The more you can build the better. 

Regards

Shahin

Here is the thing – you will never hear JUST good feedback on a builder. This is because they use contractors and you could imagine some are good and some are bad. Some stuff up on the tiling, some stuff up on other things. 

Whatever builder you choose you need to understand that you need to project manage each step of the building process. Everything from ensuring the slab is level to ensuring that they waterproof the bathroom before they lay the tiles.

Regards

Shahin

Im a massive duplex fan too. However you need to be very careful with the numbers if the land value is low. The other major factor is the council you that you are dealing with.

Regards

Shahin

How much are the holding costs per week (not just the mortgage repayments but everything)?

Regards

Shahin

Northern suburbs of where?

Regards

Shahin

Get yourself onto both a town planner and the local council.

Also have you done the numbers to see whether you will make money? Are you across all the costs associated with a development?

Regards

Shahin

Ok in that case your biggest hurdle in the short to meduim term is not necessarily going to be cashflow but more so equity and savings. Therefore you may want to consider having your deposit as liquid as possible so that equity is available for subsequent purchases. This means that you will want to have the 'cash' sitting in your offset account linked to your IP.

Regards

Shahin

Common way of calculating equity but not quite the correct way.

You can borrow up to 80% of the value of the property minus any existing debts you have on the property. So let's say that your property is worth $600k, then at 80% lend the equity you have is $480k minus the existing loan of $125k leaving you with an equity of $355k. 

Regards

Shahin

The answer to your question is dependent on what your investment (whether thats inside or outside of property) is for the next x years. 

Are you planning to purchase your next IP or invest the money within the next say 3-5 years?

Regards

Shahin

I would give DHA properties a miss from a capital growth perspective. I am yet to see a DHA property that 'has done well'. 

There are different strategies to get what you are looking which is the rental guarantee however don't overlook capital growth and the strategies associated with this, such as but not limited to, renovation, subdivision and granny flats. 

Go through the strategies that are available and have your banker or broker do the numbers (cash flow, capital growth potential, etc) and see which works well for you.

Arguably buying your first property is the most important as it really sets you up for the future properties so make sure you make an educated decision. 

Regards

Shahin