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Finding a reliable building inspector in Brisbane can be a daunting task. This is especially when you are not aware of what to look for. If you are planning to purchase a home, hiring a professional should be part and parcel of your budget and finding who to hire is vital. You need to hire an inspector who is capable of detecting hidden damages as well as damages. Purchasing a home/building involves a lot of financial commitment and that is why you have to make the necessary consultations prior to reaching an agreement on whether to buy the building or not.

Below are the tips on how to find a reliable building inspector

Insurance

Before hiring a building inspector you should first ensure that he/she is adequately insured. A professional service provider needs to have professional indemnity to serve as a cover to the advice they are offering as well as public liability.

Ensuring they provide a thorough inspection

A building inspection should approximately take at least one and a half hours. The time frame is determined by the size of the building which may range from house leaks, cracks, faults related to electrical gadgets as well as the integrity of the roofs. Ensure you have a complete detailed report highlighting every part of the building.

Qualifications

Ask you, inspector, a variety of questions. Inquire of the fields they are best in and for how long they have been in those fields. If you are not satisfied with their qualifications, may also decide to search for their credentials.

Avoid onsite during the inspection

A key indicator of an experienced building inspector is the ability to allow the presence of the customer during the inspection. Inexperienced building inspectors are usually afraid of allowing the customers to be present during the inspection.

When performing an inspection experienced building inspectors spend the first minutes of inspection on their own. This gives them time and space to focus and concentrate on the entire building by paying attention to finer details. During the last minutes, the inspector address the customer of any initial concerns you may possess or clarify their findings.

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Whether you are travelling for work or leisure activities, Melbourne city has got you covered at affordable costs. Our serviced apartments are innumerable, so you have options to select your best and have the freedom you want. To add on this, our apartments are located on strategic positions while offering all type of great amenities. Lets get into nitty gritty of these developments.

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Brisbane is located in the northeastern state of Australia, Queensland and is the capital of the state. Its subtropical climate makes the year a charming year and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, who appreciate its easy surroundings.

If you are looking for the best place to accommodation in Brisbane CBD, then this article is meant for you.

In the city, there are many cheap accommodations in the city of Brisbane that brings you closer to all the work and transport services. There are many styles of accommodation that you can see and get great deals and discounts throughout the year. Choose the full spectrum of hotels with budget hostels, short-term rentals, and various services, facilities and motels. Many apartment providers have promotions, offers and discounts throughout the year, so check their websites for details.

After checking in an affordable home in Brisbane, you should go out and start the investigation. A good place to start trips is Queen Street Mall. This is a paradise for shopkeepers with the whole road dedicated to the retail store. There are linings, department stores, chains and boutiques on the street. You can see everything from shampoo to channel.

On Queen Street, you will also find many dining options that will spread throughout the budget. Services such as currency swaps, banks, travel information, and travel agencies are found throughout Queen Street. The mall is also full of buses and road operators.

The botanical gardens of the city create a beautiful and comfortable place for wandering around the colonial architecture of the city. After returning to the shopping center, you will find the Treasury Casino, which is located in the old, old colonial building, which used to be the Department of the Treasury.

Over the weekend there is a huge and interesting market at Riverside in CBD. It is a great place to wander and collect many souvenirs and many different locally produced goods. There is a small river in New Farm Park, which is beautiful and can be combined with a visit to the Powerhouse Museum in the park, where there is a great cultural program. For Café Culture Head in West End Brisbane, where there are an eccentric and fun cafe and a tasty restaurant.

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If you choose the option of divorce, then it is difficult to choose the person you have just met, and trust whatever you have. Working with an attorney requires trust and harmonious working relationships that can last for months. You should be able to choose the right one for your case, who can prepare a win-win solution for your dilemma.

The things to look for in a good divorce lawyer:

Mastery of Family Law

If you opt for a divorce attorney, then you have to choose someone who has practiced the family law. This is a complex area of ​​legal practice. You need to find someone with experience and skill to handle the complexity of the divorce process. Remember that the well-being of your children is at stake. You should not give it to anyone who cannot guarantee a win solution to your problem.

Good Communication Discipline

Timely communication is important in the client-attorney relationship. You should pay close attention to this in the consultation process. To understand how to properly receive and respond to customer calls, you need to know his office policies. This will help you understand how your legal adviser is dedicated to your work. Timely communication plays an important role in building successful legal strategies.

Personality Matters

An attorney represents his client in the lawsuit and negotiation table. He should have a personality that suits you. You should feel comfortable with your lawyer so that you can work effectively at the individual level. Remember, you will share important details about your life with him.

Proactive

Being proactive is one of the positive qualities of lawyers. They listen, evaluate, discuss, consult, and endeavor to find a win-win solution for your divorce problem. Unlike other matters, divorce is not related to winning, both sides can not move emotionally forward. In divorce, more attention is given to solve the problem of marriage and find the right solution. A proactive lawyer should find ways to solve the problem without taking the case to court.

Honesty

Your divorce counsel should be honest with you about the status and evaluation of your case. He should not make such promises, which can lead to false hopes. He should understand the importance of the legal terms that apply to your case, and he should be able to provide a solid answer to your questions about the direction of your affairs.

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Just over a month ago I said you should ignore the bogus Australian federal election.

I said it wouldn’t make any difference who got into power. The result would be the same.

Politicians of any party only have one goal: to stay in power once they gain power. That means doing anything…even if it means a 180 degree turn on what they supposedly stand for.

Unsurprisingly, just weeks after the election the new Coalition government has proven us right…

What was the biggest message you heard from the Coalition while they were in opposition?

That’s right, it was all about how the Labor Party was financially irresponsible. They said the government was sending the public finances into a debt spiral.

Apparently the Coalition would fix that by bringing the budget back to surplus and paying down the debt.

Not so fast. Politics doesn’t work like that. Once in power, governments figure out that they can’t really cut spending because that could annoy people. And because those people also vote, it could mean losing votes at the next election.

And so all talk of responsible government goes out the window. Instead you get what you’d expect: spend, spend, spend…

Spend, Spend, Spend

Earlier this year I attended the Bloomberg ‘Australia Economic Summit’ in Sydney.

One of the key speakers was then Coalition treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey.

Based on what I heard I knew the Coalition would be true to form. The clue was when Mr Hockey refused to commit to reversing the previous government’s ‘lost savings’ and ‘lost super’ policies.

Again, that was a surprise when you consider the cash windfall to the government of those policies.

But when I saw this report in the Age at the weekend, it brought a big smile to my face:

Treasurer Joe Hockey has reiterated that increasing Australia’s debt ceiling will be a priority for the new parliament.

‘Speaking in the United States, where President Barack Obama’s administration is battling to lift its legislated allowable level of government debt, Mr Hockey said Australia faces its own deadline.

‘”We will have to increase the debt limit to prevent Australia breaching the debt limit before Christmas,” the treasurer told Sky News on Friday.

‘A bill to raise the national debt ceiling beyond $300 billion is expected in parliament’s early sitting days, which are not yet scheduled.’

The Coalition is speaking out of both sides of their mouth. First they say how terrible it is to go into debt…and then they say it’s crucial to go further into debt.

For the record, Australian federal government debt now stands at $284.5 billion.

As I like to point out, the Liberal Party are fakes when it comes to government spending. Under the Howard government, spending and tax revenues more than doubled.

And as for the idea that Liberal governments are more responsible with taxpayer money, just look at the headlines. You can see that’s not true. The latest expenses scandal shows they’re more than happy to grab tax dollars.

The truth is for all the election talk about slashing government spending, the Coalition has no intention of cutting government spending whatsoever. As the following report from the Australian proves:

‘Federal spending will be capped to put the nation on a “credible” path to a budget surplus as the Abbott government drafts a set of fiscal rules that forces ministers to scale back outlays.

‘Cabinet ministers are to meet within weeks to finalise new guidelines as Tony Abbott and his colleagues aim to improve on Labor’s promise to limit real spending growth to 2 per cent a year.’

If you think that means anything other than the government will continue to increase spending then you’re kidding yourself.

So, why am I banging on about this?

First is to convince you that it’s pointless to get involved in politics by cheering for one side against the other.

There truly is no difference.

The more important point is to remind you that every dollar the government spends is a dollar it takes from the taxpayer. That either comes from current tax revenue or future tax revenue (in the case of government debt).

That means you have to work harder in order to make up for what the government takes from your wages. Now, when I say work it doesn’t necessarily mean getting a second job…

One of my main investing rules is that you should never invest in something just because it offers a tax break.

That said, it’s also up to you to minimise your taxes in any legal way possible. One way to do that is to take advantage of the franking credit system available on many dividend paying Aussie stocks.

In simple terms, franking credits give you a credit in your tax return for tax already paid by the company. In other words, it removes the double taxation of profits.

For example, if a company pays you a $1 cash dividend you get to ‘gross up’ the cash amount by 30% (the company tax rate) to $1.30.

From there you apply your marginal tax rate. So, if you’re in the top tax bracket of 45% you’ll pay this tax on the grossed up $1.30 rather than the cash amount of $1.

It means your effective net dividend is 71.5 cents ($1.30 — 45%). Compare that to a net dividend of just 55 cents without franking credits.

The great thing is you don’t need to do a lot of background work to find stocks that offer franking credits. Franking credits are available on most blue-chip Aussie stocks. So odds are if you already own a blue-chip stock portfolio, you’re already getting the benefit of franking credits.

Therefore, when you’re allocating your monthly cash flow you shouldn’t just think about the gross capital gains. You should look at the tax benefits of franking credits.

You may find that you’re better off buying a perceived ‘boring’ dividend payer rather than a more exciting growth stock.

But whatever you do with your investments, just remember you’ve got to increase your savings and reduce your tax burden. It’s a cast iron guarantee that once the federal government starts cranking up that debt ceiling, they’ll never stop.

Cheers,
Kris

PS. It’s not just blue-chip dividend stocks that offer franking credits; some small-cap dividend paying stocks provide franking credits too. Plus you can get the added benefit of explosive capital gains. If you’re looking to increase your income as the government continues to spend, spend, spend, check out one way to boost it here…

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Dear Aussie retail industry,

I’ve had enough of you.

I’m sick of your fortnightly catalogues offering the latest home wares to redecorate my home for spring, or winter, or whatever the next season may be. And don’t forget the end of year silly seasons garlands you feel we must have.

And really, who needs Easter decorations? One of you retail giants reckon I should fill my house with paper chickens and bunnies in soft pastel colours for four days in April.

I mean, really? Who are these people that buy it? Is it that no one buys it and that’s why it’s on sale at the end of the four day weekend? ‘Stock up for next year,‘ a sales assistant told me last year.

Please. Be. Joking.

And tell me, what is the point of kitchen utensils that are cheaper than a bus ticket? Anyone who buys them once will find they melt in the dishwasher. People shouldn’t be back in a hurry to buy another one. And given Australia’s very small population, I can’t imagine there are enough people out there to keep buying inferior mass produced products to keep you in business…yet earnings seasons seems to prove me wrong on this point.

I digress. I’m still mad at you.

I have three enormous shopping centres within 15 minutes of my house. All filled with the same shops, same products. One of them claims to be a high end retailing centre…but the only high end thing about it is the price I pay for parking and the items I buy there.

And don’t think you’ve fooled me with your fancy swing tags attached with cotton and a safety pin versus other chains using plastic. I’m well aware that your products aren’t really better quality. That fancy paper bag with rattan handles and your logo blazoned across won’t entice me either.

You know why?

Because you’re only interested in selling to me. Well, guess what? I want you to cater to me. I want a sales assistant to understand my needs, rather than a uni student who couldn’t care less.

I want shoes that are the perfect size. Not just something that sort of fits.

You see dear retail industry, I’m more than happy to part with my money to keep you afloat.

But in exchange for that, I expect a quality product that will last years, not days. I don’t want to see my couch cushions becoming pilly from moments of normal living. And tell me, why are the seams on my dog’s bed coming undone? It’s only a few weeks old.

And what is it with these ridiculous wares you keep coming up with. Does anyone actually need a hammock for bananas? Can’t they go in the fruit bowl I already have, like the one that’s lasted me for 15 years?

Furthermore, I despise buying products that will ‘do for now’, until I find what I really want. But clever you, retail industry. What I really want isn’t out there. So with each modification or new seasonal range, slight tweaks make the items more to my liking…but never perfect.

Your nasty, manmade fibres applied in home wares, clothing and furniture aren’t making them more affordable for consumers. Simply, these cheap items are teaching us to settle for less while paying more.

Your advertising has an appalling message behind every ad with smiling face. What you’re really trying to say is, ‘If you’re not spending money consumer, you can’t be happy!’

However, change is afoot.

This incessant and unrelenting message to spend is lost on me. And others.

You’re not really scared that online shopping is damaging the retail landscape in Australia. I reckon you’re most worried about what consumers are learning from shopping online.

And my dear, despicable retail friend, what we’re learning most is patience.

Yes, not only has online shopping opened our doors to greater possibilities than you could ever offer in Australia. We’ve learned to wait for our merchandise. And that’s fine by us.

The impulsive need to buy on sale is diminishing.

Clever placement of products no longer tempts us in the way they used to. Chances are we could get it at another shopping centre. Or online. Better yet, not at all.

See online shopping has not only taught us to wait. It’s taught us to look for higher quality. Even unique items. Stuff that might improve a company or community elsewhere rather than bump up the profits of Australia’s lazy retailers.

I, like others, are happy to pay for that. And, I’m happy to wait for them to ship it to my door. Because as I’ve realised, I don’t really need anything right now.

So retail industry, be warned. Consumers are leaving, and even more will leave. Your advertising budget is in vain.

Nothing you do encourages us to barge into your stores with fistfuls of cash. The lack of options has turned shopping into a chore, not a pleasure.

You’ve spent too long presuming consumers will just spend on what you offer to us.

That time is over.

No longer are we fools for millions of items all looking rather the same. In fact, stuff made in the quantity of thousands will be a thing of the past.

By that I mean no longer will the country with the lowest labour costs make everything.

The internet has changed what and how we buy. Soon the online stores you fear so much will develop a way of custom designing any product.

The way I see it, you have two choices. Ignore your customers at your peril, and watch us happily buy less from you, but more from elsewhere.

Or shape up. Until you do that, I’m off to do some shopping…online.

Regards,

Shae Smith,
Contributing Editor, Pursuit of Happiness

Publisher’s Note: Shae isn’t the only Aussie frustrated by the woeful attitude of local retailers. But rather than write a letter that the retailers will ignore, small-cap analyst Tim Dohrmann has discovered one tiny Aussie company that’s challenging Aussie bricks-and-mortar retailers head on. Not only can you save money from buying using their service, but you could potentially make money if this company lives up to its potential. Check out the details here…

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Everyone undertakes their own pursuit of happiness. It’s about finding a way to live happily, and be content in your personal and financial life. It’s also about fighting anything that gets in the way of that happiness. I want to help you pursue happiness by showing you how to stop the government from destroying your retirement savings, how to legally cut your tax bill, how to choose a healthier life by knowing what’s really in the food you eat, and how to protect your freedom from our ‘big brother’ government.

Take some time to look around this website. You may not agree with everything I have to say, but at the very least I hope it makes you stop and think about how you can achieve lifelong happiness, freedom and wealth for you and your family.

And if you’d like to get my twice-weekly free email covering all of these ideas and more, you can sign up here.

Cheers,

Kris Sayce,
Editor
Pursuit of Happiness

Byron King: How Australian Resources Can Learn From The US Economy

April 2nd, 2014 | Market News | 0 Comments »

Oil production in the US was on the decline until the mid-2000s. Hydraulic fracking is reviving parts of the US economy.

Faber, Rickards, and Duncan on Deflation, Inflation and Interest Rates

April 2nd, 2014 | Market News | 0 Comments »

The forces of deflation are powerful, the necessity for inflation is powerful, What will happen is a collapse in hard currency and a flight to hard assets.

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One of the major concerns that come to mind when couples decide to get divorced is the cost of the proceedings, specifically the lawyer’s fees. Finding a good lawyer that also offers affordable rates is a difficult balance to strike.

However, it’s possible. The most important thing is to make sure that you have good quality counsel on your side when undergoing a divorce in Singapore and make sure to approach a lawyer as soon as you decide to split from your spouse.

Read on for some helpful tips on how to find a good divorce lawyer in Singapore that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

1. Educate Yourself

When looking for a divorce lawyer, you need to arm yourself with relevant knowledge on the different documents that you’ll have to file. It might be a good idea to take notes as you read up on the legal procedures, especially if you come across information that’s relevant to your particular situation.

Doing this research will help you get a better understanding of the time period it usually takes for the proceedings to be complete.

You’ll also have a general idea of what to expect when you do approach a lawyer, including the complexity of the process.

2. The Process of Finding a Good Divorce Lawyer

The good news is that there are plenty of reputable law firms in Singapore for you to choose from, so you’ll definitely find one that’s right for you. Some law firms are ages-old family practices that have been around for decades, while others are boutique firms that are relatively unknown.

Here are some tips to help you narrow down the options and pick out a lawyer:

• Word-of-Mouth

The easiest way to find a reputable law firm is to ask around. Speak to friends, family and even colleagues who’ve been through a divorce and get their take and recommendations. You’ll probably feel more comfortable hiring a lawyer that has been referred to you by a trusted friend or family member than an attorney that you found on Google.

• Online Advertisements

Most law firms have hopped onto the online advertising bandwagon, which means there’s plenty of information on the Internet about different law firms and their approach to divorce proceedings.

However, if a lawyer’s fees seem too good to be true, then they probably are. Choosing a lawyer with extremely low fees may result in you doing most of the work at the end of the day. Instead, look for a law firm that has reasonable fees and provides hands-on service.

3. Choosing the Divorce Lawyer

At this point, you should have narrowed down your options to a select few lawyers. Now is the time for you to contact each law firm in your list, via phone call, email or in person. Most law firms won’t charge you for the initial consultation so that’s great.

Whatever you do, make sure you choose a lawyer that you feel comfortable with as they’ll be walking with you through a very difficult time in your life.

Conclusion

Over and above the legal counsel that they’ll provide you with, your lawyer should have a firm grasp of your circumstances so that they get you the best results possible. It’s also extremely important to be comfortable with the lawyer that you hire so that you can both be transparent and relaxed when communicating.

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