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From niche to norm: Investment trends heading into 2026
According to Eda Property founder Anissa Cavallo, investment strategies once considered “niche” will likely become more common as buyers pursue asset growth to sustain them through retirement.
“We’re seeing a major mindset shift,” Cavallo said.
“Australians are finally realising their super and their property strategy must work together if they ever want to retire comfortably.”
“The average super balance won’t deliver the retirement people expect. Property remains the most effective vehicle to close that gap.”
Rentvesting
One of the most significant changes Cavallo expects to see in 2026 is the rise of rentvesting in younger buyers, particularly in the nation's capital cities.
Westpac’s 2025 Home Ownership Report found that 54 per cent of first home buyers were considering rent-vesting, a trend Cavallo anticipates will continue to grow over the next year.
“Of the first home buyers we see now, the majority end up as rentvestors,” Cavallo said.
“They can’t afford the high-growth suburbs they want to live in, but they can afford to own in the places that grow fastest.”
Cavallo said that younger buyers are now treating property as a wealth-building tool.
“Rentvesting used to be unusual, but it’s now a household term,” Cavallo said.
“Buyers are armed with more information than ever, and they’re making smarter, more strategic entry decisions.”
Self-managed super fund (SMSF)
Cavallo forecasts a sharp rise in SMSF property investing, as more Australians use their superannuation to build their portfolio, which they could not achieve through contributions alone.
With property price rises forcing buyers to seek alternative ways to enter the market, Cavallo said more are turning to their super funds.
“People are finally realising they can buy property inside their super fund,” Cavallo said.
“Had they known earlier, far more Australians would have been doing this years ago.”
While it used to cost around $10,000 to set up an SMSF, Cavallo said that buyers can now do it for around $1,500.
“That alone has opened the doors for thousands of people who previously thought it was out of reach,” she said.
“With rising super balances, 2026 will see a significant increase in SMSFs using property to build long-term wealth.”
The information paradox
While investing next door has been popular for years, Cavallo said that interstate investing has shifted from a fringe behaviour to a standard practice, driven by greater access to information and a greater awareness of local property markets.
“People aren’t as emotionally tied to their own state anymore. They’re hunting for yield, incentives and long-term growth – wherever that is,” Cavallo said
Despite increased access to information, Cavallo said fewer people are crossing state borders.
“All this information is fantastic, but it’s also extremely confusing,” she said.
“The people we see are overwhelmed with information when we meet them – and overwhelmed people don’t act.”
She said that conflicting advice and fear of making the wrong move had left prospective buyers paralysed by analysis and delayed property decisions long enough to miss entire growth cycles.
“There is now a widening gap between those who are informed and those who are actually building wealth.”
Cavallo said that as buyers become more cautious about making poor decisions, they will become more selective about whom they turn to for advice.
“They’re asking better questions about experience, independence, research capability and track record.”
“2026 will be the year investors either use information wisely, or get left behind by those who do,” Cavallo concluded.