Buying an Investment property is a challenging process! What do I do, where do I start, who do I speak to and what are the sequence of events? In order to assist you through this important process I have provided my ‘7 steps to buying an investment property.’  This is the checklist I use when purchasing a property.

1. Review your personal cash flow position and budgets to determine affordability

You must be able to afford the cash flow impact on owning an investment property. Work out how much disposable income you have after each pay packet taking into consideration your daily living costs, and do not over commit. Work out how much you have already or will need in savings to go towards a deposit. Generally a Bank will require 20% cash down and they will then lend you the balance. Also allow for 5% of the purchase price to cover costs like stamp duty and legal fees. What is very important but often overlooked, is that you must be able to handle the emotional side of property ownership. Yes you will have times when the market has dropped or stagnated so there will be no capital growth, and yes you will have problems with tenants or vacancy periods, but be prepared for this ‘EMOTIONALLY” and accept that this part and parcel of property investing as what it is, a long term investment!

2. Contact a Lender or Broker to determine how much you can borrow. Get pre-approval for the loan and understand your monthly payments and Interest rates, both Fixed vs Variable

Once you have worked out step One you should contact a Lender or Broker to find out (based on your income), commitments and deposit, how much you could borrow and at what Interest rate . Get pre-approval for an amount so you can go searching for a property with certainty based on how much you can spend. This will also dictate where you can purchase and what type of property you can purchase e.g. a house or apartment, new or old. Also you should consider how you will structure your Loan, should you go for interest only or principle and interest? Should you lock the rates in on a fixed term or leave it variable or go half/half? The answers to these questions may depend on the economic environment at the time and as always, seek counsel from the professionals before making a commitment!

3. Contact a good accountant to assist with tax and structuring advice

You need to get advice on what is the best name to purchase the property in, as this could impact significantly on tax benefits.   Having the correct name also takes into account potential asset protection issues, land tax issues and stamp duties. You will also need your Accountant to explain to you how negative gearing works as well as depreciation, especially with newer buildings.  This may impact your decision on what you buy and how much you can afford to spend on the property. The Banks will not tell you this! Your accountant can give you a second opinion on how much you can afford each week and the tax impact on this amount. Armed with this information and the Bank’s pre-approval, you are now ready to take the next step, and purchase.

4. Contact a lawyer in advance to assist with conveyancing, searches and settlement. Ensure they know what name is to go on the contract after confirming with your accountant

Form a relationship with a lawyer that specialises in property, and make sure that you touch base with them early and get a quote. Once you have found the right property and have instructed them to review the contract, also instruct them whose name should appear on the contract. This is very important and you should seek advice from the accountant before deciding on the name on the contract of sale. While undertaking the review of your contract, as part of this process you may also want to make sure that your Will is current and reflects the latest changes and commitments of if you do not yet have a Will, to arrange for one to be drawn up.

5. Commence your search for the right property in which State/City/Suburb/Street.  If required, seek assistance from a Buyers Agent to ensure correct research is done to purchase the right property for you

This is the critical step and if you get this wrong could cost you a lot of money so if necessary, seek professional help.  Remember the Real Estate agent is working for the seller not you and they are trying to achieve a sale at the best price possible for their client, whereas a buyers agent is working for you .Do your own  research on the areas within a state, city, suburb and street that have a proven track record of capital growth. Look at the demographics of the suburb, and things like proximity to public transport, schools, roads and shops. There are a number of online providers that can assist with information on recent sales and history of the property in the street and area which you are looking, to ensure you don’t over pay. Remember that  other than your home, this will be your largest Investment decision so do your homework and seek professional help if required. Understand the sales processes of making offers and the Auction. Don’t become emotionally attached to the property, its an investment, a business and you are only interested in maximising capital and rental returns.
After discussions with your accountant you would have determined whether you should look at a newer property vs older ones. Understand the rental market and returns gained from the property, also what are the vacancy rates within the area. This will determine how long it may take to find a new tenant if your tenant leaves .

6. Engage an Agent to assist with sourcing an appropriate tenant and for the ongoing management of the property

Once you have located the property, negotiated the agreed price and exchanged contracts, you should approach a local agent to assist with the ongoing management. Take time to visit a few local agents, talk to them (interview them) and ask questions seeking testimonials from other landlords and call them to determine the Agents ability. Once you have found the right Agent agree on a management strategy. Expect them to look for a commission of around 5-7% of the gross rent. Set the expectations on what they are to do e.g. all bills to go to them for payment and only contact you for approval if the amount exceeds a certain number, however if there is a minor repair just go ahead but if a major repair, it needs your approval. They will issue monthly statements reconciling rent and expenses and will deposit money directly into your nominated bank account each month. They get paid to manage your property so don’t do it for them, just manage them to do it for you.

7. Manage yearly Compliance requirements with help of your accountant.  Lodge a PAYG variation to ensure tax benefits are paid each pay week and not having to wait till year end.

Now that you have settled the property and have a tenant in place and an Agent managing it for you ,you now need to speak to your accountant about how you can assist your cash flow by lodging a PAYG variation . You will now know the rent you will receive after costs and also the interest you will be paying the bank and the impact on depreciation if applicable. He will help you lodge this PAYG application with the ATO and within a few weeks you will see a little extra in your pay packet. Also ask the Accountant about what information he requires and by when to assist him in lodging the yearly tax returns and how much is this going to cost you each year so there are no surprises.
These are my “7 steps to Purchasing an investment property” but always seek professional advice where necessary to determine whether Investing in property is appropriate for your individual circumstances .
To talk to a specialist property accountant or financial advisor about your property investment plans and ideas, contact Chan & Naylor and request a free introductory phone consultation.
David Naylor – Co-founder, Chan & Naylor Property Tax Accounting & Wealth Advisory Group.
David Naylor
Non Executive Director and Co Founder of Chan & Naylor

 
 
 
 
Disclaimer: This article contains general information. Before you make any financial or investment decision you should seek professional advice to take into account your individual objectives, financial situation and individual needs.