Despite talk of a housing price bubble, ANZ research shows there is little chance of a housing market crash this year. The bank forecasts prices to remain on hold or fall slightly, but not crash.

We rarely think twice about insuring our car, our house and even our possessions, yet we often overlook protecting our most important asset - our income.

Considering investing in property, but worried about all the things that might go wrong? Here we look at how to deal with a number of common ‘what if’ scenarios.

A drop in fixed rates by a number of banks and lenders has increased the number of borrowers who are fixing their home loans.

Just as the fax machine has been relegated to dinosaur status, so too will email be considered old hat. Analysts predict that 2012 will see technologies become more social, more connected and increasingly voice controlled.

Selling your home via auction or private treaty is never an easy decision to make.

Renovation is one of the ways you can differentiate your home to attract buyers in a slow market, but you need to do your homework to ensure that renovating before you sell is worth the time, effort and money.

Due diligence is an important part of any major transaction and acquiring a commercial property is no exception.

How do you go about finding out the true value of your home? You might not want to go to the expense of hiring a qualified property valuer, but you are worried about the accuracy of relying on market appraisals from real estate agents or online property price reports.

With so many mixed messages going around about the state of the economy, we thought it was time to look at what the statistics tell us.

Risk is a necessary part of life, whether it’s as simple as trying a new breakfast cereal or as complex as investing in property. It’s how we manage these risks that can determine our future – wealth, happiness and lifestyle.

We all have periods when we feel less than enthusiastic about being at work. When this happens, consider the following tips for achieving greater job satisfaction...

Does a house make a better investment than an apartment? It’s a common question but like the ‘old versus new’ debate, the answer depends on who you speak to!

If there’s one topic property investors rarely agree on, it’s what makes a better investment: old or new?

We’ve spent the year expecting interest rates to go up, now there’s hope they may be coming down. It’s an unusual reversal of fortune and one that took many economists by surprise when just a few months ago the Reserve Bank was widely tipped to lift rates at least twice before Christmas.

Clients sometimes ask us why they shouldn’t just go direct to a bank. Our answer is that mortgage brokers can do a lot more than process a transaction – we provide advice, financial guidance and valuable assistance with negotiating your way through the mortgage process. We also take the time to listen to your needs and understand your future financial goals.

Some interesting First Home Buyer Stats.

First home buyers are putting aside their nerves and making a comeback to the property market. After lying low for 12 months, the number of new home loan commitments by first home buyers is on the rise, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Investing in property can help build wealth for retirement in a way that superannuation, savings or the stock market cannot.

The dream of home ownership is alive and well, according to a new report that reveals Generation Y are willing to give up luxuries to own their first home.

Lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint by making some green improvements around your home.

How to cope with the rising cost of electricity, fuel and groceries? If asking for a pay rise is out of the question, let’s look at what else you can do to survive the escalating cost of living.

You don’t need to win the lottery to pay off your home loan. There are a number of great strategies for reducing your loan balance and saving thousands in interest repayments. It’s never too late to begin, so pick and choose which of the following work for you.

You’ve probably heard the reports about the Australian property market being ‘flat’. What does it mean to have a flat market and what are the implications for you as a buyer or seller?

2011 is shaping up as a positive year for the property market...

Earn money while someone pays off your mortgage - that's the life of a landlord! Owning a rental property can be a 'dream come true' if you follow these tips for successfully managing your investment.

This year's string of floods, cyclone and bushfires has pushed the topic of insurance well into the spotlight. Thousands of home owners, landlords and business owners have lost valuable assets and without insurance cover are struggling to make ends meet.

Strong job growth is one of the signs that the economy is doing well and the climate is right for property investment.

With auction clearance rates disappointingly low, sellers have to work hard to achieve a good price at auction. Follow these simple strategies to improve your chances of a sale.

Your home is going on the market and you want to ensure it sells for the best possible price. How do you go about it?

It's possible to buy a home with very little deposit, but there are a number of reasons why it makes sense to save a decent deposit before you apply for a loan.

History rarely repeats itself and this is certainly true of buying a home second time around. As an established - or next time buyer - you have experience on your side but there are many new challenges to encounter that you may not have dealt with as a first home buyer.

Thinking about upgrading or buying your second home? If so, you're not alone, with recent data showing it's the established - or next time - buyers who are currently fuelling interest in the property market.

Let your head not your heart have the deciding say when buying an investment property. It's tempting to allow your emotions to get the upper hand if you are purchasing your own home, but if you don't intend to live in the property, look at it with 'investment eyes' only.

Australia has some of the most complex tax laws in the world, which means it's important to review your tax strategy each year to keep up with the latest changes. Here are some facts and tips to help you lodge your 2009-10 tax return.

Working out the best way to build your nest egg for retirement is never easy, but many agree that relying on superannuation alone is not enough.

It seems big is better when it comes to the Australian home, which now super-sizes all other countries in the world. Averaging 215 square metres, the Australian home is now 7 per cent bigger than homes in the US, double the size of those in Europe and triple the size of those in the UK.

With interest rates predicted to rise again this year, you may want to consider taking out mortgage insurance for protection against financial difficulty.

Buying property is becoming cheaper than renting in many suburbs across Australia, according to research by property pricing specialist RP Data.

You have been thinking about buying a property for some time, but you cannot bring yourself to take the first step. Although you know the benefits it will bring, you keep putting your decision off because you are afraid of the risks involved.

Under your bed, in a bank account or on your home loan, it's always handy to have a stash of cash for that rainy day.

While interest rates remain low, it pays to stay ahead of your minimum monthly repayments by using a redraw facility or offset account.

A while ago we published an article on whether to refinance in the wake of rising interest rates. Today we re-visit this topic from the opposite side of the coin - whether to refinance in the wake of interest rates that are going down, rather than up!

An exclusive postcode is no longer such an asset as property prices continue to drop at the top end of the market.

Good advice is critical when selecting a home loan, according to a recent survey of Australian home-owners.

You may have heard of an interest-only loan and wondered if it is as good as it sounds.

It's often said the secret of managing money is to live as economically the day after payday as you did the day before.

Looking for a way to pay off high interest debts, fund your home improvements or make a major purchase?

Investing your superannuation in direct property could now be an option in your retirement strategy, thanks to recent changes to the laws governing self-managed superannuation funds.

To fix or not to fix? It's a question that has become increasingly common in the wake of rising interest rates.