November 16, 2024: Aerial images of Adelaide. City. Picture: Brenton Edwards
Investors are out in force across SA, with almost half of the state’s home loans held by the savvy buyers – around the highest level on record.
The share of total lending to investors rose to 41 per cent in SA last year following an increase in interest, REA Group’s PropTrack Westpac Investor Report 2026 reveals.
It is just off its highest-ever level in SA, the record being the previous quarter.
Tight rental market conditions and rapid rent rises were the key drivers of the increasing investor activity.
Strong home price growth was also a factor, with 99 per cent of Adelaide investor sales making a profit in the last few months of 2025.
The typical time between homes being leased across the capital on realestate.com.au and leased was 18 days, while nearly half of inquiries from investors were for properties under $700,000.
Top 10 investor suburbs for houses across Adelaide. Picture: PropTrack
OC executive director Nathan Casserly.
OC executive director Nathan Casserly said it was a good time to have more investors in the market as there was a shortage of rentals.
“It’s very important we have investors … if we don’t have investors we don’t have rental properties,” he said.
“A lot of them are young people taking advantage of government incentives.”
Mr Casserly said many young people liked the flexibility of renting but still wanted to get into the market so were buying investment properties.
At a time when global factors were creating uncertainty, Mr Casserly said many others were turning to property as it was considered much safer than other investment options, like the share market, because it wasn’t as volatile.
“Investors go where there’s confidence,” he said.
Elizabeth Park, Eyre, Elizabeth East, Greenwith and Moana were considered the top investor suburbs for houses based on their price growth, lease times and rental returns, which were the main factors investors considered.
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Top 10 investor suburbs for units across Adelaide. Picture: PropTrack
REA Group senior economist Angus Moore. Picture: Supplied.
Yields were also well above the 3.5 per cent recorded in Adelaide, while price growth was almost double the capital city level.
Salisbury, Plympton, Henley Beach, North Adelaide and Goodwood ranked highest based on the aforementioned metrics for units.
REA Group senior economist Angus Moore said investors had been active right across Australia in recent years, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing the number of new investor loans grew 64 per cent since its 2023 low point.
“On top of that, home prices have continued to rise, meaning that share of investor sales recording a profit has been the highest in at least a decade,” he said.
“While higher interest rates may slow investor activity down in 2026, rental market conditions remain tight, vacancy rates are low and rent prices will continue to grow, which will continue to support strong investor activity this year.”
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