A free investment property checklist from The Finance Yogi to model rent, costs and loan repayments before you buy a WA rental.
Before you buy an investment property, running the real numbers tells you whether it will add to your wealth or drain your cash. This free checklist covers every figure to check first.
Rent is only one side of the ledger – rates, insurance, management and loan repayments all matter. Getting the full picture upfront protects you from surprises.
As your local Perth broker, The Finance Yogi helps investors model cash flow and structure finance to build long-term wealth.
An investment property’s cash flow is simply its income less its costs. Income is the rent; costs include loan repayments, rates, insurance, management fees and maintenance.
If rent covers everything, the property is positively geared; if costs exceed rent, it is negatively geared, and the 2026 tax changes affect how that is treated.
Work through the checklist below and we will confirm your finance and borrowing position.
The best investors buy on the numbers, not the hype.
Run this checklist, and we will structure the finance so your investment works as hard as it can.
Be realistic with rent and vacancy – overestimating income is the most common mistake. Local rental evidence keeps your figures honest.
For strategy, see our guide on how to build a property portfolio in Perth.
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After 10 years inside the Big Four banks, I saw how many Perth families missed out or borrowed with the wrong lender. The Finance Yogi exists to change that - we compare the whole market and explain every number in plain English.
List every holding cost: loan repayments, council and water rates, building and landlord insurance, property management fees, strata (if applicable), and a maintenance allowance.
Adding these up gives your total annual costs. Subtract them from your net rent to see whether the property is positively or negatively geared before tax.
Run the finance numbers: estimate repayments with our borrowing power calculator, then we confirm your exact position.
How you structure the loan affects your cash flow. Interest-only repayments improve short-term cash flow, and an offset account keeps funds flexible while preserving deductibility.
The 2026 negative gearing changes also matter: new builds keep full negative gearing, while established homes bought after 12 May 2026 face restrictions from 1 July 2027. Always confirm the tax position with your accountant.
We structure finance for either path. See the full service on our investment loan broker Perth page.
Work through the final list below before you buy, and you will know exactly how the property performs.
We then structure the finance to suit your cash flow and strategy, and confirm your borrowing power for this purchase and the next.
Run these numbers and invest with confidence. For the full strategy, read our complete property investment finance guide for WA, or explore our finance services.
Book a free, no-obligation chat and we will model the cash flow and structure your finance.
Source: property investing guidance from ASIC MoneySmart, and negative gearing rules from the ATO. Tax is personal – confirm with your accountant.
