how to buy your first investment property

how to buy your first investment property

how to buy your first investment property


POSTED BY Wayne Mcniece ON 08 Dec 2022

how to buy your first investment property

Introduction

Buying your first investment property can be a daunting task. It's important to understand the different types of property investments, how much rental income you'll need to cover costs, where to buy your first investment property and what steps are involved in purchasing an investment property.

Think about what you can afford.

When you're thinking about what to buy, it's important to consider how much you can afford. The first thing to look at is your financial situation: do you have a good credit rating? Are there any debts that are negatively affecting your score? If so, try to get them settled or paid off as quickly as possible. This will help ensure that lenders see you in a positive light when they assess whether or not they'll lend money for your investment property purchase.

Then think about how much money do need for a deposit on the property itself; this will depend on whether or not it's an existing home or new construction and where exactly in Australia it's located. In addition, find out whether there are any additional fees associated with buying real estate like stamp duty, legal fees etc., which can vary from state-to-state depending on where exactly within Australia an investor purchases their initial investment property (i.e., Sydney vs Perth).

Consider how much rental income property you'll need to cover costs.

Step 2: Consider how much rental income property you'll need to cover your costs.

  • Interest on the loan, taxes, insurance and other expenses

  • Reserves for maintenance or repairs (for example, if the roof needs to be replaced)

Although it's impossible to predict when there will be a vacancy in your property, it pays to be prepared. As part of your budgeting calculations, include an amount each month that can cover any unexpected repairs or maintenance costs and this will help ensure that you keep some cash flow in reserve.

Understand the different types of property investments.

In order to buy your first investment property, you’ll need to understand what investment properties are and why they can be advantageous. There are several different types of property investments. The most common include:

Residential property – houses, apartments, townhouses and other dwellings

Commercial property – office buildings, retail space and warehouses

Industrial/warehouse space – factories or warehouses

Choose where to buy your first investment property carefully.

Before buying any property, you should know why you're doing it and what you want your investment to do for you. It's important to understand the local market so that when it comes time to sell, or even if there are no plans on selling anytime soon, you can make sure that your investment will be safe and profitable without having any surprises come up down the road.

  • You need to be confident about where exactly you're investing in because that can have a big impact on how profitable (or not) your investment turns out being over time. If there's one thing I've learned from watching reality TV shows like Flip or Flop and House Hunters International while I'm supposed to be doing something else on my own time is that buyers tend towards areas they know well when considering where they want their next home purchase made.*

Determine how long you want to hold an investment property.

Once you've decided on a property, it's important to determine how long you want to hold an investment property. The length of time that you plan on holding an investment property can affect several aspects of the process, including the initial purchase price and whether or not a tenant is needed.

To determine how long is too long for your specific situation:

  • What are the benefits of holding an investment property for a short period of time?

  • What are the benefits of holding an investment property for a long period of time?

Consider the condition of the property and if it needs renovations.

  • Check the structural integrity of the property.

  • Inspect for water and pest damage, mold, termite damage, or structural issues that may be present.

  • Examine for fire damage.

  • Find out if asbestos was used in construction of the home and if it's still present. This can cause serious health problems and even death if not properly removed before you buy a home that contains asbestos in its structure or flooring material (like vinyl flooring). This is especially important to check out if you plan on living in your new investment property full time! There are many companies that specialize in removing asbestos from homes safely so don't worry too much about this step—just make sure it has been done right before moving forward with purchasing this type of house! Another thing you should look out for: lead paint! You definitely don't want children who live there getting sick because they ingested lead paint flakes while eating their breakfast cereal...

Buy your first investment property with a loan small enough to qualify for an affordable interest rate.

When you're buying a first investment property, it's important to be able to afford the mortgage interest rate and repayments. If you can't, your loan will be declined by your lender.

When looking for a lender, first look at their affordable interest rates and fees. You should also consider their debt servicing ratios (DSRs), credit policy and reputation as well as the actual interest rate of the loan itself.

Get pre-approval for a loan before searching for an investment property.

Before you start looking for a property to buy, get pre-approved for a loan. A lender will review your credit report and income to help determine what kind of loan you can get. This process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Getting pre-approved is the best way to ensure that your offer will be accepted by sellers who know how much money they can expect after closing. It also gives you an idea of how much house you can afford before making an offer on one.

Ensure you have enough money saved up for your deposit, home inspection, stamp duty, legal fees, registration and moving expenses.

Before buying a house or investment property, ensure you have everything in place. As with most things in life, it's better to be prepared than to be caught off guard by an unforeseen expense.

  • Deposit

  • Home inspection and building report

  • Stamp duty

  • Legal fees

  • Registration/transfer costs

Ask about a first home buyers grant or other assistance that may be available in your state or territory.

Your state or territory may offer a first home buyers grant for new homes. The amount of this grant varies between states and territories.

First home buyers in Australia have access to a number of different types of assistance through their local government, including:

  • First Home Owner Grant (FHOG): This is a government-funded scheme that helps eligible first home owners pay part or all of the costs associated with buying their first property. It's also known as stamp duty concessions or land transfer tax exemptions. This can take up to $24,000 off your purchase price (called the FHOG maximum), depending on where you live and whether you have any dependants who will live in the same house with you. See our guide below for more information about how much money each state offers through their own FHOG schemes, along with eligibility requirements for these programs and how much money might be available in those areas where no specific grants exist yet!

  • Renters Rebates: If renting instead of buying isn't an option then this rebate could help cover some expenses associated with finding somewhere else decent enough - usually it's paid directly back into rent payments rather than being used towards paying off debts like mortgages."

When buying your first investment property, look at all the options out there before making a decision.

When buying your first investment property, look at all the options out there before making a decision.

When looking for an investment property, it's important to consider all your options before making a decision. As you research different options, keep in mind both the pros and cons of each one. Do this by comparing apples-to-apples: consider rent vs purchase price, location and other factors that matter most (such as tax incentives) so that you can make an informed choice based on facts rather than emotion or hype.

Conclusion

When buying your first investment property, look at all the options out there before making a decision. You should also consider what type of property will suit your needs best and where it can be found. Once you have done all of this research, the next step is to get pre-approval for a loan so that you can start looking for your first investment property with confidence!