Negative Gearing Limits 2027: What Investors Lose
The negative gearing changes announced in the 2026 Budget are the most significant restriction on residential property investment in Australia's recent tax history, and they are now law. Announced in the 2026-27 Federal Budget on 12 May 2026 and enacted in June 2026, the change means that from 1 July 2027, investors who purchase established residential property after 7:30pm AEST on Budget night will no longer be able to offset rental losses against their salary or business income. The cut-off is clear: existing property holders are grandfathered indefinitely, new builds remain fully exempt, and the change affects only established dwellings acquired from that point forward. It was arguably the most politically contested element of the entire Budget package.
Read MoreWhat the 2026 Budget Means for Real Estate Agents
If you sell residential property, manage rentals, or work as a buyer's agent in Australia, here's what the federal budget 2026 real estate changes actually mean, for both your business and the market you operate in. The 12 May 2026 Federal Budget delivers several measures that land on the property sector from two directions: changes that affect your investor and vendor clients (negative gearing limits, CGT reform), and changes that affect your own business operations (the permanent instant asset write-off, plus payday super and ATO compliance funding, which were set before this Budget but land in the same period). Neither set can be treated in isolation. A well-informed agent who understands both sides of these changes will have better conversations with clients, and will end up paying less tax personally. For the full picture of what you can already claim, see our guide on tax deductions for real estate agents in Australia.
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