To Invest or Not to Invest, That is the Question - Part 3

Part 3 - Property Investment in High Interest Rate Environments

In Part 3 of investing in property in a high interest rate environment and assessing your personal suitability to do so, we continue to draw upon the financial and economic wisdom gleaned from Arjun Paliwal of InvestorKit and Redom Sayed of Confidence Finance’s whitepaper, ‘5 x Rules for Investing in High Interest Rate Environments.’ 

Another of Paliwal and Sayed’s rules states that no matter the market, there is always something somewhere that is growing in real estate investment terms. Sydney has many markets that are growing at different rates at different times. By observing location-specific fluctuations over time, seasoned investors often become more disposed to diversification of property assets by splitting properties across different locations. 

Sentiment plays a huge role in what happens in any market, and the property market is no exception. The effect of a global pandemic and what has seemed like an unremitting interest rate up-cycle created fear and confusion in the market, sparking a downturn in prices. The fact that Australian households are carrying far more debt than a decade ago means the speed in which interest-rate- associated price changes occur and market shifts happen is far quicker. 

Regardless of these negative impacts, data shows that interest rate rises have not correlated with the Sydney property market falling significantly, largely due to a quick regain in confidence, a notable undersupply of property and the sentiment that the majority of rate rises are behind us. Loan defaults have been super low, finance movements have been very high, and the depth and length of any price declines have been very shallow and short in many areas, all clear signs of Sydney’s inherent property market resiliency. In addition, the Reserve Bank’s common-sense policy and the country’s tough lending laws have protected Australia well from any major upheavals in the market. 

Finally, with the banks far more willing to reduce repayments than even a few weeks ago, investors are more likely to be able to target and reduce their debt portfolio. By shopping around, investors can reduce their repayments by taking advantage of a much lower assessment rate, with many banks offering cheaper and better terms in the last two months now the 3% buffer has been lowered due to confidence that we’ve seen the vast majority of rate rises. 

If you are considering an investment property, Cramer offer a range of architecturally superb properties with outstanding amenities in fantastic locations, contact the Cramer team today to discuss your requirements.


Disclaimer: This information and any content provided is general in nature and should not be taken as investment advice. Cramer Property are not liable for actions taken based on this content. Always seek advice from relevant professionals such as legal, financial and accounting experts.