Buying 1 side of a freehold duplex

[jalen712]

HI,

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on buying 1 side of a duplex?

Each side has their own title just like a house however they are joined at 1 wall down the centre. So there is no body corps etc and you can apparently do anything to your side, just like owning a stand alone house.
The main downfall I can see is if the person who owns the other side makes theirs look crappy it will bring down the value of yours etc.

Does anyone have any experience in these sorts of property's and can let me know any other upsides or downsides of buying a freehold duplex?

Thanks, J

 

[depreciator]

Very common in Sydney - especially with the old duplexes.

Yes, this is a risk:

The main downfall I can see is if the person who owns the other side makes theirs look crappy it will bring down the value of yours etc.

I have seen some terrible things over the years. I remember seeing one where the owner of one side of a 1930s duplex had his side rendered, the timber windows swapped for aluminium, and he replaced the slate roof tiles on his side with blue tiles - must have done it in the 70s.

 

[wobbycarly]

Same thing can happen with standalone properties... or you can get bikies/druggies/hoarders move in next door.

(No disrespect to any clean-living bikies, druggies or hoaders)

 

[WestOz]

I lived in one years ago, great budget concept for IP, interesting part though is both master bedrooms were opposite sides of the wall, was like porn without vision most nights, then her alone during the day.

If its a great price grab it, make your side look like crap, make lots of noise, put a couple of old cars on the front lawn on blocks, let the grass/weeds grow though them etc etc etc

Might have a few blews with them but Hopefully the neighbour will get fed-up and put it on the market, price will drop cause no one else wants to live next door to you either, grab it at a great price and you now own the lot

That's how Cabramatta became Vietnamatta isn't it (& other areas)

If you cant bear living in it through the process yourself do the reverse of what wobbycarly said, have the "bikies/druggies/hoarders" move into yours, just be prepared to not to receive any rent, and have to reno when they leave.