Three Best Property Investment Strategies for Young Investors

BY TRENT MACARTNEY

Property investment is one of the most popular and lucrative ways to build wealth and secure your financial future. However, it can also be challenging, risky, and competitive, especially for young investors who are just starting out. How can you overcome the barriers and succeed in the property market? Here are some of the best property investment strategies for young investors, along with some tips and examples to help you get started.

Buy and Hold

One of the simplest and most effective property investment strategies is to buy and hold a property for the long term. This means that you purchase a property that has the potential to increase in value over time (also known as capital growth) and generate income from renting it out to tenants. By holding onto the property for several years or decades, you can benefit from the power of compounding returns and leverage your equity to buy more properties.

Some of the advantages of this strategy are:

  • It is relatively low-maintenance and passive, as you can hire a property manager to take care of the day-to-day tasks and issues.
  • It can provide you with a steady cash flow and tax benefits, such as depreciation and negative gearing.
  • It can help you build a diversified portfolio of properties across different locations, types, and markets.

Some of the challenges of this strategy are:

  • It requires a large upfront investment and ongoing expenses, such as loan repayments, interest charges, insurance, rates, repairs, and maintenance.
  • It exposes you to market fluctuations and risks, such as vacancy, tenant damage, natural disasters, or changes in regulations.
  • It may take a long time to see significant returns or capital growth, depending on the property and market conditions.

To succeed with this strategy, you need to do your research and due diligence before buying a property. You should look for properties that have strong fundamentals, such as:

  • Location: The property should be in an area that has high demand, low supply, good infrastructure, amenities, transport links, employment opportunities, population growth, and future development potential.
  • Quality: The property should be in good condition, well-maintained, and appealing to tenants and buyers. It should also have features that add value or uniqueness, such as views, parking spaces, storage areas, or outdoor spaces.
  • Price: The property should be within your budget and offer a good return on investment. You should also factor in the costs of buying and holding the property, such as stamp duty, conveyancing fees, loan fees, insurance premiums, rates, repairs, and maintenance.

BRRR Strategy

Another popular property investment strategy is the BRRR strategy, which stands for Buy, Renovate, Rent (or Refinance), Repeat. This means that you buy a property that is undervalued or in need of repairs or improvements. You then renovate or rehab the property to increase its value and appeal. You then rent out the property to generate income or refinance it to access equity. You then repeat the process with another property.

Some of the advantages of this strategy are:

  • It can help you create forced equity and capital growth by adding value to the property through renovations or improvements.
  • It can help you increase your rental income and cash flow by attracting higher-quality tenants who are willing to pay more rent for a better property.
  • It can help you grow your portfolio faster by using your equity to buy more properties.

Some of the challenges of this strategy are:

  • It requires a lot of time, money, skills, and resources to renovate or rehab a property. You may also encounter unexpected issues or costs along the way.
  • It exposes you to market risks and uncertainties. You may not be able to sell or refinance the property at your desired price or time frame. You may also face competition from other investors who are doing similar projects.
  • It may not be suitable for all types of properties or markets. You need to find properties that have room for improvement but are not too damaged or expensive to fix. You also need to find markets that have strong demand and growth potential.

To succeed with this strategy, you need to have a clear plan and budget for your renovation or rehab project. You should also have a team of reliable contractors, tradespeople, suppliers, agents, lenders, and advisers who can help you execute your project efficiently and effectively. You should also do your research and analysis before buying a property. You should look for properties that have:

  • Potential: The property should have features that can be enhanced or added value through renovations or improvements, such as outdated kitchens or bathrooms, unused spaces, or cosmetic issues.
  • Margin: The property should have a significant difference between its purchase price and its after-repair value (ARV). You should aim for a minimum of 20% margin to cover your costs and risks.
  • Demand: The property should be in an area that has high demand and low supply of renovated properties. You should also consider the preferences and expectations of your target market, such as tenants or buyers.

Fix and Flip

Fix and flip is a property investment strategy that involves buying a property that is undervalued or in need of repairs or improvements. You then sell it quickly for a profit after fixing or improving it. This means that you don’t hold onto the property for long-term income or growth but rather for short-term capital gains.

Some of the advantages of this strategy are:

  • It can help you generate quick cash flow and returns by selling the property within a few months or weeks.
  • It can help you take advantage of market opportunities and trends by buying low and selling high.
  • It can help you unleash your creativity and skills by transforming a property into something new and better.

Some of the challenges of this strategy are:

  • It requires a lot of time, money, skills, and resources to fix or improve a property. You may also encounter unexpected issues or costs along the way.
  • It exposes you to market risks and uncertainties. You may not be able to sell the property at your desired price or time frame. You may also face competition from other investors who are doing similar projects.
  • It may incur higher taxes and fees than other strategies. You may have to pay capital gains tax on your profits. You may also have to pay stamp duty twice if you buy and sell within a short period.

To succeed with this strategy, you need to have a clear plan and budget for your fix or improvement project. You should also have a team of reliable contractors, tradespeople, suppliers, agents, lenders, and advisers who can help you execute your project efficiently and effectively. You should also do your research and analysis before buying a property. You should look for properties that have:

  • Potential: The property should have features that can be enhanced or added value through fixes or improvements, such as outdated kitchens or bathrooms, unused spaces, or cosmetic issues.
  • Margin: The property should have a significant difference between its purchase price and its after-repair value (ARV). You should aim for a minimum of 20% margin to cover your costs and risks.
  • Demand: The property should be in an area that has high demand and low supply of fixed or improved properties. You should also consider the preferences and expectations of your target market, such as buyers or agents.

Investing in property can be a smart move if you know what you’re doing. Here are some options you could consider:

  1. Buy and hold: Keep the property for the long-term and rent it out for some extra cash.
  2. Negative gearing: Reduce your taxes by owning a property that costs more than the rental income it generates.
  3. Positive gearing: Generate extra income by owning a property that generates more rental income than it costs you to hold.
  4. Renovating: Upgrade a property to increase its value, so you can either sell it for a higher price or rent it out for more money.
  5. Developing: Build a new property or subdivide an existing one to sell or rent out for more.

Before you invest, it’s important to do your research and plan ahead. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely the author’s opinion and not investment advice – it is provided for educational purposes only. By using this, you agree that the information does not constitute any investment or financial instructions. Do conduct your own research and reach out to financial advisors before making any investment decisions.

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Would you like to know if you are ready to buy an investment property?

Answer 19 questions to test your ability to purchase.

Get a personalised scorecard with your results, it takes two minuets to plan for your future.

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