hidden_birch
First-time buyer
I’m buying outside my home country and comparing two Sydney properties at about A$1,505,000: a 150 m² serviced apartment and a similarly priced duplex.
The apartment appears easier to maintain, but I’m concerned about shared-building reserves, management costs, restrictions, energy use and resale liquidity. The duplex offers more control, although insurance, repairs, vacancy periods and larger irregular bills may fall more directly on the owner. Tenant demand and management workload could also differ substantially.
For owners familiar with either type, which costs or practical issues only became apparent after the first year? I’d especially value a checklist of documents and recurring charges to compare, plus any questions I should ask about building reserves, insurance exposure and likely resale demand before choosing.
The apartment appears easier to maintain, but I’m concerned about shared-building reserves, management costs, restrictions, energy use and resale liquidity. The duplex offers more control, although insurance, repairs, vacancy periods and larger irregular bills may fall more directly on the owner. Tenant demand and management workload could also differ substantially.
For owners familiar with either type, which costs or practical issues only became apparent after the first year? I’d especially value a checklist of documents and recurring charges to compare, plus any questions I should ask about building reserves, insurance exposure and likely resale demand before choosing.