and could you add Dysart to that list, I have two properties bought there 4 years ago, and am thinking of buying in Emerald/Gladstone/Dysart again.  Cheers and happy new year!

My real estate agent just posted a request for anyone selling in Dysart he's run out of properties to sell!  And nope i'm not selling mine, he attached an article saying that the area continues to perform strongly and the demand for coking coal is still high and that development is still continuing, gotta be happy with all that )

Just been up and had a look at my 2 ip's in Dysart, both rented on long leases, and renewed at 1000.00 until 2010.  There is an excess of small unrenovated property in the area atm, landlords that have taken their money and not done any maintenance, some have been vacant for 3 months or more now.  Larger better maintained properties are still renting, but there is not a huge demand there atm.  However, on departure, I counted the 26 coal ships waiting to load up, recent information published in the Mackay newspapers says the demand for the coal has not slipped one bit, they can't keep up with it.  I make sure my properties are in perfect condition all the time, I plough the money back into them if I have to to keep it tip top, my agent commented, not many property owners do this in the area, hence why some are sitting vacant.  When driving around you could see quite a few of the 3 bed small properties just sitting there with long grass unoccupied, imho if you are thinking of investing there, make sure its a quality property and with a lease in place if you can get it. 

Daedalus,  More to the point, do you know anyone able to do a reno like that for you?  I too would like to do my two places there up a little, both are high sets one has been done downstairs several years ago and needs work, the other one is only half filled in with gaps still and a bathroom started but with only a toilet.  Can anyone recommend a good building team that does this type of renos in Dysart?

yup, a bath is always good for a family rental, I would think not having one would be a detraction to a property.  I've just bought one, and they have renovated and taken it out, however, I have the chance as its a high set to build in downstairs, add a bedroom and another bathroom, and yup, the bath will go in there, even if its a shower over the bath situation, at least gives you the flexability then.

i'd hang on, the whole region is tipped for major growth over the next few years.  The developers are buying up any land they can and the sewerage has just been extended in Nov in the area.  There would be lots of information on the net regarding the development happening in the area.  If you have good tenants, and the property is not sitting there empty, i'd sit on it.

might help to look at your credit cards too, I just learned that if you say have an amex or visa with a 20,000 limit, even tho you pay it off every month, the lenders consider it maxed out when working out your finances…  it all adds up.  Good luck

YUP, Darwin would have been a good buy a few years ago to hop on the growth there.  Me, I did my homework, bought the block of land next to me, put a house similiar to what DHA were building on it, made 150,000 growth and i'm getting at least 50 bucks a week more rent than the DHA ones are returning, and I pay normal agents fees on it not the inflated ones.  Yes property will usually rent well near a military establishment, but the money is in doing it yourself not letting DHA doing it IMHO.  And.. i've not had more than a week vacant in it in about 3 yrs… had only a couple of tenants in that time and a few days vacant, my agent wishes she had 5 of these to rent.  And if I decide to sell, its in my hands, not restricted to an investor on a 10 year lease.