Is Property Investment Still Worth It?
If you’ve been thinking about buying an investment property, you’ve probably also seen the headlines. Every year there’s a new Federal Budget, a new round of changes to negative gearing or capital gains tax, and a fresh wave of opinions online about whether property investment “still stacks up.” It’s confusing, and it’s easy to feel like you need a finance degree just to work out if a property will actually put money in your pocket or take it out.
The good news is, you don’t need to guess. You need real numbers. That’s exactly why we built our Free Investment Property Cashflow Calculator so you can test a property against your own numbers before you commit to anything.
Why “Is Property Investment Still Worth It?” Is the Wrong First Question
After every Budget, this question does the rounds. But here’s the thing it’s the wrong question to start with, because there’s no single answer that applies to everyone. Whether an investment property is worth it depends entirely on:
- The price you pay and the rent it earns
- Your loan structure and interest rate
- Your income and tax position
- How long you plan to hold the property
- What you expect will happen to its value over time
Two people can buy almost identical properties and end up with completely different outcomes, simply because their loan setup or their expenses were different. That’s why broad headlines about negative gearing or tax changes don’t really tell you much on their own. What matters is your numbers, for your property, in your situation.
What Changed After the Budget. Why It Matters .
Recent Federal Budgets have kept negative gearing and capital gains tax firmly in the spotlight, with ongoing debate about how these settings affect housing affordability and investor demand. Whatever changes do or don’t make it through, the practical impact on any individual investor comes down to one thing: how it affects your weekly cashflow and your long-term after-tax return.
This is where a lot of people get caught out. They read a headline, panic or get excited, and make a decision based on a general news story instead of their own figures. A property that was cashflow negative by $80 a week under the old rules might only be negative by $40 a week under new settings or it might barely change at all. You won’t know until you run the numbers.
What Our Investment Property Cashflow Calculator Actually Shows You
We built this tool to take the guesswork out of the equation. It’s completely free to use, and it’s designed for everyday Australian property investors not just accountants.
When you use the calculator, you can see:
- Your likely weekly cashflow position — whether the property is likely to be positively or negatively geared
- Rental income versus your real running costs — including loan repayments, council rates, insurance, strata, property management fees, and maintenance
- How your numbers shift if you change your deposit, interest rate, or loan type (principal and interest versus interest only)
- A clearer picture of affordability — so you know what a property will really cost you (or earn you) each week, not just on paper
Instead of relying on a rule of thumb or a friend’s opinion, you get a clear, personalised snapshot based on your own figures.
Who This Calculator Is Especially Useful For
First home buyers considering “rentvesting”
If you’re weighing up buying an investment property in a more affordable area while renting where you actually want to live, cashflow is everything. This tool helps you see whether that strategy is realistic on your income.
Existing investors reviewing their portfolio
If you already own investment property, it’s worth revisiting your numbers every year — especially after a Budget or an interest rate change. What was a sound investment two years ago might look different today, and the calculator gives you a fast way to check.
Anyone asking “should I buy now or wait?”
Timing the market perfectly is impossible. But understanding your cashflow position removes a lot of the emotion from the decision. If the numbers work for your situation, waiting for the “perfect” moment often costs more than it saves.
Numbers First, Decisions Second
Property investment isn’t automatically a good idea or a bad idea it depends on whether the numbers work for you, today, under today’s rules. The investors who do well long-term are usually the ones who ran the numbers properly before they bought, rather than after.
That’s the whole idea behind this calculator. It won’t tell you which suburb to buy in or predict future capital growth, but it will give you an honest, realistic view of your cashflow position so you can make a confident, informed decision not a rushed one based on a headline.
Try the Calculator for Yourself
You can use our free Investment Property Cashflow Calculator right now, at no cost and with no obligation:
👉 Investment Property Cashflow Calculator
If your numbers raise questions or you want a second set of eyes on your loan structure, borrowing power, or overall strategy our team at Awesome Lending Solutions is here to help. We work with over 60 lenders, so we can help you find a loan structure that actually supports the outcome you’re after, not just a loan that gets you into the property.