19/03/2026
In a market like Adelaide where property values have risen 79.9% in five years (Cotality), every investor made money. New builds, 1990s stock, older established. All went up.
But not every investor walked away in the same position.
We modelled three properties at $700K. Same loan. Same growth. Same equity gained.
The difference was the holding cost:
New build: $67/week after tax.
1995 build: $180/week.
1980 build: $249/week.
Over five years, that gap adds up to $29,000 to $47,000 in extra cash the established investor had to spend just to hold the property.
The reason? Two federal depreciation rules. One from 1987, one from 2017. They created a gap between new and established that most investors never compare.
Full breakdown in our latest article.
https://lunapropertygroup.com.au/blog/why-new-builds-bigger-tax-deductions-than-established