30 Properties Before 30 - Eddie Dilleen

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I emailed the real estate agent, Damien, and received a phone call the next day. I told him this was my first purchase and that it was all still new to me. He was very understanding and agreed to show me through the property that weekend.

      Arriving at the real estate office, I was greeted by Damien and my sister, Samantha, who had agreed to come with me. We jumped into our cars and drove to the property. As we approached, it became clearer why the place was cheap. The road was full of potholes, and the 12-unit block was daubed with graffiti. Rubbish spilled out from the six commercial units on the ground floor. Samantha and I exchanged glances — it wasn't looking good.

      We walked around the back and approached the door of the unit where we found a pile of junk and abandoned furniture graciously left by the former tenant. Damien was a little embarrassed. The tenants had assured him they would remove it, but they'd clearly done a runner. Despite the less-than-ideal first impression, I tried to keep an open mind.

      I knew I had a decision to make.

      I pulled Samantha aside so we could talk in private. Although the unit was nice, we were both a little concerned about the seedy state of the exterior. However, having done my due diligence, I had some facts and figures up my sleeve. I knew that the median price for units in the area was around $185 000 — a good $40 000 above the asking price. All comparable listings were over $165 000, meaning the unit was technically below market value. Finally, I could use the state of the exterior as leverage in negotiating the price down still further. Using this logic, I talked with Damien and managed to get the price down to $138 500. This was the one!

      Driving back to the agent's office, I knew I had made the right choice. This place was affordable and would give me a foot on the bottom rung of the property ladder, which was exactly what I had hoped for. Half an hour later I had signed on the dotted line and engaged the agent to manage the property and begin the search for a new tenant.

Photo depicts a man standing in front of a building.

       My first investment property!

Photo depicts a building.

       It's not about what it looks like — it's about the numbers, and starting the journey!

      Here’s what the upfront costs looked like for property #1:

Purchase price $138 500
10% deposit $13 850
Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) $1 200
Conveyancing $1 100
Stamp duty $3 500
Pest and building inspection $500
Total deposit required by bank $20 150

      The total mortgage repayments each week were $190, covering both principal and interest. With the unit rented out at $200 a week, it would basically be paying for itself!

      When I was buying my first property, lots of terms I was unfamiliar with were thrown around by the bank and the agent, so I have included some basic definitions for the newbies out there.

      DEFINITION

       Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI)

      LMI is a security cost that is generally required if you are borrowing more than 80 per cent for a standard residential loan. It means if you don't have a 20 per cent deposit saved, you'll have to pay a fee to the bank because the loan is deemed to present a slightly higher risk to the bank.

      In most cases, LMI can be ‘capitalised’ on the loan balance upon settlement, which means you don't have to come up with the money upfront — it is simply added to your home loan (and you therefore pay interest on this amount, as it forms part of the loan).

      DEFINITION

       Pest and building inspection

      It is important to identify any potential problems with the building that might surface and cost you money to repair in the future.

      DEFINITION

       Principal and interest

      Principal is the balance of the actual loan being paid off. Interest is the charge paid to the lender for the privilege of borrowing the money from them.

      Mortgage loans are usually set at a default principal and interest right from the start, which means you are paying off both with each repayment you make. It is also possible to switch to an interest-only loan for a period (usually between one and five years), which will lower your repayments.

      Interest-only loans offer some short-term advantages, including decreasing your initial outlay and freeing up cash flow when purchasing a property. However, borrowers sometimes run into trouble when the interest-only period ends and their repayments suddenly increase again, so it is important to use these loans as part of a thought-out strategy to ensure you don't get stung by a shortfall. You might, for example, have a plan in place to increase the rent at the end of the interest-only period.

      DEFINITION

       Conveyancer

      Conveyancers conduct all the legal work required in a property transaction. Conveyancing plays a big part in the purchasing of property, so it is important to have at least a basic understanding of the process.

      The best way to find a good conveyancer is through a referral from someone you know. It pays to do your research, read reviews and make some phone calls to ascertain whether they are credible and their fees are reasonable. You can arrange an in-person meeting or conduct the entire process remotely, from initial contact to settlement. This is particularly useful when buying property interstate.

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