The lowest maintenance house type for an IP ?

As I’m in the NT info will probably vary from place to place, but…
I wouldn’t touch timber framed houses, steel only, brick even better.
Tin roof over tiles.
As for windows aluminium all the way!
We have a strict building code here due to cyclones & hassles with termites, so I think it’s the area and cost of build rather than preferred options of the property…
Probably no help to you at all!!

To live or invest in…? Big difference between the two…

I’m probably a little biased but palmerston is the go to live, as with any areas there are good and bad. Steer clear of the older suburbs (moulden, driver) newer suburbs are nice, but over priced (belamack, roseberry) nice houses available in Bakewell, durack, gunn.
If you are looking at the northern suburbs don’t go to karama or it’s surrounds…

The market is a little weird at the moment as we have just had the Inpex announcement so house prices raised, dropped, skyrocketed, stable, now awaiting another boost. Don’t really know where it’s headed.

Lots of potential to invest, if only vendors sold for the price the house was actually worth rather than what they expect after Inpex move in (2014-6)

I guess it can depend on the location and enivronmental factors.

Our sturdiest IP which doesn't require much maintenance is double brick, tile and wooden floors. We replaced the kitchen and bathroom when we purchased it. Haven't heard too much from tenants over the last three years.

Cheers

Jamie

Sorry, no – no gold toilet seats, just ridiculous rents. In saying this though, ridiculous house prices to go with it…
There are comments nearly on a weekly basis of tenants going off at the “greedy landlords” for charging so much, but really as an investor who wants to foot the bill for someone else living in your house?

As for interiors, anything that won’t rot is ok. Carpets, timber, vinal don’t last as long as they should due to the humidity. We have 6 months torrential rain so there is no way to keep everything dry enough to last. At a push you could probably get away with carpets to the bed rooms as southerners like it, but from a cost perspective I wouldn’t bother. If they want something soft under foot tennants can buy a mat…

If you are looking at renos, factor in “Darwin time”. Wet season (october-may) can’t get trades in as it’s too wet, dry season (may-october) they are too busy…
Prices for anything are over and above what you would expect to pay anywhere else as we pay excessive freight bills on EVERYTHING.

In saying all that though, I love it! Been here many years & can’t imagine living anywhere else. I mean really… Where else would you get a newspaper that will have a croc on the front page EVERY day? Lol

I feel you are going to greatly restrict yourself by looking for a house that is double brick, with a tin roof, with aluminium windows and tiled floors.

We have units, villa's and houses (of all materials (brick, timber, fibro), some with carpet, some polished floorboards, some tiles). No one stands out as far as needing more maintenance. Admittedly we've held most for less than 4 years.

Look art buying something solid and keep up any maintenance before it gets to be a big job. Find something under market value that way you have some pocket money for those odd jobs.
Generally speaking though, units have less maintenance (some is also covered by body corp).