Property Investing Tips & Tricks:
Investing in property has always been seen as a safe and effective way to build wealth.
The tangible evidence of your investment coupled with the rental income and possible tax concessions make it easy to see why an investment in property can be an attractive choice.
Is it easier if I already own property?
If you already own an existing property, you will be familiar with the property purchasing process; it is not that difficult to take your next steps in purchasing a property for investment.
Utilising the equity in your home to finance an investment property is a great way of getting your property to work for you.
Seeking independent financial and property investment advice?
The old adage that if an investment opportunity sounds too good to be true, it usually is – holds true. Always be sure to research your investment decision thoroughly and seek independent financial and property investment advice.
If you are turning to property investment for capital growth, tax benefits and as a retirement strategy, it is very important to learn as much as you can, especially if it is an area you’re not completely familiar with.
At First Choice Mortgage Brokers, we can assist you in this area.
Advantages of properties investment
In general terms a property is considered a moderately low-risk investment, and can therefore be viewed as a less volatile than shares for instance. Some of the advantages in investing in property include:
Tax benefits
A number of deductions can be claimed on your tax return, such as home loan interest, property repairs and maintenance, council rates and taxes, insurance and agent fee’s.
Negative gearing
When the return or income you receive from your rental property is less than the expenses of owning that property (interest on your loan, council rates etc) – the property is said to be negatively geared.
In some instances the Australian Taxation Office will allow this ‘loss’ incurred on the investment to be offset against other income, as a tax deduction.
Example:
|
Rent received |
9,000 |
|
Expenses incurred |
12,000 |
|
Loss which may be claimed as a tax deduction |
3,000 |
- *Consult with your accountant to see how negative gearing can be applied to your personal situation.
Long-term investment
Thinking about your long term goals? Investment properties are a great opportunity to achieve your goals and fund your retirement.
High leverage possibilities & loan to value ratios
A property investor can purchase up to 90% of the property price with mortgage insurance and this higher leverage capacity results in a higher return for the investor at a lower risk as it enables the investors personal finances to be available and not incorporated into the new property purchase. Please note that there is usually no mortgage insurance payable under an 80% loan to value ratio.
It’s important to note that you can make property investing work for you if you research and choose a property to suit your long term needs and goals however here are some disadvantages to be aware of:
Disadvantages of investment properties
Liquidity
It takes time to sell a property and it can take many months before the sale to come through which means that you will have to wait before you can see financial rewards or access sale proceeds. There is no quick way to sell your property if something goes unexpectedly wrong.
Vacancies
In the event of when or if your property is untenanted, you will need to cover the full mortgage repayment from your own finances. It’s a good idea to also factor in any repairs or maintenance that you may be required to pay from your own funds.
Bad tenants
Unfortunately not everyone is as responsible with your property as you are and the wrong tenant can damage your investment, refuse to pay rent and refuse to leave when asked. Disputes can sometimes take months to resolve.
We offer an obligation free quote on landlord insurance. Please discuss our tenant insurance options with one of our our First Choice Mortgage Brokers.
Rising interest rates
If you have selected a variable rate for your investment loan than there is always a risk that your mortgage repayments can increase which can cause financial stress if you have not factored the rate rise into your finances. Interest rate rises can also have an effect on the liquidity of your investment by extending the property sale periods.
Ongoing costs
In addition to the standard costs such as rates, strata or home insurances is the ongoing maintenance costs associated with the new property – the age of the property will have a bearing on how much it will cost you in ongoing maintenance.
Overexposure
Having all of your eggs in the one basket so to speak can have significant effects on you if your investment property in a certain geographical area decreases in value.
Capital gains tax & other costs
You may be charged capital gains tax when you sell the investment property. Other costs which are incurred when you sell the property i.e real estate selling costs need to be taken into consideration.
Please contact First Choice Mortgage Brokers on 1800 111 455 to speak to a finance specialist for more information on investing in property.
