Six Things To Know Before Buying an Investment Property:
You may be thinking about buying an investment property. Australia has a strong property market, which attracts a lot of buyers. However, there are some property investment basics to keep in mind.
The attractive Australian house market has many people investing in property. For beginners, this means learning the property investment basics that will lead them to success. After all, property isn’t a sure thing. It may offer more security than investing in stocks, but you have to put the work in to generate an income.
So what do you need to learn before you invest in a property? Here are some things you must know about property investment for beginners.
Issues #1 –How Much You Can Borrow
You need to know how much you have to spend before looking for an investment property. If you don’t, you run the risk of finding the perfect property, only to discover that you can’t afford it.
You can get a general idea for how much money you need when buying an investment property.
Calculator websites allow you to enter some figures to produce a rough estimate. They’ll ask about your income, in addition to any expenses you currently incur. These include everything from your debts, through to the dog food you buy each week.
However, you won’t know for certain until you speak to a lender. Most importantly, you must find out how much of the property value you can borrow. This will tell you how much money you must raise for your deposit.
Issue #2 – Your Investment Plan
Most people approach property investment with a simple end goal. They want to make enough money from their property to quit their jobs. However, many don’t really understand what this means. Enough money for one person may not be enough for another. 
So, you need to have a plan in place before you start investing. Work out how much income you need your investments to generate before you can live off the proceeds.
This is your real goal. A vague notion of early retirement won’t keep you focused. You need to know exactly what you’re shooting toward before you invest your money.
Issue #3 – The Different Types of Gearing
You may have heard of gearing, without really understanding the concept. You need to learn what gearing is to create a strong investment plan.
There are three types of gearing: positive, negative, and neutral. Positive gearing means that your property generates enough income to cover its expenses, with money left over. You have to pay tax on your income when you have a positively geared property.
Negative gearing means your property doesn’t generate enough money to cover its costs. This may sound like a bad thing. However, you can use negative gearing to your advantage. Many investors offset the losses their properties make against other income sources, such as their salaries.
As the name suggests, neutral gearing means the income covers the costs. You don’t make any profit, but you don’t lose money either.
Issue #4 – The Choice Between City and Rural
There’s a huge difference between city and rural properties. City properties give you access to more people, which makes it easier to fill vacancies. However, rural properties allow you to charge higher rents. You can also buy rural properties for less money.
So, which do you choose? It all comes down to what you want to achieve. City properties tend to enjoy higher capital growth than rural properties. However, it’s easier to positively gear a rural property.
You need to do your research before creating any property investment strategies. Australia offers all sorts of opportunities. Consider area population, local economies, as well as demand when choosing where to buy your property.
Issue #5 – Who Provides Legal Advice?
You’ll have a choice between conveyancers and solicitors when looking for legal advice. Both work in law, but they’re slightly different.
Conveyancers focus solely on property law. They’re highly specialised, but won’t be able to help you with any issues that aren’t directly related to the property. Solicitors offer well-rounded knowledge on a range of issues. However, they also cost more money.
Your choice depends on the property. If you anticipate a lot of legal issues, hire a solicitor. This usually costs between $2,000 and $3,000.
A conveyancer costs approximately $1,000. Use these professionals if you anticipate a simple transaction.
Issue #6 – Your Exit Strategy
You should achieve success with proper planning. However, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need an exit strategy.
Your exit strategy determines how you’ll generate a profit from your investment. For example, you could decide to sell after a set amount of years to take advantage of capital gains.
Alternatively, your exit plan may involve benefitting from the rental yield until you retire. Upon retirement, you could move into the property, rather than sell it.
The main point is that you need to know how you’ll exit the investment. If you don’t, you can’t take full advantage of the property during your ownership period.
The Final Word
Investing in property could help you to enjoy a greater level of financial comfort. However, poor preparation will lead to mistakes and potential losses. You need to know how to maximise your investment before you commit your money to a property.
Washington Brown can help you with that. Our Quantity Surveyors can help you to calculate how much you can claim in depreciation. Get in touch today to find out more.
About Tyron Hyde
Tyron Hyde is the CEO of Washington Brown Quantity Surveyors. He is regarded as one of the industry's leading experts in property tax depreciation, is regularly quoted in the media & asked to speak at conferences.
Learn why more Property Investors Choose Washington Brown to prepare their depreciation reports.