Guide to investing in property

Let us help guide you through one of your biggest financial commitments – buying or investing in a house.

Be prepared

Why invest your money

Making money generally comes two ways – via working and investing. Investing your money means making your money work hard to help generate more money. 

People invest their money for all kinds of reasons – some have the goal of not having to work, while some want to be able to pay for their children’s education or to simply live a desired lifestyle in retirement. 

Whatever your goals, it’s wise to consider ensuring your money is being invested, rather than just sitting in your back pocket.  

Investment strategies

You can invest your money in a number of ways, including:

  • Interest-earning savings accounts
  • Term deposits
  • Property
  • Shares and bonds
  • Business investments
  • Superannuation investments

While some investments may be more suited to you than others, it’s important to consider how a diverse investment portfolio can increase your ability to make money, and decrease risk factors. 

Talk to a professional

Seeking professional help can be a good way to get started and review your current investments. If you’re considering purchasing a property as an investment now could be a good time to talk to somebody. 

It’s important to think carefully about who you speak to and what their agenda might be. Services you might approach include a financial planner or an accountant. 

Deciding to invest in property

When investing in property you will need to have an understanding of how you intend to make money from the investment. Consider the different types of property investment strategies available to help work out which you may be interesting in pursuing.

The strategy you go with could impact the decision on where and what you will buy. 

How much will I need for a deposit?

The minimum deposit depends on the type of loan. As a guide, try to save at least 20% of the property’s value, plus a bit extra for other costs.

If you’re borrowing more than 80% of the property’s value, your lender may require you to pay Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance. The more you have for a deposit, the less interest you will pay.

If you're a first home buyer purchasing an investment property or helping a family member purchase their first home, then you may be able to use a guarantor solution to contribute to the deposit.

What would my repayments be?

To find out what your repayments could be use our home loan repayments calculator. This calculator helps you to estimate the true cost of your mortgage, including stamp duty, rates, insurance, maintenance, and more.

Talk to one of our lending specialists to organise pre-approval for an investment property. 

Knowing the cost

Cost of buying

The cost of buying an investment property will depend on a number of things. The purchase price will depend on what kind of property you buy and where it is. Aside from the purchase price, there will be a number of other costs to consider when purchasing an investment property, such as:

  • Stamp duty
  • Settlement fees
  • Home loan application fee
  • Mortgage registration fee
  • Insurance
  • Utility connection (if needed)
  • Inspection costs

Calculate the cost of buying a property  

Cost of owning and managing a property

The cost of owning and managing an investment property will vary depending on your strategy. Costs you may need to consider include:

  • Council rates
  • Strata/Body Corporate fees
  • Water use
  • Renovation and maintenance costs
  • Property management fees 
  • Insurance
  • Rental costs
  • Costs associated with reselling the property

Learn more about the cost of managing a property

Landlord Insurance
Protect your investment property and landlord’s contents from insured events such as theft, fire, storm and malicious damage.
Getting a Home Loan

What is a fixed interest rate loan? 

A fixed rate loan allows you to lock an interest rate for a fixed period of time. It helps safeguard you against any changes to interest rates, making it easier to know exactly what repayments will be for the fixed period. A disadvantage could be that you won’t benefit from any decrease to interest rates, and breaking the fixed term may incur a cost.

What is a variable interest rate loan?

A variable rate loan means the interest you pay can go up and down in response to changes in the Reserve Bank of Australia cash rate, and changes made by the credit provider. The advantages and disadvantages of a variable rate are pretty simple – if the rate goes down, you’ll be paying less, if it goes up, you’ll be paying more. 

What is pre-approval?

Heritage offers a formal pre-approval process to help give you some peace of mind when you’re wanting to make an offer on a property. Visit your local branch or phone 13 14 22 to find out if you qualify for a pre-approval.

How do I apply for a Home Loan?

Download our handy Applying for a Home Loan Checklist to make sure you’ve got what you need. Start your application online now, call 13 14 22, or visit your nearest branch to get the ball rolling.

Research tools
Home loan repayment calculator
How much can I borrow?
Home loan refinancing calculator
The home loan application process
Buying your first home guide
Investing in property
Get a personalised Key Fact Sheet
Interest rates for new home loans (PDF)
Interest rates for loan switches, refixes and products withdrawn from sale (PDF)
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Things you should know

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This material has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs ('your circumstances'). Before making a decision, consider whether any advice given is appropriate to your circumstances, and read the relevant terms and conditions and Product Disclosure Statement (available in-branch or at heritage.com.au) to decide whether a product is right for you. You should also consider obtaining independent investment, taxation and/or legal advice before proceeding. Lending criteria, limits, conditions, fees and charges apply. Target Market Determinations available at www.heritage.com.au/TMD


Things you should know

*

This material has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs ('your circumstances'). Before making a decision, consider whether any advice given is appropriate to your circumstances, and read the relevant terms and conditions and Product Disclosure Statement (available in-branch or at heritage.com.au) to decide whether a product is right for you. You should also consider obtaining independent investment, taxation and/or legal advice before proceeding. Lending criteria, limits, conditions, fees and charges apply. Target Market Determinations available at www.heritage.com.au/TMD

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