One bedroom apartments for sale in Melbourne have become very popular property investments in recent years with growing demand for this style of apartment in Melbourne. While some believe they might be too small to resell in years to come, shrinking household sizes, a fast-growing population and Australia’s housing shortage point to a rolled-gold future for well-located one-bedroom units.

The big trend in housing in the next 20 years will be an increase in demand for smaller dwellings. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of one-person households in the country will surge to between 3 million and 3.6 million by 2031, a huge increase on 2006 figures when 1.9 million people lived alone. This change in demographics will see the demand for one bedroom apartments in Melbourne rise significantly.

Expect more ”double income no kids” couples, or DINKS, to be buying and renting properties, too. Greater numbers of parents also will be moving from baby boomer to empty-nester status.

The ABS forecasts that couple-only families will overtake the number of couple families with children in 2013 or 2014. By 2031, DINKS are expected to account for up to 60 per cent of people living in couple relationships.

Today, developers are including more one-bedroom units in their projects due to the rising demand and the need for more affordable living spaces in Melbourne.  Investors need to tread carefully, though, because many new units are smaller than those built five years ago.

The Oliver Hume Real Estate Group assessed 30 new off-the-plan projects, with a total of 3420 units, which were put on the market around Melbourne in the first three months of this year.

It found one-bedroom units had a median size of 48 square metres, 4 per cent smaller than the typical unit in a development launched in the 2010 December quarter. The size of two-bedroom units fell almost 6 per cent to 66 square metres during the same period.

But in a sign of changing attitudes to smaller units, the drop in size for one-bedroom units hasn’t been matched by a decline in the median entry price, which jumped by $17,000 to $387,000.

Many people think that a one-bedroom apartment will be boxy and uninviting but if the layout works, the apartment can have as much appeal as something larger.

There needs to be ample storage and, if possible, a balcony – the outside area will add a good deal of amenity and space and, therefore, value to your investment. One bedroom apartments in Melbourne are perfect for those looking to invest in the inner circle of Melbourne or for those looking to get into the property market at a more affordable price that what the larger 2 bedroom apartments are demanding.