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Property investments by SMSFs through limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs) could come under increased scrutiny of the tax office this year, says major accounting firm H&amp;R Block.
Last year, the ATO had expressed concern at LRBA loans that were not structured correctly, including incorrect registration of the ownership of property bought under an LRBA. It spoke of increasing its focus on the LRBA route.
Given the growth in the SMSF sector and the increasing popularity of strategies such as LRBAs, H&amp;R Block has tipped that property will remain a top priority for the ATO’s compliance work in the SMSF sector this year.
“I know the ATO always keeps a close eye on property investment and especially LRBAs,” H&amp;R Block's director of tax communications, Mark Chapman told SMSF Adviser.
This particularly applies to related party borrowings which may currently be structured on non-commercial terms, with a June 30 deadline to have these structures rectified, it said.
According to the ATO website, an asset purchased by an SMSF trustee through LRBA is held in a separate trust.
If the loan defaults, the lender's rights are limited to the asset held in the separate trust, but not to assets held in the SMSF.
In 2015, an ATO campaign saw 500 postcodes issued with warnings urging holiday home owners to ensure deductions were not made during periods a property was not available for let.
“With property rental a valuable source of extra income for millions of taxpayers, it can be expected that the ATO will follow up with some targeted reviews and audits this year,” Chapman was quoted as saying.
The “sharing economy” – “driven in part by the high levels of non-compliance amongst those driving for Uber or renting rooms through Airbnb,” would also be an area of scrutiny by the ATO, he said. 
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ATO to focus on LRBA route to property investment by SMSFs

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Commercial properties in NSW’s Port Macquarie are attracting self-managed super funds (SMSF) because of the Mid North Coast’s affordability and healthy yields.
“It’s a bit like Sydney in towns such as Port Macquarie, with SMSFs driving the sales of quality investment assets,” said Graeme Garrett, co-principal of Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Port Macquarie. 
SMSFs leasing a commercial property back to a related business is becoming a common trend in the sub-$500,000 market in Port Macquarie, added Garrett.
Several small business owners too are buying properties through SMSFs and then leasing them back to the business, which the current superannuation laws allow, he said.
In many cases, professionals such as accountants, lawyers, engineers, architects and real estate agents are buying commercial properties through a related DIY fund. Properties around the range $400,000-$500,000 are in particularly in demand.
“The trouble is that there’s a shortage of industrial stock in this price range to meet demand,” said Garrett.
Investors operating outside a super fund are also active in the Port Macquarie market because of the low interest rates and the fact that commercial properties are viewed as an investment safe haven, he added.
“Sydney investors seeking solid yields are also starting to make their presence felt in Port Macquarie.”
Yields for industrial stock priced below $500,000 range from 8%, while it’s 6.75-7% for retail and 8% for office space, according to Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Port Macquarie. 
“We auctioned a retail property to a Sydney investor, who purchased it through a self-managed super fund, and who intends on retiring to Port Macquarie down the track,” said Garrett. The property located at 5/56 Clarence Street, Port Macquarie sold under the hammer for $622,500.
Garrett said members of SMSFs would be best served considering a commercial asset that will appeal to future tenants.
“If you occupy it yourself now and then retire, you need to consider what appeal that property will have to future tenants and whether it will be easily let out if it’s part of your future retirement plans.
“Our proximity to Sydney and Newcastle is attracting investors from those cities through a combination of our healthy yields and commercial real estate affordability. 
“When you can buy two or three assets in Port Macquarie for the equivalent of a single-tenant property in Sydney, investors see this as value.”
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DIY super funds driving Port Macquarie commercial markets: Raine & Horne

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Singles earning an average income have been priced out of the property market from nearly all of Australia’s capital cities, a new report shows.
An analysis by financial comparison website RateCity.com.au shows that Hobart and Adelaide remain the last affordable capital cities for the nation's singles with a salary of $59,441 and $72,529 needed respectively to afford repayments on a 30-year mortgage (with a deposit of 20% at today's average variable rate of 4.74%). The industry rule that no more than 30 percent of a person’s income should go towards housing costs was applied to arrive at the figures.
The east coast remains the most unaffordable, with Sydney topping the list of tough markets for singles to crack. A person wanting to buy in the harbour city needs a six-figure salary of $137,556 to comfortably fund a mortgage on a median-priced house.
Someone looking to buy in Brisbane or Melbourne would require an $80,866 and $96,706 salary respectively to afford a median priced house, while in Canberra the salary needed would be $97,756.
According to Peter Arnold, data insights director at RateCity.com.au, the report raises further concerns that rising property prices across many cities in the country are forcing Australians out of the market. This could fundamentally impact the nation's demographics and service needs in the years ahead, he said.
“Our analysis reveals a reality that many young Australians are now living; the impossibility of affording a median-priced house on an average salary in most capital cities,” Arnold said.
“Without a partner or family member to share mortgage costs with, the numbers paint a grim picture for millennials, many of which may be squeezed out. Even as part of a couple, east coast property prices are out of reach for many Australians.”
“Many first home buyers, including young families, may find that they have to move away from careers in the CBD and the support of families to more affordable parts of Australia. This could have long-term effects on Australian society and bring with it challenges for the future in many areas, including transport and childcare.”
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Singles priced out of property market: RateCity research

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Median house prices fell in Perth in the quarter ended December from the comparable quarter a year earlier, although the results reflected trends seen throughout 2015, preliminary data from REIWA shows.
The December quarter showed the expected impact the Christmas and New Year period traditionally has on the property market, said REIWA President Hayden Groves.
“It’s not uncommon to see a fluctuation in the market at this time of year as it is typically a quieter time in WA real estate. Properties come off the market over the holidays and sales tend to drop off,” he said.
“We get a much clearer picture of how the market is travelling when comparing the data to the December 2014 quarter.”
Houses and units 
Perth’s preliminary median house price came in at $530,000 for the three months to December 2015.
“This is down 0.2 per cent on the revised September 2015 quarterly median and down five per cent when compared to the December 2014 median, however on an annual basis for the year to December 2015 Perth’s median house price held firm dipping just 1.8 per cent,” Groves said. 
Median price for units in the quarter fell 2.2 per cent from the year-ago quarter, though it was up 1.2 per cent to $435,000 over the quarter.
Further, 35 per cent of all house sales in the Perth metro area were in the $360,000 to $500,000 price range. 
“This shows us that first home buyers are still very active and recognise that there is an opportunity in the current market to take the step into home ownership,” Groves said. 
Sales volumes in the $500,000 to $750,000 price range weren’t far behind, making up 32 per cent of total sales volumes in the December 2015 quarter. 
Groves said activity in this bracket tended to be from current home owners who wanted to upgrade to their next home. 
Listings 
Listings for sale fell 3.8 per cent to 14,551 in the December quarter, following a peak of 16,969 in November. 
“It’s not uncommon for listings to drop off at this time of year as traditionally properties are taken off the market around the holiday period before returning to normal levels in the New Year,” Groves said.
“When we compare this figure to the December 2014 quarter we see, as was the case throughout 2015, listings are still higher than the long-term average.”
Sales volumes 
Sales volumes for the three months to December, however, fell sharply to 5,909 from 9,176 in the September 2015 quarter. 
“We estimate that once all sales have settled in the coming months the total number of dwelling sales in WA will come in at around 6,500 for the quarter,” Groves said. 
Selling days and discounting  
Average selling days in the Perth metro area were 59 days in the December quarter, again 13 days more than a year earlier.
“Additionally, 47 per cent of vendors needed to discount their asking price in order to sell in the December quarter, which is an improvement on the September quarter but higher than for the three months to December 2014,” Groves said.
Rental market 
Perth’s overall median rent price in the quarter came in at $400 per week, down $40 from a year earlier though it was steady on the September quarter.
For houses, it was $410, and for units $380. 
Rental listings increased to 9,532 in December from 8,267 in September, while the vacancy rate rose to six per cent. 
Investors were faced with short-term challenges, but it was a good time for tenants to secure a lease at more affordable prices.
“Migrations trends have changed rapidly in WA over the last six months and housing supply has increased. This has caused demand for rental housing to lessen putting downward pressure on prices. 
“The property market is cyclical and long term the projected population growth in WA is still expected to continue which will soak up stock and even out the imbalance we’re seeing,” he said. 
Regional WA 
Results were mixed across regional WA, with regions in the state’s north continuing to adjust, while those in the south were generally more stable. 
Top performers in the quarter were Augusta-Margaret River with 6.5 per cent growth to its annual median house price, followed by Blackwood with a modest increase of 0.7 per cent. 
Groves said the North West sub-region was still feeling the impact of the shift to production in the mining sector, with annual growth in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions declining 3.6 per cent and 26.6 per cent respectively. 
“These areas are experiencing an adjustment as construction slowed down significantly in a short period of time changing the employment requirements. However, when we look at the longer term growth rates for these areas we can see they have declined at a much slower rate,” Groves said.
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Perth house prices dip, rentals fall in December quarter: REIWA data

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Car manufacturing job losses and oversupply of houses and apartments are expected to hit property prices in Melbourne from 2017, according to new research.
The study, by property market researcher Propertyology, found that Melbourne is on the cusp of a market downturn. The report says the slump will be caused by the untimely collision of thousands of job losses in manufacturing with entrenched oversupply issues.
"Propertyology believes that the 2016 supply-demand fundamentals for Greater Melbourne resemble those of Perth’s in 2014," said Propertyology market analyst Simon Pressley.
"The housing supply pipeline exceeds population demand in Melbourne to the tune of approximately 12,000 dwellings per year.
"Of even bigger concern is the impact on as much as six per cent of the city’s households from car manufacturing plant closures from late-2016 and continuing through 2017. One would have to anticipate there’d be a significant knock-on effect to consumer and business confidence across the entire city."
The report says the main factor in the market downturn will be the loss of jobs from 2014 to 2017 in the manufacturing plants of Ford, Holden and Toyota.
And it is not just the apartment sector that is burdened by oversupply. Sixteen of Greater Melbourne’s 31 local government areas (LGAs) have approved 50 per cent more dwellings than normal, even though the population growth rate has remained the same. The apartment sector also remains bloated by oversupply, the report says.
"Melbourne City is on track to approving 19,000 CBD apartments over the past three years; this is an increase of 158 per cent on the annual average from the previous five years," Pressley says.
"The Melbourne LGA population growth is just shy of 6,000 people per annum and equates to demand for 3,000 extra dwellings compared to the recent average annual supply of 6,300 CBD dwellings."
Pressley says a University of Adelaide study into the impact of the closures on Australia predicted huge job losses, with Victoria being the worst hit.
"The study states that 'Australia is expected to suffer a fall in national employment of around 200,000 as a result of the planned closure to motor vehicle manufacturing between (mid-2014) and 2017'," he says.
"The greatest impact in terms of projected job losses will be in Victoria, with an estimated decline of close to 100,000 jobs. Victoria’s Gross Regional Product is also forecast to decline by $13 billion per year."
Pressley says Victoria may have the highest unemployment rate in the country by the end of 2017, which will further negatively impact its property market from 2017 to 2018.
"Sales volumes will fall, days on market will increase, as will vacancy rates," Pressley says.
Property prices across Melbourne, and not just inner-city apartments, are likely to reduce as will rents, he said.
"I believe there is a stark resemblance between Melbourne’s current fundamentals and those of Perth’s in 2014. Propertyology correctly forecast the resultant easing of demand in Perth and rising housing supply that left the legacy of a five per cent decline in Perth property values during 2015 – and we feel more of the same is likely there in 2016."
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Job losses, oversupply to hurt Melbourne property prices from 2017: research

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A portfolio of commercial properties in Melbourne belonging to renowned architect Walter Pollock, a World War II survivor, are being offered for sale through a series of Fitzroys auctions.
The on-site auctions are as follows:
182-188 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne on May 5
- 341-345 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne (443 above) on May 6
- 59-61 Park Street, South Melbourne on May 12
The listing agents are James Gregson and Michael Ryan. 
The 182-188 Clarendon Street site is spread over nearly 420 sqm, features three street frontages and a 300 sqm retail freehold. It is being offered with significant short-term income. The Commercial 1-zoned property offers the potential to occupy, invest or development subject to councils approval (STCA).
“The site has a potential height limit of six stories or 23.5 metres with no set-backs, or up to 19.5 metres over circa five levels,” said Gregson.
The following day will see the corner site 341-345 Queensberry Street go under the hammer. On a land area of 370 sqm, it has three street frontages with improvements comprising a two-level freehold. 
“Offered with significant short-term income, the property is zoned Capital City and has excellent development upside (STCA) with a 40-metre height limit circa 13 levels, and located close to the University precinct,” Gregson said.
The 59-61 Park Street site is a 246 sqm corner retail/showroom investment on the corner of major arterial Kings Way and will be offered the following week.
It is on a lease term of three plus three years and returns $103,415 plus GST and outgoings, with potential for additional signage income (STCA).
Ryan said the property is zoned mixed use and has significant development upside (STCA), with an estimated 100,000-plus vehicles passing daily.
“The entire portfolio represents an ultra-rare opportunity to become part of Australia’s property and architecture history,” said Ryan.
Pollock was a revolutionary figure in Australia’s architecture industry throughout the 20th century. Born in Austria, Pollock and his brother were separated from their parents during World War II. Whilst en route to Canada, via ship, the vessel was struck by an enemy torpedo. Despite over 1,000 people drowning in the incident, Pollock survived and would eventually find himself in Australia in 1940.
In his final year as a student at Melbourne University he was chosen to join the nation’s architectural elite and collaborate on the design of Canberra’s Australian National University. Over time it would be two residential projects for his own family that would emerge as his best-known work, including his own hard-edged modernist family home at 193 Hawdon Street, Heidelberg and a decade later another for their own residence, at 1a Grong Grong Court. 
As his reputation for unique and ultra modern designs grew, Pollock’s clients, and subsequently his social circle, began to include industry and government elites and included the acting Prime Minister of Australia, the Governor General and government ministers. Later in life, Pollock turned his attention to environmental projects that led him to overseeing several large development projects in the Philippines. By the mid 1990s he was devoting much of his time to his hobbies, including designing and making jewellery.
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Architect Walter Pollock's commercial portfolio to go under the hammer

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ASX-listed Rent.com.au Limited had more than 610,000 unique visitors to the website in February 2016, following on a record 615,405 visitors in January.
It also had almost 1,300 new landlord listings in the month, a new high, the company said in a regulatory announcement.
Rent managing director Mark Woschnak said the February UV traffic result was in line with expectations, representing sustained growth over January on a per day basis. 
“While strong UV numbers are important and demonstrate an increase in the awareness of <a href="https://www.rent.com.au/" target="_blank">Rent</a>, we are pleased with the launch of the national sales team ahead of schedule and continued gains made in agent and non‐agent registrations during the month of February," Woschnak said.
Rent now has more than 6,800 real estate agents registered with it and it has completed the deployment of its field sales team.
“We now have an on the ground agent sales presence right across the country and we are set to benefit from this continued increase in agent registrations. In addition to that, we have also had our biggest month yet for landlord listings,” said Woschnak. 
“Over the coming months we are focussing our resources on driving faster growth in agent and non‐agent registrations as we look to increase our overall level of listings content from the approximately 80 percent of national property listings that we currently have on site." 
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