Co-founder & Joint CEO of Cubbi. Common Ground.
I started real estate in 2006 on the NSW Central Coast. Loved it but noticed too many owners and tenants were unhappy with the value most agents were giving or simply wanted another option that didn't involve doing it all themselves. That's how Cubbi came about.
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Routine inspections take time. Sending emails, writing up reports…all that jazz.
More on that in a minute.
For now, it’s a good time to just think about what your inspections are for, and how to get the most out of them. Read More
People eventually move out of rental properties. That’s just the way the business works. You need to know when to start looking for new tenants so your property is never left vacant for too long.
Ideally, you want the next tenants to move in the day your property is available to avoid any loss of income. It would be great if you could advertise your property, show tenants through, screen the tenants, sign a lease, and move your tenants in, all within 24 hours. But most tenants need to give notice to vacate their current rental home before moving into your place. This is generally 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the state your new tenants are in.
Back when I was a property manager, I started looking after a property that had been through four separate managers in just two years.
Tenants had just moved out, it was filthy and repairs were going to cost more than $1,000 to get the place back to the same condition from when the tenants moved in (according to the owner).
Usually you’d just take that money from the bond. But there was just one problem: there was no condition report detailing what the place was like at the start of the lease.
Here is a big question I get asked by landlords:
Switching property managers happens all the time and it’s not always because you’re unhappy with the service. You might be looking for something cheaper, looking to manage it yourself or moving all your properties to one agent for consistency.
No matter the reason, switching real estate agents or property managers is actually more straightforward than you’d think. There is still a little prep involved, mostly because every management agreement is different – although many use their state’s REI (Real Estate Institute) agreement.
Even then, many agents insert clauses of their own.
I’ve broken down the switching process into some key steps below. Read More
Everyone dreads tax time, but if you own a rental property then it’s actually one of the most advantageous times of the year. It’s when you can actually start putting all the money you’ve put into your property to work.
Some property owners end up missing out on crucial savings because they haven’t put in the effort to keep their documents or receipts, or they just don’t bother.
That’s a big mistake! Read More
Getting your property advertised on realestate.com.au and Domain is step one for landlords in Australia.
But it can be a confusing process. There are so many different types of listings, and so many options…not to mention there are plenty of property managers or companies claiming they can provide you with a good deal or a better price. Read More
If you’re in the market to sell a property, you may have noticed a few DIY-selling sites pop up over the last few years. These sites are an alternative to the traditional method of using an agent – and paying large commissions. Instead, you do it yourself and still get to advertise on the same listing platforms.
That includes Cubbi, but there are other companies like Purplebricks or Buy My Place that have entered this market with the same proposition: ditch your agent.
With a few DIY-style offerings to choose from, what’s the difference between all of these sites? And which is going to be best for your situation? Read More
Seen the news lately? Interest rates might be going up.
Financial markets went crazy after the Reserve Bank said its members had a chat about whether rates are too low. Other nations – like the USA, the EU and Canada – have been raising their rates, and federal banks all over the world tend to both raise and lower their rates in tandem. Read More
As a rental property owner, it pays to know what tenants in your area want. Even small additions to your property can get you a much better rental return – and keep good tenants around for a lot longer.
If you own a rental property in Richmond what can you do to get the most from it?
Renters are living in fear…at least when it comes to maintenance.
Back in February, a survey conducted by the National Association of Tenants’ Organisations, National Shelter and Choice, found that half of 1,000 renters said they’re worried that a repair request or complaint could get them blacklisted on the National Tenancy Database.
Here’s the shocking part – 14% of tenants decided not to request maintenance at all because they didn’t want to risk being charged more.
Isn’t that sad?
What’s even sadder is that they’re believing a lie. Read More
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