Jul
Property investment doesn’t always have to be about buying something with a long-term rental yield or even something you hope will increase in value on its own. Some of the most significant property success stories have come out of savvy owner-builders or renovators who know how to spot a fixer-upper and nabbed themselves a bargain. The idea with this kind of property investment is that you need to find a property in a quality area that is priced much lower than it should be because it is in poor or dated condition. With more and more people cluing on to the fact that buying, renovating and selling on quickly can be a great way to make fast cash, these bargains are fewer and farther between, but it is still possible to find a property that can earn you a lot of money with the right renovation.
Location
It’s a cliche, but it couldn’t be truer: location is everything in property. When you’re choosing a fixer-upper, the best investments are those in areas that would normally be out of your price range. Often these areas are just on the crest of a boom, about to hit it big but not yet unattainable. Here is where you’ll still find a few fantastic bargains, from owners who most probably haven’t figured out that they are sitting on a goldmine! If you can find the right location at a bargain price, you’ve already made money.
Structure
While you might find something that looks quite shabby for a great price, don’t be too hasty to jump in. Especially with old properties that are marketed at ‘renovator’s dream’s, there is a chance of severe structural instability being the reason for selling. Make sure that you not only purchase a building inspection, but an architectural one as well. Also, make sure you check with the council to see that the improvements you want to make are allowed—otherwise you could find yourself the proud new owner of a rock and hard place, so to speak!
Dressing It
Here’s the clincher–when you buy something with the intention to renovate and resell, you need to apply as much caution and control to your renovation as you do to getting the property for the right price. One of the best pieces of advice to keep in mind when you are investing in this way is: if you’re renovating to sell on, you’re just dressing it. Too often investors get a bargain on the property and then spiral out of control on the renovation. Remember that getting everything exactly to your tastes is futile anyway, as no two buyers are the same, so what you should aim for is a low-cost renovation that leaves the place looking fantastic–but very neutral. Now is not the time to get innovative, you want to choose the crowd-pleasing options in terms of kitchen and bathroom. Stick to a neutral pallet and clean lines and there is much more likelihood that your buyer will be able to visualize themselves in the home. Depending on how you approach this kind of investment property, it’s possible to make 30-50% of the sale price back as profit in a matter of months.
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