by Melissa Walker Horn | Jan 10, 2016 | Personal
In conjunction with homesales.com.au
I was born into a real estate, errrr interested, family. My parents had owned farms and investment property before I was born and later would open their own real estate office in my hometown. Houses are in the blood, what can you do? With that being the case, I purchased and moved into my first home at 18 years old, renting out the additional rooms to make ends meet. Later, when I moved out of the area, it would become my first investment property.
That’s property investment and me.
I had bought a block of land and employed a builder to build my first house from scratch. The low budget block was steep and the back retaining wall was taller than I am (which is pretty tall) because of the cut required to fit the house. The house was simple, fit for someone to rent and had plenty of room for me to improve the property before I put it on the market.
That little home, my very first, would become the best investment I’d made in the property market to this day. I chose a suburb that was at the start of a major development project; there were countless homes under construction, the makings of a thriving suburb without an overwhelming demand to inflate prices. Strong rental yield, cash positive, and a growing suburb to ensure future demand in the area. It was a smart property investment. It ticked ALL the boxes.
So property investment and you? How?
And that’s the point of this post. That for those looking to enter the property investment market, you need to figure out a few things for yourself. Things like what your goals are, whether you are investing for income generation, rental returns, to turn it over for a profit or hold it longer term. That’s where sites like Homesales come in handy with their investment property search tool. They allow you to search for property based on YOUR investment goals. Want higher rental yield? Search for that. Want a particular rental yield percentage? Use tools to search for properties that meet your requirements.
Over the years, I added and subtracted from the properties I owned as my needs changed. But property will always be where it’s at for me. I mean, you don’t become a property manager and stay in the career for a decade if you don’t like houses. Liking people helps too, but houses mostly. So if you’re interested in property investment and want somewhere to start, then take a look at the investment property search tools.
Questions always welcome in the comments. Because property; I like it.
by Melissa Walker Horn | Apr 27, 2015 | Personal
It’s mood board time! What can I say, when I enjoy something I keep doing it. That’s what a blog is for, right? Fun and games. Last week I shared my first board on the blog about houses. I was consumed by them and that is very much still the case. But this week it morphed into something else. As I continue to put together the pieces of our home, what appeals to me most is the feeling of warmth. Coziness. Snuggliness.
As much as everyone is clear that I am a child of the summer, born for long days at the beach and sunny afternoons kicked back with a beverage, I love winter too. I love the opportunity to layer up cost knits and warm boots. Waking late, snuggling in blankets nad wrapping my hands around a hot mug of coffee.
I chose a couch that was squishy and warm. There are throws wingng their way to me with cable knits and chunky threads. I want layers of textures to wrap around me and snuggle. There’s probably something in that, a wanting for my own place perhaps. After years in a modern, cool home, in colour and style, I am dying for a bit of snuggly, cuddly warmth. Don’t you think?
Do you have a mood board you’d like to share? Add the link below. Upload a pic. Whatever you like. I remember when Polyvore challenges were all the thing, I miss those days. I miss checking out people being creative. Join me if you like. Let’s cut and paste together.
by Melissa Walker Horn | Apr 20, 2015 | Personal
Last week I decided to share what was inspiring me via a collage on Instagram. A mood board of sorts. And because I really don’t have much else to report, I thought what the heck, let’s talk about it here too. Last week kicked off with the moody blues and greys. This week though is all about houses. My house, your house, the house on the cover of all the mags I can get my hands on. The Block. Pinterest boards filled with them. Lots and lots of houses. Houses.
I guess that was bound to happen. We are finally coming to the end of our adventure and will be moving into our house in a few short weeks. This will be our fifth home, excluding those we have rented. FIVE. We have built from scratch lots and this will be our second renovation.
The paint swatches are piling up, I have carpet samples swimming in my head. There are couches to buy and furniture items to replace. This is the house we are putting down roots in for a while. We want it to be something special. Something reflective of us as a couple. A place to call home and welcome our friends.
With all that in mind, it’s no wonder I’ve got houses on the brain.
