Buying an investment property in Australia can be one of the most powerful and reliable ways to build long-term wealth — but it’s not as simple as picking a suburb and signing on the dotted line. You need to navigate complex tax implications, stringent bank borrowing criteria, and real-world cashflow considerations.
This practical guide cuts through the jargon and explains each crucial step in plain English. We’ll cover everything from how to fund the deposit and understanding rental income, to the mechanics of tax deductions and how negative gearing actually works.
Ready to see the real-world impact of the numbers? Use our Investment Property Calculator to instantly model rental income, expenses, loan costs, depreciation, and your long-term equity growth potential.
Table of contents
- Why investment property works
- Funding your deposit: cash vs leveraging equity
- The investment property buying process
- Rental income: What’s taxable?
- Claiming expenses: What's tax-deductible?
- Depreciation and capital works explained
- Negative gearing vs positive cashflow
- Capital growth and CGT on sale
- FAQs
- A Note on Advice (Disclaimer)
Why investment property works
Property investing is fundamentally a two-pronged strategy for building wealth:
1. Capital Growth — This is the long-term appreciation in the property's value. As the value climbs, so does your equity. 2. Rental Income — The rent collected from tenants helps offset or completely cover your loan repayments and running costs.
The key mechanism is leverage. Unlike shares, where you use cash, property lets you borrow a significant portion of the asset's value. This means you can control a much larger asset with a relatively small amount of capital.
Example: You invest $100,000 as a deposit and borrow $400,000 to buy a $500,000 property. If the property value grows by a modest 6% in one year (a $30,000 gain), that represents a 30% return on your $100,000 equity — before you even factor in the rental income.
The ability to claim tax deductions on interest and property costs is what truly separates an investment property from your own home.
Funding your deposit: cash vs leveraging equity
When buying an investment property, you’ll usually need a minimum of 20% deposit to bypass the cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). However, many banks will lend with a deposit as low as 10% or even 5%, provided you are willing to pay the LMI premium.
Option 1: Using your cash savings
This is the most straightforward approach, mirroring the process of buying your own home. Your savings cover:
- The required deposit (5%–20%)
- Stamp duty (a major upfront cost)
- Legal/conveyancing fees
- Building & pest inspections
- Settlement adjustments (council rates, water, etc.)
Option 2: Tapping into your home equity
If you already own a home, you have a powerful tool at your disposal: borrowing your deposit using the equity you’ve already built up.
The Usable Equity Formula:
(Home Value × 80%) − Outstanding Mortgage = Available Equity
Example:
- Home value: $800,000
- Outstanding Mortgage: $400,000
- 80% of Home Value: $640,000
- Usable Equity: $240,000
This $240,000 is potentially available to fund the deposit (or even the entire purchase) of your investment property.
Crucial Tip: When extracting equity, it’s best practice to use a separate loan account (known as a split facility). This clearly separates your deductible investment debt from your non-deductible home loan debt, making tax time far simpler.
Key differences in funding approaches
| Funding Approach | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Loan (Split Facility) | Established homeowners, long-term investors | Interest is clearly tax-deductible, ideal for leveraging |
| HELOC / Line of Credit | Investors needing flexible access for renovations or deposits | Higher interest rates, generally variable, can tempt overspending |
| Cash Deposit | First-time property investors | Simple to execute, but means slower entry into the market |
See how different debt structures affect your costs and tax position using the Investment Property Calculator.
The investment property buying process
Buying an investment property follows the same fundamental steps as buying an owner-occupied home, but the decision-making criteria are different.
Your steps to ownership
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Secure Finance Pre-Approval Knowing your precise borrowing limit before you start looking is essential for setting a realistic budget and moving quickly.
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Targeted Property Selection - Your focus shifts from "where I want to live" to "where tenants want to live." - Research vacancy rates, median rents, planned infrastructure, and demographic trends. - Prioritise suburbs with proven tenant demand.
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Offer and Contract - Work closely with your solicitor or conveyancer from the moment your offer is accepted (or before an auction).
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Cooling Off (Where Applicable) A cooling-off period (usually 5 business days, but varies by state) is not available if you buy at auction.
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Settlement The final transfer of ownership, typically occurring 30–90 days after the contract is signed.
Typical Upfront Costs (The Fine Print)
| Expense | Approximate Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty | 3–6% of property value (highly variable by state) | Not deductible but adds to your cost base. |
| LMI (if deposit is under 20%) | 1–4% of loan amount | Can often be added to the loan amount. |
| Conveyancing/legal | $1,500–$2,500 | Necessary for due diligence. |
| Building & pest inspection | $400–$800 | Critical for avoiding expensive surprises. |
| Valuation fees | $300–$600 | Often charged by the lender. |
Rental income: What’s taxable?
The rent you receive is added to your taxable income for the financial year. This includes more than just the monthly rent payment:
- Rent received or due
- Any money the tenant reimburses you for (e.g., utility charges)
- Insurance payouts for lost rent
- Any property-related government grants
The good news? Rental income is taxed at your marginal rate, but only after you have deducted all eligible expenses.
If your total deductible expenses (including interest and depreciation) are greater than your rental income, you have a rental loss. This is the basis of negative gearing, where the loss reduces your overall income tax bill.
Claiming expenses: What's tax-deductible?
You can claim a deduction for almost any expense that is incurred to generate rental income and is not a capital improvement.
Ongoing Expenses (Claimed in the year you pay them)
- Mortgage interest (the single biggest deduction for most investors)
- Council rates, water rates, and land tax
- Landlord insurance and building insurance
- Property management fees
- Repairs & maintenance (like fixing a leaky tap)
- Accounting, legal, and some travel expenses (subject to strict rules)
- Advertising costs to find a new tenant
- Depreciation (covered next)
Remember: Loan interest is deductible, but the repayment of the loan principal is not.
Non-Deductible or Capital Costs
| Cost | Tax Treatment | Why it's not a direct deduction |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty | Part of cost base for CGT | It’s considered a cost of acquiring the asset. |
| Loan principal repayment | Not deductible | This is paying down debt, not an expense. |
| Renovations and Improvements | Added to cost base or depreciated | These improve the property’s value, they are not simple repairs. |
| Buyer’s agent fees | Capital cost (added to cost base) | Like stamp duty, it's a cost of acquisition. |
Depreciation and capital works explained
Depreciation is a non-cash deduction that allows you to claim the cost of the property's structure and fittings over time, even though you didn't physically spend money on it that year. It's often overlooked but can dramatically improve cashflow.
There are two main categories:
1. Capital Works Deduction (Division 43)
This covers the cost of the building’s structure (the roof, walls, foundations, integral plumbing). You can typically claim 2.5% of the construction cost per year for 40 years on residential properties built after 1987.
2. Plant and Equipment (Division 40)
This covers the easily removable or mechanical assets within the property, such as carpets, ovens, dishwashers, blinds, and air conditioners. These are depreciated over their specific effective life (which can be as short as a few years).
To maximise your claims — especially on newer properties — it is highly recommended to engage a Quantity Surveyor to prepare a detailed Depreciation Schedule.
Negative gearing vs positive cashflow
These two terms describe the result of your property’s annual operating budget.
The Mechanics of Negative Gearing
This occurs when your total deductible expenses (most notably loan interest) are greater than the rental income you receive. You operate at a cashflow loss for the year, but that loss is tax-deductible against your other income (e.g., salary).
Example:
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rental income | $28,000 |
| Total expenses | $33,000 |
| Net Loss (deductible) | $5,000 |
If you are on a 37% tax rate, this $5,000 loss reduces your income tax payable by $1,850.
Crucial Reality Check: You are still losing $5,000 cash, offset by a $1,850 tax return. The overall net cash loss is $3,150. Negative gearing is only profitable if the capital growth of the asset outweighs this cash loss.
What is Positive Cashflow?
This is the opposite: your rental income exceeds all costs, creating surplus cash. You pay tax on this net profit, but you are earning money month-to-month.
Both strategies are valid, but suit different goals:
| Strategy | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Negative Gearing | Highest capital growth potential, significant tax benefit | Real cash loss to the investor, vulnerable to interest rate rises |
| Positive Cashflow | Immediate income generation, lower personal cash risk | Often lower growth potential (or higher purchase price) to achieve positive cashflow |
You can model the cashflow and tax implications of any property using the Investment Property Calculator.
Capital growth and CGT on sale
The goal of long-term property investment is typically capital growth. This growth is only taxed when you finally sell the property — this is the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) event.
Key CGT Rules for Individuals
- Held for less than 12 months: The full capital gain is added to your taxable income.
- Held for more than 12 months: You are eligible for the 50% CGT discount. Only half of the capital gain is added to your taxable income.
- The Cost Base: When calculating your final gain, you can reduce the profit by including all associated purchase costs (stamp duty, agent fees, conveyancing) and the cost of any significant renovations.
The Power of Compounding
Because you only pay CGT when you sell, the returns can compound year after year without being eroded by annual tax. This is a major advantage of property investment.
Ready to test different scenarios? Want to compare the returns from a negative gearing strategy versus a positive cashflow one? Dive into the data with the Investment Property Calculator.
FAQ
Is rental income considered taxable? Yes. After deducting all eligible expenses, any remaining rental profit is added to your personal taxable income.
Can I claim interest on the loan used for the deposit? Absolutely — provided the borrowed funds were used directly to purchase or maintain the investment property. This is why a split loan structure is highly recommended.
Is stamp duty tax deductible? No — it's not deductible in the year you pay it. However, it's added to the property’s cost base, which reduces the capital gain when you eventually sell.
Can I claim depreciation on older properties? Yes. You can usually still claim the Capital Works Deduction (Division 43) for the building structure. However, claims for Plant & Equipment (Division 40) are generally limited for second-hand residential properties.
A Note on Advice (Disclaimer)
This article contains general information about property investment and tax in Australia. It does not take into account your personal financial situation, goals, or needs. You should not rely on this as personal financial, legal, or tax advice. Always seek specific advice from a licensed financial advisor, mortgage broker, or tax professional before making any investment decisions.