Melbourne, Victoria & Australia-Wide
Commercial Property Investment
Melbourne & Victoria
Retail, office, industrial and business real property — assessed against your strategy, including how it may fit inside an SMSF.
Enquire About Commercial PropertyFind The Right Property For Your Strategy
Looking For A Commercial Property Investment In Melbourne Or Victoria?
Commercial property can offer investors rental income, longer lease terms and portfolio diversification. However, commercial property is fundamentally different from residential property and requires a different approach to due diligence and risk assessment.
At properT network, we help investors investigate commercial property opportunities that may complement their broader investment strategy, financial objectives and existing portfolio.
Through our extensive property industry experience and network of developers, agents, property professionals and other industry contacts, we can investigate commercial property opportunities across Melbourne, Victoria and Australia.
Our role is not simply to find a commercial property with an attractive advertised yield.
It is to determine whether the property, tenant, lease, location, price and investment fundamentals make sense for you — and, where relevant, whether it’s an appropriate fit within an SMSF structure.
Strategy first.
Property second.
What Is Commercial Property Investment?
Which Commercial Property Type Suits Your Strategy?
Commercial property covers a wide range of asset types, each with a different tenant profile, lease structure and risk and return characteristics.
Retail Property
Shopfronts, showrooms and similar premises leased to retail tenants, typically with exposure to foot traffic and consumer demand.
Office Property
Premises leased to business tenants for administrative, professional or corporate use, often on longer lease terms.
Industrial & Warehouse
Warehousing, logistics and light industrial premises, generally leased to businesses needing storage or distribution space.
Worth Exploring
Business Real Property
Property used wholly and exclusively in a business — one of the few commercial categories that, under strict arm’s-length terms, can also be leased to a related party.
Beyond The Advertised Yield
Not All Commercial Property Is Investment Grade
Commercial property carries a different risk profile to residential — longer leases can mean longer vacancies too. We look at the bigger picture.
Location
What is actually driving tenant demand in the area, beyond the label of a “growth precinct.”
Lease & Tenant Covenant
How strong is the tenant, how long is the lease, and what happens at expiry?
Vacancy Risk
Commercial vacancies can run longer than residential — what would holding costs look like if the property sat empty?
Building & Compliance
Does the building meet current codes, and what capital works might be required?
Market Depth
Commercial property typically has fewer buyers and sellers than residential — what does that mean for resale?
Land & Improvements
What portion of the value is land, and how does that compare with alternatives?
Outgoings
Council rates, land tax, insurance and maintenance — and who is responsible for each under the lease.
Growth Potential
What factors could support long-term capital growth for this property specifically?
Cash Flow & Exit Strategy
What will the property realistically cost to hold, and who is likely to want to buy it in future?
A Different Way To Use Leverage In Super
Commercial Property & Your SMSF
From 10 August 2026, SMSFs can no longer enter new Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangements (LRBAs) to buy residential property. Existing residential LRBAs are unaffected and can still be refinanced. Commercial and business real property is different — an SMSF can still borrow to acquire it, which makes commercial one of the few remaining ways to use leverage inside super.
What’s Still Possible
Borrowing Inside Your SMSF
Commercial SMSF loans typically require a larger deposit than residential lending has in the past — generally in the order of 30–35% — with capital growth and rental income both applying to the full property value, not just the cash contributed.
Business real property is also one of the few assets an SMSF can acquire from, and lease to, a related party — including a fund member’s own business — provided it’s done on strict arm’s-length commercial terms.
Worth Discussing With Your Adviser
- Whether your fund has a large enough deposit to gear into a commercial property
- Whether a business real property strategy suits premises you or your business already occupy
- How a bare trust / holding trust structure applies to an SMSF commercial loan
- How rental income and capital gains are taxed inside super versus in your own name
General information only, not personal financial, legal, tax or lending advice. SMSF borrowing rules are strict and carry real risk, including the risk of loss. Speak with your accountant, financial planner or SMSF specialist about whether a commercial property strategy is appropriate for your fund before making any decision. Full detail on the residential LRBA changes is available directly from the ATO.
Where Can We Source Commercial Properties?
Melbourne, Regional Victoria & Australia-Wide
Our network extends across Melbourne, Victoria and Australia. We can investigate commercial opportunities in CBD, metropolitan and regional markets depending on your strategy.
These locations are examples of markets where opportunities may exist — not automatically recommended investment locations.
Access, Not Just A Listing
Access To A Broad Property Network
Through our extensive experience in the Australian property industry, properT network has developed relationships with a broad range of property professionals, including those experienced in commercial and SMSF transactions. Access does not mean recommendation — we assess each opportunity against your strategy before recommending you consider it.
Why Work With properT network
Strategy Before Property
With extensive experience in property investment advisory and buyers advocacy, we are not simply interested in helping you purchase a property. We want to help you make an informed investment decision.
How We Help You Choose
Our Commercial Property Selection Process
Understand Your Objectives
What you want your property investment portfolio — personal or SMSF — to achieve.
Establish Your Strategy
Your budget, borrowing capacity, existing portfolio, desired income and long-term objectives.
Identify Suitable Property Types
Retail, office, industrial or business real property — whichever may be appropriate for your strategy.
Research Locations
Infrastructure, tenant demand, supply and other commercial investment fundamentals.
Confirm Borrowing Capacity
Including SMSF lending criteria, where a fund is intending to borrow to acquire the property.
Source Opportunities
Using our industry network to identify suitable properties and developments.
Assess The Numbers
Purchase price, rental income, outgoings, holding costs, potential yield and other financial considerations.
Conduct Due Diligence
Investigating the property, tenant, lease, contracts and relevant risks.
Help You Decide
Providing the information and guidance you need to make your own informed decision.
Property Option Types
Australia-Wide, Melbourne-Focused
Looking For A Commercial Property Investment In Melbourne Or Victoria?
Let’s Find The Right Commercial Property For You
Tell us what you are trying to achieve, your budget, your borrowing structure — personal or SMSF — and your investment objectives, and we can investigate suitable commercial opportunities across Melbourne, Victoria and Australia.
Enquire About Commercial PropertyOne Network. Nationwide Reach.
Part Of The properT network Family
Investment Property Melbourne is one specialist site within the properT network group — the same independent advisory approach, applied across states and property types.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of commercial property are available in Melbourne?
Commercial property in Melbourne includes retail premises, office space, industrial and warehouse property, and business real property used wholly and exclusively in a business.
Can I buy commercial property through my SMSF?
Yes. Unlike new residential property, which SMSFs can no longer borrow to acquire as of 10 August 2026, commercial and business real property can still be purchased using a Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement. Whether this suits your fund depends on your circumstances — speak with your accountant or financial planner.
Can my SMSF buy the premises my own business operates from?
Potentially, yes. Business real property is one of the few assets an SMSF can acquire from, and lease to, a related party, including a fund member’s own business — provided the arrangement is on strict arm’s-length commercial terms. This is general information only, not advice specific to your situation.
Is commercial property riskier than residential property?
It carries a different risk profile rather than simply being “riskier.” Commercial leases tend to be longer, but vacancies can also run longer, and there are typically fewer buyers and sellers in the market than for residential property.
Do you provide SMSF or lending advice?
properT network does not provide personal financial, legal, tax or lending advice. We help investigate commercial property opportunities that may suit your strategy, and recommend you work with your accountant, financial planner or SMSF specialist on the advice side.
Do you help with commercial property outside Melbourne?
Yes. Although this website focuses on Melbourne, properT network has an Australia-wide property investment network and can investigate suitable commercial opportunities in other locations where appropriate.
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