Invest
Direct property can significantly reduce volatility in SMSFs, trustees told
Invest
Direct property can significantly reduce volatility in SMSFs, trustees told
Recent research released by Australian Unity Investments (AUI) shows investing in direct property can significantly reduce total volatility and income volatility in an SMSF portfolio.
Direct property can significantly reduce volatility in SMSFs, trustees told
According to the research, a diversified growth portfolio with no exposure to direct property has an approximately 18 per cent chance of experiencing negative total returns, whereas one that contains a standard allocation of 10 per cent to direct property has an approximately 14 per cent chance of negative total returns.
The findings came from the Property Funds Association Investment Report generated by research firm Atchison Consultants.
AUI head of portfolio management Ryan Banting said the research indicated an allocation greater than 10 per cent to direct property lowered the chance of negative total returns even further.
Mr Banting said the asset class was particularly beneficial to SMSFs as it provides a “reliable, recurring source of income, with returns above the cash deposit rate”.
“As rents are often inflation linked, they also provide a natural inflation hedge, with the potential for capital growth in the longer term,” he said.
“Direct property has also traditionally demonstrated lower capital volatility than listed A-REITS (Australian Real Estate Investment Trusts) and most other listed shares."
The reason behind this, he said, is that direct property income returns are directly correlated with the property’s rental profile.
“This has resulted in less volatile income returns than A-REITs, which have historically had a higher exposure to property developments, overseas markets and other volatile investments,” he said.
The asset class was also suited to SMSF investors as they often have a longer investment horizon, he added.
“As part of portfolio construction, having unlisted retail funds with a longer investment horizon will be able to help boost yield for the portfolio as a whole,” he said.
Mr Banting said investors hoping interest in Australian property will start to wane causing a reduction in property prices “are likely to be disappointed”.
“The stability of the Australian market, high yields, and transparency, mean that Australia will continue to be an attractive destination for overseas investments, even if the interest rate gap between Australia and the rest of the world starts to close,” he said.
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
Property
Multigenerational living is moving mainstream: how agents, developers and lenders can monetise the shift
Australia’s quiet housing revolution is no longer a niche lifestyle choice; it’s a structural shift in demand that will reward property businesses prepared to redesign product, pricing and ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: a case study in selecting the right agent when millions are at stake
In Australia’s top-tier housing market, the wrong agent choice can quietly erase six figures from a sale. Privacy protocols, discreet buyer networks and data-savvy marketing have become the new ...Read more
Property
From ‘ugly’ to alpha: Turning outdated Australian homes into high‑yield assets
In a tight listings market, outdated properties aren’t dead weight—they’re mispriced optionality. Agencies and vendors that industrialise light‑touch refurbishment, behavioural marketing and ...Read more
Property
The 2026 Investor Playbook: Rental Tailwinds, City Divergence and the Tech-Led Operations Advantage
Rental income looks set to do the heavy lifting for investors in 2026, but not every capital city will move in lockstep. Industry veteran John McGrath tips a stronger rental year and a Melbourne ...Read more
Property
Prestige property, precision choice: Data, discretion and regulation now decide million‑dollar outcomes
In Australia’s prestige housing market, the selling agent is no longer a mere intermediary but a strategic supplier whose choices can shift outcomes by seven figures. The differentiators are no longer ...Read more
Property
The new battleground in housing: how first-home buyer policy is reshaping Australia’s entry-level market
Government-backed guarantees and stamp duty concessions have pushed fresh demand into the bottom of Australia’s price ladder, lifting values and compressing selling times in entry-level segmentsRead more
Property
Property 2026: Why measured moves will beat the market
In 2026, Australian property success will be won by investors who privilege resilience over velocity. The market is fragmenting by suburb and asset type, financing conditions remain tight, and ...Read more
Property
Entry-level property is winning: How first home buyer programs are reshaping demand, pricing power and strategy
Lower-priced homes are appreciating faster as government support channels demand into the entry tier. For developers, lenders and marketers, this is not a blip—it’s a structural reweighting of demand ...Read more
