We are at the stage of having concept drawings done for our proposed four townhouse development.
If we were building these to sell, we would probably push for three levels, garaging on lower level, living on middle level, and bedrooms on top level.
However, we are building these to hold and rent long term and my homework with two local agents tells me that tri-level townhouses are harder to rent because people don't want to be going up and down stairs all day. There is a local development with two and three level townhouses and the only one that is not yet rented is a tri-level, and the reason is because of all the stairs. The asking rent has dropped from $650 to $620 per week and I noticed last night they are now asking $600 per week.
I don't want to miss the opportunity of pushing for three levels for greater GFA but cannot help but think that for long term hold and rental, we heed the advice of the sales and letting agents I've spoken to and go for an open plan, spacious design but keep it to two levels.
This is in Coorparoo, battle-axe position and even at two levels, two of the townhouses may have city views and we would have living on the top levels to get up high. The views are not secure though, and could be lost if the downhill neighbour builds up. We will build towards suburban and city views so if city view is lost, we still have an outlook over the suburb that is safe from being lost.
We could build a mix, and go for a tri-level on the top two, the top level would be bedrooms because putting living on that top level would put many off renting or buying (according to agents, designer and builder).
I'm trying to reconcile the idea of not pushing for schmick "sell for a profit" so make it "wow" factor... with what we need, and that is well designed, easy to rent, still some "wow" and good level of finish to get good rent.
Any thoughts?
If we were building these to sell, we would probably push for three levels, garaging on lower level, living on middle level, and bedrooms on top level.
However, we are building these to hold and rent long term and my homework with two local agents tells me that tri-level townhouses are harder to rent because people don't want to be going up and down stairs all day. There is a local development with two and three level townhouses and the only one that is not yet rented is a tri-level, and the reason is because of all the stairs. The asking rent has dropped from $650 to $620 per week and I noticed last night they are now asking $600 per week.
I don't want to miss the opportunity of pushing for three levels for greater GFA but cannot help but think that for long term hold and rental, we heed the advice of the sales and letting agents I've spoken to and go for an open plan, spacious design but keep it to two levels.
This is in Coorparoo, battle-axe position and even at two levels, two of the townhouses may have city views and we would have living on the top levels to get up high. The views are not secure though, and could be lost if the downhill neighbour builds up. We will build towards suburban and city views so if city view is lost, we still have an outlook over the suburb that is safe from being lost.
We could build a mix, and go for a tri-level on the top two, the top level would be bedrooms because putting living on that top level would put many off renting or buying (according to agents, designer and builder).
I'm trying to reconcile the idea of not pushing for schmick "sell for a profit" so make it "wow" factor... with what we need, and that is well designed, easy to rent, still some "wow" and good level of finish to get good rent.
Any thoughts?