Navigating Property Investment Rules: What’s Changing in 2026?

Property investing thrives on clarity. Even when rules evolve—assessment buffers, interest-only criteria, tax treatment—the winning approach is to stay informed and plan ahead.

Common areas of change

• Lending criteria: Serviceability buffers, interest-only terms, and rental shading can shift.
• Tax settings: Depreciation rules, interest deductibility, and land tax vary by property type and state.
• Regulatory priorities: Credit growth, investor concentration, and systemic risk may influence policy.

How to prepare for change

• Stress test your numbers: Model rate rises, vacancies, and maintenance surprises.
• Keep documentation tight: Leases, expenses, and improvement records.
• Review structure: Ownership and debt split decisions can have long-term implications.

Investor-friendly habits

• Maintain buffers: Cash and offset balances are your shock absorbers.
• Diversify prudently: Location, dwelling type, tenant profile.
• Reprice or refinance: Don’t let legacy rates drag returns.