The investor's dilemma: furnish or not?

Advantages of furnishing your property include ...

1. Depreciation over a five-year period;
2. Higher rental can be charged; 
3. Attractive to those "house-free" professionals who move frequently because of their jobs; 
4. Furniture is essential in short-term and up-market accommodation properties.

• Items may be stolen;

• Wear and tear;

• Tastes differ, so finding tenants who both need and like your furniture could be difficult;

• It attracts transients, which means increased turnover costs;

• In outer suburbs, there is less demand for furnished properties;

• Old furniture brings down rental yield;

• Financing furniture packages can be a problem.