Parental advice on property purchasing needs to be contemporary: Wakelin Property Advisory

Parental advice on property purchasing needs to be contemporary: Wakelin Property Advisory
Jonathan ChancellorOctober 26, 2015

Many children look to their parents for property advice. 

And with affordability a real challenge for today's young adults, substantial media attention centres on parents providing financial assistance to their children.

The Melbourne buyers agent Richard Wakelin has noticed never far from the surface of the discussion is an intergenerational tension as to whether young people "deserve" financial help.

"This combative context is unfortunate," says Richard Wakelin, a director of Wakelin Property Advisory, an independent firm specialising in acquiring residential property for investors.

"Not only does it threaten to sour what is generally a wonderful expression of love within a family, but it also obscures a more important role for parents to their child: that of mentor and a source of wise counsel.

"Tread carefully is my advice for parents in these circumstances," he told Fairfax Media recently.

"Follow mum and dad's 1980s-fashioned advice and the kids may end up with a property that isn't home sweet home but a financial burden," he warned.

Wakelin Property Advisory is presenting a webinar How to advise adult children about property 12.30pm, Thursday 29th October. Click here to register.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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