Latest news with #Property
Mail & Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
To loan or refinance: Make the right choice when renovating your home
Property is one of the most valuable assets you can own. Given this, many homeowners are always looking for ways to maintain and upgrade their homes, whether it's to personalise their space, improve everyday functionality, or stay in step with modern décor trends. But turning those home improvement dreams into reality often comes with an exorbitant price tag, and the funds aren't always readily available. For those needing financial support to get started, 2 common options are personal loans and home loan refinancing. But how do you know which route is suitable for your project, budget, and long-term financial strategy? To make informed, responsible decisions, it is imperative for homeowners to know the key differences, pros and cons, and ideal use cases for each financing method. Understanding the options A personal loan is typically an unsecured loan that has an assessed interest rate and term and ranges from 12 to 72 months. Approval is based largely on your credit score, income, and expenses, and the funds can usually be accessed fairly quickly. By comparison, procuring funding from your home loan may involve more steps, depending on the option selected. You can either apply for a further loan (which is new money borrowed against your property's increased value and would require you to get a new bond) or a readvance that lets you reborrow funds you've already repaid into your original bond. Both increase your loan but follow different processes. The bank will need to perform a credit assessment on you for both these options. Pros and cons of using a personal loan A personal loan is best suited for smaller-to-mid-sized projects (e.g. kitchen remodelling, new flooring, painting, new appliances, furniture, adding a carport or garage). It is also ideal for homeowners with lower home equity (the difference between your property value and the amount you still owe on your home loan) or who want to avoid refinancing their home loan, and for home projects that require quick turnaround where time is of the essence. The application process is simple and speedy with no collateral required, and the fixed payment schedule makes for easy budgeting, with predictable repayment schedules. However, borrowers with average credit scores attract higher interest rates due to their riskier credit profile. Personal loans are typically capped based on income and other factors, and monthly repayments may be higher due to shorter repayment periods. Pros and cons of refinancing a home loan Refinancing, particularly through a further loan, is typically suited for larger projects like structural upgrades. However, a readvance can also be ideal for smaller projects when clients have extra funds in their home loan account from paying ahead, enabling faster access with competitive interest rates. In contrast, the processing times are longer as credit assessments and approvals can slow the process. Upfront fees are typically higher than for a personal loan and you may increase your total debt exposure and likely your repayment term. What's more convenient? Personal loans offer convenience with a quicker turnaround time due to no collateral validations and limited paperwork needed to be produced. They're a better fit if you want to avoid reworking your mortgage, especially if you're on a fixed-rate loan with a great interest rate. Procuring funds from your home loan makes sense when your revised interest rate is reasonable, and you plan to stay in your home long enough to recoup the associated costs. It's a strategic move if you're planning significant home upgrades and want to leverage your home's value for long-term financial benefit. Weigh your options There is no one-size-fits-all answer when choosing between a personal loan and refinancing your home loan. It ultimately depends on your financial health, the size of your project, and your long-term goals. Personal loans offer quick access to funds and a simpler application process, while refinancing your home taps into long-term value at lower rates. The key is to weigh short-term convenience against long-term cost and equity.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Special meeting in Louth to decide on Local Property Tax (LPT) rate
The issue was raised at the July meeting of the local authority, where councillors heard that as this is a 'revaluation year' they would have to make a decision before the end of August on whether the LPT base rate will be amended, or if it will remain the same. The meeting was told that in any other year a decision would have to be taken by the middle of October, with a workshop held in September, ahead of the annual budget meeting. But this year the onus is on members to make a decision by August 31. Director of Service, Bernie Woods, explained that for every one per cent increase or decrease represents €115,251 for the local authority and the full increase of 15% would be just over €1.7 million. She explained that if they decide to increase or decrease the rate, councillors can also decide how many years this change would apply to, up to 2030. Ms. Woods added that for 2026 Louth County Council has received an additional €600,000 in their Local Property Tax allocation. The baseline is now €11.966 million before any decision is taken by the members. She explained that although the bands have changed, it 'hasn't had a major affect', with almost 90% of households in Louth falling within the first three bands. Around 48% of households in Louth are in the first band, which means a LPT of €95 in 2026 (Valuation up to €240k), over 24% fall within the second band of €235 (up to €315k), and just over 18% are on the third band rate of €333 (up to €420k). A further 10% are in top rate of over €333 (Valuation over €420k). The Director of Service outlined the weekly increase on the householder, if members agreed to increase the rate, explaining that a 1% increase would mean just 2 cents extra per week for properties that fall in the lowest band, and six cents a week for households which are in the third band. An increase of 5% would cost those on the first band an extra 9 cents per week, and an additional 32 cents each week for properties that fall within band three. Louth County Council does not hold a monthly meeting in August, so it was advised a special meeting could be held to ensure a decision is made by 31st August. Cllr. Pio Smith proposed that councillors defer making any decision until a special meeting is held, to discuss the matter further. This was seconded by Cllr. Andrea McKevitt. It was agreed to hold the meeting on August 26. Cllr. John Sheridan told members that they should 'think very carefully about this over the new few weeks.' He said there had been 'huge fanfare a few weeks ago about the Local Democracy Taskforce and the review of local government,' but added this issue had been 'on the books since 2013, and Louth has never made a move on it.' He added that a number of other councils had made changes over the last few weeks. "We are talking about more powers, but this is a power we have never had the courage to engage with.' 'My own personal view is that most constituents are rational if you can discuss something with them, if you can show projects which are deliverable with this you can win an argument in relation to it.' "So I appeal to my colleagues to have constructive decisions about this over the coming weeks.'
Al Etihad
7 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi real estate prices ‘driven up by Disneyland, Etihad Rail and improved property portals'
24 July 2025 00:15 TAARIQ HALIM (ABU DHABI) Abu Dhabi's strong real estate market growth in the first half of 2025 was driven by strategic infrastructure developments such as Etihad Rail and Disneyland, as well as improved online property services, according to leading classifieds company revealed in dubizzle's H1 2025 Abu Dhabi Property Sales and Rental Market report, Dh51.72 billion worth of transactions were recorded and more than 14,170 properties platforms, particularly the government listing service Madhmoun, have been instrumental in improving transparency, streamlining transactions and increasing property visibility. The rental market has seen a steady delivery of new projects, rising occupancy rates and an increase in tourism. Emerging off-plan hotspots have also driven activity across rental and sales prices have generally increased across the board, according to dubizzle's H1 data. Affordable apartment prices rose by 6.44%, while in the luxury category, apartment prices increased by 8.95%, while high-end villa prices rose by 4.92%.Haider Khan, CEO of dubizzle and Dubizzle Group MENA, commented on the latest market trends, saying: 'Abu Dhabi's real estate landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by ambitious infrastructure projects and a clear commitment to transparency. 'With initiatives like Madhmoun and landmark developments such as Disneyland on Yas Island being announced, the emirate is becoming an even more attractive destination for investors and residents alike.'Another major property portal in the UAE, Bayut, is also anticipating a property boom when ground is broken on the Walt Disney Company and Miral project, which will be the first of its kind in the Middle early forecasts suggest a 30–50% increase in property values on Yas Island within five years of the resort theme park's gains would be driven by rising tourism, increased housing demand from park employees and affiliated businesses, and international investor Ahmed, Bayut's Vice President Property Sales said on 'The announcement of Disneyland coming to Abu Dhabi is a game-changer for the emirate's real estate landscape. We anticipate a surge in demand across both residential and hospitality segments, particularly in areas with proximity to the project. 'Beyond the immediate uplift in interest, such a landmark development reinforces Abu Dhabi's global positioning as a lifestyle and investment destination, paving the way for long-term capital appreciation and a more dynamic property market.'Real estate experts also predict that residential areas near Etihad Rail stations could see price increases of 10 to 15%.The high-speed passenger train will connect Dubai and Abu Dhabi in just 30 minutes. Ahmed told media after Etihad Rail announcement earlier this year: 'I expect [property values to rise] in locations along the Etihad Rail route, including ports, industrial zones, and urban centres across all seven emirates. Its extensive network will enhance accessibility, boosting demand for nearby properties.'
RTÉ News
18-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Majority of Dubliners to see property tax rise next year
The majority of Dubliners will see their property tax rise next year as Dublin City Councillors are set to become the latest local authority in the capital to vote to increase the tax. If the vote passes as expected this evening, householders in three of Dublin's four locals authority areas will see their property tax increase from next year, alongside a separate revaluation of the Local Property Tax bands for all households across the country which will be applied from November. Dublin City Council said the increase will provide almost €16.5m in additional funding for the city, with almost a third going toward maintaining the city's housing stock. But opponents said they believe the property tax hike is unfair on householders and that the extra funding could be raised by collecting unpaid vacant and derelict site levies and development contributions. Since the introduction of the Local Property Tax more than a decade ago, councillors have had the ability to increase or decrease the base rate of the tax by 15%. Dublin City Council has always voted to apply the full 15% discount below the the base rate. However as part of their agreement to form a coalition last year, councillors from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and Labour Party agreed to vote to increase the tax by 15%, returning it to the base rate from 2026 to 2029. In recent weeks two other Dublin local authorities also voted to increase their property taxes while the other maintained its rate. Fingal County Council voted to reduce the discount they apply to the base rate from 7.5% to 5%, generating an additional €1m for services. South Dublin County Council also voted to reduce its discount from 7.5% to 5%, generating €3m in additional funding. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council voted to continue to apply the full 15% discount on the local property tax. In a circular to councillors ahead of tonight's meeting, Dublin City Council's Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare urged them to no longer apply the 15% discount on property tax for householders in the city, saying that removing the discount would give the council €16.4m in additional funding. The Government has already announced that properties are to be revalued for Local Property Tax on 1 November this year. However, he said that as 75% of properties in the city council are currently in band 4 or under, based on current valuations, most homeowners in the capital would see a weekly increase of between 36 cent and €1.61 if the discount on property tax is discontinued. He said that everyone wants Dublin city to become more vibrant and enjoyable and that the injection of extra funding for the capital would provide services that will "benefit and lift all". He outlined that €5.4m would be allocated to housing maintenance, €3m would go on roads and footpaths and another €3m would be used for urban regeneration and upgrading vacant properties. Mr Shakespeare said: "Dublin City Council seeks to maintain and develop services in an environment with rising service provision costs and the need to invest in key infrastructure projects. "It is unreasonable that an expectation be held that there be no increase to Dublin City Council's income base. "Securing resources of €16.4m to find services to support communities and businesses in 2026 and apply this funding of additional services for a period of four years up to and including 2029 is a valuable opportunity that I urge elected members to take." He said the current estimated take for property tax in Dublin City in 2026 is €109.4m up, €8.5m on 2025. The increase to the base rate was one of the main conditions for Labour and the Greens to enter a coalition on Dublin City Council last year, but they agreed to postpone the rise until 2026 because councillors in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were reported to be reluctant to agree to supporting it until after the general election had taken place. The group have 31 of the 63 seats on Dublin City Council and hope to receive support from a number of councillors outside the coalition, including representatives of the Social Democrats who last year supported a vote to return the tax to the base rate. 'If we want to invest, we need to raise revenue' - Labour councillor Labour's group leader on Dublin City Council Darragh Moriarty said his party pushed for the increase to improve the city, particularly its social housing stock. He said: "We're asking people to pay a little bit more, to put more into our city. If we want to invest in a city, we need to raise revenue. "This is the one revenue raising tool we have and every year for the last decade we voted to reduce it. "People who live in €2m mansions get an €800 tax cut every single year from Dublin City Council. We want to turn it around and e want to put that €800 into people's homes. "€5.4m of this increase in local property tax is going to go directly towards increasing the budget for housing maintenance. "That's replacing single glaze windows, new doors, mechanical ventilation and insulation boards. "That's really, really important for us. It's a hard fought win. Additionally, we're going to be investing in roads resurfacing, footpath repairs and vacancy and dereliction." 'This tax hits workers and pensioners who are already stetched' - PBP-Solidarity councillor People Before Profit-Solidarity said they will vote against the increase saying they believe the focus should be on collecting unpaid vacant and derelict site levies and development contributions. The party's group leader on the council Conor Reddy said: "If we could, we would abolish the Local Property Tax altogether. "It's primarily a tax on family homes, not real wealth. House prices are rising at an unprecedented pace, but people's wages aren't. "This tax hits workers and pensioners who are already stretched. "A truly progressive property tax would exempt people's homes and instead focus on those holding and hoarding wealth in investment properties and elsewhere. "Meanwhile, tens of millions in vacant and derelict site levies go uncollected by DCC and other councils around Ireland and private developers still owe councils, including DCC massive sums in unpaid development contributions. "Instead of punishing ordinary households, we should be taxing multi-property landlords, short-term lets, hotel chains, and big corporations. "We need more State support for local authorities - more funding for tenant in situ acquisitions to keep people out of homelessness, for refurbishment of voids, delivery of local services and most crucially, delivery of public and affordable housing on council owned lands. "The additional yield from this increase will not make the difference on any of these crucial fronts, but it will hurt homeowners who are already struggling to make ends meet." Dubliners want 'cleaner city, safer streets, and real action on vacancy' - Lord Mayor However, newly-elected Lord Mayor of Dublin Councillor Ray McAdam of Fine Gael said the higher property taxes will allow councillors to deal with many of the issues raised in last year's local elections and setting the rate for four years will also provide certainty about the rate of property tax they will pay. He said: "We heard directly from Dubliners at last year's local elections. They want a cleaner city, they want safer streets, they want better roads, better footpaths and they want improved housing conditions and they want real action vacancy and dereliction. "This is going to unlock €16.4bn of expenditure expense in terms of improving our city, roads, improving footpaths, enhancing accessibility toward our city, but also genuinely taking real action to tackle the scourge of vacancy and dereliction in our city and improving the conditions upon which many Dubliners live. "In addition to that, we're also taking steps to contribute towards the borrowing costs associated with key infrastructure projects like the redevelopment of Dalymount Park, the new City Library in Parnell Square, as well as the new Fruit and Veg market in Smithfield."
Cision Canada
17-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Finlay Minerals Announces Increased Budget for PIL and ATTY Projects
VANCOUVER, BC, July 17, 2025 /CNW/ - Finlay Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: FYL) (OTCQB: FYMNF), the "Company", is pleased to announce that the approved budget under the Earn-In Agreements with Freeport-McMoRan Mineral Properties Canada Inc. ("Freeport") 1 for both the PIL and ATTY Projects, has been increased to a total of $3.6 million. Both projects are situated in the highly prospective Toodoggone District of British Columbia, which continues to develop as an important copper-gold (Cu-Au) district with significant potential for further discoveries. Initially, the 2025 budget was set at a minimum of $750,000 for the PIL property and $500,000 for the ATTY property. However, these amounts have now been revised to up to $2.6 million for the PIL project and up to $1.0 million for the ATTY project. Both programs are fully funded under the Earn-In Agreements with Freeport. According to these agreements, Freeport may earn an 80% interest in each property by investing a total of $35 million in exploration expenditures and making cash payments totaling $4.1 million over/up to six years. 2 Until the Finlay-Freeport Earn-In Agreements complete, Finlay owns 100% of both properties. The PIL Property lies in the heart of the Toodoggone region and features several porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) targets, along with associated epithermal gold-silver (Au-Ag) mineralization. To date, 18 porphyry Cu ± Mo ± Au and porphyry-related low- and high-sulphidation epithermal Au-Ag occurrences have been outlined on the PIL Property. The PIL property is adjacent to Amarc Resources and Freeport-McMoRan's JOY Project, as well as TDG Gold Corp.'s Shasta/Baker and Sofia Properties. It is also situated 25 kilometres ("km") northwest of Centerra Gold's former Kemess South Mine and 15 km east of Thesis Gold's Lawyers Project. The ATTY Property covers 3,875 hectares of sub-alpine terrain in the southern Toodoggone region, an area known for significant porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) and epithermal gold-silver (Au-Ag) deposits. It is located between Centerra Gold's Kemess Project and the JOY Project, held by Amarc Resources and Freeport-McMoRan. The KEM target on the ATTY Property resembles the Kemess North Trend, which is home to the Kemess Underground and Kemess East deposits. Exploration will focus on the Wrich target, located near the copper geochemical anomaly at the SWT target on the JOY Property. This anomaly extends over 2 km and continues onto the ATTY Property for an additional 1.2 km to the southeast. The 2025 programs at the PIL and ATTY are well underway with: Detailed property-wide, 100 metre line-spaced airborne magnetic surveys completed on both properties; Detailed geological and alteration mapping and expanded rock and soil sampling on up to 8 target areas on the PIL underway, with the ATTY expected to start by the end of July; 53 line-km of induced polarization ("IP") geophysical surveys planned on the PIL and 16 line-km on the ATTY, and Finlay acting as the Operator on both properties. Finlay's President and CEO, Ilona Lindsay, states: "We are very pleased with the substantial increase in approved funding for both the PIL and the ATTY. This additional funding will allow us to identify and prioritize as many targets as possible for drilling in 2026." References: Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) is a leading international metals company focused on copper, with major operations in the Americas and Indonesia and significant reserves of copper, gold, and molybdenum. Finlay news releases NR 03-25 dated April 17, 2025 entitled: " Finlay Minerals Enters into Earn-In Agreements with Freeport for its PIL & ATTY Properties" and NR 05-25 dated May 2, 2025 and entitled: " Finlay Minerals Receives TSX Venture Exchange Approval for PIL Earn-In Agreement." Qualified Person: Wade Barnes, P. Geo. and Vice President, Exploration for Finlay Minerals and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the technical content of this news release. About Finlay Minerals Ltd. Finlay is a TSXV company focused on exploration for base and precious metal deposits with five properties in northern British Columbia: Finlay trades under the symbol "FYL" on the TSXV and under the symbol "FYMNF" on the OTCQB. For further information and details, please visit the Company's website at On behalf of the Board of Directors, Robert F. Brown, Executive Chairman of the Board Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the exploration plans for the PIL & ATTY Properties. Although Finlay believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, the ability of Finlay and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Finlay's proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Finlay does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. SOURCE Finlay Minerals Ltd.
