21% of property investors using brokers

In total, responses from 1,574 property investors were collected over March 2026 (before the property investor tax reforms were announced in the budget) and found that while most felt financially secure (66.8 per cent) and were focused on wealth building, most wanted specialist support in their property investment journey.

The report found that investors lean heavily on professional advisers, particularly accountants, and are more engaged with the advice ecosystem than the general population.

Nearly six in 10 used at least one professional adviser, compared to around a third of all Australians.

Accountants were found to be the most common (46 per cent), followed by financial advisers (23 per cent) and mortgage brokers (21 per cent).

Part of the attraction of brokers may be that property investors are almost twice as likely to be self-employed as the general population, according to Bluestone.

“In our experience, this reflects a group with strong earning potential, but income that doesn’t always fit standard verification models. For brokers, this is often where lender choice matters most,” Bluestone said in the report.

Investors more likely to use non-banks than non-investors

The Consumer Pulse Spotlight: Property Investors report revealed that 38 per cent of investor borrowers believed traditional banks made investment lending too difficult. Of that group, 8 per cent said they abandoned their mortgage plans entirely because of the experience.

However, investors were found to be more aware of and open to alternative lenders than the general population, and those who’ve used them report positive experiences. For example, nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of the general public were either unaware that non-bank lenders offered investment loans or did not know enough to consider them.

However, among property investors, that figure dropped to 39 per cent.

More than two-fifths of investors (42 per cent) said they were open or very open to exploring lending options outside of a traditional bank for their investor lending needs.

Tony MacRae, chief commercial officer of Bluestone Home Loans, said: “Property investors have always played a critical role in Australia’s housing market. What’s changing is not their ambition, but the way they experience the lending process.

“At Bluestone, we spend every day working alongside brokers who support investors with diverse income streams, complex structures, and long-term wealth strategies.

“Many of these clients are financially capable and highly motivated, yet still find themselves slowed down by rigid criteria or processes that weren’t designed with their reality in mind.

“What stood out to us is how open investors are to looking beyond the majors, especially when they understand their options. Nearly four in 10 have felt the banks made it too difficult. More than four in 10 are open to alternative lenders. Those numbers reflect conversations we’re seeing every day across our broker network.”

Michael Johnson, director of Agile Market Intelligence, said: “The findings paint a picture of a motivated, financially capable segment that is actively looking to grow, but often finding traditional lenders unwilling or unable to help.

“For brokers, the opportunity is significant. A third of property investors plan to purchase in the next 12 months. Nearly four in 10 have felt shut out by the banks. And more than four in 10 are open to alternative lenders, they just need someone to show them the way.”

[Related: Government to reform housing tax]