When buying something, whether a car, a household appliance, or a piece of clothing, new is generally better. A new item means better quality, more reliable, and will last longer. Does the same logic translate to property?
When buying a home, you have a lot of options to choose from – from a brand new build to an older property. There are some strong reasons to buy a new house: see the top 10 reasons below.
- It’s Brand New
It may seem obvious, but this is a top reason to buy a new home: it’s completely new! You’ll have the advantage of being the first people to live in it if you are buying for yourself. If buying as an investment, rental tenants also favor new homes. More modern homes are also generally better for the environment and with better features.
- Maintenance Costs Are Lower
Brand new properties are usually cheaper to maintain. Because they are equipped with new appliances, these are less likely to break down either. They are also generally more energy efficient compared to older homes, you will save money on your power bills too!
- Government Concessions and Incentives
The Australian Government offers more concessions and incentives to those buying a new home, so you will be able to enjoy things like the home owner’s grant and stamp duty concessions. These will depend on the state, but you could end up with savings of thousands of dollar on your purchase in buy a new property. For example, you may be around $10,000 better off through the first home owner’s grant by buying something new. Check you r state’s government website for the exact figures.
- Greater Choice and Flexibility
When you buy a new house, you may be able to purchase off the plan. This means that you’ll have a wide range of properties to choose between, letting you choose the best properties first. You may even be able to choose specific details to suit your tastes, such as colour scheme and to upgrade to premium appliances.
- You’ll Have More Time
Buying a new property off the plan usually involves a longer settlement time, because a property normally takes between one and two years to build. This gives you more time to save up for a deposit and more time before you need to start making mortgage repayments. You may even find that your new property has grown in value by the settlement date, giving you an instant growth in equity.
- Tax Offsets
New properties have much greater depreciation savings in the first year which means you can reduce your taxable income. You can claim both building depreciation and depreciation on internal fittings and features and immediately write off some costs. Maximum tax deductions are around 2.5% over 40 years, adding up to significant savings on tax.
- Capital Gains
New properties represent better capital gains, because you lock in the price of the property at the moment you buy off the plan. From there, if your property goes up in value you won’t need to pay any more. With strong growth in the housing market, it is not uncommon for this growth to be significant, up to around $100,000! You can then leverage this capital growth to buy another property and continue building your real estate portfolio.
- Better Security
Thanks to developments in home security, new homes tend to be safer. New houses are more likely to have things like intercom and key card access for entry to the building or car park, as well as to access the lifts. This is not only better for your or your tenant’s security, but means a smaller insurance bill.
- Better Rental Returns
Because tenants prefer new homes, you will not only attract better quality tenants, but you’ll be able to charge much higher rent. These kind of tenants are also more like to stay long-term, meaning less turnover in tenants, which in turn translates into fewer vacancies and better rental returns.
- Statutory Protections
In Australia, builders are required to take out home warranty insurance on new builds which protects the buyer if there are any major building defects. Additionally, because all fixtures and appliances are new, many of these will be covered under manufacturer’s warranties and so your on-going costs will be minimized.
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