Melbourne property investment guides
27 guides, about 78 minutes of reading in total. Every cost, yield and timeline figure below comes from our own transaction record or from a named primary source — the State Revenue Office, the Victoria Planning Provisions, the ATO or ACARA. Where a figure has been withdrawn or corrected, the guide says so on the page.
Subdivision buying questions, with the missing costs included
Explore VicSmart eligibility, separate titles, profit, cash flow, GST and resale evidence before treating a block as a development opportunity.
Open the development FAQBuyer Education
What a buyer's agent does, what one costs, how the fee compares with a selling agent's commission, and how the auction and negotiation process actually runs in Melbourne.
How Much Does a Buyer's Agent Cost in Melbourne? (2026 Guide)
Buyer's agent fees in Melbourne: one flat $15,800+GST for every PremiumRea client — investment or owner-occupied, whatever the price. Includes conveyancing. Average savings of…
Buyer's Agent vs Real Estate Agent — What's the Difference?
A real estate agent works for the seller. A buyer's agent works exclusively for you. Learn the key differences in fees, loyalty, negotiation strategy, and legal obligations.
First Home Buyer Guide Melbourne — Grants, Stamp Duty & Strategy (2026)
First home buyer in Melbourne? $10,000 FHOG available. Stamp duty exemption under $600K. VHF scheme: only 5% deposit needed. Complete guide with step-by-step process and smart…
Auction Strategy Melbourne — How to Win Without Overpaying
Melbourne auction strategies from buyer's agents who negotiate 200+ properties/year. Unconditional offers, pre-auction timing, bid psychology, and when to walk away. Real negotiation…
Buyer's Agent Melbourne — Complete Guide to Buyer's Advocacy (2026)
Everything about using a buyer's agent in Melbourne: what they do, how they save you $30K-$80K, off-market access, due diligence process, and fee structures. 200+ properties transacted…
How Buyer's Agents Negotiate — Tactics That Save $30K–$80K
Real negotiation tactics from buyer's agents who transact 200+ properties/year. Unconditional offers, pre-auction strategy, blind negotiation wins, and settlement leverage. Case…
Victorian Homebuyer Fund (VHF) — Closed to New Applicants: What It Was and What Replaced It
The Victorian Homebuyer Fund shared-equity scheme is CLOSED to new participants. This page is retained as a reference for existing VHF participants and as background. If you are buying…
Rentvesting Strategy Australia — Rent Where You Live, Invest Where It Grows
Rentvesting: rent a nice apartment for $400-$500/wk, buy a $700K investment earning $600+/wk. Build equity in 5-7 years to fund your dream home. Complete strategy with real Melbourne…
One-Stop Property Investment Service — Buy, Build, Rent & Manage
Historical granny-flat investment examples and completed-transaction evidence. Compare the stated cost and rent assumptions; follow E2ES for current drawings, GST-inclusive state…
First Home Buyer Guide Melbourne — Step-by-Step Process, Grants & Costs (2026)
Melbourne first home buyer guide 2026: stamp duty exemption to $600K, FHOG $10,000, buy on a 5% deposit with no LMI, plus the full step-by-step process.
Investment Strategy
Granny flats, rooming house conversions, renovation and subdivision — the four ways we add income to an existing block, with the real build costs and the rules that govern each.
Granny Flat Investment Guide — Costs, Returns & Rules (2026)
Historical granny-flat investment examples and completed-transaction evidence. Compare the stated cost and rent assumptions; follow E2ES for current drawings, GST-inclusive state…
Rooming House Investment Strategy — What It Costs and What the Law Requires
A Victorian rooming house is defined by occupant count — 4 or more people, not 4 or more leases (Residential Tenancies Act 1997 s 3(1)). Across our own 48 conversions the median works…
Property Renovation Strategy — What Adds Value & What Doesn't
Renovation costs in Melbourne: full paint $6,200+GST, SPC flooring $62/m², kitchen $12K-$15K, bathroom $15K. Best ROI upgrades and common over-capitalisation traps. Real investor data…
Granny Flat Rental Income — How Much Can You Earn? (2026 Data)
Historical granny-flat investment examples and completed-transaction evidence. Compare the stated cost and rent assumptions; follow E2ES for current drawings, GST-inclusive state…
Best Melbourne Suburbs for Property Investment — Data-Driven Guide (2026)
Best Melbourne investment suburbs 2026: Hampton Park, Cranbourne, Narre Warren (5%+ yields), Frankston ($1B hospital), Boronia (subdivision potential). Plus suburbs to avoid. Real…
Property Subdivision Melbourne: A Buying and Feasibility Guide
Property subdivision Melbourne: check the planning pathway, separate titles, total development costs, cash requirements and sale evidence before buying a site.
Rooming House Conversion Melbourne — Real Costs, Real Yields, Real Licensing
Across 48 rooming-house conversions we have published as open data, the median works cost was $84,668 and the median gross yield 6.94%. A Victorian rooming house is defined by occupant…
Finance & Tax
Stamp duty, land tax, negative gearing, capital gains tax, depreciation and loan structure — the numbers that decide whether a purchase works, with the primary-source references.
Negative Gearing Explained — How Australian Property Tax Works (2026)
Negative gearing lets you deduct investment property losses from your taxable income. Best for $150K+ salaries. Example: $70K property, $10K annual shortfall = $4,500 tax refund at 45%…
SMSF Property Investment — Can You Buy Property with Super? (2026)
Factual explainer: how an SMSF can hold direct residential property, what an LRBA is, and the ATO restriction that blocks granny flats, subdivision and structural renovation while the…
Stamp Duty Victoria — Rates, Exemptions & Calculator (2026)
Victorian stamp duty: ~5.5% for investors. First home buyers: 100% exempt under $600K, sliding scale $600K-$750K. Foreign buyer surcharge: additional 8%. Complete 2026 rates and…
Investment Property Loan Guide — IO vs P&I, LVR & Borrowing Capacity (2026)
Investment loan guide: P&I rates 6.39-6.59%, IO rates 6.49-6.79%. 80% LVR standard, 90% with LMI ($15K-$18K). Borrowing capacity ~5x income. Couple strategy for maximum borrowing…
Property Tax Deductions Australia — What You Can & Can't Claim (2026)
Investment property tax deductions: mortgage interest, land tax (~$2K/yr), council rates (~$2K/yr), insurance (~$1.5K/yr), depreciation (2.5%/yr). What's NOT deductible: stamp duty, BA…
Capital Gains Tax on Property — Rules, Discounts & Strategies (2026)
CGT on property: 50% discount after 12 months. 6-year rule: live in 6-12 months then rent = 100% CGT-free. Trust vs personal ownership. Refinance strategy to avoid CGT entirely.
Victorian Land Tax and Vacant Residential Land Tax — Rates, Thresholds and Dates (2026)
Victoria's land tax threshold is $50,000 and one State Revenue Office rate table covers the 2024 to 2033 land tax years. Site value $600,000 attracts $2,250, $800,000 attracts $3,450…
Property Investment Accounting — Tax Planning, Structures & Deductions Guide
Property investment accounting: personal vs trust vs SMSF ownership. Trust setup $600-$1,980. Annual accounting ~$3,000. Negative gearing for $150K+ earners. Complete tax planning…
Construction Loan for Granny Flat — How to Finance Your Build (2026)
Historical granny-flat investment examples and completed-transaction evidence. Compare the stated cost and rent assumptions; follow E2ES for current drawings, GST-inclusive state…
Property Management
What management costs, how tenants are screened, and the Victorian compliance obligations that fall on the landlord rather than the agent.