Are holiday homes still a good investment?

Are holiday homes still a good investment?

There is an article in domain.com.au today which asks the question, are holiday homes a good investment? The author seems to support the notion that, on the whole, money can still be made from a second ‘holiday home’ but I do not think this statement actually answers the question. It is almost a certainty that any property will make you money over a period of time, this fact in itself does not make a good investment.

I have the experience of a holiday home in Cairns, purchased new back in 2002. The complex was new and was awarded all sorts of awards as “the Best” in this and “The Best”. I could use it whenever I chose and at other times in was in the complex holiday rental pool; a very typical set-up for a holiday unit almost anywhere in Australia. The total cost, including a furniture package and stamp duty was around $300,000. As an investment, it held its own for the first few years and it gained from the large growth cycle witnessed in Cairns between 2002 and 2008, probably reaching a price point of around $420,000…… then came the GFC! The Australian dollar went through the roof, tourism disappeared, body corporate in far north Queensland almost doubled overnight due to insurance policies and Cairns city council rates became some of the highest in Australia.

Even with the higher 4% depreciation that can be claimed on this type of ‘commercial’ property, the out of pocket after tax holding costs were quite substantial. The Cairns housing market also collapsed by up to a staggering 50% in some cases. Fourteen years after the purchase, I can still say I love visiting this unit (each time now seems to involve a fridge replacement or a lounge suit replacement or something else), it almost looks after itself and, if I chose to sell, I’d probably just get around the $300K I originally paid for it.

Had I purchased a unit on the gold coast around the same time for the same purpose, the history would just be about the same, maybe slightly better.

For a good investment, stick to areas where you can minimise your risk and maximise your return. Stick to the major capital cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and do not try and kill two birds with the one stone; if you want a good investment property, buy a good investment property: if you want a good well-located holiday home then that is what you buy – but don’t look for this being a great investment!

Read more: http://www.domain.com.au/news/are-holiday-homes-still-a-good-investment-20160912-gre5q4/