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Commercial property is being actively promoted as a compelling alternative to residential investment, particularly as higher interest rates reduce borrowing capacity and tighter tenancy laws make residential property less attractive. On the surface, the pitch is appealing: higher rental yields, tenants paying most outgoings, and the potential for capital growth. But in Stuart's assessment, current valuations make the risk hard to justify.

This episode examines commercial property through a valuation lens, explaining how cap rates work, why current pricing looks stretched relative to historical norms, and how the spread between commercial yields and the 10-year government bond rate has compressed to levels last seen before the GFC. At recent auction prices, some properties are selling on cap rates below the risk-free rate, meaning investors are accepting less income than a government bond while taking on substantially more risk.

The analysis models what happens to investor equity if cap rates revert toward their long-term average of 3.5% to 4.5% above the bond rate. The results are stark: at 70% leverage, a reversion to historical norms could wipe out most or all of an investor's equity.

Stuart also explores why cap rates have stayed compressed despite rising bond yields, and why the structural forces holding valuations up may not last. Commercial property can be an excellent investment, but only at the right price.

My new book is available for pre-order now: Pre-ordering the book will help me get it into bookstores. So please do me a favour - please consider pre-ordering now - links and pre-order bonus are available here: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

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IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Pre-Order Wealth by Design Here

This episode brings together three listener scenarios that each involve genuinely complex financial positions, multiple moving parts, significant income, and decisions where getting the sequencing right matters enormously.

The first comes from a 34-year-old specialist trainee doctor in Sydney, engaged, planning a family, and facing a highly unusual income trajectory, moving from $250k now to as low as $130k during a London fellowship, before returning to Perth as a consultant earning potentially $600k or more. The central question is whether to buy a stepping-stone property in Perth's middle-ring suburbs before income rises, renovate it during an 18-month stay, then rent it out while overseas, or wait, save, and buy a better asset closer to his forever suburbs once borrowing capacity is fully established.

The second involves a 49-year-old earning $475k with seven Melbourne investment properties worth $6.77 million, net debt of just $330k, and $920k in super, but almost no share exposure. She is three years from being able to retire on rental income, but is questioning whether her heavily concentrated, all-property strategy leaves too much on the table in terms of tax efficiency, liquidity, and long-term portfolio resilience.

The third comes from a couple in their early fifties with a nearly paid-off home, a modest investment property in a good school zone, $1.2 million in combined super, and $100k in underperforming shares, asking for honest clarity on whether early retirement is realistic and what the best path forward looks like across property, shares, and super contributions.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Pre-order Wealth by Design Here

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Superannuation's enforced long investment horizon is one of the most underused structural advantages available to Australian investors. This blog examines whether internally geared ETFs have a role to play within super, and backs the analysis with detailed financial modelling rather than theory alone.

The numbers are compelling. A 30-year-old with $200,000 in super, contributing $20,000 per year and investing in a geared diversified ETF via an SMSF, is projected to retire with a balance of approximately $4.3 million, more than 26% higher than an equivalent ungeared strategy in a low-cost industry fund. The benefit is most pronounced for younger investors with larger balances, longer timeframes, and higher contribution rates. As retirement approaches, the case for gearing weakens materially.

But the strategy carries real risks that deserve equal attention. Volatility is amplified; a 50% market fall in a 35% geared ETF produces a balance decline of around 77%. Sequence-of-returns risk can turn a strong strategy into a poor one, depending on when a major correction occurs. And the cost and compliance obligations of running an SMSF add a layer of responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

The blog also surveys the available geared ETF options in Australia, covering diversified and single-market products across a range of gearing levels. The conclusion is clear: gearing inside super can be genuinely attractive, but is best treated as a complement to ungeared strategies rather than an all-or-nothing decision.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Pre-Order Wealth by Design Here

This episode brings together four listener questions that each wrestle with a different dimension of long-term wealth building, from the early decisions that set the trajectory to the late-stage sequencing that determines how comfortably retirement unfolds.

The first comes from a 28-year-old physiotherapist two years into his career, carrying $1.1 million in mortgage debt and a $98k HECS liability, asking whether surplus savings should flow into ETFs or the offset account, and whether his wife's extra super contributions are optimally placed.

The second involves a couple aged 63 and 53 with three beachside properties, $780k in PPOR debt, and a combined income of $150k, working through four possible exit strategies to generate $150k per year in retirement income while preserving as much capital growth as possible for as long as practical.

The third is a thoughtful counter-perspective on Australia's proposed CGT changes, arguing that redirecting capital from residential property into shares could strengthen the nation's productive capacity and reduce its dependence on housing and mining wealth.

The fourth comes from a 44-year-old with three Brisbane investment properties, no shares, and 50% of his super sitting in cash since the GFC, waiting for the next major dip. He asks whether to buy a fourth property or begin tilting toward shares, and whether his cash-timing strategy inside super is sound.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Pre-Order Wealth by Design Here

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Charlie Munger left investors with ten principles that are deceptively simple and take a lifetime to apply well. This blog translates each one into practical, grounded guidance for Australian investors, moving beyond abstract philosophy to the specific decisions, mistakes, and behaviours that shape long-term outcomes in local property and share markets.

The ten principles cover starting every evaluation with downside risk before upside potential; building genuine independence from the conflicted advice that is common in Australian investment markets; preparation as the only real edge available to most investors; intellectual humility as a competitive advantage rather than a weakness; and analytical rigour that insists on evidence over compelling narratives.

The blog also explores capital allocation as the investor's single most important decision, patience as a structural advantage in a media environment designed to provoke action, decisiveness when the setup is genuinely clear, adaptability in the face of unremovable complexity like tax changes and interest rate cycles, and simplicity as the ultimate discipline.

Underlying all ten rules are four behaviours: preparation, discipline, patience, and decisiveness. These are not just investing virtues, they are the foundation of any long-term wealth-building strategy that actually works.

The hard part is never the knowledge. It is doing it consistently while the world tries very hard to distract you.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Pre-Order Wealth by Design Here

This episode brings together five listener scenarios that span the full arc of wealth building, from a 24-year-old taking his first steps to couples approaching retirement with complex, multi-property portfolios and competing priorities.

The first question comes from a 24-year-old earning $80k with $75k across shares and savings, limited borrowing capacity, and a genuine desire to start building wealth deliberately. The question is simple but important: shares or property first?

The second involves a Perth couple in their late forties, accidental investors who now hold four investment properties across Perth, regional NSW, and WA, asking whether their current asset base is enough to deliver $100k in passive income by age 60 and what strategy adjustments might be needed to get there.

The third scenario involves a high-income Sydney couple with a $3.5 million family home and two investment properties, weighing whether to sell a Box Hill property they no longer consider investment-grade to fund a $750k renovation, or hold it and carry a larger debt into their early fifties.

The fourth comes from a couple planning to retire at 55 and live in Asia on $110k per year, with a plan to sell two investment properties and shift proceeds into index funds while renting out their home.

The fifth involves a rural GP with three properties, strong income growth ahead, and a clear plan to purchase in Brisbane, looking for a sense check on sequencing, asset selection, and whether the strategy holds up as family life approaches.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Read Full Blog Here

With 30 June approaching, now is the time to review your superannuation contribution options before the annual window closes. Most of the levers available inside super operate within a tight 12-month period, and several are use-it-or-lose-it; miss the deadline, and the opportunity is gone.

This blog walks through 10 strategies worth considering before the end of the financial year. Concessional contributions remain the most tax-effective way to grow super for most Australians, with the tax saving sharpening significantly at higher income levels. Catch-up contributions deserve particular attention this year: 2025/26 is the final opportunity to use any unused cap from 2020/21, and once that year's unused amount expires, it cannot be carried forward.

Other strategies covered include contribution splitting to equalise balances between spouses, increasingly important in the context of Division 296, non-concessional contributions and the bring-forward rule, government co-contributions for lower-income earners, downsizer contributions for those aged 55 and over, spousal contributions, small business CGT cap contributions, the First Home Super Saver Scheme, and transfer balance cap planning for those approaching or already in retirement.

The blog also covers contribution reserving for SMSF members and includes a practical checklist of steps to complete before 30 June. Contributions must be received and allocated by your fund before the deadline, not simply sent. Acting by 20 June is strongly recommended.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

This episode brings together five listener scenarios united by a common thread: making sound financial decisions under competing pressures: income goals, asset quality, tax reform, and the desire for more time and freedom.

The first comes from a couple, both aged 40, with three investment properties and a growing ETF portfolio, asking what it will take to reach $200k in net annual income and reduce their working days as early as possible.

The second raises a technical but important question: under Division 296, are franking credits effectively taxed twice for those whose super balances exceed $3 million before they can access them?

The third involves a 50-year-old with an underperforming St Kilda East apartment that has delivered modest capital growth, ongoing negative cash flow, and rising body corporate costs, and whether selling and redirecting proceeds into super or a diversified ETF portfolio makes more sense than holding on.

The fourth scenario comes from a high-income couple in their mid-fifties with four investment properties and a fully offset home loan, questioning whether selling their northern Melbourne property could eliminate the need for ongoing contributions and create space to reduce working hours.

The fifth is one of the most complex scenarios the show has received — a self-funded retiree with a $4 million SMSF, a $2.8 million margin loan, and a carefully constructed strategy to reduce super below the Division 296 threshold before the tax takes effect.

My new book out in mid-2026: To join the pre-order waitlist and get a bonus. More info go to: https://prosolution.com.au/book-preorder-bonus

Do you have a question for the podcast? Email us at questions@investopoly.com.au.

If you're interested in working with our team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/family-office-services

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform.

Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://prosolution.com.au/stay-connected

IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.