What does a sound industrial property look like?

Are you on the hunt for your next big commercial property investment? There's plenty to choose from on the Gold Coast, but you'll need one that suits your personal requirements. For example, if you want to lease your property to a retailer, you aren't going to buy a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. If you want to find an industrial business lessor, you'll need an industrial property.

Commercial real estate gains value in a similar way to residential property – when there is more demand in a certain area for that sort of property, the value rises. However, there is less accelerated demand for new commercial properties than there is for housing, so the value gains aren't so dramatic. That's why you need to buy for rental returns, and a stable business type like industrial manufacturers or distributors is a safe bet.

What do industrial businesses look for?

Put yourself in the shoes of an industrial business owner. They need to find a business base to run their entire operation from, and they have very different needs to residential renters. If they require large trucks on-site for transporting goods, they want wide, straight roads in the surrounding area that aren't difficult to navigate in a massive vehicle.

Ideally, it'll be close to the highways so truck drivers don't have to go through lots of residential streets to find the factory, and it's overall more convenient. There needs to be a lot of space on the lot for large vehicles to load up, and parking for employees is another must.

Industrial businesses come in many shapes and sizes, and they all have different requirements from their warehouse or factory space. Some will require machinery to be installed, which means they'll need large doors or openings to get the equipment inside. Others might need more office space attached to the operational factory side of their business. Does the property you're looking at have capacity to be changed quickly with pre-fabricated parts so these sorts of businesses aren't turned away at the door when they enquire about a lease?

Think about who you want as a lessor – who is your target market and what do they need from a base? From there, your search can begin and you won't be wasting your time looking at unsuitable properties.

Where should you look for industrial real estate?

The industrial heart of the Gold Coast is Southport. It's close to the city and a prime location for employee satisfaction, being so close to the beach. However, property in the area is more expensive, and if your budget is limited you'll need to look further away from the coast.

Ormeau has plenty of available industrial property – you just need to know what you're looking for and how much space you want to buy. Ormeau is situated north of the city right next to the M1 Highway, making it perfect for businesses in the transport or logistics industry.

Moledinar is similar to Ormeau for available properties, and has lots of spacious warehouses on the market. It's much closer to the city centre of the Gold Coast, but is also near to the M1, although it's less spread out than Ormeau. For ease of access for employees who require nearby public transport, Moledinar is a fantastic location to invest.

If you're in the market for an industrial property investment, you could benefit from the assistance of an experienced real estate agent from Ray White Commercial Gold Coast. For more information, get in touch with the team today.