Collective Financial Solutions

Smart investing in 2026 may be less about pushing limits and more about keeping your lending options flexible.

A few trends are already shaping how investors approach the year ahead:
Tighter lending for bigger loans. From February, banks must limit how many higher debt-to-income loans they write, which may reduce borrowing power for some investors and make outcomes vary more from lender to lender.
Rates still matter – even between Reserve Bank meetings. Lenders can change pricing and serviceability settings independently, which can affect your borrowing capacity and your cash flow.
More investors are using alternative pathways. Self-managed super fund investing and rentvesting are staying popular for people balancing lifestyle choices with longer-term wealth building.
With rules and lender settings moving around, the difference often comes down to which lender you use and how the loan is set up – repayment type, offset strategy, buffers and making sure today’s choice doesn’t block tomorrow’s plans. e

If you’re reviewing an investment loan or planning your next purchase, contact me and I’ll help you structure it with flexibility in mind.

If you’re shopping in the ‘affordable’ bracket, competition may be getting tougher, not easier.

Since the federal government expanded the 5% Deposit Scheme in October 2025, Cotality analysis shows homes under the scheme’s price caps have generally outperformed homes above them. In the December quarter, median prices rose 3.6% under the cap versus 2.4% above the cap.

Why would the lower end grow faster?
Buyers moved early. Some people acted ahead of the official start date to buy before conditions got tighter.
Borrowing limits are doing the steering. With serviceability still a hurdle, more buyers are gravitating toward properties that feel manageable week to week.
Quick reality check before you rely on the scheme
Price caps matter (and vary by location).
Not every lender treats the scheme the same way.
Your borrowing limit still depends on normal credit checks.
If you’re considering a purchase under the 5% Deposit Scheme cap, contact me and I’ll check eligibility, lender participation and what the repayments look like.

SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THE 5% DEPOSIT SCHEME