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The Australian residential property market is the largest domestic asset class, with an aggregate total value estimated at $4.2 trillion. The investor segment, where the occupants are renters with a private landlord, represents 23.7% of Australia’s 8,711,000 total occupied private dwellings. Investors equate with a market value of $985 billion. Owner occupiers retain the majority of ownership of residential property in Australia.
While the total size of residential asset class dwarfs the Australian share market (around $1.4 trillion), fixed interest market (around $1.2 trillion) and commercial property market (around $600 billion), there has been almost no investment in residential property from institutional superannuation. There has however been considerable interest in residential property from SMSFs.
The steady growth in residential property assets and total assets within SMSFs over the past five years is shown in the chart below.
SMSFs - Residential property and total assets
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" href="/images/stories/2013/08/easton-chart-aug-30-big.png" rel="shadowbox"><img src="/images/stories/2013/08/easton-chart-aug-30-small.png"></a>
ABS – Australian Social Trends – Housing, National Summary, 1998–2012
As shown in the chart above, SMSF investment in residential property has been growing in-line with total assets. At March 31 2013 the value of residential property assets in SMSFs was just over $17 billion, representing approximately 2% of the value of total residential property investment.
Trustees of SMSFs may be attracted to residential property for a number of reasons. There is the familiarity with the asset class for most Australians either through owning their home or investment property or both.
Property is a tangible asset that can be researched online and is accessible. Prospective investors can visit the site to gauge the desirability of the location, the likelihood of attracting good tenants and for the potential for increase in value over time. Residential property may be attractive for trustees of self-managed superannuation funds as it enables some level of participation in management of the asset that is absent from most other asset classes.
A key driver of SMSF investment into residential property is the ability to borrow, within quite strict rules, to purchase property within superannuation. Limited recourse borrowing arrangements allow trustees to purchase an asset of greater value than would be otherwise possible with an outright purchase using equity. There are costs involved in setting up a holding trust for the asset and trustees also need to consider a range of risks of investing in residential property such as tenancy risk and whether there would be appropriate diversification within the fund.
Institutional superannuation funds have not invested in residential property due to a number of factors. Residential property tends to have a significantly lower yield than commercial property which the larger funds have the scale to invest in while SMSFs do not. Commercial property also offers tenant diversification which individual residential property does not.
The lack of a geographically diversified portfolio of sufficient size to have a meaningful impact on the return characteristics of the fund as a whole has inhibited institutional investment. An efficient management structure for an asset class that requires intensive management would also be required for institutional superannuation funds to invest in Australian residential property.

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Paul Easton is a senior analyst at <a href="https://atchison.com.au/" target="_blank">Atchison Consultants</a>
 
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Why SMSFs invest in residential property and institutional superannuation funds do not: Paul Easton

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SCA Property Group (ASX code: SCP) announced on February 14, 2014, its intention to undertake an on-market buy-back of up to 5% of its shares at a price of up to its current net tangible asset value (NTA) which is currently $1.59 per share. The buy-back will be funded from cash and drawing down on debt facilities. The current share price is $1.555 which is up 3.5 cents from the price prior to the announcement.
Companies buy-back issued capital as part of a capital management strategy. This is appealing when the stock is trading at a discount to NTA as it is investing at a discount.
A buy-back of shares can increase earnings per share, NTA per share and return on equity. A buy-back will reduce the equity on issue and increase the gearing level. This can be positive when borrowing costs are low. SCA Property Group’s earnings yield is 7.05% per annum and its borrowing rate is 4.8% thereby creating a positive outcome from gearing for the company.
Table one (below) shows how SCA Property Group’s earnings per share (EPS), NTA per share and return on equity (ROE) following a buy-back of shares. It is assumed that the full 5% of shares are bought back at the close price on 17 February 2014.
Table one – SCA Property Group buy-back
<table style="width: 470px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="143">
 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
Pre buy-back
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
Post buy-back
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="143">
Share price
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
$ 1.520*
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
$ 1.555**
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="143">
Total net assets
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
$ 1,031m
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
$ 981m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="143">
Shares on issue
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
648m
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
616m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="143">
Reported earnings
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
$ 43m
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
$ 43m
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="143"> </td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132"> </td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="143">
ROE
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
4.2%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
4.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="143">
NTA (per share)
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
$1.590
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
$1.592
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="143">
EPS
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="132">
6.7%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="142">
7.1%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: IRESS, Atchison Consultants
* Close price on February 13, 2014
** Close price on February 17, 2014
As shown in table one the return on equity would increase from 4.2% to 4.4%, NTA per share would increase from $1.59 to $1.592 and earnings per share would increase from 6.7% to 7.1% following the buy-back.
Paul Easton is a senior analyst at <a href="https://atchison.com.au/" target="_blank">Atchison Consultants</a>.
 
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SCA Property Group buy-back: How will it work out? 

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The two fundamental characteristics of property investment are rental income paid by tenants and the value of land and buildings which form the income and capital return components of property returns. Return characteristics of residential property differ significantly from commercial property.  
Chart one (below) shows the income returns or yield of residential property and retail, office and industrial property sectors for periods to September 30, 2013.  
Chart one – Income returns – Periods to September 30, 2013
 <img src="/images/stories/2014/01/23/easton_jan_23_one.png" width="470" height="283" alt="easton_jan_23_one">
Source: REIA, IPD/PCA, Atchison Consultants  
Income returns are calculated by dividing the net annual rental income by the value of the property. As shown in chart one, commercial property income returns over medium to very long-term periods are reasonably consistent across each sector. The income return for residential property at around 3%-4% per annum is significantly lower than that of the commercial property sectors at around 7%-9%.  
Owners of commercial property receive substantial rental income as the location of the businesses that are its tenants is vital to the profitability of those businesses. Rents for commercial property are dictated by demand, with premium locations providing premium rents. Retailers require the right demographics and access to foot traffic; industrial tenants require access to suitable infrastructure such as freeways and rail and office tenants require the proximity to key markets, clients and qualified staff.  
The attractiveness of residential or commercial property investment is heavily reliant on the ability to attract and retain tenants. Appraised value of commercial property is directly related to the quality of the leasing schedule and the current or expected level of vacancies.  
Chart two (below) shows compound annual capital returns over five, 10 and 20 year periods to September 30, 2013 for residential and commercial property sectors.  
Chart two – Capital returns - Periods to September 30, 2013
 <img src="/images/stories/2014/01/23/easton_jan_23_two.png" width="470" height="283" alt="easton_jan_23_two">
Source: REIA, IPD/PCA, Atchison Consultants  
Residential property has outperformed commercial property sectors in terms of price growth over all measured periods, particularly the 20 year period. A range of factors has contributed to this significant growth, including government incentives such as the first home owners grant, population growth and booms in industries such as mining. The absence of tax on capital gains for owner-occupiers and the tax deductions for investors through negative gearing are also significant contributors to residential property capital gains.  
Residential property is generally considered as a capital return investment, rather than an income producing investment. Commercial property investment returns comprise relatively high income returns and is less reliant on capital gains. Capital gains for commercial property tend to be around inflation levels (when positive), reflecting leases that are indexed to inflation or a fixed rate in years between market rental reviews. Capital gains for residential property tend to reflect demand drivers, such as population growth and affordability, and supply drivers such as the availability of finance and the feasibility of development projects.
Investment in residential property is limited to direct purchase of single assets, whereas commercial property can be accessed through purchase of an asset or indirectly through property syndicates, unlisted property funds or listed AREITs.  
Paul Easton is a senior analyst at <a href="https://atchison.com.au/" target="_blank">Atchison Consultants</a>.
 
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Paul Easton

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