Co-living, written down
The model, the numbers, the compliance and the market — explained properly by the people building it.
What is a HMO?
The question Neil gets asked more than any other — and the one everything else on this site depends on.
HMO stands for House of Multiple Occupancy — also called a rooming house, lodging house, boarding house, share house or student accommodation depending on where you are in Australia. The traditional picture is dark, dingy, poor-quality accommodation.
The reality is a long way from that. This piece covers what a HMO actually is, why the way people choose to live is changing, and what that shift means for investors.
Read the articleMore from the blog
Who Lives in a HMO
HMOs get written off as low socio-economic housing. Anglicare Australia's essential workers report says otherwise — nurses, teachers and ambulance officers are being priced out of the private rental market while their wages fall behind rents. This is who our houses are actually for.
Read →Why Build an HMO Over a Traditional Investment Property
Between 70 and 80% of new Australian builds are 3, 4 or 5-bedroom homes averaging 235.8sqm — while 65 to 75% of renters are singles or couples. We are building the wrong product for the market, and it's making housing unaffordable and people lonely at the same time.
Read →What is affordable accommodation?
"Affordable housing" has become a buzzword. With real estate climbing and migration at record levels, rentals are harder and dearer than ever. So what does affordable actually mean — and what is housing stress?
Read →Fire alarm requirements for a HMO
Upgrading fire safety isn't just a compliance and insurance box to tick — it's the difference between a standard family house and a building where people who don't know each other sleep behind separate doors. Here's what's required and why.
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The HMO Property Show — 197 episodes with Neil Gibb on co-living, cashflow and the Perth market. New episode every Wednesday, 7am.