Water Restrictions

M

macca64

I'm wondering whether water restricions will start having a bearing on what IP's to look for? I haven't bought one yet but I've always thought house and land was a better option than units with very little land. I live in Adelaide and water restrictions are getting worse next year so if lawns and gardens can't be watered enough will this effect rentals and values? Does anybody think units are just as good a buy as house and land?
Also I'm interested in 2 areas, Paralowie and Kilburn. Paralowie's median price is $222,000, 57% are being purchased and 18% are being rented. Kilburn's median price is $148,500, 12% are being purchased and 58% are being rented. What do you look for in an area, higher renters or lower? I'm thinking lower renters means higher rents?
 
Could always paint the ground green to give the effect.... :D

Since tenants don't need to pay for water in SA, would it matter that much? You could always go for a drought tolerant garden.

I'd opt for as much land content as you could afford.

Low ratio of renters could mean there is simply no rental market in the area.... check the vacancies (visit local agents). If there are no rental vacancies, then obviously a good thing....

Cheers,

The Y-man
 
Last edited:
G'day Dunc,
Duncan_M said:
Legislation allows all water consumption charges to passed to the Tenant.. Landlord still needs to pay supply/sewage charges.
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I'm not sure if this a State-by State thing. In Qld the landlord usually handles consumption up to a "standard" amount. The tenants can be approached for any excess.

But then, maybe this is not legislated !! Interesting point - thanks,

Regards
 
I bought an IP some years ago, which had a lovely, and lovingly cared for, garden.

It's not the reason, I bought it- but it did add to the attractiveness.

Water restrictions have killed off a lot of better aspects of the garden. Lack on tenant care has made the garden a liability.
 
Our landlord pays our water usage and we pay our tenants bills. In regards to water restrictions, thought it was interesting that my sister who is building a house in NSW has to have a 10,000 litre water tank installed at site works that is connected to her laundry and toilet. Don't know if she has to have grey water plumbing. Am amazed that here in Perth there are no such rules. I think it is a great idea. Then again, can't believe its not compulsory to have solar hot water over here either.
 
water restictions

Macca I have studied this for 2 years now and I have uncovered some interesting facts.

Overall States and councils have different rules for each CBD.

But factor these for a minute.

Stage 5 conditions. FOR CBD RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS

No use of home water to wash windows on homes or cars execpt for saftey issues(front windscreen)
All Ponds , fountains and council pools to close that are open air.
Private Pools are no longer allowed to be topped up. No New pools allowed to be approved to be filled.
Car wash centres to close if water is not 100% recyled.

The above mentioned are only a few that would come in place.
Home owners it will affect!. Our way of life would be changed. I have no doubt that it would change peoples opinions on where they would want to raise a family ect
I beleive the property prices would decrease in areas away from the coast. And the Sea change areas would increase in value. I for one would like my children to be able to make a choice and cool down at the beach.

BUT LOOK AT THE FACTS. Melb and certain areas are about to go to stage 4 this month. 3 Areas in QLD are already on stage 5. And 9 councils are on stage 4. Sydney will have no choice, When water levels drops to 25% capacity stage 4 will be in. Ask a real esate agent in a stage 5 affected town Prices have fallen sharply since stage 5 announcement.!

I have my doubts stage 5 will come in anytime soon in a CBD. But unless State Gov Provide more planning, stage 5 will be with us if the drought continues. And real estate prices will change due to people wanting to move out of these areas (in land towns).
 
sailor said:
In Qld we have to pay the tenant's water bill.
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.Posted by Les

I'm not sure if this a State-by State thing. In Qld the landlord usually handles consumption up to a "standard" amount. The tenants can be approached for any excess.

I agree , we only pay the up to a "standard amount"

Some places don't even have a water problem.

BB
 
Yes we live in SE Qld & are only now allowed buckets to water on allocated days, so I'd say that a native garden or concrete is the way to go.
 
We always write in our leases that we pay for water but not excessive water use. So far, we have never exercised the right to ask for funds for water, but I see things will change soon. Our water charges are rising, and if we are paying, what incentive have our tenants to limit their water consumption if they know it is "free" for them.

I know some will limit their use because of their moral conscience, but others don't seem to have a moral conscience.

Wylie
 
We travelled from SA to Qld at Christmas time. Compared with SA, Qld is green, the lawns are green etc. So Qld obviously gets enough rain, the issue is what does it do with the rain it gets. The reservoirs seem to have been built in areas that dont get the rain!
 
My understanding is that until this drought there was enough rain in the catchment areas. It is just that there has not been rain in those catchment areas for some time.

We have enough light showers (and very occasional good rain) to keep us green in between brown times. At the moment Brisbane looks green because we had rain a week ago, but sometimes it looks much, much worse.

I agree though, that someone visiting Brisbane right now would not believe we are in drought.

Wylie
 
Hi asdf,

We live in the Ipswich area which is west of Brisbane..... very dry out here. Toowoomba is even worse & usually has beautiful gardens bursting with colour this time of year.

All new subdivisions in the area must now have water tanks added to the house when constructed. Funny thing is just a few years ago you could get a fine from using tank water, rather than the town water!!
 
Hi Pushka,

Wylie is right, in Brisbane it rains quite a lot so it looks nice and green. I reckon that if every house had a watertank, we would not have any worries whatsoever as the tanks would top up frequently.

I have heard from some "expert" that the reason the catchments are not getting the rain is because the buildup of pollution from cars etc acts like a mountain range and stops the rain clouds from reaching the catchments and instead the rain is dumped closer to the coast and over the ocean. Don't know if that's true or not, but it seems reasonable.

Last week we had a doozy of a rainstorm which would easily have filled the dams if it had fallen in the right place. It was very sad seeing millions of litres of water gushing down gutters and into the stormwater system though - we really need to start harvesting every drop that falls and somehow pump it into the dams.

Cheers
 
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