Property portfolios could be dangerous choice for SMSFs

Property has been a popular asset choice for SMSF holders due to volatile market conditions and investor confidence remaining low within the domestic market.

“There seem to be a lot more people investing in property, and people who traditionally would have shied away from shares are now looking at their SMSF to hold property,” HLB Mann Judd SMSF specialist Andrew Yee said.

“Before, people didn’t have enough capital to buy a property in their fund, but now that a superfund can borrow – it makes it easier for them,” he said.

Mr Yee warns, however, that the perceived benefits of holding property in unstable market conditions could be detrimental to retirement savings.

“It can be dangerous having just property in your SMSF as it is an illiquid asset and not easy to sell,” Mr Yee said.

“If you’re drawing a pension, you need to be able to draw the minimum amount from your pension every year, so you have to make sure the income from the property is able to provide for that.”