Townsville

[rustalan]

Well with a bit of luck will be traveling to Townsville over the Melbourne cup long weekend. Purchased a property at Mt Louisa just out of Townsville and settlement day is Wednesday so hope to go and do the walk through, collect the keys, meet the estate agent that will be handling the property for the next 10yrs. Then free to look around for the first time. Bought 2 more property's near Brisbane in Yarrabilba and they are under construction as I type. No I'm not rolling in cash  Wish I was but these are NRAS property's.  Both state and Federal Governments Pay me almost $10000 a year per property to rent them out over the next 10 yrs and that goes up with the cpi. Also get large tax breaks with this but have to rent them out under market value and this also goes up with the cpi.

[robm]

Interesting scheme the NRAS, was only talking about it the other day.  Which real estate agent are you going through - we've had a few, none were spectacularly awesome....

Mt Lousia is prob not a bad area for that, personally i would not choose to live there (i don't like the north side of town as travel times are a bit painful due to 90% of the population thinking the northside is awesome, and subsequently there is a lot more traffic), but plenty of people love it.  Plus a new Bunnings and shopping centres being built there now.

[Homepin]

The northside is always chokka with the people streaming out of town and heading to Cairns to escape....

[Strangeways]

While working in IT, North QLD was my area. I used to travel there 2-3 times a year and I liked the place. Stayed at Jupiter's and diner on seafood at the restaurant across the road. Very warm weather, but when it rained - IT RAINED. I was marooned at Lavarack base as the driveway was 2 foot under water. I was wondering what the 4 wheel drives were doing on the other side of the water. I was too tired to realize what was happening and I drove straight through in my hire care Camry. I parted the sea like Moses and got some filthy looks from the drenched observers.

Just watch out for the cane toads. Hire a car and play Frogger !

[ktm450]

My wife has family up in Townsville, some in the city and a cousin out at blue water.  We have been up there several times, usually fly into Cairns then drive a hire car down to Townsville to visit, then head back to up to the Daintree for a break.  

We considered the NRAS but most of the houses seemed over priced, you definitely weren't getting a bargain.  Guaranteed rent is good though if you want to minimise risk

[rustalan]

Which real estate agent are you going through - we've had a few, none were spectacularly awesome....

The Estate is Nicholson First National in Townsville. Already have a tenant waiting in the wings for this one. Just signed the next payment for 1 of the Yarrabilba one's as the frame stage is now complete. Nearly had a heart attack when the landlords insurance bill arrived for Townsville, Rang Aon and then was told it's that high because it's in a cyclone area, silly me of course it is   . Was also stunned by the rates notices that just arrived for the 2 Yarrabilba property's, but after talking  to Logan council found I was better off.  Turns out that the water rates unlike Victoria are included in the council rates so after some quick math using my water here I was about $300 a yr better off on both property's.

[rustalan]

Flight is booked so off we go. Looking forward to getting a look around Townsville

[Crick60]

I pine for Townsville most months, I loved living in Rolling Stone and I loved the trips up to Ingham and across to the Isa, up to the savannah for a weekend get away.
I loved living in the warmth among the mangoes and pineapples, we lived on a lychee farm. Some days I wish I never left but I'm all the better for taking the harder road.

I really don't like Sydney.....

[robm]

I left Orange after finishing school, went a bit north to Newcastle, then further to Toowoomba to finish Uni, ended up in Townsville - its going to take a lot to get us to move from here, absolutely love it. 

That said, moving further north is no good, look how Mike (Homepin) turned out....

[Homepin]

That said, moving further north is no good, look how Mike (Homepin) turned out....