Valerie Chan

【Purchased Before the SMSF Reform: Secured a High-Growth Investment Property Under Budget! With Rental Income From Day One】

Our clients acted quickly to purchase their second investment property before the changes to the Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) regulations came into effect.

They have always had a great eye for the Brisbane property market. Several years ago, they purchased a two-bedroom apartment in Brisbane’s CBD, later sold it for a healthy profit, and decided to reinvest those gains into a detached house for long-term capital growth.

Initially, they were looking for a modern family home as an investment, with a budget of up to $1.4 million. Their priority was to purchase a relatively new property that required little to no renovation, allowing them to minimise maintenance costs and avoid spending time managing repairs. This is a common preference among investors, which is why newer homes continue to attract strong demand.

After discussing their objectives, we focused our search on houses approximately five years old. However, with so many developing suburbs across Brisbane, the real question wasn’t simply finding a newer home—it was identifying which locations offered the strongest long-term capital growth potential. This is where having an experienced Buyer’s Agent can make all the difference.

Although the clients were prepared to spend up to $1.4 million, my investment philosophy has always been simple: don’t buy at your maximum budget simply because you can. The goal is to purchase well, creating greater potential for future capital growth. Ideally, we want to buy in a suburb with strong upside while securing a property at a price that represents excellent value within that market. Throughout the search, we carefully balanced location, property quality, age and value to maximise the investment outcome.

After just three to four weeks, the perfect opportunity came onto the market.

The clients immediately loved the property after inspecting it. The owners had lived there since it was newly built, and because it had always been owner-occupied, the home had been meticulously maintained. Unlike many properties built primarily as investment rentals with only standard finishes, this home featured numerous thoughtful upgrades and attention to detail that reflected genuine pride of ownership.

The property was only six to seven years old, comfortably meeting the clients’ preference for a modern home.

What made this purchase even more attractive was the vendor’s situation. The owners had already purchased land elsewhere and were planning to build a larger family home. As a result, they wished to lease the property back for approximately 12 months after settlement while their new home was being completed.

For our clients, this was an ideal investment scenario.

They began receiving rental income the day after settlement, with no vacancy period, no advertising costs, and no need to search for tenants. Better still, the tenants were the previous owners themselves, people who had already demonstrated how well they cared for the property. We knew the home would continue to be looked after as if it were their own.

To make the investment completely hassle-free, our clients also appointed our trusted property management team to manage the property on their behalf.

From identifying suitable opportunities and negotiating the purchase price, through to reviewing contract details and coordinating settlement, we supported our clients throughout every stage of the buying journey.

We’re delighted to have helped them secure a high-quality investment property that offers strong long-term growth potential, immediate rental income, and low ongoing maintenance, a fantastic addition to their growing property portfolio.