Home Buying Options

1. Location, location, location. Most studio apartments are built in thriving communities close to public transport, shops, restaurants, entertainment and are an easy distance to main cities.
2. It’s more affordable…when compared to other larger properties. It’s a great option for first time home buyers or mature downsizers.
3. You’ll save money on your heating and cooling bills. Smaller spaces are easier to heat and cool so you won’t need to crank the air-conditioning or heater as much as you would in a larger space.
4. Housework becomes a snap when you only have one room to clean. Which means you’ll have more time in your schedule to do other things.
5. You learn to appreciate alone time. With the average studio boasting 40 sqm it’s hardly enticing for friends to pop around. Which leads us onto point 4.
6. You’re more inclined to go out and be active. Living in a small space can make you yearn for the great outdoors. Not only will this improve your social life but also your waistline.
7. You get to employ your creative genius when it comes to decorating. Sourcing dual-purpose furniture and finding ways to create hidden storage spaces will become an enviable talent.
8. Clutter is non-existent. You’re less inclined to accumulate many belongings if you have nowhere to hide or store them. Plus, you learn what is necessary versus the nice-to-haves.
9. It’s harder to lose the remote control, or anything else for that matter.
10. It’s easier to pack and move when it comes time to move on.

• Minimise your expenses – if you’re wanting to look after your ageing parents, this could be an affordable alternative to aged care
• Create extra space – a short stay in a granny flat could be the helping hand young adults in your household need to get onto the property ladder themselves. Or, that extra space and/or they need while they’re studying at university.
• Rental income - In some Australian states, homeowners can choose to lease the granny flat to paying tenants. Alternatively, if you don’t need that much space anymore, you may even consider moving into the flat yourself and renting out the main house for a higher return.

Legislations and rules for building granny flats continues to vary across states and local councils so it’s important that you complete relevant checks before you go down this avenue.

Whether you’re looking to house the family, or start your own investment in the backyard, renters and homeowners alike are looking for savvy solutions for affordable housing and to enter the investment property market.

Today, multi-generational Australian households are increasingly becoming the norm. This is due to a range of reasons:

1. Longer time spent studying at university;
2. An increasingly competitive and pricey property market;
3. and expensive aged care facilities.

Enter – the granny flat. Once considered to be as tricky to complete as a full-blown reno, building your own granny flat is now more accessible than ever.

With a granny flat in your back yard, each generation can enjoy the benefits of living as an extended family, whilst having some privacy. It also gives the flexibility of using this space as short or long term rental accommodation. Separate living areas create independence and space, which may be important for mature, young adults and for you.

Minimise Expenses

If you’re a baby boomer wanting to look after your ageing parents, a custom-built granny flat can alleviate the worry that often comes with an aged care facility. A granny flat purpose built for safety, comfort and accessibility, is often a more affordable alternative to aged care.

Create Space

What about those stay-at-home young adults? A short residence in a granny flat could be the helping hand they need to get on to the property ladder. Time out from paying competitive rent will enable them to save a good deposit on a first home. Just be sure to have a conversation upfront about how long they need to stay and agree to a timetable of cohabitation. As the needs of your multi-generational family change over time, a granny flat can be rejigged for new familial requirements. The space can be transformed into a home office, or even a particularly savvy investment to help pay off your mortgage sooner.

Rental Income

In some Australian states, homeowners can monetise this secondary dwelling, choosing to lease the granny flat to paying tenants. Alternatively, if you don’t need that much space anymore, you may even wish to consider moving into the flat yourself and renting out the main house for a higher return. If you’re not up to the commitment of a long-term rental, consider short-term rental websites such as Airbnb and transform the space into a clever revenue stream.

And if you choose to put your home on the market, buyers will certainly be taking note of the granny flat in your backyard, which you might be able to count as an extra bedroom, study space or garden retreat.

Secondary dwellings can add significant value to a property, with investors seeing the potential of increased rental returns. So, whether you intend to build a granny flat for the extra space or even as a source of income, Gateway can help.

In 2009, the NSW government overhauled granny flat laws. The policy changes meant homeowners could gain approvals to begin building granny flats in as little as just 10 days, resulting in a boom of secondary dwellings. Thanks to the 2009 revisions, the only tough restrictions now relate to block size – granny flats may only be built on blocks larger than 450 square metres – and the size of the development – 60 square metres maximum.

Similarly, WA, NT, ACT and TAS also have quite relaxed policies on granny flat construction, supporting homeowners to reach the next step in growing their property’s capital.

In addition to the fairly simple proposal process, these three states and two territories allow homeowners to rent out their granny flats as separate properties for rental income, as long as they are approved for use as a residence.

If you’re living outside of these regions, see how your state compares below:

• In Queensland, laws are slightly stricter and only a handful of local councils in the state allow homeowners to rent out granny flats under certain stipulations, and providing homeowners are granted council approval for their granny flats.
• Victoria is currently reviewing legislations around granny flats – known in the state as Dependent Person’s Units (DPU) – to simplify the proposal process and support homeowners. However current legislation in most local councils across the state restricts granny flats from being occupied by non-relatives of the primary home-owners.
• South Australia remains the most stringent in its regulatory framework around granny flats. The state still does not allow granny flats to be rented out by homeowners as a separate property to occupants who are unrelated to them.

Legislation continues to vary state by state, and by local councils, but the potential return from a low entry point investment property such as a granny flat is becoming an increasingly attractive option to existing homeowners and renovators.