As property prices continue to rise, purchasing in a centrally located or sought-after area is out of reach for the average working millennial. Instead, many are opting to rent rather than buy as it means not having to compromise their inner city or beachside lifestyle. But for those who are still eager to enter the market, there is a way to get the best of both worlds.
‘Rentvesting’ is the term coined for when you purchase a property for investment purposes in an affordable location and continue to live and rent in the area of your choice. An example of how the market is evolving, it is a wealth creation strategy that is popular among the younger generation due to the flexibility it offers in comparison to being an owner-occupier.
“Millennials aren’t interested in purchasing a property in the outer suburbs and then having to commute into the CBD. I had few clients in 2014 that purchased properties in Officer, Pakenham region wanting to build their dream home. But they were not happy when they realise that they had to travel for work Monday to Friday closer to 2 hours commuting. In the end, many rented out the property and they came back to the city to live in. However, there are some restrictions if you are first home buyer and claimed the First home owner grant.
Rentvesting allows your rental income to cover the mortgage expenses, so you can keep living the lifestyle you want without it costing you any money.
For this strategy to work, you’ve got to be a good saver and there needs to be a focus on delayed gratification. It’s all about living within your means. Don’t spend big at the start while you’re building it up. Step away from the mentality of negative gearing and tax minimisation and buy neutrally, or ideally, a positively geared property as this provides higher rental yields. I’m not a tax expert but this is a common mistake that many people do. As a Mortgage Broker Melbourne, I come across with these mistakes a lot.
A recent co-operate Mortgage Broker company survey highlighted an increase in rentvesting from 21 per cent of investors to 37 per cent over the past twelve months alone. But while this strategy may appear ideal to many, sadly, it’s not suited to everybody.
It’s still a foreign way of thinking, In the past, the great Australian dream was to buy a home on a quarter acre block and then do everything such as have few cattles, chooks on summer kids play back yard cricket and you can to pay that down as fast as possible in the hope of living debt-free. ‘Rentvesting’ is quite the opposite. It says we’re okay with good debt as long as we stick to our budget and keep using the money to invest further. You’ve got to have an open mind and be comfortable with debt.
To ensure you have the means to make ‘rentvesting’ work for you, contact Mel Finance, home loan broker for advice on good debt and other strategies that will allow you to maintain your current lifestyle. We are open for new ideas and wanting to assist you to achieve both your long and short-term financial needs. We are not your average Mortgage Broker Melbourne.
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