Wealth First Principles #2: A step-by-step strategy to invest in property  

strategy to invest

Investing in residential property is a common goal for many investors. It is a familiar asset class, it is tangible, and many Australians have built a lot of wealth investing in property. The problem is that most investors approach property without a framework. They focus on what they can afford, or what a colleague recently bought, or what they hear …

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When should you be a value-add property investor? 

Many aspiring property investors run into the same issue: limited budget.   That usually forces a choice between buying a larger home in a lower-quality location, or accepting a smaller dwelling, such as an apartment or villa unit, in a blue-chip suburb.   First-time buyers confront this trade-off more than anyone because their financial capacity tends to be tighter.   …

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Which is better: REIT or direct property? 

REIT or Direct property

For most of my career, I have viewed listed property trusts and direct residential property as fundamentally different investments – not substitutes. But once interest rates fell below long-term averages after 2012, many advisers and investors began using REITs as a convenient income substitute: liquid, diversified, and yielding more than term deposits or bonds.  That worked for a while, but the …

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Should you fix your mortgage rate? If not now, when?  

Mortgage rate

Every time interest rates move up or down, we are asked the same question: “Should I fix my mortgage rate?”   It’s a fair question – especially after the rollercoaster of recent years. Many borrowers are still feeling the sting of higher repayments and are tempted to lock in some certainty.  But as with most financial decisions, the best answer is not based …

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Why relying on property sales data alone could be a big mistake!  

sales data

There’s more property data available to investors today than ever before, much of it free, and it can significantly improve investment decision making. Analysing how a property’s value has changed over time (i.e. its compound annual growth rate across multiple decades) and comparing it to comparable properties in close proximity, is an essential part of investment due diligence.   However, it’s equally important not to become too data driven. …

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The new and improved $3 million super cap 

Super Cap

After the resounding win at the federal election in May 2025, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have been determined to pass changes to the taxation of large super funds in Australia, known as the “$3 million super cap” or more technically Division 296.   Whilst we have been monitoring the developments this year and thinking ahead, ultimately, we have been advising our …

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