Guides
Property investment guides for Australians
Straight answers on equity, borrowing, tax and strategy — written for people weighing up their first or next investment property, and checked against the ATO, Treasury, APRA and Moneysmart.
Updated for the 2026 Budget. Negative gearing and capital gains tax change from 1 July 2027. Every guide here reflects the law as passed. Last checked 15 September 2026.
Tax and the 2026 changes
- Negative gearing after the 2026 Budget: what changedFrom 1 July 2027, rental losses on established homes bought after 12 May 2026 can't cut tax on your wages. Who is affected, who isn't, and what new builds keep.Read the guide →
- Capital gains tax on investment property: the 2027 changesThe 50% CGT discount is replaced by inflation indexation and a 30% minimum tax from 1 July 2027. How it works, the transition, and what it means when you sell.Read the guide →
- Investment property tax deductions: what you can and can't claimInterest, borrowing costs, depreciation, repairs vs improvements and the claims banned since 2017 — plus how the 2027 loss rules change a deduction's value.Read the guide →
Borrowing and equity
- How to use equity to buy an investment propertyHow usable equity is worked out, how lenders turn it into a deposit, and the loan structure choices — splits, cross-collateral, LMI — that matter years later.Read the guide →
- How much can you borrow for an investment property?Borrowing power, not the deposit, usually limits what you can buy. The 3% serviceability buffer, the debt-to-income limit, and what shrinks the number.Read the guide →
- Offset account or redraw? Paying off your home fasterBoth cut the interest on your home loan by the same amount. The difference shows up later — in flexibility, and in tax, if your home ever becomes an investment.Read the guide →
Strategies
- New build or established? Choosing after the 2026 tax changesNew builds keep negative gearing and the 50% CGT discount; established homes bought now don't. What counts as a new build, and why tax isn't everything.Read the guide →
- Buying property through an SMSF after the 2026 borrowing banSince 10 August 2026, a new SMSF loan can only buy business real property. What's still allowed, what's grandfathered, and the rules every SMSF property meets.Read the guide →
- Rentvesting: rent where you live, buy where you can affordRent where you live and invest where you can afford. The trade-offs: first home buyer help, the CGT exemption, and the 2027 negative gearing rules.Read the guide →
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