The Investor 25 August 2009
Secrets of real estate agents. Sorry — this is my third column in a row about real estate commissions. It’s just that readers keep responding. Lately it’s been agents or former agents, letting us in on their secrets.
NZ Herald 15 August 2009
Q&As: Reader explains why he won’t invest in shares; Data suggest New Zealand doesn’t actually over-invest in property; New Zealanders’ lack of interest in shares hurts more than just individuals; Help is available for horseracing “addict”.
NZ Herald 8 August 2009
Q&As: 2 Q&As on whether New Zealanders over-invest in property; Is 50 too old to take out a mortgage?
The Investor 28 July 2009
A fairer deal for all on real estate agent commissions. Now — with real estate agents hungry for listings — might be a good time for home sellers to negotiate a new way of paying agents. This is not about kicking a man when he’s down. What I’m proposing shouldn’t leave an honest agent worse off. In fact, if she or he is good at their job, it will leave them much better off.
NZ Herald 18 April 2009
Q&As: The pluses and minuses of the government’s new student loan repayment bonus; 2 Q&As on the woes — and possibilities — for first home buyers.
The Investor 24 March 2009
You can indeed go wrong with bricks and mortar. I first heard people saying, “You can’t go wrong with bricks and mortar” years ago, when I lived in the US. I bet the saying isn’t quite as common there these days, now that millions of people have, indeed, lost huge amounts because of property. Yet we still hear that untrue “truism” in New Zealand. And in the last few weeks, as some people are trying to convince us that the house price slump is over, it keeps popping up.
NZ Herald 8 November 2008
Q&As: PIES have many more pros than cons, with tax breaks and, in some cases, a government guarantee; Single parent with three rentals might want to sell one — but not for the reason she suggests. Plus: readers’ views on KiwiSaver.
NZ Herald 25 October 2008
Q&As: Does KiwiSaver allow for earlier withdrawal for someone with Down syndrome?; Would having savings in KiwiSaver affect entitlement to benefits?; Does it make sense to look at productive and non-productive KiwiSavers?; Some property investors stand to gain from the current climate. Plus: Readers’ comments on KiwiSaver.
NZ Herald 27 September 2008
Q&As: Why KiwiSaver mortgage diversion is such a good idea; Should the government intervene to stop house prices from falling?
NZ Herald 5 April 2008
Q&As: The best KiwiSaver fund for a 23-year-old depends on her house-buying plans; Angry Blue Chip investor muddles my opinion with a reader’s opinion; A reader suggests why online tax payments sometimes go wrong.