather not have been in…. and, yep, it had to do with the HEALTH (or rather ‘unhealth) of his home.

Oh, and get this… Raph has PERSONALLY built his own passive house… from a once- volume-built home. Yep.

Are you ready to see things COMPLETELY differently?

Tune in now for one heck of an episode – let us know what you think 😉

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

Here’s What We Cover…

  • 00:50 – Meet Amelia Lee…
  • 02:01 – 12 years of living in construction sites!?!
  • 03:21 – Amelia’s Mindset Minute!
  • 04:48 – What was money like growing up for Amelia?
  • 07:47 – Overcoming a scarcity mindset…
  • 10:48 – Is ‘the hustle’ all it’s cracked up to be?
  • 13:01 – Meet Raphael Siket…
  • 14:32 – Money beginnings in South Africa…
  • 16:36 – What does Raph teach his own kids about money?
  • 17:00 – How Bryce met Raph! :- /
  • 18:34 – The M Word: Where unhealthy houses start…
  • 21:22 – How does Raph keep himself safe?
  • 22:53 – How many buildings are impacted by condensation?
  • 22:36 – Confronting property conversations…
  • 24:22 – Can mould exposure cause depression?
  • 22:50 – Remediation: Steps to remove mould from your home!
  • 28:49 – Be aware of the quick paint job!!!
  • 30:42 – Bryce’s BIG issue in the Alphington property…
  • 27:26 –  … What to do for properties in a humid environment!
  • 34:43 – The massive clean-up!
  • 36:35 – What is a Passive House?
  • 38:42 – An overlooked pleasant surprise of passive houses!
  • 40:50 – What’s an AVERAGE energy star-rating for homes?
  • 42:00 – Average air changes per hour: Normal vs Passive House
  • 43:32 – 5 Basic Principles Of A Passive House!
  • 44:37 – WHY did Raph turn his home into a passive house??
  • 46:35 — …They FILMED the whole thing!?!
  • 47:01 – How many…!?! (oh dear!)
  • 49:46 – What does a passive house feel like?
  • 53:13 – How has living in a passive home affected Raph’s life??
  • 54:13 – EMF electrical circuit: What’s the deal?
  • 57:46 – … Umm, NO Wi-Fi in the house!?!
  • And…
  • 1:00:45 – How much does all this cost!?!
  • 1:03:47 – How to source the on-demand light switches
  • 1:08:39 – Paint choices for good health…
  • 1:10:36 – The glue in your floorboards… (!)
  • 1:14:47 – GAH! Don’t put your meter box here!!!!!!
  • 1:18:18 – Do EMF Curtains work on meter boxes?
  • 1:20:49 – Geeking out on the numbers!
  • 1:21:48 – Solar Panels – are they worth the cost!?!
  • 1:28:06 – Buying With The Sun – the best thing you can do!
  • 1:29:17 – Amelia’s Life Hack!
  • 1:31:11 – Changes coming for construction on condensation!

 

 

Episode 351 | Why The Cost Of A Brick Can Get You More Cash Back! – Chat with Bradley Beer

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Did you know that the BRICKS on your investment property actually influence the amount of tax depreciation you can claim?

… Wait, what!?!

Yep. Here to unfold the tax secrets only Quantity Surveyors know about is none other than Bradley Beer, CEO of BMT Tax, the largest and most trusted quantity surveying firm in the country.

Basically, Brad is going to walk you through the little-known legalities of depreciation – and how much you can really claim when the totality (and history!) of your investment property is considered. Handy hint: a LOT of investors are leaving money on the table when it comes to this!

Co-hosting today’s episode as part of our AweGuest Series, Brad Beer is THE expert you want to hear from when it comes to tax depreciation claims – to give you an idea, his company has completed almost 750,000 depreciation schedules for property investors… so let’s just say he knows more than the “ins and outs” of how to maximise the cash you can get back while still staying on the right side of the law!

A bit more about today’s co-host: Aside from working with BMT Tax Depreciation since 1998, Bradley Beer is also a member of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia, which means he contributes to the latest information within the quantity surveying and the property industry in Australia. His knowledge as both a quantity surveyor AND property investor means he is a highly sought-after speaker and regularly features in national events, conferences and the media to share his knowledge with the wider property investment community.

 

So. WHY can the cost of a brick get you more cash back???

Tune in now to find out, folks!

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

Hust a quick update on our NEW TAX SERVICE as well folks, the response rate had been really good! So Bryce has asked our Tax Accountants to free up their calendar and move things around so that we can help more of The Property Couch Community! So if you are on the hunt for a specialised property tax accountant, simple fill in the form below and we’ll get in touch with you very soon. 😉

  • Please select your type of Tax Return

  • If you've engaged our services before, tick the checkbox below:

 

10 Mission-Critical Answers You’ll Get…

  1. WHAT is property tax depreciation?
  2. WHY is it important for investors?
  3. WHO is a quantity surveyor and why do they get involved in providing depreciation schedules?
  4. … But doesn’t an accountant look after depreciation!?!
  5. Is it worth getting a depreciation schedule for OLDER properties?
  6. HOW does depreciation work when renovating?
  7. WHEN should an investor be thinking about property depreciation?
  8. What can an investor do if they have been missing out on depreciation deductions?
    • Can they go back and get and missed deductions?
  9. How can an investor find out if getting a depreciation schedule completed will be WORTH IT?
  10. What is involved in preparing a tax depreciation schedule?

 

 

The Listener Questions We Answer

Question from Sharon Paterson on “Improvement or Repair” For A Leaking Hot Water Service

Hi Bryce and Ben, my name is Sharon, and I’ve been listening to your podcasts now for quite a few years and I love listening to them every week. My question is probably for Julia or for Brad –it’s in relation to replacing a hot water service. It was leaking so it had to be replaced, it wasn’t an improvement, and because the cost was nearly $1800, I am just wondering if that can be written off against my tax or do I have to depreciate it?

 

Question from Mick on “Improvement or Repair” For Replacing Cracked Tiles On Roof

Hi Brad, just a quick tax depreciation question from me. We have an investment property that’s getting on age a little bit now and has a concrete tile roof. Some of the tiles on this roof are cracked and need to be replaced, charge for facing is they are beyond repair and

we’re finding it difficult to source tiles to replace them with. Say the recommendation from our builder is to reroof the house with Colorbond… can we claim this as capital works or can we claim it as a repair? We’re hoping we can claim this as a repair because we’ve been told that the roof is not replaceable. Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers!

 

 

Question from Leonard on How To Choose A Quantity Surveyor

Hi my name is Leonard and I’ve got a question for Brad Beer. Hi Brad, how should investors go about choosing a quantity surveyor to work with? What can a good quantity surveyor do that a not so good one can’t? And if depreciation values are determined by a set of rules, isn’t the outcome going to be the same anyway regardless of who we work with? Is it just a matter of picking who provides the best price? Thank you very much and looking forward to your response.

 

 

Question from Leonard on Turning PPR Into A Rental

Hello everyone, my name is Leonard and I have a depreciation question for Brad here. We have a PPR which we have lived in for three years. We are the first occupiers as we

bought it new. Next year, on the 4th year, we will move out and turn our PPR into a rental property. I have 2 questions.

First, how many years of depreciation deductions do we have remaining on the property? Will it be 40 years starting from the time it became a rental? Or 37 years as the depreciation had already commenced when we lived in the property but it was just not claimable as a tax deduction?

Second question: will we still able to claim depreciation on the fixtures and fittings because the property is rented out for the first time?

Thank you.

 

Question from Kim on Overcapitalising?

Hi this is a question for Bradley Beer. Bradley, I wanna know, I often hear people overcapitalising on their investment or even their home property— is there a general rule you think clients should stay with for insuring that they don’t fall into this trap of overcapitalising? Thank you!

 

 

 

349 | How To Avoid Paying Tax Without Going To Prison! – Chat with Julia Hartman

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Update: Hi all, just a quick update on this episode. At the 18 minute mark, we talked about Buyers Agency fees in Canberra and if it’s tax-deductible. We weren’t certain during the recording but we can now confirm that Buyers Agent Fees is not tax-deductible in Canberra.

Tax Time! The question is: what can (and can’t) property investors claim? And how can you get MORE tax back and avoid paying a cent more than you must WITHOUT breaking the law and ending up behind prison bars!?!

(The latter quite important for obvious reasons.)

Folks, we get that you want to claim as much as legally possible this tax season and keep as much in your “back pocket” (AKA offset or savings account 😉) as you can.

So, here to help property investors MAXIMISE their tax deductions on their investment properties is none other than THE #1 Property Tax Expert in Australia… Julia Hartman!!!

Julia is the Founder of BAN TACS, a co-operative of Accountants that has been helping thousands of Australians navigate the world of tax since 1992. (yep… since 1992… says quite a bit about her industry experience, right?). She has a Bachelor of Business and is a Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Registered Tax Agent.

And when it comes to Property Tax… Julia is ALL over it!

Not only is she CO-HOSTING this episode with Bryce and kicking off our AweGuest series while Ben’s relaxing in the north of Western Australia, but also Julia is a total JET when it comes to understanding the intricacies and often grey areas of tax… in a way that won’t make your eyes glaze over! (Phew!)

 

We’ve broken this episode into a 3-part framework for you:

  • 1 – What Everyone Needs To Know About Property Tax!
    • CAN’T Claim Deductions
    • CAN Claim Deductions in the income year you incur the expense
    • CAN Claim Deductions over a number of income years
  • 2 – Other Important Taxes to Consider
    • Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
    • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • 3 – Listener Questions on TAX!

 

Plus, Julia has thrown in a property checklist of Dos and Don’ts as well.

So… fancy some winning property tax tips? Listen now to get ‘em.

Folks, as mentioned in this episode, we’ve just introduced a NEW TAX SERVICE within our business. We very rarely mention our own company on the show, but if you are on the hunt for a specialised property tax accountant, fill in the form below to register your interest or click here to find out more.

  • Please select your type of Tax Return

  • If you've engaged our services before, tick the checkbox below:

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

The Questions We Answer

Psst… if we’ve answered your question today please get in touch with us here so we can organise your free access to Start & Build 😊

 

Question on Capital Gains Tax on Knockdown Rebuild from Tamika:
Hi there Property Couch. I’ve been loving your podcasts I’m enjoying them. I’ve been listening for over 12 months since I’ve found them, I’ve been looking forward every Thursday to the little message saying that they’re uploaded. I’ve got a question, it’s in regard to capital gains tax and knock down rebuild. I don’t know what sort of information I need to keep and whether a valuation prior to a demolishment is necessary all of that sort of information. If you could please help with this? I’m thinking your tax agent Julie Hartman might have the best sort of information and advice in this situation. I’m planning to demolish a property that I’ve held for over 15 years, it’s been a rental income since day dot and obviously it was a lot cheaper, the land value and the house, and I just want to get this right so if you could give me some advice I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!

 

Question on Deductibility of Interest from Lennard Abarcar:
Hello everyone, I’ve got a question for Julia. I took on a new loan by extracting some equity from an investment property that increased in value. Will the interest on this new loan be tax deductible if it is used for one of both of the following: renovating the investment property or paying the monthly interest expense of the investment property loan? Thank you!

 

 

Quote of The Ep:

“The difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is the thickness of a Prison Wall” – Denis Healey former Chancellor of the Exchequer

 

 

 

348 | From Refugee To $140,000 A Year In Passive Income! – Chat with Toui

By in Real life stories, Summer Series

From Government Welfare to Passive Income! Yep, you read that right. You’re about to hear a refugee’s real life story to a self-funded retirement. And we probably don’t need to tell you that this Financial Transformation is Off-The-Charts incredible…

Meet Toui “pronounced Twee”. A first-generation refugee who came to Australia in 1980 for a better life. And he is now talking to us from an EXTREMELY DIFFERENT financial position than when he and his family first arrived from Laos as all those decades ago!

Fast forward to today, and Toui and his own family – his wife Jen and their 3 kids – are now on track to a passive income of $140,000 a year! Yep. This story certainly takes “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me!” to a whole new level.

And, get this, there’s EVEN MORE to this financial transformation… (so many layers of awesomeness going on!)…

Case in point: Have you heard of something called “Microsoft Money?”

Well, let’s just say Toui’s got a bit to share with you there too…

Look, folks… while our new Winter Series has set a seriously high benchmark (how good have the listener transformation’s been!?!), we just might’ve saved the best for last!!

Please Listen.

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

Here’s what we cover…

  • 02:52 – Meet Toui.
  • 03:20 – Starting Life As A Refugee…
  • 04:09 – “You think we’re made of money…”
  • 04:40 – When you miss out on breakfast and sometimes lunch as well…
  • 05:51 – Early memories that shape Toui’s upbringing (wow!)
  • 07:23 – The beginnings of breaking free from Financial Survival
  • 10:10 – The Big Shift In Mindset That Really Changed Everything!
  • 11:47 – The pull to “Want to be Like everyone else…”
  • 14:12 – Has Toui’s brother followed a similar path?
  • 16:00 – Okay. But what was The Big Pivot REALLY like?
  • 19:07 – Why property?
  • 19:28 – “I’ve got toys that I want to play with” – How to curb impulse buying…
  • 20:10 – Is Microsoft Money all it’s cracked up to be?
  • 20:27 – The Mate that got him onto The Property Couch!
  • 23:07 – The power of an END GOAL!
  • 25:33 – THE provisioning story… “Jen’s gonna hate me…”
  • 28:46 – Toui’s simple advice for YOU…
  • 30:55 – The critical importance of self-education
  • 32:44 – When you can retire 10 YEARS EARLIER than you first thought… (!!)
  • 38:56 – THIS is where people get stuck the most!
  • 39:33 – Why you MUST STOP Keeping Up With The Joneses!
  • 42:33 – … $140,000 in passive income!
  • 43:03 – How are they going to achieve that!?!
  • 43:04 – … HOW MANY??
  • 44:14 – The most powerful instrument in investing!
  • 44:51 – What lessons does Toui want to pass on to his kids?
  • 45:09 – Forcing the family to listen to The Property Couch! (LOL! Sorry, guys…)
  • 47:14 – Being able to tell Dad how different life is now…

 

Note: There are more real-life investor stories like this in our Previous Summer Series! Make sure you check them all out here.

Keen to Get Started with Money SMARTS like Toui?

Fill in the form below and create your account on our Money SMARTS Platform now!

Already have an account? Log in here.

 

 

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