Advice needed: what to look for in a townhouse, other than location? (buying in Brisbane, BCC)

Discussion in 'What to buy' started by jaybean, 1st Apr, 2017.

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  1. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    I'm looking to buy in very small blocks (less than like 7-15 townhouses in the complex).

    I know to avoid areas like Runcorn where there are huge numbers of townhouses. I know the areas very well so location isn't a problem with me, I know where to target. But other than location, I'm very inexperienced with this. What should I be looking out for? I assume it's similar to an apartment, where I would ask for a strata report and look at the size of the sinking fund, any expensive repairs coming up etc? What else?
     
  2. Property Twins

    Property Twins Mortgage Brokers & Buyers Agents Business Member

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    @jaybean - what's the reason for picking townhouses? What are you spending?

    Agree with you re small complexes. The upside with strata properties we found personally was lower entry price and higher return. Though feel in Brisbane, the high strata costs tend to kill the deal.

    I'd be looking at the sinking and admin fund - which you call out already. Along with reviewing the strata meeting minutes - those tend to reveal the people issues in the complex.
     
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  3. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    Size- the newer ones are smaller.
    Have a courtyard or small garden as part of it, that makes a huge difference to cg.
    Also look for aspect - rear of Complex, and preferable north facing.
    Open plan layout with ease of access from internal to outside.
     
  4. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    Rear of complex. Great tip. Never thought of that before. Yeah you don't want to have to hear all that foot traffic and cars etc.
     
  5. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    It's actually not for me it's for my friend. I just wanted to simplify the discussion by not getting into who it's for etc.

    Anyway, townhouses have never been on my radar for all the reasons you would expect. The only townhouses I have (very briefly) considered in the past have been ones in exceptional areas like right next to major shopping centres or trendy areas.

    As for why we're looking for at townhouses for her, she's after something in a decent area (she insists it must be in BCC) but with a limited budget (salary is around 40k). So something in the 300-350k region is possible. Sure for most of us it's simple enough to just say "chuck in another 100-200k and get a proper house and land", but she's very risk adverse and after a lot of discussion we decided it was not worth the sleepless nights to push it that far. Also yeah it might make more sense to go Logan, but I've found that people on the first step of their journey are already making some sizable leaps psychologically speaking, so it's important to know when to stop pushing.
     
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  6. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    rear will tend to be bigger than others in complex, and thus chances of private courtyard or garden are higher. Also less traffic as you say. Car parks may also be larger and easier to get in and out of. They may well also have more privacy than others.
     
  7. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    Plus you'd have to listen to the rattle of the gate opening every 10 mins if you lived at the front!
     
  8. KayTea

    KayTea Well-Known Member

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    I'd be interested to know where you can get a decent townhouse, in the BCC area(s), for 300-350K. It's like my mother always told me, "you've got champagne taste on beer money".

    I know that townhouses in the Carina Heights area (about 15km out) are around the mid-400K mark (and that's an older one, built in the late 90's). I imagine that, in the price bracket your friend is considering and the location she's adamant that she wants to be in, a unit/apartment may be her only option.

    A townhouse in her price bracket, in the BCC region, would probably have some serious drawbacks (ie. proximity to noise, very unpleasant outlook etc).
     
  9. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    That's right..300-350 is probably too low. Might have to look further out with that price range.
     
  10. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    We found some sold mid last year in exactly the complex we are after for about 380k. It's only one of about 6 complexes that I've ever really considered for myself. Had a chat with her and 30k extra is ok. Prices have gone up since then but probably not that much I imagine.

    Also the reason she's going for townhouses is she wants to focus on yield for her first.
     
  11. KayTea

    KayTea Well-Known Member

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    Mid last year was 9 months ago - things may have changed a fair bit since then (especially in well sort-after areas).

    Have you managed to find anything recently - say within the past 8 weeks - (even just via online searches - not necessarily inspected them for their location within the complex etc) that can show that there are still townhouses available, in the areas she's willing to consider, for the price she thinks she can afford?
     
  12. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    Nope nothing recently. I'm hoping the floods may have temporarily quelled interstate appetite which might make it possible to see similar prices. We'll see!
     
  13. KayTea

    KayTea Well-Known Member

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    Good luck.

    If you do manage to find something, I'd recommend checking the parking options - many townhouses only provide a 1-car garage, but have 3 bedrooms, meaning that if you have 3 young adults wanting to live there etc, there's going to need to be enough parking, even if it's in the local streets.

    I'm seeing that, with a lot of the newer complexes going up, especially where there are multiple complexes in close proximity to each other and they've just been build on large, post-war house blocks, the local streets are now filling up with cars (where the streets were pretty empty, previously).
     
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  14. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    Make sure it has a roof, walls, doors and windows that lock...... sorry couldn't help it... :D

    The Y-man
     
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  15. Inov8ive

    Inov8ive Well-Known Member

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    Rear townhouses are generally more sort after I agree, but more importantly you want to get an end townhouse. One side shared provides more privacy and more natural light, and there is usually only two or so in a complex. Funny how with battle axes the rear block is less desirable..
     
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  16. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    Yes, having only one shared wall is better than being wedged in between two.
     
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  17. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    Where my mother lives in Everton Park a two bedder was sold recently but I haven't seen the price yet. They would be below $400k, around that for a 3br. Mum's is a 3 bedroom at the end of a block of 4. her house is the same floor area of the home she lived in before and she has ample garden on three sides.

    There are about 25 in the complex built around a central pool and garden. The THs adjoining the main road are two story which blocks all the street noise from the single-story ones behind them. The residents are of every age group - retired down to army personnel and city office workers. A good mix of owners and renters reside there.

    The complex is about 25 years old. There is plenty of additional parking. Great breezes and some would have city views. 20 minutes to airport, 15-20 minutes to city.10 minutes to several hospitals.
     
  18. radson

    radson Well-Known Member

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    Matusik has a great 30 point list on what to buy when looking at townhouses. Its copyrighted but you may beable to find or pay for a copy
     
  19. jaybean

    jaybean Well-Known Member

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    What is considered "big" for a townhouse complex?

    I've seen anywhere between about 6 and 60. How big do they get and what's considered "too big"?
     
  20. Joey

    Joey New Member

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    Hi all , Looking to purchase a 3bd/2bth/2car townhouse in the inner suburbs in Brisbane . Been looking in the Morningside area and came across this , which we will inspect this week .
    1/64 Pashen Street Morningside Qld 4170 - Townhouse for Sale #125097018 - realestate.com.au

    Also have noticed a few properties in Carina on Adelaide Street & Pembroke st

    1-3/81 Adelaide Street Carina Qld 4152 - Townhouse for Sale #124996334 - realestate.com.au
    6 / 110-114 Adelaide Street Carina Qld 4152 - Townhouse for Sale #124929314 - realestate.com.au

    We are first home buyers and will occupy the house for 2 years and looking to upsize and rent the townhouse out .

    Anyone have any insight into either area and possible pitfalls

    Thanks in advance
     

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