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This is in spite of the fact that one property will never make you rich…it will never even make for a comfortable retirement when you consider that this stage of your life could represent around twenty to thirty years.

So why do so many investors never make it beyond that initial property?

Quite simply, many of them make the mistake of buying with their heart rather than their head.

They abandon the research required to purchase a property that has the capacity to generate strong long term capital growth, in favour of a very short term view.

However, to create a wealth building property portfolio you must take a long term perspective, plan to succeed and keep the big picture in mind.

Buying property without first understanding certain key elements of investing is like starting a journey to a new destination without a roadmap. Property investment should always be approached with a sound strategy in place even before you start looking for the best buy.

Let’s consider the key elements of property investing that you need to know inside and out and the type of investment strategy you should implement in order to ensure success.

1. Why are you investing? Many people like the idea of investing in property to make money, but this really isn’t a good enough reason to go out there and do it. You need to consider your long term goals; do you want to secure your retirement income? Leave a legacy for your children? Have the funds to enjoy a certain lifestyle?

Once you determine what your long term goals are, it is then time to think about how property investment can help you to reach them.

You need to create a timeline for your goals and review your progress on a regular basis to make sure you are on the right track.

2. Buying right. Many novice and even experienced investors feel they have nabbed a bargain when they negotiate a vendor down by $20,000 off the advertised sale price. But do they really know the true value of the property? Only extensive research and a sound knowledge of the area, as well as the type of property you’re buying ensures you will buy right.

Sure, a $20,000 discount might seem like a great outcome, but what if the true value of the property is actually $40,000 less than the asking price?

3. The importance of capital growth. The basis of a good investment strategy is to build a portfolio of properties that will generate good long term capital growth above and beyond all else.

This is because as your property grows in value, you can then leverage into more property by using that growing equity. In other words, you can build your portfolio much quicker and add more and more properties over the years.

4. Can you add value? If you can buy an investment that will allow you to “manufacture” capital growth instantly – by buying right and buying something that needs a bit of a facelift – it’s an added bonus and can even mean you can build your portfolio faster.

Being able to see the potential in a tired 1970’s apartment where others only see bland and boring can give you the winning edge in two ways; firstly you can potentially secure the property below its intrinsic value and secondly, with a coat of paint, an update of the kitchen and bathroom and perhaps some new floor and window coverings, you can not only increase the value, but also the rental income.

The key is to avoid money pits that require a lot of structural repairs, as it’s the cosmetic work that adds value, rather than things you can’t see, such as re-wiring and re-plumbing.

5. Your financial capacity. Do you have enough cashflow and/or equity to invest in the right type of property? It’s no good buying something you can afford if it’s in an area that won’t make for a good long term investment and generate that critical capital growth.

You might think you can only afford to buy in a regional town or outer suburb, but these types of locations are less favourable for property investing than inner city suburbs because they often lack the more desirable amenity, employment prospects and popularity with tenants that are found in inner city areas.

So you need to make sure you have the funds to match your ambitions. A good mortgage broker who understands property investing can be your greatest ally.

They can assess your borrowing capacity and help you to establish a lending strategy that will enable you to build your portfolio with the right type of loan structure in place. This is important because structuring your borrowing properly in the first instance can save you a lot of money in the long run.

6. Structure to save. Not only do you need to have the best financial structure in place to meet your property investment goals, you also need to understand how to structure your portfolio to get the most from it. This is where advice from a good accountant who is experienced in property investment can be invaluable.

There are numerous structures in which you can purchase and hold property, but you should always seek legal and financial advice to make sure the structure you use is appropriate for what you want to achieve.

I have seen many investors just go and buy a property in their own name, when they could have saved thousands and enjoyed a variety of tax benefits from using a Trust structure or purchasing in the correct name, etc.

It is critical to structure your portfolio correctly from the start as changing structures half way can be a costly exercise.

7. Ask for help. All successful investors and business leaders know that they can’t do it alone. They understand the importance of seeking advice from properly qualified professionals and delegating.

Ticking all of the above boxes on your own can be a daunting prospect, but if you engage a buyer’s agent to find you the best property for your circumstances, a mortgage broker to organise your finance, an accountant to structure you portfolio and a property manager to tenant your investment and look after it, you will enjoy the journey more and get the most out of your portfolio.

Including all of these elements in your property investment strategy will greatly increase your chance of success, as well as the prospect of becoming one of the few investors who make it beyond the “one house hump”.

Property investment should be part of a long term strategy which makes it a more predictable venture and removes the emotion that can lead to poor buying decisions.

You’re more likely to become wealthy by things you say no to, rather then the things you say yes to and having a strategy will make it easier to make those crucial decisions.

Andrew Eggleton, Partner at one of Canberra’s leading Accountancy Practices (The Firm), has kindly written this article for LIVEin’s clients.

Depreciation & Capital Gains Tax: Many investors are aware that the sale of an investment property will trigger a capital gains tax event however few realise the impact that depreciation and capital works deductions have on their CGT liabilities.

This specifically impacts on investors who have had Quantity Surveyors prepare reports to include depreciation in their annual tax returns.

Generally the cost base of a property will be reduced by the amount of capital works deductions claimed by the taxpayer if the asset was acquired after 13 May 1997.

Investors should also be aware that cumulative depreciation on fixtures and fittings can also have the impact of reducing the cost base of the property and as such, increasing their CGT liabilities.

The best way to understand the impact depreciation and capital works deductions can have on an investor’s CGT liability is by way of a worked example.

In July 2000, Brett purchases an investment property in Canberra for $300,000 and sells it to for $400,000 in June 2008. Ignoring sales commission and legal fees, on face value Brett thinks he has made $100,000 of which he needs to pay tax on 50% of this amount as he has held the property for more than 12 months.

Brett had a depreciation report prepared by a Quantity Surveyor and claimed $3,750 each financial year as capital works deductions. (Total $30,000). He has also claimed depreciation on a dishwasher and carpets that were in the property at both the time of purchase and the time of sale. The cumulative total of this depreciation claimed was $5,000.

The impact of the depreciation adjustment on the capital gain is it has increased it from $100,000 to $135,000 with the net taxable amount increasing from $50,000 to $67,500.

As you can see, the depreciation adjustment on an investor’s capital gains tax liability can be quite sizeable especially where a property has been held for long time.

You may be wondering why you would have a depreciation report prepared if it is only going to increase your CGT liability down the track. It is still worth claiming depreciation where available as you get the timing benefit of receiving the deduction each financial year.

Also investors are only effectively taxed on 50% of the depreciation adjustment as only 50% of the capital gain is taxed for assets held more than 12 months.

This article and example given are quite simplistic however should you have any questions about your specific circumstances or investment properties and capital gains tax in general, please contact our office on (02) 6247 3555 to arrange an appointment with one of our accountants.

Without want to give the game away prior to the launch all I will say is that if you are looking to manage your properties efficiently, easily and supported by industry experts then BYOA is just want you need.

We are bringing to market a game changer in terms of making property management simple and affordable.  No longer will you need to pay large fees for little tangible reward, we plan to put you, the owner in full control and provide the expertise to back it up.

You can find our landing page here and if you fancy being one of our beta testers then please sign up!