top of page
SMSF commercial property


Holding Costs: Why Purchasing Vacant Land with Your SMSF Is a Roadblock (And What to Buy Instead)
Talking to many clients, we’ve heard this question countless times: “I want to buy a block of vacant land with my Self-Managed Super Fund. Can I get a loan for it?”It’s an attractive idea. You picture acquiring a prime piece of earth, developing it, and watching its value skyrocket your retirement savings. It sounds like the perfect wealth-creation strategy for your Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF).But let us give you the expert, clear-cut answer: While acquiring land
Oct 4, 2025


Grow Your Business Through Commercial Property in Your SMSF
If you’re self-employed in Australia, you have full control over how much you earn. You’re probably on a constant move to grow your business and build a more secure financial future. You might be paying significant rent for your business premises, and perhaps you’ve often thought, “Imagine if this money was coming back to me.”Well, imagine no more. Here’s one of the most powerful strategies for business owners like you: use your Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) to purchase the
May 15, 2025


Trends in SMSF Property Investment
Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) have become an increasingly popular vehicle for Australians looking to take control of their retirement savings, particularly through property investments. With evolving market dynamics and emerging trends, SMSFs are presented with a range of property investment opportunities that offer potential returns and long-term stability. From commercial property to sustainable developments and specialised housing, these key trends highlight the ways SM
Sep 12, 2024


SMSFs Purchasing Commercial Property as Rental Prices Remain Strong
For business owners operating out of leased commercial spaces, Australia’s solid rental market has meant that rent is becoming unaffordable in the current economic environment. Many business owners with self-managed super funds (SMSFs) are opting to purchase commercial property inside their SMSF and lease it to their business — while this doesn’t provide the business with cheap rent, what it does do is allow the business to claim a tax deduction for the rent expense while th
Aug 8, 2024


Tax Deductions for Real Estate in SMSFs
Real estate owned by SMSFs can be eligible for tax deductions. We look at relevant concessions and tax deductions tied to different types of properties under an SMSF setup. What Types of Properties are Eligible for Tax Deductions? Various property types within SMSFs come with their tax benefits. Here's a quick list: Residential properties (e.g., houses, apartments). Holiday houses. Bed and breakfast establishments. Commercial properties (e.g., shops, factories). Vacant land.
Oct 14, 2023


Can You Sell Your SMSF Property Assets to a Related Party?
Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs) have the flexibility to invest in a diverse range of properties, spanning residential, commercial, industrial, medical, and vacant land. A common query amongst SMSF property investors is whether they can sell their SMSF property assets to a related party (such as a family member or friend). Keep reading as we unpack what SMSFs can and can't do when it comes to transferring or selling property out of their fund. Can my SMSF sell its i
Sep 5, 2023


Complete Guide to the Process of SMSF Property Valuation
When investing in direct property within a self-managed super fund, a necessary step is to have a prospective investment property valued. There are several ways that self-managed super funds can value properties at different stages in the investment cycle. This guide takes you through everything you need to know about SMSF property valuations. What are SMSF property valuations? Property valuation refers to the process of determining the worth of a real estate property to unde
Aug 20, 2023


SMSF and Estate Planning: Should You Include an SMSF in Your Will?
Estate planning is an important part of everyone's life, even though it may not be the most enjoyable. Understanding how and when (and to whom) your assets will be passed down can provide not only peace of mind for you while you're alive, but also to your loved ones once you've passed. Considering that your superannuation will likely be one of the largest financial assets you hold at the time of your passing, it's important to understand how your SMSF affects your estate plan
Apr 15, 2023


What you need to know about your SMSF and GST
Owning a self-managed super fund (SMSF) in Australia means keeping your finger on the pulse across numerous financial, legal and investment landscapes. Before purchasing SMSF property under their fund, many SMSF owners want to understand the implications of their SMSF and GST. We provide a brief guide to understanding more about goods and services tax (GST) and SMSF ownership below. Does a self-managed super fund need to be registered for GST? Just as business entities in A
Mar 25, 2023


Reasons To Consider Using Your SMSF to Buy Property
One of the benefits of having your own self-managed super fund (SMSF) is the ability to buy residential or commercial property. Unavailable in an industry or retail fund, an SMSF is the only type of super fund in Australia that allows you to invest directly in property. Read on to find out the benefits of investing in property via your SMSF, as well as the associated legal compliance regulations. The benefits of using your SMSF to buy property Property can help you to diver
Dec 6, 2022


Changes To Disqualification Declaration For Corporate Trustees
As a corporate trustee of a self-managed super fund, SMSF compliance is one of your top priorities. Recently there has been some flow-on impacts to super laws thanks to changes in insolvency laws. If you want to keep up with super legislation then we encourage you to keep reading as we bring your attention to important changes that could affect how you declare that your corporate trustee is not disqualified. What's changed for an SMSF corporate trustee? SMSF Trustees, regardl
Jun 29, 2022


What Does the Housing Price Increase Mean for the Future?
There has been a residential property price boom across Australia over the last 12 to 18 months. According to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics , Australian property prices grew by a whopping 23.7% in 2021.This is the third-largest annual increase on record. The highest was in 1950 when prices doubled after World War II price restrictions were lifted, followed by 1989 when prices increased by 29%. History tells us that such large property price incre
Apr 7, 2022


How to Make Sure Your SMSF Assets are Protected After You Die
If you have your own self-managed super fund (SMSF), it's crucial to ensure your assets will be protected and appropriately distributed after you die. You've been committed to making the best investment decisions for your fund, but it's equally important to include effective estate planning too. Read on to find out about: What happens to your fund's assets after you or an SMSF member dies. The best way to protect and distribute your SMSF assets after your death. The risk of n
Mar 22, 2022


How to make sure your Commercial Property Lease to a related party passes your SMSF audit
There’s no doubt that times have been tough for many businesses since Coronavirus came knocking at our economic door. If you’re one of the many SMSFs who hold commercial property and lease it back to either your own business or a loved one’s, this year’s audit could prove more precarious than ever. More and more SMSFs are facing an increase in their risk exposure thanks to leasing commercial property — particularly when a related party transaction is involved. We are here t
Jan 3, 2022


Benefit Your Business and Your SMSF by Becoming Your Own Landlord
If you’re a business owner with an SMSF, it’s possible to become your own landlord and take advantage of tax and super benefits. Do you rent a commercial property for your business to operate out of? Imagine if all the rent you pay was going straight back into your own pocket. If your SMSF buys a commercial property to rent to your business, you’re basically becoming your own landlord and paying rent to yourself. But are you allowed to rent a property from your SMSF? When i
May 12, 2021


If You Hold Property In Your SMSF, You Could be at Risk
If you’re like the many other SMSF members who primarily hold property in their super fund, you may be breaking superannuation laws and exposing your fund to high levels of risk. But don’t panic — there are steps you can follow to ensure your SMSF remains compliant while minimising risk. my SMSF invest solely in property? It’s important to note that while a single asset strategy is not prohibited, the grounds for investing solely in property — or any other asset class — must
Apr 29, 2021


Tired of Paying Rent to a Stranger for your Business Premises?
Who has not heard a 100 times that rent is dead money. That might be the case unless you are paying it to your own superannuation fund (SMSF). Many business owners don’t realise that they could use their superannuation (and their spouse’s super) as a deposit to purchase a premises for their business to operate from. Using superannuation to purchase business real property Consider the following example, which could apply in almost any industry for any commercial property fr
Oct 17, 2016
bottom of page
