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How to Property
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  • Rate in the dollarThe multiplier your council applies to your property’s assessed value to calculate your annual rates bill. Set each year based on the council’s budget needs.
  • Real returnsInvestment returns adjusted for inflation. If a property rises 10% in nominal value but inflation is 4%, the real return is approximately 6%. Real returns give a more accurate picture of actual wealth gained.
  • REBAA (Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia)The only national industry body specifically for buyer's agents in Australia, established in 2000. REBAA membership requires correct licensing, a minimum of 2 years' experience, $2 million professional indemnity insurance, exclusive buyer's agency operation, and adherence to a code of conduct.
  • Redraw FacilityA feature on some home loans that lets you withdraw extra repayments you have already made. It gives you access to cash without taking out a new loan, but the money you redraw is added back to your loan balance.
  • Reference pointThe mental baseline against which you judge outcomes as gains or losses. In prospect theory, whether something feels like a gain or a loss depends entirely on where your reference point sits, not on the objective outcome.
  • Referral FeeA payment made by one professional to another for sending them a client. For example, a real estate agent might receive a fee from a conveyancer for every buyer they refer. Referral fees from legal firms to real estate agents are banned in Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania.
  • Rent-Back ArrangementAn agreement where the vendor stays in the property after settlement for an agreed period, paying rent to the new owner. This gives the vendor more time to move or find their next home.
  • Rental yieldThe annual rental income from an investment property expressed as a percentage of the purchase price. Gross yield is rent divided by price; net yield deducts ownership costs. Investors use yield as a discipline — if the purchase price pushes yield below target, the numbers do not work.
  • Rescission PenaltyThe fee a seller is entitled to deduct from the buyer's deposit if the buyer withdraws from the contract during the cooling-off period. The amount is set by state legislation, typically 0.2% to 0.25% of the purchase price. The remainder of the deposit is refunded.
  • Reserve PriceThe minimum price a vendor will accept at auction. Set before the auction starts and rarely disclosed publicly in advance. Once bidding passes the reserve, the property is on the market and will sell to the highest bidder.
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