How and When To Improve Your Investment Portfolio

This is something we are often asked by our current landlords/ investors and is I believe something we all should be thinking about regularly. After all, the whole point of investing is to make the best return possible over time.
We have noticed a growing trend in recent times which we think you should be aware of and possibly consider taking advantage of. There has been for many years a predominance of 2 & 3 bedroom properties with limited parking or just a single car garage for lease and very few 4 bedroom double garage properties. This has always made these 4 bedroom properties highly sought after.
This was largely due to the older established nature of the housing in the area. With the construction of new housing, particularly in the Flinders, Shell Cove area, but also in Albion Park, we have seen an opportunity for increased returns for our clients.
The main advantages, as we see it, of the “Trading Up” to a new or near new 4 bedroom double garage home are these:
Firstly there is the increased rent and reduced vacancy factor. Typically a 4 bedroom double garage home with a purchase price of $380,000- $420,000 will rent between $430- $450 per week.
Secondly the type of tenant attracted to these homes tends to be more stable and hence turnover in tenants tends to be less and vacancy between tenancies also tends to be less.
Thirdly the maintenance on these properties because of their age is significantly less and often covered under builders warranty at no cost to you.
There is also the benefit of a depreciation allowance of 2.5% that you more than likely do not get on your current property because of its age. This factor alone could be worth in the order of $3500-$4000 per annum as a deduction on the property. Depending on your current tax rate this could mean a significant extra amount back to you each year.
With many of our landlords/ investors having owned their properties for many years, probably in many cases having nearly paid them off, this may well be a good time to at least consider the possibility.
I am certainly happy to go into more detail on your personal circumstances at any time and would also recommend that you talk to your accountant / financial advisor before making any decisions. But with interest states still at low levels and prices remaining under control there has not been a better time in the last several years to make a move and improve your property portfolio.