Nowadays, in many areas, landlords can afford to pick and choose amongst the increasing numbers of tenants looking for somewhere to live that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. This should make it easy for landlords to be sure that any tenant taking over their property is a good one. But many property owners focus on the wrong questions and fail to get the information they need. What are they doing wrong?

Many novice investors think that they would like to hold out for the highest rent possible before letting their property – even if this means losing several weeks rent. Is this a good idea?

As of the first of July all Tenant bonds are to be lodged with the RDA. For private landlords this means that they are unable to collect bonds from tenants, they must lodge the bond with Service Tasmania with the appropriate form signed by the owner, on the other hand registered real estate agencies may collect the bond and submit payments on a weekly basis directly to the RDA.

After researching the Launceston rental market we found that over 50% of landlords manage their own investment properties. While we believe that professional property management is the key to maximising your return and managing risk, we do understand that many of you have had a negative experience with traditional real estate agents and you don't see the value in the service.

Join the fast growing list of clients and have your property management through @home property management. For all new clients we are offering to pay for your comprehensive landlord insurance through EBM Insurance up until 01st May 2010.

POLICE are investigating reports of a man posing as a public housing employee in order to gain tenants' personal details.

Housing Tasmania tenants have been warned not to respond to callers enquiring about their security arrangements and seeking their bank account details.

Human Services Minister Lin Thorp said that a man fraudulently claiming to represent Housing Tasmania had telephoned a public housing client yesterday saying that he was conducting a survey of security systems at the property.

EBM Insurance Brokers has announced the continuation of its BuildCover builders warranty and associated insurances for Australian builders following successful negotiations with a selection of underwriters.

EBM Managing Director Jeff Adams said the company has successfully secured a selection of underwriters for its BuildCover builders warranty and associated range of policies following the announcement that Lumley General and CGU Insurance are withdrawing from the market.

This extract from this recently released investor guide gives you an understanding of why you should invest in property and the basic information you need to make an informed decision. The great Australian dream is to own your own home. It is built into our psyche that owning property is something to strive for and be proud of. Before you start investing in property, however, you need to ask yourself: what is my goal?

If you’re thinking of buying your first investment property or feel like you need to improve from a previous attempt, it’s important to start with the basics. It all comes down to thorough research and well-thought planning.

You might already know a little something about the property market – you’ve read a few articles, talked to a few friends, or already own a home yourself. But until you’ve actually become an experienced investor, there are countless ways your first few property purchases could go wrong.

How much does your mindset influence your decisions as a property investor and how can you change it to boost your chances of success?
The biggest part of being a successful property investor is having the right mentality, according to Justin Wang, managing director of The Property Investors Alliance.

"The process of buying property as an investment is very simple," says Wang. "You don't need to be lucky, smart or rich - just buy and hold. The biggest barriers are lack of knowledge, lack of time and the social environment you're in."