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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Momentum investing: Is it useful when investing in property or shares?  

Momentum Investing

Momentum is a share market factor strategy that involves investing in stocks that have exhibited strong price growth over the past 12 months. On the surface, it sounds logical – buy stocks that have been performing well. However, as with many ideas that appear compelling in theory, the reality is more nuanced. Momentum investing often …

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Are wholesale investors offered better investment options? 

Wholesale investments

From time to time, clients ask whether being classified as a “wholesale investor” unlocks better investment opportunities. It might sound impressive and exclusive but what does it actually mean in practice? Do very wealthy people have access to a lot better investments?   What is a wholesale investor and what does it mean?   A wholesale investor …

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