OtherMon 17 Apr 17

Urban IQ: Where The Victorian Housing Affordability Strategy Falls Over

In this video update, UDIA Victoria digs deeper into the Homes for Victorians housing affordability strategy, and talks about the broader economic impacts we can expect to play out in the Victorian housing market over the next 3-5 years.

The key message pushed by UDIA is that investors are central to keeping Victoria’s housing market affordable. Investors provide a steady stream of rental capacity and ensure the development sector can get projects up off-the-ground and deliver stock to investors, owner-occupiers and renters. Discouraging investors; as the Homes for Victorians strategy does; is not a good move for housing affordability.

Key points

The demand for houses in Melbourne’s growth areas and established suburbs will increase but supply will not, which will drive up house prices rather than making them more affordable.
A decline in investors purchasing and leasing out new housing will limit rental supply and push up prices for renters.
Removing stamp duty concessions for investors purchasing off-the-plan properties will decrease the supply of new housing, pushing up costs for home buyers.

Based on the profile of many first home buyers (FHBs), the abolition of stamp duty for FHBs will likely result in an increase in both the demand for house and land packages in Melbourne’s growth areas, and in smaller houses in Melbourne’s established suburbs. The already strong demand for these forms of housing will increase in the short term as a result, which will lead to a rise in house prices for these products.
What can a FHB get with the new stamp duty concessions, under the $750,000 cap attached to the concession?
A 3-bedroom house in the outer suburbs sells for a median price of $507,000.
A 3-bedroom house in the middle suburbs has a median price of $750,000, being the top end of the
stamp duty concession cap.
For those looking to buy in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, the only dwelling type available within the stamp duty concession cap would be a unit, with a 2-bed unit going for a median price of $585,000.
Under
, stamp duty concessions will no longer apply to investors buying off-the-plan properties. This may lead to less investment in the residential property sector; meaning rental stock will diminish leading to an increase in the price of renting in Melbourne.
Many people save for 3-5 years for their home deposit with a significant portion of their income going toward paying rent. If rents become more expensive because there are less homes to rent, FHBs will spend more money paying rent which they would otherwise be put towards their deposit.
According to Charter Keck Cramer, the removal of off-the-plan concessions for investors would add $23,000 to the cost of buying a $500,000 apartment off-the-plan. That figure rises to $29,000 when purchasing a $600,000 apartment.
Investors currently account for approximately 50% - 60% of new apartment sales activity. These purchases make up a large portion of the high number of pre-sales required by the banks for a development project to receive construction finance and commence.
Currently, investors are given an incentive to buy off-the-plan, which leads to pre-sales, which gives developers and the banks that finance development projects the market certainty they need to commence a project; and start turning planning approvals into construction jobs which in turn deliver new houses. Without the incentive, investor interest may decline and this will limit new housing supply.