Last week, I met with a potential new client who has purchased a lifestyle block in rural South Auckland. He's already sold his existing house in Papakura with a long-term settlement and wants to get the plans underway for a resource consent and building consent for a new dwelling and small scale industrial building to service horticultural equipment.
The problem isn't what he intends to do but what he's done with the sale of his existing property. His current property is just over 1,200m² on a corner block with one side being a major road. It has a 1960's timber clad house on piles so can be easily removed. The property will be able to take between 4-8 terraced townhouses (depending on the size of the dwellings). This is a great site for a developer because it's within walking distance of the TownCenter and train station.
And, of course, a developer has paid him a deposit and talked him into a long term settlement date of six months. My client thinks this is great as it will give him a chance to get his project in Ramarama underway.
The developer has done nothing illegal but he's the one who will benefit from the current owner still maintaining possession of the property within the next six months. The developer has paid him a deposit of 5% with balance due on settlement day. In return, the current owner gave him permission for the developer's surveyor and other consultants to enter the site.
All good, you may think but the developer doesn't have the holding costs of the entire project for the next six months while his team of consultants apply for the resource and building consents necessary for the project. Those holding costs are being met by the current owner who is still paying for the mortgage on the property.
The developer has already advertised the existing house For Sale for removal with the house being available in six months time. He's also getting ready to start advising the new dwellings for sale with construction starting in September (if the consents have been approved).
And while this is happening, the developer is paying holding costs of around $4,000 in interest over the next six months for the amount he's borrowed for the deposit while the owner is paying over $25,000* in interest on his mortgage while he's given the developer time to get ready to begin construction. TBH, he would have been better to settle straightaway, put the money in the bank from the sale and used the interest that would have given him to rent a house for the next six months but, instead, he's given the developer $35,000** extra in profit by delaying the settlement.
* The current mortgage on the property is just over $650,000.
** The property was purchased for just over $1,000,000. $1 mil x 7% for six months = $35,000 interest not paid in holding costs.