Property Articles

The baby boomers have long been recognised as the wealthiest generation ever. But as per the famous expression, you can’t take it with you. With baby boomers’ ages ranging from fifty-nine to seventy-seven, there’s no escaping the fact we’re close to witnessing a passing of their wealth to the next generation. Given the extent of this impending wealth transfer, the investment implications of this thematic are worth being aware of.

Commercial property has been a staple source of solid income returns and capital growth for decades, particularly in the unlisted world. However, a number of the strongest commercial property tailwinds have recently turned into headwinds, impacting upon the outlook for the various commercial property asset classes. Should investors reduce their commercial property exposure, or are these headwinds a short term opportunity in the making?

Australian investors are well versed in the long list of ways to invest in commercial property. This explains why the commercial property investment sector is so large. The value of unlisted property trusts is estimated at $227 billion, while the listed property trust sector is valued at $144 billion (Property Council of Australia). Despite the commercial property sector’s fund raising success, few investors are aware of the emerging options to invest in funds in the residential real estate sector.

You’ve heard it all before – young people saying they’re priced out of the housing market because Baby Boomers and their Gen X partners in crime own all the good property. In response, plenty of older people argue that it’s always been a slog to buy a house, often pointing to 17% mortgage rates in the early 1990s.

Last May, the Reserve Bank shattered the optimistic view held by some that interest rates would stay low forever (or at least a few more years). The bank has raised the official cash rate eight times in eight months, and lenders have been quick to follow with mortgage rate rises of their own.