APRA's emerging impact on NSW Central Coast investment market: HTW
It’s not quite lights out for the investor, but it has been getting darker, is how the valuation firm Herron Todd White has described the NSW Central Coast investment market.
For some time now, investors have been very active in the local market, but recent changes by APRA on investment borrowings forced on lenders have had an impact on this segment of the market, their latest November update advised.
"We see the will is still present, but the ability to finance the dream is diminishing,' its month in review said.
"For the most part, the local investor market has been driven by out of town buyers, mostly Sydney based, where property prices are seen as unsustainable and value for money is being sought outside the city limits."
It suggested being immediately north of Sydney, the Central Coast region has been favoured by these investors.
"In the main, the type of property being sought by investors includes the typical 3- to 4-bedroom, double garage home in the suburbs.
"Minimised maintenance requirements and proximity to services and transport is seen as a bonus.
"This type of property is the traditional real estate investment and at present, our raw data suggests that gross yields are between 4% and 5%."
The report added that also included in the mix was the ability to value add for investors - with a popular trend being the granny flat or second dwelling under the complying development rules.
"It definitely increases the income stream with gross yields seen between 6% and 7%.
"As time goes on, we will see whether this strategy works to increase value."
The report noted investment purchases for properties not previously considered as typical investment class property - including high value and high maintenance rural lifestyle properties.
"The purchase of this type of property is somewhat confounding as the returns are generally low and we can only guess that these buyers are banking on long term increases in the asset value.
"This, we think is pure speculation and a brave, but perhaps foolish decision leading into a volatile period in the market, if we are to believe that previous cycles are to be repeated."
The reported concluded that when a body like APRA introduces measures, "they ought not be taken lightly - they are quite likely the closest thing we have to that mythical crystal ball.
"The effect on the lenders has already influenced the market as activity has slowed a little and we see this becoming more obvious in the short term as both lender and borrower become accustomed to the new rules."
