Aussies understandably love property – it is a large and growing asset class. As such, ASX property shares could be a strong pick for retirement.
Residential property is an expensive investment, with significant transaction costs to buy ( such as stamp duty) and sell (including agent fees). Houses usually don't come with an appealing net income yield either.
Commercial property could provide the right mix of passive income and growth in value. However, not every property sector is generating good growth, so I'd be selective about office or physical retail opportunities right now.
Industrial property is one of the most exciting areas, which is why I like the two investment ideas below.
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Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)
Centuria Industrial is a real estate investment trust (REIT), which is a business that owns a portfolio of properties. It is the largest domestic pure-play industrial option, with high-quality assets situated in important urban locations throughout Australia.
The ASX property share is benefiting from its exposure to land-constrained 'last mile' locations, which, according to the business, is delivering "robust" rental growth. Tailwinds for industrial property include the continued adoption of e-commerce by Australians and the onshoring of supply chains by companies.
In the first nine months of FY24, the business achieved re-leasing spreads of approximately 50%. In other words, its properties are seeing huge increases in rental income when new leases are signed.
The REIT expects to pay a distribution per unit of 16 cents for FY24, which translates into a distribution yield of 5%.
Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW)
Brickworks offers multiple ways to get exposure to Australian property, including an investments division that owns approximately a quarter of Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL). But I'm going to focus on the property aspects today.
Brickworks produces various building materials, including bricks, paving, masonry, stone, roofing, specialised building systems, cement, and timber battens.
While it doesn't own residential property, the building materials division allows retired investors to gain exposure to the growing demand for Australian property due to population growth.
Furthermore, Brickworks owns various commercial property assets, including a 50% stake in an industrial property trust. This trust is building huge warehouses on excess land that the ASX property share previously owned.
The completed warehouses are increasing the value of the real estate and unlocking significant rental cash flow for Brickworks.
It currently has a grossed-up dividend yield of 3.5% and hasn't cut its dividend for almost 50 years. Although future dividends aren't guaranteed, this could be appealing for investors in retirement.
