With increasing costs of housing and living expenses, a majority of people in capital cities are looking for alternatives. This is evident in our closest capital city of Sydney.

As recently reported by Ben Smee in the Newcastle Herald, Sydney property squeeze drives Hunter's boom time , a study, by business research agency BIS Shrapnel, predicted the greater Newcastle housing market would be boosted by the ‘‘inward migration’’ of people fleeing the Sydney squeeze.

There are a significant number of advantages of relocating to Newcastle and the Hunter for Sydney siders feeling the squeeze. Less than 2 hours drive from Sydney, Newcastle and the Hunter offer affordable properties, an attractive lifestyle and employment opportunities. Beaches, city and the Vineyards are only a handful of attractions to new visitors and investors.

An easy and attractive solution to the Sydney squeeze.

Never has information been more accessible than it is right now.  

If you want to know everything about a particular topic turn the TV on, buy the newspaper, click on the latest feed in your Twitter or Facebook account, read the latest enews or even have a chat to your local barista next time you order your coffee. No matter where you look information is available on all areas of life. This is especially true on the topic of investing in property.

For good or bad, information is available on all aspects of buying, selling and investing in property. It is who and where you choose to get your information from that can potentially make or break your first foray into the investment world.

As recently discussed by Terry Ryder in his article in the Property Observer, Three things property investors must do to separate the wheat from the chaff: One of the first to do's is stop reading the newspaper. Be selective about where you receive your information from and don't back down on questioning advisors. 

If we only listen to the top stories on breakfast tv/radio or only read the headlines during the morning commute, our minds would be filled with negative thoughts about the market both locally and globally.

Like many things in life, information and education is the key to investing in property. Let's be happy that we live at a time when information is available at our fingertips however, be selective, do your research and question the information and its source. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by the amount of information available, shut out the noise and focus.

Keep it simple and don't shy away from investing in property because of the current headlines or the conversation at your local coffee shop. 

Sticking to your own path and setting your own goals can lead to fantastic rewards! The secret to getting there...focus and keep it simple.

We would love to hear if you have any tips that you follow when investing in property.

The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) is a combined Federal and State Government initiative to increase the number of affordable dwellings on a nationwide level.

NRAS is proving to be a 'win-win situation' for both investors and tenants, as recently reported by Philip Hopkins in the Sydney Morning Herald (published 27/8/12).

This scheme provides investors with a guaranteed tax offset of up to $9524 per year, for a period of 10 years. In most instances this provide the investor with a positive cashflow investment. The investor has the option to opt out of the scheme at any time and has full control over the tenant selection.

In return, this scheme provides new and affordable housing options for many people, both singles and families, in areas that might otherwise be unachievable to live and work.

Click here to read the full article.

For further details on this investment option visit NRASNewcastle