Top 20 property investors in Australia ranked by occupation revealed

New data shows which professions are leading the pack when it comes to investment in SA property. And there are some unexpected inclusions in the list of Top 20 occupations. See the full list here.

South Australia’s medical professionals are reaping the rewards of property investment, as new data reveals Australia’s top property investors by occupation.

Australian Taxation Office data shows six of the 10 professions with the highest rates of property investment are in the medical field.

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Surgeons take out top spot, with 43 per cent – 4159 – of those employed in the role owning at least one investment property.

Anaesthetists and internal medicine specialists weren’t far behind with 40 per cent of each turning to bricks and mortar to line their nest eggs.

Medical professionals such as surgeons, anaesthetists and internal medicine specialists were among the top property investors.

Australia’s investment properties are held by a range of occupations.

Psychiatrists and dental practitioners also made the top 10 – with 36 per cent and 35 per cent respectively – while 32 per cent of other medical practitioners owned investment properties.

Williams Real Estate partner John Williams said medical practitioners had always invested strongly in property, particularly in SA, and that there were tax benefits in doing so.

“Medicos traditionally love real estate because it has proven to be a good solid, sound investment over time,” he said.

“SA is particularly good because we don’t get the peaks and troughs of interstate – it’s an investment you can lock away and watch it grow over time.

“There are negative gearing benefits and ways they can add value in a tax-effective manner as well.”

How does your occupation stack up?

Surgeons were revealed as the most prolific property investors.

Mr Williams said SA was seen as a medicine state, with recent developments in research centres and hospital upgrades drawing huge numbers of medical professionals to SA.

School principals ranked fifth in the list, with more than a third owning an investment property. Mortgage broker and Mario Borg Buyer’s Agents boss Mario Borg said school principal clients often sought a form of passive income as they neared retirement.

“Once their career has passed its peak, one way to earn an extra income is to invest in property, which has a proven history of providing ongoing passive income,” he said. “Principals I dealt with were generally in their late 40s and early 50s and were starting to plan their retirement but their super wasn’t going to be enough.”

A number of banks also waive lender’s mortgage insurance fees for medical professionals, and some even for accountants and mining executives – professions also proven to hold a number of property moguls.

One of the more unexpected inclusions on the list was caravan park manager, with 27 per cent of those working in the profession – or 639 of 2332 – owning at least one investment property.

Chief executive officers or managing directors had the highest overall number of investors at 60,570 of the 217,959 registered with the ATO. Accountants came in second with 47,535 of the 174,691.

TOP 20 INVESTORS BY PROFESSION, AUSTRALIA

Occupation, Number of individuals reporting net rent, Number of individuals in occupation, percentage of individuals that own investment property

(most recent one-year period available)

1. Surgeon, 1788, 4159, 43%

2. Anaesthetist, 1421, 3509, 40%

3. Internal medicine specialist, 3985, 9906, 40%

4. Psychiatrist, 1099, 3030, 36%

5. Dental practitioner, 3317, 9467, 35%

6. School principal, 4355, 12898, 34%

7. Other medical practitioners, 9181, 28696, 32%

8. Engineering manager 8091, 25728, 31%

9. Senior non-commissioned defence force member, 1818, 5834, 31%

10. Mining engineer, 2731, 9120, 30%

11. Optometrist or orthoptist, 1606, 5645, 28%

12. Air transport professionals, 4312 15,191, 28%

13. Chief executive officer or managing director, 60,570, 217,959, 28%

14. IT manager, 20,044, 72,866, 28%

15. Caravan park manager, 639, 2332, 27%

16. Accountant, 47,535, 174,691, 27%

17. Electrical engineer, 6910, 25,421, 27%

18. Commissioned officer – management, 3665, 13,685, 27%

19. Land economist or valuer, 1296, 4859, 27%

20. Finance manager, 16,212, 60,811, 27%

Source: ATO *national data *excluding ‘profession not specified’