Diversify your Asset Base with Murray McCarthy
Buyers Agent and Buderim resident, Murray McCarthy, has added commercial and acreage property options to his growing service offering. Melanie Rosettenstein gets the ins and outs on how these asset classes can help those looking to diversify their property portfolio.
Buyers Agent Murray McCarthy, has an impeccable history helping people find that gem of a property to buy, renovate or develop. And now the property professional has added commercial property and acreages for clients interested in expanding their property holdings. Murray’s love affair with real estate started while working as an executive for an array of prominent companies such as Stockland, Walker Corporation and Multiplex. Having successfully renovated various residential properties for himself and clients, he has an eye for a real estate bargain that will reap benefits. Adding commercial and retail real estate to his service offering means Murray can now assist clients looking to dip their toes into this exciting market sector.
“We’ve noticed there’s a strong demand for clients who understand this asset class and we are now sourcing retail and commercial properties on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Sydney,” Murray says.
“This will enable clients to diversify their asset base and take advantage of higher rental yields.
Many people purchase commercial property for their self-managed super fund, especially clients who are business owners and want to locate their premises there.”
There are multiple good reasons for owning your business premises. These include benefitting from the asset appreciation over time, eliminating the uncertainty of rising rental costs or lease terminations, lowering long-term costs through building equity by paying off a mortgage, the freedom of customising your space without needing permission – and benefitting from potential tax deductions that can reduce your taxable income.
“Another amazing advantage of owning your business premises is the potential to lease out unused space to another business which will generate a passive income,” he said.
Other real estate that Murray sources are mixed-use properties that have opportunities to add extra value by generating additional income. When investing in commercial property, Murray said it was important to look at the opportunity holistically.
“The tenancy and cash flow profile, location, vacancy rates and the building’s condition and underlying development potential are all crucial things to consider before sealing the deal,” he said.
Murray is also adding acreages to his service and eager to help buyers in this market to find the perfect place and already has several off-market opportunities on his books.
“Premium acreages with horse facilities in locations such as Palmwoods, Chevallum, and Ilkley are tightly held,” he said. “We’ve identified several options that all fit our criteria of having quality horse infrastructure like fencing, stables, dressage arenas and storage facilities and won’t be impacted by flooding.”
With one eye on sourcing amazing property opportunities for his clients, Murray keeps his other eye on the market.
“Since the last edition of Hello Sunshine Magazine there is still buoyancy in the affordable $1.2 million sector of the market,” he said.
“We’ve seen people submitting multiple offers to sellers after the first inspection with many of them in suburbs like Buderim and Mountain Creek exceeding the asking price.”
Murray says properties that were priced in the mid-$1 million to $3 million range have seen less foot traffic but are still selling with Minyama waterfront properties in the low-to-mid-$2 millions on the beach side of Nicklin Way still attracting keen interest. The upper end of the market ($3 million and up) is still selling but Murray says these high-end properties must tick all the boxes and be well-presented or renovated to move quickly. Looking at market trends, he’s also noticed a shift.
“Historically houses have outperformed units for capital growth, but more buyers are opting for apartments and townhouses,” he said.
“And the key demographics leading this trend are downsizers, first home buyers, lifestyle buyers and migrants.
“We are seeing that many Sunshine Coast suburbs have unit prices growing faster than house prices.”
A case in point is recent research from Hotspotting’s Terry Ryder which indicates that Mooloolaba house prices have grown by 0.4% in the last quarter while units have grown by an impressive 5%. Looking at the year-to-date, house prices in this suburb have grown 2.8% while units have grown by 6.7%.
“With median unit prices sitting at $745,000 and median house prices sitting at $1.4 million, there’s a unique opportunity here especially for those who are looking for an investment or just starting out in property,” concludes Murray.
With his extensive experience and a keen eye for emerging market trends, Murray McCarthy continues to deliver exceptional opportunities for his clients, especially for those looking to level up their asset base.
LOOKING AHEAD
According to Murray, the factors at play that could make the 2025 fiscal year stronger than 2024 are:
• Interest rate cuts: Anticipated interest rate cuts in 2025 will help drive positive market sentiment.
• Mid-year tax cuts: Tax cuts will increase borrowing capacity and lift consumer sentiment.
• Investors returning: Official lending data suggests rising activity by investors and first home buyers.
• Lack of supply: A lack of supply of housing stock will keep demand high.
