Be Wary of Bank Bills

BankBills2
Part 2: Remain in Control of your Destiny

LAST WEEK, we made a start on understanding the pros and cons of Bank bills. But you also have other options.

Non-bill facilities are available through the big four banks, but are generally priced in a way as to only be competitive at smaller loan amounts.

While the big four banks are generally able to price better than smaller lenders, there are other factors considered to be important than merely the cost. And for small business, the interest rate on their borrowing is a relatively small consideration, in the overall scheme of things.

Far more important is access to credit, and flexibility of being able to draw up and down on that credit. Because, having this ability will reduce your overall interest costs in the longer run. [Read more…]

Be Wary of Using Bank Bills

BankBills
Part 1: An Understanding, plus the Hidden Costs

WHENEVER YOU ARE financing a commercial property investment or a business, the types of funding can be broadly classified into two categories: bill facilities and non-bill facilities.

The Concept

Bill facilities are charged as a margin over the inter-bank lending rates, published each day in the Financial Review as commercial bills; while non-bill facilities are charged as a straight interest rate.

The funds for these facilities may also be raised through the money markets, but they are priced on a simple interest rate basis over a loan term. [Read more…]

Why The RBA Held Fast on Interest Rates … And How That Affects Commercial Property Investors

Interest rates on holdSOME PUNDITS seemed to be genuinely confused, and others even disappointed with?the RBA’s decision at its last meeting.

However, those closely studying what’s really been happening over the past 6 to 9 months were not surprised in the slightest.

Producer Price IndexSure, a weaker Producer Price index (and a benign underlying inflation at 2.3%) certainly gave the RBA plenty of flexibility. [Read more…]

More on Industrial Property …

ONLY RECENTLY, I flagged the emerging opportunity being provided by Industrial property. But I felt it was important for you to understand the underlying reason for that.

In a nutshell, it comes down to our persistently high dollar.

What?s driving the dollar crazy?

In last weekend’s Financial Review (page 24), Joanna Heath posed the following question:

Can you name Australia’s second-largest export?

She went on to point out that it’s not … coal, gas or wheat. Instead, it is actually Australian Commonwealth Bonds! [Read more…]

Inflation, Growth and Commercial Property

You need to Look Behind the Official Inflation figuresTHE LABOR government is crowing about its latest statistical achievements — low inflation, low unemployment, strong growth and booming investment.

So, why aren’t Australians feeling an overwhelming sense of warmth and well-being? Probably, as my earlier articles have explained … it all comes down to an overall lack of confidence.

Most people are still expecting the RBA to further reduce interest rates. However, barring a European meltdown, that would seem to be rather unlikely in the foreseeable future.

You only need to study these graphs to understand the RBA’s hesitancy — because clearly, the average measures of inflation currently sit at the bottom of the target band adopted by the Reserve Bank. [Read more…]

How Will the RBA’s Decision Affect Commercial Property?

NOT EVERYONE was expecting the RBA to further ease the cash rate, when its Board met this week.

Some felt the Board would simply “keep its power dry”, and just wait to see how the outcome of the 17 June election in Greece unfolded.

Some economists like Saul Eslake (of Merrill Lynch) felt that the $2.5 billion of cash payments by way of government compensation for the carbon tax, would serve as “enough stimulus” for now.

But maybe, such thinking took too simplistic a view of things. [Read more…]

Is It Wise To Borrow When You Buy Commercial Property?

Prudent Borrowing can accelerate your return

There is no doubt, you can certainly accelerate your overall return from Commercial property, by gearing up with a loan.

Even so, you should FIRST make sure that you can say “Yes” to each of the following questions. [Read more…]

Your Timing Within The Commercial Property Cycle

The traditional Investment Clock for SharesIF YOU have invested in the share market, you would most likely be familiar with the so-called “Investment Clock” — which attempts to show how the economic cycle influences equities.

In essence, an over-heated economy is followed by rising interest rates and falling share prices. Then, as the economy declines interest rates start to fall and share prices rise again.

Some analysts have tried to devise a similar “clock” for Commercial property. But unfortunately, the results have generally not been useful. [Read more…]

Industrial Property Is Clearly Holding Its Own

Industrial Rentals set to rise, and Selling Yields will begin to firm.Vacancy rates for Industrial property have fallen dramatically over the past year — declining by 39% on average, across the country.

This is mainly the result of strong demand for warehousing, following the high Australian dollar.

Plus, there has only been a modest amount of new construction. And that means you should see rentals improve and selling yields start to firm. [Read more…]

Commercial Property and The Current Economy

These are Better Indicators of our Economic Well-beingLAST WEEK, we explored just how the misuse of statistics by some commentators was distorting of the truth about Australia’s economic well-being, on a state-by-state basis.

So it is with several other indicators, as David Bassanese pointed out in a recent article (AFR: 22 March, page 36).

Many commentators are pushing for interest rates reductions, because the “economy is soft”. And they list … [Read more…]

Commercial Property to Benefit From Structural Changes Within the Economy

Industry Restructure is necessary for Australia's long-term growth.IN CASE you missed the lead story in last Friday’s Financial Review … the Treasury secretary (Martin Parkinson) was outspokenly critical of the government’s recent handouts to the car industry.

And more particularly, given the recent strong growth in the unemployment figures.

In his view, taxpayers ought not be subsidising so-called “strategic industries” — when these represent inevitable structural changes, which need to occur in order to make Australia more productive in the long-term. [Read more…]