Category: In the Media

STOCKHEAD & THE AUSTRALIAN
The term ‘commercial’ has been synonymous with property for decades. It conjures images of office towers, industrial blocks, and retail precincts. However, in the context of commercial real estate debt (CRED) – part of the broader real estate private credit market – commercial doesn’t describe the building, but rather, the underlying loan transaction. It’s about lending to a commercial borrower, typically a developer, and assessing the quality of the sponsor, the project, risk exposure, and execution. Tom Cranfield, Executive Director of Risk & Execution at Zagga, explains why this distinction matters for investors.

STOCKHEAD & THE AUSTRALIAN
SMSFs are turning to private credit, says Zagga, which is focused on showing “commercial” lending is less about skyscrapers and more about strong sponsors, steady margins and projects that actually stack up.

SMSF ADVISER
Tax has historically been levied on realised gains – profits made, not valuations. Division 296 breaks that tradition, creating a scenario where investors may owe tax on unrealised gains – values that could just as easily reverse.

This adds complexity for investors: it’s no longer just about selecting asset classes, but about structuring portfolios to manage tax exposure.

STOCKHEAD & THE AUSTRALIAN
While the benefits of CRE debt are increasingly recognised, one fundamental question persists: how should investors access real estate private credit – directly or via a fund?

Both routes can be rewarding. What also needs to be considered is manager selection and doing your research to understand the structure, liquidity terms, and underlying credit processes. Now is the time to be diversified and defensive; in today’s uncertain investment environment, Australian real estate private credit is being duly recognised as an asset class of choice.

STOCKHEAD & THE AUSTRALIAN
As the dust settles on a turbulent financial year, and Division 296 looms large on the super tax horizon, Aussie investors are waking up to a sober truth: you don’t have to shoot the lights out to build a smart portfolio. Sometimes it’s about holding the torch steady.

The focus has now shifted from big swings for capital growth to something a little more… sensible. Income, consistency, capital preservation.

And that’s why private credit, a once-niche corner of the market, is starting to get more airtime.

NIKKEI ASIA
Investors hunting for some safe haven income are turning to Australia’s growing real estate sector, boosting companies that help them direct their money into loans to property developers.

The country’s robust but predominantly inwardly focused economy, contained inflation and growing population make it a safe and stable investment destination with lower levels of volatility, according to Zagga, a player in the country’s private real estate credit market.

STOCKHEAD & THE AUSTRALIAN
While the government argues Division 296 will only affect a small portion of Australians, it’s clear that SMSFs – often used by high net worth individuals to manage their retirement wealth – will feel the brunt.

If the tax does go ahead, it could lead to some big shifts in how super is used, and investors are likely to look for other places to park their wealth, such as trusts or companies.

That’s where private credit, like Zagga’s core offering, could come in for these investors.

STOCKHEAD & THE AUSTRALIAN
Traditionally, defensive investing meant a tilt toward fixed income – bonds and cash. For more cautious allocators, it also included real assets like gold. These assets were expected to provide protection when equities fell. But that assumption has been increasingly challenged in an environment where market correlations behave differently than they once did.

One asset class rising to meet this moment is private credit. At Zagga, we see firsthand how this market is maturing, how demand is growing, and how investors are shifting their thinking.

THE URBAN DEVELOPER
The transformation of a century-old Melbourne building—from silk merchant to police station, backpackers’ accommodation to premium commercial space—proves that heritage adaptive reuse projects are possible. The successful conversion of Invicta House demonstrates how heritage buildings can deliver viable returns when developers combine careful planning with experienced design teams and flexible funding structures.