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Ways To Get Into The Property Market When You're Locked Out

There are alternatives but you need to be aware of the pitfalls.
If you're locked out of the property market there are other ways you can try to get your foot in the door.
Rachel Lewis
If you're locked out of the property market there are other ways you can try to get your foot in the door.

With so many people literally locked out of the hot Sydney property market, it's only natural to look for alternative ways to get a piece of the action. Perhaps you could co-invest with a sibling or close friend?

You could look at 'rent-vesting', buying a car space or consider property trusts.

One solution by Fintech company BRICKX is a way to invest in a property for less than $100. It works by dividing individual properties into 10,000 'Bricks', which are effectively units, in a Trust.

BRICKX publicly launched in September 2016 and operates as a retail managed investment scheme for people who could otherwise not afford to get into the property market. It works by offering fractions of a property, known as Bricks, rather than purchasing entire houses or apartments.

BRICKX recently put a Bondi Beach apartment on the market, giving investors the opportunity to access the lucrative Bondi property market for just $96.

If you're finding it difficult to get into the property market, you could consider co-investing.
bilderlounge
If you're finding it difficult to get into the property market, you could consider co-investing.

Real estate expert and author George Astudillo told The Huffington Post Australia there are other ways to get into the property market, but you need to be aware of the pitfalls too.

"If we look at investing with friends or siblings, it's usually one of those 'It was a great idea at the time' moments. Very few property partnerships work well, and there are several reasons why," Astudillo said.

Co-investing with a sibling or friend

Risk tolerance: How people relate to risks varies from person to person. An investor with low tolerance to risk will need to be cautious and utilise a strategy based on security, while an investor with a higher tolerance to risk will be more aggressive with their choice of strategies. Finding someone that is compatible with your investment comfort zone is quite difficult and this difference in attitude will lead to friction.

Workload: Many partnerships become undone when one party does all the hard work. When it comes to investing in property there will always be decisions to be made. If one partner is always relied upon to make decisions, this can lead to resentments.

Affordability: All partners need to be able to afford not only the purchase of the property but also its ongoing maintenance and repairs. When renovating, can all parties afford the level of quality that will attract the appropriate tenant and rental?

"You also need to consider exit timing. Selling an investment property is all or nothing. If one partner needs to sell, there needs to be a plan for the other partners to buy that share or decide whether the property need to be sold," Astudillo said.

Property Trusts

Property trusts are an easy way to buy into the property market indirectly. These are either known as Australian Real Estate Investment Trusts (A-REIT) which are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange or Unlisted Property Trusts.

"Before investing you need to know how each trust is managed as this is more like buying shares than property. You can also consider buying shares in a listed real estate company," Astudillo said.

The great Australian dream of being a home owner is becoming more elusive.
Trinette Reed
The great Australian dream of being a home owner is becoming more elusive.

Rentvesting

When you can't afford to buy a property you would be comfortable to live in, you buy a property as an investment.

"This way, you can then rent a property that is comfortable and rent out your investment, becoming both a landlord and a tenant," Astudillo said.

"Rentvesting is probably the best of both worlds. It allows you to get into the property market without the inconveniences of living in a property that makes you unhappy."

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