The Dirt On Property Depreciation
What’s depreciation? In a nutshell, it’s an allowance under tax laws in Australia for investors. It means they can claim deductions for expenditures in their property investments.
Why depreciation? Even extremely well-built houses aren’t imm...
Read moreMeth testing - the new norm for prudent home buyers
The New Norm? Including Meth checks in Pre-Purchase Building Inspections
For home buyers there is nothing unusual about organising a Pre-Purchase Building Inspection on a potential property purchase. For smart buyers, a Pre-Purchase Building Inspe...
Read more10 Horrifying Traps a (Good) House Inspector Might Find
Number One: Asbestos. Enough said.
Number Two: Termites. In a word: EVIL.
Number Three: Fire hazards. Wouldn’t wish this upon my worst enemy.
Number Four: Faulty smoke alarms. It’s a thing.
Number Five: Ghosts. Okay, kidding. Okay, ma...
Read moreFact - Termites Hate Good Building Inspectors
A good building inspector knows how to find termite issues. A bad building inspector, by way of contrast, is a termite’s best friend.
When Joe Blow (not his real name) bought a two-bedroom 1920s terrace in Sydney’s inner west for around $1 mil...
Read moreRental Reforms To Hit Queensland
Queensland’s 40-year-old rental laws are under scrutiny. One big potential change: making it easier for tenants to own pets and more pressure to address repairs in a timely manner. Property owners, however, may have more powers in their hands to ch...
Read moreAsbestos - Not Just About Housing
FEATHERS were flying in Red Hill last week when neighbours discovered asbestos sheeting was being removed from a disused chicken shed near their properties.
First reported in the Southern Peninsula News (6 November 2018) the story continues:
Mo...
Read moreWhat is Caveat Emptor?
Increasingly property buyers are aware of their responsibility to discover building defects before sale – this is known as the Latin principle Caveat Emptor or ‘buyer beware’.
The full quotation is ‘caveat emptor, qui ignorare no...
Read moreTips For First Home Buyers.
With government policy and a market that has cooled in recent times, the opportunities for first home buyers is really exciting. The dream of buying your first home is becoming a reality. There are however so many factors to look out for before you r...
Read moreDepreciation - A Most Valuable Deduction
Looking to claim? For property owners, depreciation is the gift that keeps on giving and another reason to talk with the professionals at Jim’s Building Inspections. To wit, investors deduct the amount of income-producing assets in decline over the...
Read moreInadequate Site and subfloor drainage
A sub-floor is the structure and crawl space between the lowest floor and the ground. High moisture levels in these areas promote fungal decay and other timber pests such as termites.
All sub-floors and crawl spaces should be considered as having ...
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