Buying property through a self-managed super fund (SMSF) involves lending rules that don't apply to standard home or investment loans. SMSF property purchases using borrowed funds must generally be structured through a limited-recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA), which comes with specific legal, lending and compliance requirements.
From 10 August 2026, SMSFs generally cannot enter into new limited-recourse borrowing arrangements to acquire residential real property. Existing LRBAs entered into before that date, refinancings of those arrangements and acquisitions under binding contracts exchanged before that date are not affected. SMSFs may still acquire residential property without borrowing, subject to superannuation law and the fund’s investment strategy.
As an SMSF mortgage broker, 3LANE Finance helps trustees navigate this specialised lending landscape. We compare lenders offering commercial SMSF loans, explain how different lending policies may affect your borrowing capacity and structure finance that aligns with your fund's trust deed, cash flow and long-term investment strategy. Whether you're purchasing your first commercial property through your SMSF or refinancing an existing LRBA, we provide guidance based on current lender policy and the legislative framework.
Common SMSF property strategies:
- Purchasing business premises
- Acquiring eligible business real property as an investment
- Refinancing an existing LRBA
- Leasing commercial property to a related business
- Purchasing residential property outright without borrowing
- Building long-term retirement assets