Crunch time is coming for many off-the-plan apartment buyers as they won’t be able to settle.

Saying “I told you so” isn’t my style.

So, I’m not about to start saying it now.

But, I am going to revisit a topic I have touched on many, many times in the past.

In fact, I have written extensively over the years about the perils of buying off-the-plan apartments.

In my opinion, they have never represented a good investment, even during the rosiest of boom times – and least of all during a once-in-100-years global health event.

Apartments in general are likely to see their appeal dimmed in the immediate future, with the pandemic revealing that living in close proximity to other potential germ-carriers can be risky, and that being cooped up in a tiny flat during a lockdown is no fun.

But in particular, those investors who’ve bought an apartment off-the-plan are about to realise that I wasn’t joking around when I repeatedly warned that it was a bad idea.

Source: CoreLogic

Here’s where the big problems are going to arise.

For some buyers who have lost their job or had their hours cut as a result of the pandemic, meeting the original settlement dates will become a huge challenge.

If they’re lucky, they might be able to negotiate an extension with the developer – but what happens if their financial circumstances don’t improve?

We are heading into a recession after all, and that comes with no guarantees.

The other thing to remember is that your lender will value the property upon completion, and in the current market, there’s a good chance this valuation will come in at a price that is considerably lower than the contract price.

This is always a risk of buying off the plan but in the current market, this risk is heightened.

Banks are being more conservative than ever with their valuations.

As a result, buyers who have committed to an off the plan property could see their loan applications knocked back, or they may be forced to scramble for a larger deposit to cover the shortfall.

For instance, let’s say the apartment you committed to for $500,000 might only value up at $450,000 – and the bank might be willing to lend you a maximum of 80 percent of that value.

So, you’ll have access to $360,000 but you need to hand over $140,000 – which is a sum of money that many just won’t be able to find.

I don’t want to be too “doom and gloom” about this…

But given the state of our economy right now, I can see a lot of borrowers finding themselves trapped in this predicament right now.

Purchasers may have stumped up a 10 percent deposit, only to find the property is valued at less that 90 percent of the original price once completed.

They stand to lose their deposit and walk away much worse off than they were before they signed that dreaded off-the-plan contract.

I wrote about the stats that back up my stance last year, when many alarm bells were already ringing.

According to BIS Oxford Economics, two thirds of Melbourne apartments either made no price gains or lost value over the last decade, in spite of the fact we’ve had record levels of immigration. While other property types experienced huge jumps in price throughout the property boom, apartments remained relatively stagnant, and it’s been a similar story in Brisbane and Sydney.

And let’s keep in mind that the stats I’ve just quoted are from business-as-usual, non-COVID times.

As we stumble towards our first recession in 30 years, with the ever-present fear of a resurgence of the virus, even the most optimistic among us will have to admit that it’s not looking good for these properties.

Another key factor I’ve written about is the fact that apartments in medium and high density towers don’t have as much owner occupier appeal.

To maximise your resale value, your property needs to appeal to a broad range of potential buyers.

Why does this matter?

Well, owner occupiers don’t make their purchase decisions based solely on logic.

They often buy with their heart, so if you can make them fall head over heels with your property, they might overlook the flaws and pay top dollar, regardless of the market – love can make us do crazy things.

And why don’t apartments appeal to owner occupiers?

There are lifestyle factors of course – no garden, shared amenities, noise – along with the fact that many apartment buildings are hastily and poorly constructed from a cookie-cutter design, which doesn’t make them attractive as “forever homes”.

So, owner occupiers won’t want to buy up these apartments, and at the rate the economy is going, investors will be steering clear of them too, knowing that there’s no guarantee they’ll see a rental return that fits into their strategy.

Unfortunately, the sad fact is that some investors will be financially ruined by the combination of buying a property that was never a great investment, only to have this compounded by a global pandemic and recession just to dig the boot in a little more.

Those who manage to hang onto their properties will be the new owners of dwellings that are likely to become the slums of the future, in a market where rents are plummeting – rather than investing in growth assets that will build their wealth.

And those who are forced to walk away from their contracts?

Well, they could see their life savings squandered – right at the time when they need that safety net the most.

Now is the time to take action and set yourself for the opportunities that will present themselves as the market moves on

If you're wondering what will happen to property in 2020–2021 you are not alone.

You can trust the team at Metropole to provide you with direction, guidance and results.

In challenging times like we are currently experiencing you need an advisor who takes a holistic approach to your wealth creation and that's what you exactly what you get from the multi award winning team at Metropole.

If you're looking at buying your next home or investment property here's 4 ways we can help you:

1. Strategic property advice. - Allow us to build a Strategic Property Plan for you and your family.  Planning is bringing the future into the present so you can do something about it now!  This will give you direction, results and more certainty. Click here to learn more
2. Buyer's agency - As Australia's most trusted buyers’ agents we've been involved in over $3Billion worth of transactions creating wealth for our clients and we can do the same for you. Our on the ground teams in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane bring you years of experience and perspective - that's something money just can't buy. We'll help you find your next home or an investment grade property.  Click here to learn how we can help you.
3. Wealth Advisory - We can provide you with strategic tailored financial planning and wealth advice. Click here to learn more about we can help you.
4. Property Management - Our stress free property management services help you maximise your property returns. Click here to find out why our clients enjoy a vacancy rate considerably below the market average, our tenants stay an average of 3 years and our properties lease 10 days faster than the market average.

About Michael Yardney Michael is a director of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He's once again been voted Australia's leading property investment adviser and one of Australia's 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.