17 Harold White Avenue, Coombs ACT 2611

High land tax liability | 6-star energy score | tight two-bedroom floorplan | rates nearly double the suburb median The property carries a significant holding cost penalty. The combined rates and land tax figure of over $115,000 annually is not a listing error, it reflects a disproportionately high unimproved value for a 95m² townhouse, meaning the buyer is paying council at a commercial rate for a residential footprint. This compresses net yield below 3% at the current rental estimate and makes the property expensive to hold for any investor without a capital growth thesis. The 2018 build and 6-star rating do reduce ongoing maintenance costs but do not offset the fixed council burden. For an owner-occupier this is workable if the location and layout meet lifestyle needs, but as a passive hold, the numbers push the property into neutral or negative cashflow territory from day one. What is competitively rare here is the combination of a 2018 build in a boutique complex with a 6-star EER within walking distance to Charles Weston School and the Molonglo Valley cycle network, attributes that are sparse in this price band. The layout favours a professional couple or downsizer who values thermal efficiency and lock-and-leave convenience over square metres. The lack of flood or bushfire overlay reduces insurance premiums relative to many Canberra fringe suburbs. The short days-on-market suggests room to negotiate but not distress. The next step is to obtain a formal valuation from a registered valuer to test whether the unimproved value is being appealed, and engage the agent directly to clarify whether the rates figure reflects a commercial zoning classification error.