01-02-2009

February '09 Issue

1. News
2. 2009
3. February

For some, there is no such thing as a property downturn.

Intrepid investors are making the most of falling interest rate cuts and a sluggish property market, picking up bargain buys and cash flow positive properties.

We talk to investors who are out there and active, on what’s motivating them and what  types of strategies are working.

Our lead feature about why smart investors are buying now is a goodie – get some ideas and learn  strategies from those who believe now is the perfect time to be adding to your portfolio.

Learning from other people is a powerful tool and it works with mistakes, not just with successes.

Michael Yardney’s  Hard yards feature looks at how learning from others’ mistakes rather than  making them all yourself enables you to learn faster and more efficiently.  Plus, it can save you a lot of heart-ache – emotionally and financially.

Kiwis have  traditionally been a DIY nation. But doing renovations yourself may not always  be the easiest and cheapest option, especially when it comes down to the  business of numbers and investing.

Another of our  features this issue looks at the potential for investment gems in provincial Kiwi service towns. With the economy relying more heavily than ever on export  bounty from the land to ease the last of the financial storm, could service towns be diamonds in the rough for investors?

Our Investing 101 beginners’ guide looks at what it takes to get yourself motivated and inspired into becoming a successful investor.

Also in the February 2009 issue:

• Opinion: Find out what The Landlord has to say      
• News: IRD cracks down on Kiwi baches; Changes to 'associated person' rules; False market recovery predicted; Prediction: rents will rise over time
• Commercial news: Commercial returns drop for first time in 15 years; Zoltan Moricz shares his views on the state of commercial property in New Zealand
• Housing commentary: Despite some positive signs emerging, the latest data on the housing market causes little to cheer about
• Ask an expert: We answer some of your burning investment property questions. Do you need to disclose your insurance policy to your landlord?
• Profile: Bruce and Irene Remnant have caught the property bug and have stringent strategies in place for expanding their portfolio
• A day in the life: As a crucial part of your property investment team, spend the day with a property lawyer to discover what they get up to
• Columns:
  • Accounting: The IRD is stepping it up a notch on auditing holiday property, writes Mark Withers
  • Mortgage: Jonathan Michell reports from the trenches on the state of the market  
  • Economics: Khoon Goh answers the burning question - are we there yet?
  • Property management: What happens when a tenant dies? Pat Allen shares some of his experiences 
  • Valuation: Rene McLean explores the pressures on the property market
• NZPIF: News and events from around the regions, plus a 2009 outlook
• Tenancy Tribunal: This month we look at issues around a retention to title clause and how they relate to fixtures in a property, plus jurisdiction of the tribunal
• Mortgage commentary: Money is looking extremely cheap at present, but how long should you fix for?
• Toolbox: Diana Clement checks out online calculators on your banks' websites and their usefulness for investors
• Property books: Do it right and learn the secrets from Paul Do's book I Buy Houses: The Property Investor's Handbook. Get yourself and your portfolio through the tough times