Should I sell my Rental?

Which landlord 1 year ago thought their rental property would (despite Covid 19) increase in value by such a massive amount? This was while rents were also increasing due to shortage of rentals. 

It was a great time to be a landlord and if you had invested in a rental property to sell for your retirement years is now a good time to sell?

The economic landscape for landlords in New Zealand is changing rapidly. In March 2021 the current government introduced a 10-year time period (except for new builds) of ownership of rental property - the so called Bright - Line Test. This is a capital gains tax.

Also introduced this year was the removal of the right (reducing over a 3-year time period until 0 deductible) to deduct interest (mortgage) payments as a tax deduction. Every other industry or business in NZ is allowed interest payment tax deductions. 

Now we can certainly predict mortgage interest rates (not tax deductible now remember) are going to go up – perhaps to around double what they were at their low point of 2.19%.

From 1st July this year all landlords (except government own houses) must comply with the healthy homes regulations – heating, ventilation, insulation, moisture, ingress and drainage and draft exclusion. 

Then there is the change to the Residential Tenancies Act which the government introduced this year which certainly weakens the landlords rights in law.

So, with all these changes / challenges should I sell? The correct answer is NO unless you must or think you may have to or simple want to cash up and spend your hard-earned investment. Why is the answer NO? Because…. 

1. Despite all the above changes property is still the best possible investment.
2. If you keep your rental for over 10 years, there is no capital gain tax to pay.
3. Capital gains will continue with property - probably 5 - 10 % this year and keep in mind the average price increase in NZ for the past 50 years has been 9.7%.
4. You will have a rental income, and this is likely to keep increasing for some years to come until the housing shortage is fixed.
5. The government is incapable of providing the rental houses needed so landlords provide a valuable social service.
6. If you think of selling to invest in something else, then in what? Shares or managed funds = high risk (try asking a bank to lend you money to invest in shares or managed funds)! Put the money in the bank? Even with increases in term deposit rates the return after tax and inflation (its coming soon) your investment will go backwards.

To help you to decide why not do what the wise Benjamin Franklin (USA past president) always did when making a decision of importance. He wrote down the reasons for and against. I have added a few (not all) reasons for and against.