26 December 2007

The Edge: Rent Vs. Buy

The Edge (probably the kakkest name for an apartment block ever) is an old friend here at Cape Town Property Bubble, we've talked about it many time before. And it's still a terrible "investment" if you're a wannabe buy-to-let specuvestor. For instance a 2 bedroomed, 62m^2 apartment rents for R6 5000 a month, while the selling price of an apartment of the same dimensions (also 62m^2 and 2 bedroomed) is R1 395 000.

Now usually we don't include the rates payable each month but in this case we do know it and it's R1357.00 a month which is pretty high for a 62m^2 apartment. So that means your net income is R4843. Just looking at that I can tell the ROI is going to be terrible so here goes:













Down PaymentMonthly PaymentCash flowAnnual IncomeROI
R0R17855.97R-13012.97R-156155.63
R139500R16070.37R-11227.37R-134728.46-96.58%
R279000R14284.78R-9441.78R-113301.30-40.61%
R418500R12499.18R-7656.18R-91874.14-21.95%
R558000R10713.58R-5870.58R-70446.98-12.62%
R697500R8927.98R-4084.98R-49019.81-7.03%
R837000R7142.39R-2299.39R-27592.65-3.30%
R976500R5356.79R-513.79R-6165.49-0.63%
R1116000R3571.19R1271.81R15261.671.37%
R1255500R1785.60R3057.40R36688.842.92%
R1395000R0.00R4843.00R58116.004.17%


4.17% ROI if you pay for everything in cash and a whopping R1 000 000 deposit needed just to break even on the rental. OUCH.

But here's an interesting point. In May 2006, over a year and a half ago, the selling price of a 2 bed, 1 bath apartment in The Edge was R1 300 000. Today the asking price is R1 395 000. That's a capital appreciation of barely 7% over 18 months. If you bought that apartment for R1 300 000 back in May 2006 and rented it for R6 500 a month your ROI would be:














Down PaymentMonthly PaymentCash flowAnnual IncomeROI
R0R17791.97R-12948.97R-155387.63
R139000R16012.77R-11169.77R-134037.26-96.43%
R278000R14233.58R-9390.58R-112686.90-40.53%
R417000R12454.38R-7611.38R-91336.54-21.90%
R556000R10675.18R-5832.18R-69986.18-12.59%
R695000R8895.98R-4052.98R-48635.81-7.00%
R834000R7116.79R-2273.79R-27285.45-3.27%
R973000R5337.59R-494.59R-5935.09-0.61%
R1112000R3558.39R1284.61R15415.271.39%
R1251000R1779.20R3063.80R36765.642.94%
R1390000R0.00R4843.00R58116.004.18%


Again that's a pretty dismal rental yield even with the lower purchase price. Now let's assume you geared up fully and got a 100% bond like a proper specuvestor. Sure you've lost R155 387 because you had to cover the bond but capital appreciation has got you covered right? Well considering the asking price has only increased R95 000 and even if you managed to achieve that full asking price, you've still lost R40 000 in 18 months! In fact unless you put down a greater than R400 000 downpayment even capital appreciation will not make you any money! Then subtract agency commission and other selling costs and the losses are even more.

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