It’s long been a mantra of property investors that investing in bricks and mortar is ‘as safe as houses’. So why should property be considered over other investments?

MARQ Partner and Licensed Agent Justin Taylor said real estate was a solid asset that could be a lucrative and less risky investment option.

But investors should be ready to accept property investment as a long game and not a quick money-making venture.

“As an investor, not only are you providing a roof over someone’s head, but real estate has proven to be, over the years, a very solid and sound investment. It’s a safer platform for people to put their money and is a lot less volatile than shares,” Justin said.

“With shares, you can lose 100% of the value overnight. That’s very unlikely to happen with real estate. In fact, research shows that properties tend to double every 7-10 years.”

Investors generally prioritise capital growth or high rental yields when purchasing property, but Justin said some properties presented as better investments than others.

“Many investors have the mindset of focusing on capital growth over the long-term, while other investors take the tack of high rental yields,” he said.

“What we tend to find is apartments and lower priced properties offer a higher rental yield, however in the long-term the capital growth is less. More expensive properties, closer to the CBD with land tend to offer better capital growth dollar-wise.

“Investors focused on the high yield may own multiple units and the high yield helps keep the serviceability of the loans more manageable. On the flipside, investors who concentrate more on capital growth and can afford the repayments, opt for land and freestanding houses.”

Justin said property investment encouraged investors to work towards greater financial freedom.

“The reality is most people aren’t great at saving, but we’re good at paying off a debt. Having the commitment of an investment property means you’re putting your money towards an asset, rather than just spending what you earn,” he said.

“For tenants, if you can get into the property market, you do feel better paying off your own investment rather than someone else’s. It’s also about the mental wellbeing of how home ownership makes you feel and having more security than a tenant.”

Justin said engaging professionals, including a quality property manager like the team at MARQ and a good accountant who understood your personal situation, was also vital to the success of property investments.