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Investors & Landlords
Manage My PropertyWhy choose Us
Raine & Horne Forest is a full service real estate agency with a reputation for expertise and a commitment to excellence. We take the management of your investment property seriously and believe our proactive approach is what sets us apart from our competitors. The consistent growth of our business is due to our proven track record of providing owners with service in which they have 100% confidence that their property is being well cared for.
Our focus is to maximise your return on investment and our trained staff with a hands on approach, together with our fine-tuned systems and cutting edge technology, will guarantee your peace of mind throughout your property investment journey. We are committed to providing a level of service unmatched in the industry and will communicate with you regularly about all the important matters relating to the leasing and management of your rental property.
Specialist Team
Our team is highly trained in all facets of property management including constantly changing legislation
Regular Communication
We believe communication is an integral part of our service to you and we will ensure you are involved in all decisions regarding your property
Technology and Systems
We have invested in various systems and technologies to ensure we deliver the best results for our customers
Market Knowledge
Our Property Managers understand market conditions and how this will impact the rental yield of your investment
Global Brand
Our local knowledge is backed by our collective strength and the comprehensive resources offered to our Property Managers by the Raine & Horne network
Raine & Horne in numbers
Properties under managements across the network
New tenants moved into their new Raine & Horne managed properties
Property Managers ready to support you through your property investment journey
Property Management News
Am I covered by my landlord’s insurance for my belongings?
This is an important question, particularly for those renting for the first time in 2025, such as university students.
The short answer is no, you’re not covered by the landlord’s insurance. Landlord insurance only covers the landlord and the property, not the tenant’s belongings.
To protect yourself, you’ll need “renters’ insurance”, a type of home contents insurance like what your parents use to cover the contents of their home. It ensures your possessions are protected against unexpected losses.
Renters’ insurance can cover the cost of repairing or replacing your furniture, appliances, clothing and personal items if they are damaged by an insured event such as a flood, fire, lightning, theft, the escape of a liquid (e.g. from a burst pipe) and a fallen tree. It may also cover malicious damage, vandalism, and repairs caused by a riot, an explosion and even an earthquake or tsunami. Many insurers offer renters insurance, such as BudgetDirect, NRMA, AMMI and plenty more.
If you're a current tenant, the end of the year is an ideal time to review your renter’s insurance and explore options to ensure you have the best coverage at the most competitive price.
As the year draws to a close, the holiday season is also a perfect time to review your household expenses and look for ways to save. Consider trimming costs on essentials such as electricity, gas, phone, internet, and even cable TV subscriptions to give yourself a financial boost heading into the new year.
At Raine & Horne, we’ve partnered with DirectConnect to make cost-cutting and shopping around easier. DirectConnect can take the hassle out of shopping around for better deals on your utilities. Visit their website at www.directconnect.com.au and start saving today!
For advice and assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Raine & Horne Property Manager. They’re here to help, whether it’s about renters’ insurance or finding ways to save on your utilities. Contact your local Raine & Horne office today to learn more.
What are some tips to lockdown my tenant for 2025
As we head into 2025, after an impressive run of rental growth and low vacancy rates, we’re now shifting toward a more balanced rental market.
This state of affairs means that landlords can still make decent returns, but tenants can choose from a slighter larger pool of rental properties. With more choice for tenants, landlords must proactively keep their investment properties in demand.
The key to securing long-term returns is ensuring your tenants are happy and comfortable. A satisfied tenant is less likely to move, but with more choices available, staying on top of any maintenance issues is crucial.
Regular property inspections with your Raine & Horne Property Manager are essential to spot potential problems early—whether it’s a faulty door lock or a leaking tap.
Then, after the visit, if you and your Raine & Horne Property Manager identify any repairs or outstanding maintenance issues, be sure to address them immediately.
At Raine & Horne, we prioritise ongoing training for our Property Managers to ensure they remain responsive, respectful, and attentive to tenants’ needs.
Building a positive relationship between your Property Manager and tenant is essential for a smooth, long-term rental experience.
If a lease renewal is around the corner, it’s time to get savvy about the rental market where your property is located. Knowing the local market will help when it’s time to negotiate that next lease.
During negotiations, be open to the tenant’s request for a specific lease term. If you have a long-term tenant, they may favour a longer lease for security. This option might also suit you as it could provide you with a more stable income stream. On the other hand, if the tenant is planning to buy in the next six months, they might request a shorter lease. In the current rental market cycle, the best advice is to be flexible when negotiating lease terms.
Also, if there is some wriggle room in your budget, some enhancements could encourage your tenant to stay longer. Maybe it’s a new air conditioner, a dishwasher, a fresh coat of paint, or new flooring. These small gestures show that you value your tenant’s comfort and well-being, which should be a priority.
Wishing you a successful and hassle-free year as a rental property investor, with well-maintained properties and happy tenants all year long!
Would you like to know more about buying an investment property in 2025? Speak with your local Raine & Horne team for expert insights.
Can my rental history affect your chances of securing a home loan?
This is a great question, and I’ve asked Craig Betalli from Our Broker to help answer it.
While some lenders still consider rental history, Craig notes that it’s less significant for lenders than it used to be. However, having a history of defaulting on your weekly rental payments won’t exactly work in your favour with lenders, either. That said, rental history is becoming a less important factor, especially with the advent of First Homeowner Grants and stamp duty subsidies.
Generally, as a first-time borrower, when you borrow more than 90% of a property’s value, banks want some proof that you have saved your deposit over time by what’s known as a “genuine savings policy”. It is the only way for the bank to assess if you have some financial consistency. Alternatively, suppose your savings are less than 5%, and someone gifted you part, or all of, your deposit. In that case, the banks will look at your other regular repayments - such as rental history, when considering your creditworthiness.
Craig explains that nowadays, rental history is less critical for first-time buyers because there are alternative options available. While many lenders still require genuine savings for over 90% of LVR loans, some lenders are more flexible. Also, first-time buyers can use government schemes such as the First Homeowners Guarantee. Still, keeping up with rental payments is good practice—as it shows lenders you have the financial discipline and readiness for homeownership.
Moreover, family-guarantee products are becoming more common, which reduces the emphasis on rental history. Craig explains that these products can help first-time buyers avoid the need to prove genuine savings.
Setting the issue of rental history to one side, Craig also points out that one of the biggest mistakes renters make is thinking they don’t qualify for a first home loan. Often, the natural barrier to homeownership is the borrower’s insecurity about the likelihood of obtaining an approval rather than a lack of savings. With some suitable government schemes, you may only need a 5% deposit (or 2% for eligible single parents), and if you can do something like selling a car, you might find yourself with enough for a deposit.
Craig stresses that many first-time buyers don’t know what options are available. For instance, some won’t discuss family guarantees with their parents because they fear what their family might think. But it’s vital to have those conversations and explore the options available. If you don’t qualify after those discussions, you’ll know at least what steps to take to get into a property.
We highly recommend seeking the assistance of a finance specialist, such as Our Broker, to help understand what’s required financially and explore the options available to help you buy your first home and jump off the rental treadmill.
To learn more about your finance options, call 1800 913 677 to talk to Our broker today.
Is it worth investing in a regional town?
Investing in a regional property market is a wise choice. As rental growth in higher-priced capital cities slows, regional markets are experiencing significantly higher demand and tighter supply, as highlighted in a new report.
PropTrack’s latest rental report for the September 2024 quarter shows that people in capital cities were paying a median rent of $640 per week in September, an increase of 1.6% over the quarter and 6.8% year-on-year.[i] In contrast, regional rents grew even faster, reaching $540 per week in September, up 1.9% from June and 8% since September 2023.
For instance, in Perth, rental yields stand at 4.2%, while regional WA produces higher yields of 5.9%, according to CoreLogic[ii]. Similarly, Adelaide averages a rental yield of 3.7%, compared to 4.7% in regional areas beyond the South Australian capital. Even in Darwin, where the capital city yields are impressive at 6.8%, regional Northern Territory outperforms with yields of 7.6%.
However, it’s not simply a case of turning up to an open for inspection in a regional investment hotspot to guarantee Melbourne Cup-like returns akin to this year’s $81 “roughie” winner, Knight’s Choice. However, with careful research, decent returns are possible. Take Bathurst in central NSW, where apartment rents have climbed 5.6% over the past year, or Gladstone in Queensland, where house rents are up 6.3%, and weekly apartment rents have surged by 11.4% over the last 12 months.
To succeed when investing in a regional property, you need to consider what amenities tenants typically seek. Features such as home offices or study areas, fenced backyards for pets, and proximity to transport and schools are in high demand.
While regional properties often offer lower purchase prices and higher rental yields than capital cities, they may come with trade-offs, such as potentially slower long-term capital growth. At the same time, there can be a smaller tenant pool and more extended vacancy rates.
To achieve investment property success, selecting a regional area with a diversified economy is essential— not a one-trick pony dependent on agriculture, for instance—to minimise investment risk. Take Bathurst, for example, where the local economy is valued at $3 billion, according to the Bathurst Regional Council[iii]. Key industries such as healthcare, education and training, and construction employ more residents than agriculture, underlining Bathurst’s economic diversity. Local council websites are an invaluable source of data and insights for budding landlords looking to understand the economic landscape of any regional centre.
A regional property can also be a solid choice for a positively geared investment, providing strong yields in markets with balanced tenant demand and economic resilience. But before making a move, talk to your accountant about positively gearing a property.
Would you like to know more about buying a rental property in a regional area? Speak with your local Raine & Horne team for expert insights.
[i] ttps://www.realestate.com.au/news/rents-remain-high-but-theres-a-silver-lining-for-aussie-renters/
[ii] https://www.corelogic.com.au/news-research/news/2024/sydney-home-values-slip-in-october-as-market-cooldown-continues
[iii] https://economy.id.com.au/bathurst/employment-by-industry
How do I calculate yield?
The rental yield generated by an investment property can play a key role in deciding which property to buy. Let’s unpack what ‘yield’ is, how it’s calculated, and what a typical yield looks like around the nation.
One of the great aspects of owning an investment property is that you can expect to earn two types of returns – capital gains plus regular rental income.
As capital gains will be made in the future when you sell the property, it is impossible to say with 100% accuracy what the gain will be.
It’s a very different story with rent returns.
Tenants sign a lease that specifies a regular rent, so investors can work out the ongoing return their asset will generate by looking at the rental yield.
Gross versus net yield
Research companies such as CoreLogic regularly publish figures for property yields. This is always the ‘gross’ (before costs) yield because the ongoing costs will vary between properties.
Even so, gross yield is useful to know as a tool to compare between various investments.
Gross yield is calculated as follows:
Gross yield = Annual rent ÷ property value x 100
For example, let’s say Nicki pays $500,000 for an apartment that she rents out for $450 per week. As there are 52 weeks in a year, her annual rent will be $23,400.
Nicki’s gross yield can be calculated as:
$23,400 ÷ $500,000 x 100 = 4.68%
However, gross yield provides just one part of the picture.
Rental properties come with regular outgoings such as insurance, strata levies and repairs and maintenance. These outgoings are taken into account when it comes to calculating ‘net’ yield, which is calculated in this way:
Net rental yield = Annual rent less property costs ÷ property value
By considering regular costs, net yield can help an investor decide between two different properties. Here’s an example.
We’ll say Lee has narrowed his choice down to two apartments. Both have an asking price of $600,000, and both have similar capital growth prospects. Each apartment is expected to generate annual rent of $24,000.
However, the outgoings of the two apartments are different. Apartment 1 is older so may need more repairs, while Apartment 2 is newer and has more facilities, so the strata levies are higher.
The table below shows how Lee can calculate which property will deliver the higher net yield. It turns out that Apartment 1 has a higher net yield of 3.08% compared to 2.9% for Apartment 2.
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Apartment 1
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Apartment 2
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Property value
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$600,000
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$600,000
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Annual rent
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$24,000
|
$24,000
|
|
$2,000
|
$2,500
|
|
$2,000
|
$3,500
|
|
$2,500
|
$500
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Total outgoings
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$5,500
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$6,500
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Net yield
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3.08%
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2.9%
|
Of course, a variety of factors will shape your choice of investment property – not just yield. But it’s handy to have an idea of the net yield when comparing potential properties.
Gross yields around Australia
Gross yields vary across locations and also between different types of properties. As a general rule, houses tend to have lower rental yields though the upside can be higher long term capital growth.
The table below shows the gross yields across Australia’s capital cities for October 2024. Bear in mind, yields will change in line with shifts in rent and property values.
Gross yields – October 2024
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||||||||
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Sydney
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Melbourne
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Brisbane
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Adelaide
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Perth
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Hobart
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Darwin
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Canberra
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Houses
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2.7%
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3.2%
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3.5%
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3.5%
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4.0%
|
4.2%
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6.1%
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3.7%
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Units
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4.0%
|
4.8%
|
4.6%
|
4.7%
|
5.6%
|
4.5%
|
7.9%
|
5.1%
|
Source: CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index 1 October 2024[1]
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||||||||
Like to know more about how rental yields work? Speak with your local Raine & Horne team for expert insights in your neighbourhood.
[1] https://www.corelogic.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/24303/CoreLogic-HVI-Oct-2024-FINAL.pdf
Rising cattle prices and improved rainfall spark positive outlook for rural property markets
The latest insights from Rural Bank reveal encouraging signs for rural property markets, driven by shifts in cattle and dairy prices.
According to the October Insights from Rural Bank, cattle prices are likely to see a marginal increase with a firming of restocker demand and a slight reduction in cattle yardings at local markets.
Slaughter rates have remained stable but are expected to show a modest decline during October, should the rainfall forecast eventuate as supply chain issues and a reduction of cattle on local markets slow processing capacity.
The latest Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, as noted by Rural Bank, also show a strong chance of above-average rainfall in major cattle regions in the coming months. This is expected to increase restocker demand and decrease cattle yardings marginally. Both factors would support an uplift in prices.
Australian beef is set to benefit from an expected increase in US imports throughout the rest of 2024. This should mean that extremely high Australian beef exports to the US are maintained. Import demand for Australian beef is likely to remain on par with 2024 levels throughout the majority of 2025 as well. Australia has now climbed to be the US’s second-largest source of beef imports, just behind Canada. In 2023, Australia was ranked the fifth largest supplier. Australia has contributed over 20% of the total US beef import volume in 2024. This is up from 14% in 2023, highlighting the extraordinary year of exports to the US.
In September, southern Queensland and northern New South Wales experienced average rainfall, keeping these regions on track for a promising above-average crop season.
Meanwhile, Rural Bank reported that global dairy prices increased in the past month. This suggests an improvement in global demand. The Global Dairy Trade (GDT) index rose in each of the last two fortnightly auctions for a total gain of 1.9%. This placed the GDT index 22.1% higher year-on-year and at its highest point since October 2022. Price trends have varied across the major dairy products. Cheddar saw the largest gains in the last month, up 6.5% - and continues the steady climb in cheddar prices, which have risen 15.7% since July. Whole milk powder (WMP) also grew in the last month, up 4.8% to its highest point since October 2022. Skim milk powder (SMP) prices were relatively steady in the recent GDT auction.
Travis Wentriro, Network Manager at Raine & Horne Rural, said, “The recent insights from Rural Bank highlight key drivers that could boost demand for rural properties.
“The anticipated rise in cattle prices, supported by more robust restocker demand and improved rainfall in major cattle regions, creates a positive outlook for graziers. This potential for better returns in the livestock sector will likely attract investors looking for reliable rural property assets.
Contact your local Raine & Horne Rural office today if you’re considering listing a rural property.