Property Investment Podcast Network

In this episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, host Phil Tarrant sits down with Rob Le and Eva Loisance from Finni Mortgages to explore the growing role of self-managed super funds (SMSFs) in property investment. The discussion opens on the current lending landscape, with debt-to-income (DTI) ratios potentially limiting borrowing, though Le notes the property market remains active as investors pursue pre-approvals via SMSFs, personal names, or trusts. Loisance explains the mechanics of SMSF lending, including serviceability and liquidity tests that require a portion of the loan to remain in liquid assets post-settlement, though some lenders are more flexible. The trio highlights key SMSF lenders, including Granite, BMM, AMP, RedZed, and Firstmac, noting their differing criteria and levels of conservatism. Loisance and Le emphasise the importance of understanding serviceability versus DTI ratios to maximise borrowing potential. They advise consulting financial planners and accountants to navigate contributions, liquidity requirements, and regulatory rules effectively. Finally, while SMSFs offer a way to continue property investment and strategies like leasing commercial properties back to a business, professional guidance is essential to manage higher interest rates, loan-to-value (LVR) ratio limits, and compliance considerations. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

In this live episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, hosts Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack the forces shaping Australia's property market: from global geopolitical tensions to tax reform, interest rate pressures, and new proposals from the Victorian government. They discuss how real estate underpins the nation's economy and examine how events in the Middle East could ripple through supply chains, fuel security, and inflation – before exploring what this means for investment portfolios if interest rates rise further. Tarrant and Garman also tackle proposed changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing, including suggestions from the member for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, highlighting the need for policy certainty and the protection of existing investments to maintain trust in the financial system. Finally, they turn to industry reforms, including Victoria's proposed build and pest report requirements, and the potential impact on buyers as sellers could selectively present favourable reports. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

In this episode of The Pure Property Podcast, co-hosts Phil Tarrant and Paul Glossop explain how investors can pivot their strategies to navigate geopolitical and interest rate uncertainty in 2026. They analyse the potential impact of changes to the capital gains tax (CGT) discount and discuss how investors can repivot and plan their portfolios strategically. The hosts highlight how the proposed reforms could shift investor behaviour – encouraging longer-term holding rather than speculative buying and selling – which may increase rental pressure but is unlikely to improve overall housing affordability. Tarrant's recent acquisition in a growth market illustrates this strategy in action. By targeting an emerging area and positioning for long-term capital growth, he shows that research, timing, and a clear plan are key to navigating uncertainty. Glossop and Tarrant emphasise that while tax changes may be politically appealing, they do little to solve Australia's real housing challenge: a chronic shortage of new dwellings driven by slow approvals, strong migration, and shrinking household sizes.

In this episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, Dawn Fouhy from Future Proof Property Advisory joins host Liam Garman to unpack the art of the exit: reading market signals, timing sales, and planning profitable, strategic exits. Fouhy stresses starting with the end in mind, explaining why a clear exit strategy drives sustainable growth and prevents costly mistakes. She warns against buying based on hype or anecdotes instead of a structured plan. The conversation then explores how top investors stand out through disciplined portfolio management and letting go of properties that no longer fit their goals. She highlights an often overlooked lever to financial freedom – principal place of residence (PPOR) mortgage reduction. Finally, the 2026 Real Estate Business Buyer's Agent of the Year delves into the psychology of investing, from aligning decisions with lifestyle goals to avoiding emotional traps, and shares practical tips on market timing, commercial versus residential opportunities, and adapting to policy changes. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

In this episode of The Property Nerds, host Arjun Paliwal speaks with investor Ani Vemulpad about building wealth through strategic property investing and thinking beyond one's local market. The conversation begins with Vemulpad reflecting on the beginning of his journey, driven by a desire to understand wealth creation, something he realised was rarely taught in schools. Recognising the scale of Australia's residential real estate market, he chose not to limit his investments to his backyard and instead built a diversified portfolio across states, including NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. Using a data-driven approach, Vemulpad targeted markets with strong fundamentals, investing early in places like Adelaide and Toowoomba before they became widely recognised growth locations. A key theme of the discussion is the ability to separate emotion from investment decisions, focusing on long-term performance rather than how a property looks. Even when faced with setbacks, such as an underperforming apartment purchase in Melbourne, Vemulpad treated the experience as a learning opportunity rather than a failure. As his portfolio matured, he shifted from purely growth-focused assets toward investments that could also deliver passive income, including acquiring a rare unit block. The episode concludes with Vemulpad sharing how he achieved his long-term goal of buying a home in Sydney, highlighting how taking action, disciplined strategy, and adaptability can turn property into a powerful wealth-building tool.

In this episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, SPI managing editor Liam Garman sits down with James Nelis from The Nelis Group to discuss how elite sport discipline and having a champion's mindset build a powerhouse property portfolio. Nelis, a former semi-professional Australian Football League (AFL) player, draws on 15 years of experience in elite sport to show how discipline, strategy, and resilience drive successful property investing. Similar to training, Nelis champions the "one percenters" approach, proving that tiny, consistent actions compound into major property wins. A key takeaway from Nelis' strategy is "sequencing versus timing," encouraging investors to focus on their stage in the financial journey while using a "Moneyball"-style approach to let data guide, not dictate, their investment decisions. Nelis also warns investors against overcommitting, recalling a period of over-leveraging during rising interest rates to stress-test financial limits. He also stresses the need to manage ego and emotion to avoid short-term market swings from derailing long-term plans, while building a diversified portfolio in which each property serves a clear purpose for sustainable growth. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

In this episode of the Smart Property Investment weekly debrief, hosts Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman dive into how rising interest rates, policy shifts, and supply-demand pressures are shaping Australia's property market. As interest rates rise, mortgage repayments increase, making careful cash flow management essential for investors navigating these changes. The duo explores how financial pressure has been driving many to look beyond capital cities, where regional markets are outperforming thanks to lifestyle migration, creating opportunities for both first-time buyers and seasoned investors. At the same time, rental shortages and rising rents are intensifying challenges for tenants, while forcing investors to balance immediate yield with long-term growth. Adding to the complexity, proposed reforms to negative gearing and capital gains tax (CGT) highlight the need for strategic planning, with the Property Investors Council of Australia (PICA) advocating a sliding scale CGT discount to reward long-term investment. Meanwhile, construction delays and rising material costs threaten to worsen supply-demand imbalances, keeping property prices elevated despite broader economic headwinds. Yet, cultural and financial factors, including property's role as a wealth-building tool and the government's reliance on property revenue, provide a stabilising influence. For investors, the key takeaway is clear: consolidate debt, monitor cash flow, and avoid speculative over-leveraging to navigate uncertainty successfully. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

In this episode of Inside Commercial Property, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Scott O'Neill, CEO of Rethink Group, and Margie Baldock, senior buyer's advocate at Rethink Investing, for a candid conversation on what really drives successful commercial property investing, beyond just yields and headlines. The discussion opens with the latest interest rate movement and its unexpected impact on investor behaviour. Scott explains why rising rates may actually strengthen the commercial case, as capital shifts away from low-yielding residential portfolios and towards higher-income, long-term assets. The episode also touches on the capital gains tax debate and why structural differences between residential and commercial ownership vehicles may further increase commercial property's appeal. Margie's perspective reframes the buyer's agent role entirely: not just sourcing assets, but helping high-performing investors define "how much is enough", align investments with life goals, and protect long-term strategy from emotional decisions. Also discussed in this episode: Why commercial property can still be accessed later in life, even when residential lending becomes restrictive. The structural advantages of lease-backed lending and self-managed super fund (SMSF) purchasing strategies. How to reframe vacancy as an opportunity rather than a failure, and how short leases can be leveraged into equity gains. Why most high-net-worth investors don't actually know their required passive income number and how reverse engineering that number simplifies portfolio planning. The behavioural differences between overconfident and underconfident investors, and why sometimes "doing less" leads to stronger compounding outcomes. This episode is essential listening for investors who want a deeper understanding of how experienced commercial buyers think – from negotiating risk and pricing problems, to resisting short-term temptations, to structuring portfolios that genuinely support lifestyle freedom over decades.

In a dynamic crossover episode of The Smart Property Investment Show and the First Property Buyer Show, host Emilie Lauer sat down with PRD chief economist Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo to explore how data drives property investment decisions in Australia. They begin by highlighting the importance of analysing long-term trends, with Mardiasmo advising investors to examine seven to ten years of suburb performance rather than reacting to short-term fluctuations. Rental yield, vacancy rates, and upcoming developments in the suburbs are also flagged as key metrics for assessing potential returns and risks. Despite the recent 0.25 per cent cash rate increase, Mardiasmo says demand remains strong across the country. The duo dives deep into the different markets, noting that Sydney and Melbourne have slowed, while Brisbane's unit market surged 18 per cent over the past year, boosted in part by the upcoming 2032 Olympics. Brisbane's growth is spreading beyond the city centre to suburbs like Logan and Ipswich, offering affordable investment options. Melbourne, while slower-growing, presents value opportunities, with new apartment supply potentially driving renewed investor interest. Mardiasmo also discusses challenges for first home buyers, noting reduced borrowing power but highlighting available government grants and schemes. Overall, the episode offers practical, data-driven insights for investors and first home buyers, emphasising preparation, strategy, and market awareness. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

In this episode of The Property Nerds podcast, Arjun Paliwal from InvestorKit and Jack Fouracre from Fouracre Financial unpack the role of lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) in Australian property investment and how buyers can use it strategically. While LMI protects lenders and is usually required for deposits under 20 per cent, Fouracre calls it a "love-hate relationship" as it lets investors enter the market sooner with less cash and more leverage. According to the duo, paying LMI can allow investors to secure higher-value properties with smaller deposits, and savvy buyers can even access partial refunds if they refinance or sell within two years. Additional benefits include potential tax deductions over five years, making LMI a tool for both leverage and long-term planning. The duo then highlight the benefits of LMI waivers for certain professions, including doctors, nurses, midwives, physios, and some finance professionals, which can allow loans with as little as 5 per cent deposit and no LMI, reducing upfront costs and accelerating property acquisition. The podcast emphasises that while LMI may feel like a financial burden, it can be a strategic advantage for investors willing to understand the nuances and plan carefully.