Becoming a landlord- investment advice
Investing in Bendigo
Becoming a landlord can seem like a challenge, but it doesn’t need to be. Rest assured Bendigo is a fantastic city for investing in property considering the consistently low vacancy rate and solid capital growth.
There is no right or wrong way to invest in Bendigo – it depends on what you are looking for to suit your circumstances.
If you’re out of town you may be better to invest in something low maintenance/modern which does not require as much maintenance or care. If you are looking to develop later on or prefer a slightly higher rental return, then an older home may be more suitable.
Others prefer location with a lesser rental return, but potentially higher capital growth.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind to hopefully help with your decision on purchasing a home in Bendigo for investment:
General advantages of owning an investment property: 
• Generally all maintenance is tax deductible
• You can organise a quantity surveyor to depreciate certain items in the house
• You can set your property up to be geared positively or negatively
• Mid to long-term capital growth for great re-sale
An older property:
Pro’s:
• Generally better rental return
• Potential to renovate and on-sell later on with better capital growth
• Generally they let out well – particularly under the $300 per week mark
Con’s:
• Possibly more ongoing maintenance required
• Harder to claim depreciation on the building
A new property:
Pro’s:
• Easy maintenance
• Depreciation can be claimed on the building at 2.5%pa as a general rule (see your accountant)
• Other items such as carpets, stove, light fittings etc. can be depreciated at a higher rate – this is can be organised through a Quantity Surveyor
Cons:
• Sometimes there is slightly less capital growth (depending on location of course)
• Not a lot of room for capital improvement (unless you extend)
Sub-division
You are best to get independent advice as to the costs of sub-dividing land. Our team can chat to you regarding potential value of your assets on completion of your project – an even some ball-park projections with the appropriate sales data on what your development may be worth once finished.
There are some basic general rules on sub-dividing and plenty of external regulations and laws that need to be considered. Our advice is to get as much advice as you can and make informed decisions.
