The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Negative gearing

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There was a silly suggestion the pickup in last weekend's Sydney clearance rate to 59 percent followed Scott Morrison's elevation to Prime Minstership.
But with a dismal 31 percent auction success rate in the Sutherland Shire, that perhaps needs a rethink.
Most economic trends only come after a lag, as the RBA Assistant Governor Luci Ellis recently observed.
But I do expect there will be a sharper focus on housing affordability among politicians between now and the Federal election.
Maybe the next election will even see a marked debate over negative gearing policies unlike the last. 
The recent Federal budget was light on housing initiatives, but Scott Morrison's 2017 budget saw a raft of measures.
Some were pitched at getting headlines, some aimed at long term structural changes, and some pitched as softening demand in what was then a peaking property market, which also happened to help the budget bottom line.
Morrison has been the most attentive to housing affordability of any treasurer in recent times.
He gave a keynote speech last year that noted housing affordability is not a new problem, pointing out, he like anyone in Sydney had actual experience that it has never been easy to buy a home. 
Morrison's first property purchase cost $330,000 with his wife, Jenny, bought in Bronte in 1995, where he grew up as a child, and then they upgraded to the Shire at $920,000 in 2009.
He rightly suggested, dealing with housing affordability must involve a scalpel, not a chainsaw given the likely or even unintended consequences of policy shifts.
He warned declining housing affordability can't be answered with lower economic growth especially as some two million taxpayers have an interest in a residential investment property.
Around 1.3 million of these taxpayers negatively gear, as mum and dad investors put a roof over the head of around a quarter of all renting households in the country.
Morrison has noted the Labor policy disrupting negative gearing would come at a cost, not only for investors but also to the households who rent. 
It was interesting for him to suggest previous governments had avoided dealing with many housing issues "for fear of raising and disappointing expectations."
There are some who argue the long run of low interest rates along with reduced price growth has lessened the need for the provision of negative gearing benefits.
Lower interest rates have cut the cost of money investors borrow and – as a result – the losses being claimed on tax.
But there will be a time when investors will seek out the opportunity.
Taking the prospect of the benefits away will lessen the demand for property.
Labor says its intends to reform negative gearing and the capital tax discount from a yet-to-be-determined date after the next election.
Subject to legislation, investors will likely not be able to use net investment losses on existing properties to offset wage income. And the capital gains tax discount on an investment property will be reduced to 25 per cent.
They have advised the negative gearing changes will be for existing homes, not newly built homes.
It is important to note Labor states that investments and tax arrangements already in place will not face retrospective impacts. 
So I expect there might just be a pickup in investors seeking out the opportunity of buying established property ahead of the election, given the possibility of a Labor win.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Labor's negative gearing policy will see investors buy established property ahead of next Federal election

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Australia’s peak body for property investors, the Property Investors Council of Australia (PICA), is urging all property owners to join a campaign against Labor’s “economically damaging” negative gearing policy by signing its new petition on change.org.
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Labor’s proposed changes to negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) will not serve Australia well both economically and socially.
You can’t take away upwards of 30 per cent of buyer demand and expect all property values to hold up.
Ask yourself, who’s going to buy a brand-new property and run it at a loss for several years, if they know these new properties aren’t going to have the buyer demand that they once had?
According to PICA, Labor’s proposed policy changes will have a number of damaging consequences, including: 
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The vast majority of property prices will fall, affecting all property owners – not just investors. 
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Jobs will go – both directly (construction, materials, trades, etc.) as confidence in the sector drops and indirectly (retail, furnishings, finance, etc.) due to the “wealth effect” principal that follows. 
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<li>
The economy will lag significantly – and Labor could be responsible for breaking Australia’s world record of unbroken economic growth by causing our first recession in more than 27 years. 
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Rents will rise as fewer new properties are bought or built to lease – higher demand and lower supply, as our population continues to grow. 
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We would argue to not be misled by Labor’s modelling or anyone’s modelling indicating that negative gearing will only marginally affect property prices across the entire property market.
All the modelling is flawed because it doesn’t adequately take into consideration what we believe will be a big shift in buyer behaviour. A macro reform of this magnitude will absolutely impact buyer behaviour significantly, so much so that it’s very difficult to accurately forecast any realistic model. 
How we base our view on property prices is looking at what investors will do if there is uncertainty about price growth. All you need to do is ask a simple question like, ‘Would you invest in property if it didn’t grow in value, yet you had to pay all the loan interest over the years?’ We all know the answer to that question. 
According to PICA, the one exception to falling property prices in the vast majority of markets will be soaring land values for inner-city land, as well as the risk of over-development in city fringe suburbs. 
Demand for inner-city land will soar as investors opt for quality as well as for development potential as close to the city as possible, which will push up prices.
While PICA is highly concerned about the significant economic risk of Labor’s proposed changes, it wants government to introduce regulation in the property investment industry to better protect consumers.
We don’t support Labor’s proposal for changes to negative gearing or CGT, however we are open to some potential reform to CGT exemptions to encourage long-term investors and discourage short-term speculators into the market 
We want to cooperate with all political parties and regulators to help them understand the importance of the residential property market in developing good sensible and sustainable policy. This is the reason why we have created this petition, as there are many of us who are very concerned and through this petition we can show our concern.
Ben Kinglsey is the chairman at Property Investors Council of Australia.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

PICA launches campaign against Labor’s "poorly constructed" negative-gearing policy

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New data confirms two-thirds of investors who negatively geared property were on taxable incomes of less than $80,000 a year.
The latest tax office data suggests Labor’s policy to amend the widely used property purchasing practice would mostly hit more lower-income earners with only one investment property, according to Treasury analysis of the 2015-16 tax records published in The Australian.
The statistics also included figures on the number and occupations of people affected by Labor’s $20bn plan to scrap negative gearing after the next election on any new purchases of established properties, showing 62 per cent were on taxable incomes of under $80,000 a year.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/27/who_negatively_gears.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/4/27/who_negatively_gears.jpg" alt="">
The opposition has argued that the move would target the wealthy with multiple investment properties.
However, the data shows that more than 70 per cent of negative gearers did so with only one property.
The Tax Stats are an overview of 16 million income tax returns for 13.5 million individuals, 940,000 companies, as well as superannuation funds, partnerships and trusts lodged for 2016.  
They further reveal that teachers rank behind only company chief executives and senior managers as the largest group of property investors to negatively gear, with 58,000 claiming rental losses on their tax returns.
While 72,000 investors were listed as company executives, 99,000 people claiming rental losses on their tax returns were either teachers, nurses or midwives.
Labor has long rejected claims that lower income earners would be hit by scrapping negative gearing.
It maintains 70 per cent of the value of benefits went to the wealthiest 10 per cent citing analysis by the Grattan Institute.
In the ATO data, out of the professions, surgeons had the highest average taxable income of $393,467, followed by anaesthetists on $359,056, internal medicine specialists on $291,140, financial dealers on $263,309 and psychiatrists on $211,024.
Other medical practitioners came in sixth on $199,590, followed by judicial and other legal professionals on $198,219, mining engineers on $166,557, chief executives and managing directors on $158,249 and engineering managers on $148,852.
According to the ATO, out of nearly 1200 occupations recorded, there were fewer than 100 where women had a higher average taxable income than men — they included receptionists, schoolteachers and beauticians.
"Reports in The Australian on ATO data showing that almost two thirds of investors are on an average income of less than $80,000... affirmed independent research undertaken for HIA by The CIE," said HIA’s principal economist, Tim Reardon.
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“Changes to negative gearing would adversely impact on the housing market, exacerbating the current undersupply of housing and further reduce the efficiency of the housing market.
“This reduction in house supply would also adversely impact on wage growth and GDP.
“Driving investors out of the market will force up the price of renting as nearly 25 per cent ofrental stock is provided by private investors," he noted.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Teachers at the forefront of Australia's negative gearers: ATO data

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Reforming negative gearing could save the federal government A$1.7 billion without hurting “mum and dad investors”, according to our <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/295" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.16px;">new modelling</a>, by focusing tax deductions on investors with smaller property portfolios and removing them for richer investors.
Combined with changes to capital gains tax, reforming negative gearing could make the Australian housing market more sustainable and equitable.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-why-negative-gearing-is-bad-policy-21882" target="_blank">Negative gearing </a>allows investors to claim a tax deduction if their rental income is less than their expenses. It cost the federal government A$3.04 billion in 2013-14, according to our calculations.
Our report <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/295" target="_blank">also confirms</a> that negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount incentivise housing investors to take on debt. This potentially makes the housing market less stable and crowds out first home buyers.
According to <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/foi/1876/" target="_blank">Treasury modelling</a>, the <a href="https://www.alp.org.au/negativegearing" target="_blank">Labor Party’s plan</a> to limit negative gearing deductions on newly acquired rental housing would put relatively modest downward pressure on house prices. Preliminary <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/workshops/research/2017/pdf/rba-workshop-2017-simon-cho-may-li.pdf" target="_blank">research from Melbourne University</a> has found that eliminating negative gearing would result in an increase in home ownership.
Nevertheless, there are <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-real-reasons-negative-gearing-on-housing-should-be-phased-out-43529">concerns</a> that reforming negative gearing would <a href="https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/Web/Content/Media_Release/National/2016/Changes_to_negative_gearing_will_put_jobs_and_growth_at_risk.aspx" target="_blank">harm the financial wellbeing</a> of mum and dad investors.
But using data on the distribution of property and incomes makes it possible to differentiate between poorer and wealthier investors, allowing the government to target reforms to cushion the blow for investors on lower incomes.
<h2>Targeted negative gearing reform</h2>
In our example, investors in the bottom half of the income and property distributions could be allowed to claim tax deductions for all allowable rental expenses. Those in the 51st–75th income percentiles could deduct 50% of those expenses, while negative gearing would be eliminated for those in the top 25% of incomes.
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Our modelling of this scenario shows this would save the federal government A$1.7 billion, or 57.3% of the current cost to the budget, each year. If negative gearing deductions were limited based on property values, the saving would be A$1.5 billion (or 48.3%).
Given this reform would be less likely to hurt poorer investors, they would be less likely to withdraw from the rental market than if negative gearing was eliminated. This would also mitigate the impact of negative gearing reform on renters.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-26/negative-gearing-increasing-house-prices-expert-says/8473374">Most experts agree</a> that negative gearing is <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-myths-on-negative-gearing-the-housing-industry-wants-you-to-believe-54732">linked to housing market activity</a>. However there is no consensus on just how significantly negative gearing <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/property/2018/01/23/negative-gearing-housing-market/">affects housing prices</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-rents-will-rise-under-labors-negative-gearing-proposal-59970">rental market activity</a>.
Our modelling does not focus on the impact negative gearing reform might have on the housing market, house prices, rents, or how investors might respond, but our modelling does show the impact of changing who can claim negative gearing deductions, as well as capping it at different levels.
<iframe style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/CBzl0/3/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<h2>Who benefits from capital gains tax?</h2>
Our research also identified that the capital gains tax discount has been a significant factor in the growth of negative gearing since 1999, as <a href="https://theconversation.com/policycheck-negative-gearing-reform-58404" target="_blank">investors are able to claim a rental loss but do not pay full tax on later capital gains</a>.
Home owners who also own at least one rental property receive the highest capital gains tax benefits. Our analysis showed this group has an average property portfolio valued at over A$730,000.
These home owners also have an average taxable income of A$82,000 per person, which is more than 250% of the average taxable income of renters (A$31,000).
We modelled some alternative capital gains tax scenarios reducing the discount – which would increase the tax payable on net capital gains. Our calculations show that reducing the discount would lead to higher income earners paying more capital gains tax.
This would reduce the difference between the tax payable by higher and lower income rental investors, and therefore reduce inequities in the current system.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209031/original/file-20180306-146666-1ihuc1p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/209031/original/file-20180306-146666-1ihuc1p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided, Author provided
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/295" target="_blank">Our modelling</a> shows benefits of negative gearing are skewed towards more affluent investors in middle age and in full-time employment. Investors aged over 55 or who aren’t in the labour market (those who are unemployed, retired or not working) benefit the least from negative gearing.
We need to change the way we tax housing to create a more equitable and sustainable housing market. But this needs to be done (<a href="https://theconversation.com/treasury-memo-misses-the-real-impact-of-labors-negative-gearing-policy-89765" target="_blank">and communicated to investors</a>) in a way that limits the risk of a shock to the market if investors exit the housing market.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/essay-a-sober-responsible-budget-but-negative-gearing-a-blind-spot-58922" target="_blank">Policymakers have been reluctant</a> to change the fundamental settings of the tax system, but our modelling shows it can be done in a way that limits the impact on poorer investors.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92679/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">The main limitation on this reform is behavioural, determining how investors will react to the effects of tax changes. Housing reform is complex, involving a range of market factors as well as the tax drivers.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-hodgson-94553" target="_blank">Helen Hodgson</a>, Associate Professor, Curtin Law School and Curtin Business School, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873" target="_blank">Curtin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-duncan-100759" target="_blank">Alan Duncan</a>, Director, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre and Bankwest Research Chair in Economic Policy, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873" target="_blank">Curtin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-minas-448990" target="_blank">John Minas</a>, Lecturer, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828" target="_blank">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-113482" target="_blank">Rachel Ong</a>, Professor of Economics, School of Economics and Finance, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873" target="_blank">Curtin University</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/negative-gearing-reforms-could-save-a-1-7-billion-without-hurting-poorer-investors-92679" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Negative gearing reforms could save $1.7 billion

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Labor MPs might be <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300122237/nudge" target="_blank">rubbing their hands together with glee</a> at a Treasury memo that shows the federal opposition’s negative gearing policy will have a “small” impact on the property market. But insights from <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-08/govt-negative-gearing-claims-contradicted-by-official-advice-foi/9309736" target="_blank">behavioural public policy</a>, as highlighted by the 2017 Economics Nobel laureate - Richard Thaler and his colleague Cass Sunstein, tell us that how people respond to this policy will be more about how the government frames it.
<a href="https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2018/01/FOI_1876_Documents_for_release.pdf" target="_blank">The Treasury memo</a> showed the Labor policy of limiting negative gearing to existing homeowners will have a limited impact as the changes are unlikely to encourage investors to sell quickly. Also, owner-occupiers dominate the housing market and the costs of selling are high.
However, this assumes that people are forward-looking, well-informed, good with numbers and perfectly responsive to new information. <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/behavioural-economics-a-very-short-introduction-9780198754992?cc=au&amp;lang=en&amp;" target="_blank">Behavioural economics</a> shows us that people do not always think so deeply and logically about their choices.
How any changes to negative gearing are sold to us – as a loss or gain, as a one-off or ongoing, in terms of short versus long term costs and benefits – will impact how Australians react.
Most of us aren’t whizzes with mathematics. As Nobel prize winner Herbert Simon <a href="http://diva.library.cmu.edu/webapp/simon/index" target="_blank">has shown</a>, in place of complex mathematical algorithms we use heuristics. These are simple rules of thumb that draw on our intuitions, experience and gut feel.
<h2>Heuristics and biases</h2>
One common example of a heuristic is the <a href="http://psiexp.ss.uci.edu/research/teaching/Tversky_Kahneman_1974.pdf" target="_blank">availability heuristic</a>. This is when we make decisions based on easily available information such as recent events and highly emotive experiences. Our brains work better with narratives and stories than with facts and figures.
Nobel economics laureates George Akerlof and Robert Shiller <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://press.princeton.edu/titles/8967" target="_blank">have applied</a> a similar insight to analyse people’s perceptions of housing market fluctuations. They noted that we hear lots of stories about how house prices are on an upward trend. Via the availability heuristic, we easily remember these emotionally engaging stories, much better than we can remember the dry facts about the history of house price instability and housing market crashes.
This leads us to overestimate the chances of continuing house price rises, and to underestimate the chances of a fall, driving unsustainable house price increases – as witnessed, for example, in the American sub-prime property markets before the global financial crisis.
While heuristics can help us to decide quickly, they sometimes lead us into systematic mistakes – “behavioural biases”. This does not mean that we’re all hopelessly irrational. But for negative gearing it matters how a potential change is <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://science.sciencemag.org/content/211/4481/453" target="_blank">framed</a>, and how that fits into our heuristics and biases.
Most economists (including those at Treasury) <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fungibility.asp" target="_blank">assume</a> that one dollar is a perfect substitute for any other dollar. Whether we save A$100 via a tax break, win A$100 from a scratch card or earn A$100 from working overtime, it makes no difference.
Contrary to this view, behavioural economics <a href="http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/richard.thaler/research/pdf/mentalaccounting.pdf" target="_blank">has shown</a> that the way we treat money is different depending on the contexts in which we earn and spend it. We have different “mental accounts” for consumption, wealth, regular income and windfalls. We are more likely to splurge money we’ve won from a scratch card than money we’ve earnt doing overtime.
This is another reason why framing is important. How the government frames a negative gearing change will determine the mental account to which we assign it, and therefore how we respond.
If negative gearing changes are considered a one-off hit – the opposite of a scratch card windfall – then property owners won’t worry so much. On the other hand, if the change to negative gearing is seen as an ongoing drain on our incomes, then they will worry a lot.
Another factor that will come into play is <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/106/4/1039/1873382" target="_blank">loss aversion</a> – people are much more likely to worry about losses than gains. <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w8143" target="_blank">Evidence from behavioural experiments</a> shows that home-owners over-estimate the value of their properties. This makes them reluctant to sell at reduced prices in a falling market.
It also means that Australians will resist negative gearing changes if these are framed as a loss, creating political pressures for a policy u-turn. It is difficult to predict how people might respond, but behavioural economics shows that any ructions might be avoided if the negative gearing change is framed as a gain.
For instance, Treasury <a href="https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2018/01/FOI_1876_Documents_for_release.pdf" target="_blank">predicts</a> that the additional revenue raised from restricting negative gearing could be up to A$3.9 billion. Therefore, the negative gearing changes could cover more than 80% of <a href="http://budget.gov.au/2017-18/content/bp2/download/bp2.pdf" target="_blank">federal government expenditure</a> on veterans and their families.
<h2>In the long and short term</h2>
Treasury’s <a href="https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2018/01/FOI_1876_Documents_for_release.pdf" target="_blank">modelling</a> notes there might be downward pressure on house prices in the short term from changing negative gearing, but that this will be small overall.
But <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.699.7719&amp;rep=rep1&amp;type=pdf" target="_blank">a range</a> of models and experiments have shown that people are disproportionately focused on tangible, short-term outcomes. For example, most of us find it hard to persuade ourselves to go the gym: the short-term costs are inconvenience and discomfort and the benefits seem intangible and distant. This is called “present bias”.
Recent work in behavioural economics confirms that framing (alongside a range of other socio-psychological influences) has a strong impact on our choices. Framing will determine how we perceive the policy, which mental account we will use to process it and how the various heuristics and biases identified by economics and psychologists will play out.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/89765/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">In the debates around negative gearing policy changes, these behavioural insights have not been highlighted. So perhaps Treasury could have added some psychology, alongside the economics, in arguing that house price falls are likely to be limited.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-baddeley-434298" target="_blank">Michelle Baddeley</a>, Research Professor at the Institute for Choice, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank">University of South Australia</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/treasury-memo-misses-the-real-impact-of-labors-negative-gearing-policy-89765" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Gain or Loss: Treasury misses the behavioural impact of Labor's negative gearing policy

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Federal Labor's negative gearing policy would likely have a modest downturn impact on home values, official Treasury documents have revealed.
Contradicting Turnbull Government claims the policy would "smash" Australia's housing market, the previously confidential advice to Treasurer Scott Morrison from his department has been obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information.
The ALP's plan to restrict the tax deduction, along with halving the capital gains tax (CGT) discount, was an policy difference issue at the 2016 election campaign.
The documents suggest "in the long term, increases in taxation on rental property could have a relatively modest downward impact on property prices."
It also noted as the after-tax returns for Australian investors in shares and property would fall due to the reduction in the CGT discount, households may increase their investment in owner-occupied housing which remains exempt from CGT which "would tend to counter any downward pressure on prices."
After winning a two-year FOI fight, the ABC revealed Treasury officials in early 2016 gave advice to Scott Morrison.
"The ALP policies could introduce some downward pressure on property prices in the short term, particularly if the commencement of the policy coincides with a weaker housing market," they wrote.
The department warned the price impact would be greatest if "uncertainty arising from the policy change itself" compounded any housing market "downturn that may be underway at the time".
The documents also noted Labor's proposal "runs the risk that more wealthy investors will continue to enjoy the same tax incentive benefits they get now, while more modest mums and dads will have to look elsewhere."
The papers advised previous changes to negative gearing (1985-1987) and the introduction of the CGT discount (1999) had little discernible impact on the market, though the housing market itself has historically been highly cyclical and it is "possible that uncertainty arising from the policy change itself could compound upon a cyclical downturn that may be underway at the time."
"Overall, price changes are likely to be small, though the composition of ownership may shift away from domestic investors."
"In the longterm, increases in taxation on rental property could have a relatively modest downward impact on property prices" and "returns for Australian resident investors will fall under the policy," Treasury advised. 
There were <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-08/govt-negative-gearing-claims-contradicted-by-official-advice-foi/9309736" target="_blank">18 pages in the FOI release</a> obtained by ABC political reporter Dan Conifer and ABC FOI editor Michael McKinnon.
Senior bureaucrats threatened to stop giving honest advice to the Federal Treasurer if negative gearing documents were not kept secret from the ABC.
 
 
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Labor's negative gearing will impact more in a weakened property market: Treasury

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77006/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Current market mechanisms need to be reformed to give better price signals to developers, and to direct subsidies to achieve the goal of affordable housing.
Ideally, the reforms would be comprehensive, including road congestion charges, capital gains taxes and negative gearing, tax-advantaged investment, and other measures. But such comprehensive reforms are unlikely. 
Furthermore, general solutions that apply throughout Australia may be unnecessary for problems concentrated in major cities. It is strategic to focus on more incremental, local responses that target problem areas.
A targeted solution
The suggested package of practical measures would be based on a special rate applying to new residential developments in selected urban centres. This strategic intervention is justified by being a form of benefit capture– one that would send more efficient price signals to the market. 
Also, this rate would improve the capability to deliver affordable housing with appropriate infrastructure.
This approach also creates an asset from the flow of future income from the special rate. This reliable income flow will help attract long-term investment by the private sector at relatively low interest rates (government guarantees or tax-advantaged provisions could also help attract investment).
The special rate is levied on the land area of a centre. The total income from the rate is enough to service debt used to fund infrastructure provision, as well as to compensate government for the removal of stamp duty and contributions paid by developers. 
Removing these costs will reduce up-front dwelling prices, and make the market more efficient.
How would a special rate work?
The standard rate per dwelling is set according to a target number of dwellings for the centre. A dwelling target and special rate are then allocated to each site based on its area. 
The allocated rate for a site is apportioned to individual properties at subdivision. A buyer of a dwelling would purchase property with a known obligation to pay the special rate.
If a development has fewer dwellings than its site target, then the average special rate per dwelling will be correspondingly higher. A denser development would have a lower rate per dwelling. This creates an incentive to supply more affordable dwellings at higher density.
Measures to promote transit-oriented development would be complementary. So too with inclusionary zonings that give priority to housing associations or long-term rental investors. 
This proposal could be extended by giving the agency responsible for setting the rate and providing infrastructure the authority to acquire and rezone land, and sell it to developers. This would reduce land costs and risks with gaining approvals. 
Furthermore, land could be sold for long-term rental housing at reduced prices but with additional special rates.
What’s wrong with current approaches?
Currently, no strategic pricing mechanism applies to infrastructure servicing new development. There are either no charges on development or capped ones with providing water, sewerage, drains, public domain and other infrastructure. This means developers do not have to take into account the costs of providing such infrastructure when considering their proposals.
The lack of pricing discipline does not encourage efficiency. This means subsidies, with unpriced resources used, increase with inefficiency. High-cost infrastructure developments get greater subsidies than low-cost ones, and the lower the density, the greater the subsidy per dwelling. This promotes less dense and more dispersed development. 
In essence, current pricing mechanisms are at odds with the policy goals of affordable housing and denser and better-structured urban development. This feeds, in turn, into problems like congestion management, productivity, and economic growth.
Under current arrangements, the wider public bears the cost of subsidies. The criticism here is not against subsidies, but against policies that are not efficient in achieving social objectives. Reforms are needed if markets are to be more efficient at producing affordable housing and improving wider urban outcomes.
Current policies on economic growth and affordable housing presume coherence between them. But this presumption may not be realistic. 
Economic and population growth are accompanied by increased demand for housing. The prevailing policy response is for more-of-the-same, prioritising land rezoning. This would work if it led to reduced demand for the lower-priced portion of the housing stock. This portion of the market desirably should increase with increasing prices.
This is not happening and cannot be expected to happen without some major adverse economic event. Complementary market reforms are essential to achieve economic growth with affordable housing.
The risks of blunt policy instruments
There is also a paradox: even if more-of-the-same policy worked, would it be desirable? Policy based on decreased demand for significant portions of the market may be undesirable as well as unrealistic. 
Price decreases would reduce owners’ equity. They would also reduce the value of mortgages held by lenders, such as banks. In turn, this would reduce the value of lenders’ assets and thus reduce wider lending, affecting the wider economy. 
Policies to reduce oversupply by reducing lending are sensible. However, they create a situation where prices are allowed to increase while significant decreases are prevented. 
Interest rate adjustments are a crude instrument for managing housing markets. Interest rate increases may curtail oversupply in some parts of the market but would exacerbate under-supply in the lower-priced market. 
Furthermore, government concern about perceived housing bubbles may distort interest rate policy to the detriment of the wider economy. Adopting more precise instruments would be strategic.
The proposed measures are complementary to current policies as they promote pricing reforms to make the market more efficient and more effective in producing affordable housing. They are better targeted than wider taxation and interest rate policies, and would make wider economic policy less dependent on housing issues.
Martin Payne is casual lecturer in Planning, University of Sydney and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/martin-payne-323295" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Send the market a price signal where affordable housing is most needed

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Those Federal budget announcements affecting property are actually going to have a bigger impact than initially concluded.
Young first home buyers certainly appear willing to dive into the proposed simple superannuation top-up scheme that offers tax breaks. They will likely overtime become the big Budget winners in the housing arena.
The headline housing measure kicks in from July 1 when the first-home buyer can salary sacrifice into their super account above their compulsory contribution.
Regular super remain off limits, but the scheme ought be better than money in the bank, as Treasurer Scott Morrison calculates an accelerated savings of 30 percent.
That is of course unless calamity strikes superannuation as it did in the global financial crisis.
The Budget also offered the elderly an incentive to down-size homes with tax breaks too.
But downsizes are likely to delay the sale of the family home - and not just because the new scheme doesn't start until July 2018.
Individuals who are already 65 have been urged to put off a sale at least until the legislation passes so they don't miss out on the opportunity to top up their super. 
Australians in their early 60s might also delay their downsizing if they are set to become self-funded retirees.
Of course any net proceeds from the sale of the family home will be included in the assets test for the age pension which remains a major impediment for many retirees.
Not much outcry about residential investors losing their travel expense claims when they inspect their investment property. It was good while it lasted most investors have mumbled.
But investors keen to sell their strata units have real concerns as they will be selling their second-hand properties without the attraction of a major tax deduction to the next owner.
Intended to address issues that items such as air conditioners are being claimed as tax write-offs by successive investors in excess of their actual value, it is still not clear just what the government will define as plant and equipment.
The policy intent is to restrict depreciation claims to items purchased and installed by the claiming taxpayer. Investors await draft legislation to see if it extends to say the exisiting communal lifts. 
One commentator says the changes to negative gearing depreciation claims will see investor demand for recently completed housing fall or flatline - resulting in a cooling in the Sydney apartment market price growth.
Another big measure taxing and restricting foreigners in many ways in a revenue treat for the Treasurer in the Budget will impact the market in many ways under the guise of levelling up the playing field for struggling locals.
And no one really knows just how yet that will unfold.
 
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Negative gearing changes worry the property market 

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The Federal Government may yet tinker with negative gearing in next month's budget. 
The most likely scenario would see the introduction of a limit of say two claimable investment properties or alternatively a dollar value cap on how much can be negatively geared by investors. 
There are now a record 2.05 million taxpayer individuals with an ownership interest in a rental property in Australia.
This represents a jump of 348,000 investors over six years, increasing at around 1000 every week.
The latest release of ATO data for 2014-15 tax year show the number of individuals with just the one investment property stands at a record 1.468 million.
Some 383,000 eventually get to two investment properties. 
There are therefore just 10 percent who own three or more.
Less than one percent of investors, or just 19,198, become potential headlines for their triumph by owning six or more property.
Preventing negative gearing from the third property onwards would be consistent with Treasurer Scott Morrison's view that changes to the housing market ought be done in a "surgical" role rather than involving a "chainsaw".
The data release prompts two questions in my mind: Why do Australians typically stop at just the one? How many investment properties do you need?
I have a theory that many Australians are almost accidental investors rather than professional investors.
That is they do so in a rather relaxed way, keeping up with the Joneses, heard it was a god nest egg, but with no intention of getting around to ratcheting it up beyond the one.
These investors often do so after little research, minimal financial services advice, and in their near neighbourhood and often for the use of the extended family as required.
One or two properties is definitely not enough to fully fund your retirement. 
Estate agent John McGrath suggested it could be argued that even six won’t be enough to fund your retirement if you want a good lifestyle.
He recently offered some tips to help figure out how many investments you’re going to need to achieve your goals, by saying the best idea is to work backwards.
"Say you want to fully fund your retirement with $100,000 in passive income.
"Would five properties returning $20,000 per year would work?
"Actually, no. You'll need to pay tax on that income and even if you owned all five debt-free, they’re still going to cost money to maintain."
He pointed out strata levies on five two bedroom apartments in Sydney could easily add up to $20,000 per year.
McGrath noted if you're aiming to fund your retirement, it's critical that your properties achieve solid capital growth.
He said a common strategy was selling half your portfolio to pay off the remaining assets; and you live off the income from those that are left.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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How many investment properties is enough for retirement?

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Limiting how much investors of multiple properties could negatively gear and a possible cap on the number of investor properties has divided the industry even as the government toys with ideas to cool the overheated property market.
The suggestion was favoured by SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher, who said a limit was a good idea “conceptually”, according to Fairfax Media.
The new debate opened up after news broke that the government is examining the possibility of putting a limit on the number of properties investors can buy or impose a dollar value limit on how much can be negatively geared by investors.
Questions around the preferred option hinge on how to find a measure that recognises large differences between property markets around the country and avoids generating new regional or price-bracket distortions, The Australian Financial Review reported, citing sources.
“For those who own 20 properties that are all negative geared, it does need to be done,” Christopher said. “But where you draw the line is political – two properties? Five?
“It’s a very small proportion of the population when you get to three properties plus, and at that point it would only have a small effect [on the market].”
A limit of one property would, however, have an impact on the overall demand from investors, he said.
The government has ruled out dumping negative gearing, and has also shown reluctance to lowering capital gains tax concessions. It has promised a housing affordability package in the May budget.
Experts say the latest idea is not a fix for affordability.
Grattan Institute chief executive John Daley told Fairfax Media that the idea was “genuinely stupid”.
In fact, one of the major problems facing those in the housing market today was not multiple property owners but so-called “mum and dad” landlords with just one investment property, Daley said.
“One of the fundamental problems with the Australian rental market is that it doesn’t have enough multiple property landlords,” he said.
Data from the Australian Taxation Office found slightly fewer landlords in the market but more investment properties per landlord overall.
But a majority of Australia’s 2 million landlords did not have a substantial portfolio – 72 per cent had one property in the 2015-16 financial year and 90 per cent had two or fewer.
Daley said those with large portfolios – such as 10 or 20 investment properties – would be more inclined to offer long-term leases and stability for tenants.
“There are very few big landlords and very few long-term tenancies.”
He said while the idea of portfolio investors helping the market was “counter-intuitive”, it did not make sense to blame housing affordability on a small number of multiple property owners.
BIS Oxford Economics senior manager residential Angie Zigomanis said a cap was not a good idea.
“If someone wants to add more properties to the rental stock, I don’t think we should be stopping them,” Zigomanis said.
Limiting deductions that could be claimed was more effective, as it would “reduce the willingness of an investor to pay top dollar for the property”, he said.
Domain Group chief economist Andrew Wilson said any moves to interfere and reduce investment activity would be a “disruption in the rental market” – whether from altering the tax mix or limiting how many properties investors could buy.
“It would cause higher rents, and we already have a tight rental market,” Dr Wilson said.
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