8 Jul 2026
Insights from GJWHF$’s first Deep Dive Series session on navigating Australian property investment with confidence
Overseas property has come up again and again in our Her Future Series sessions – questions about financing as a non-resident, ownership structures and the tax exposure that comes with holding assets abroad. With a wave of recent changes to Australian tax and lending rules, we decided the topic deserved its own dedicated session.
That's how our new Deep Dive Series was born – narrower, expert-led sessions that sit alongside our broader financial literacy programming. For the first instalment, GJWHF$ partnered with Odin Mortgage and Why Property for an evening on Australian property investment and tax strategy, held at Soho House Hong Kong in Sheung Wan.
Setting the Scene
The seminar ran from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, free of charge and open to all genders regardless of GJWHF$ membership. Most of the female attendees were GJWHF$ members, while the rest of the room skewed male - a reflection of how financing and cross-border tax questions extend well beyond our usual audience.
Sandra Wu, Co-founder of GJWHF$, opened the evening and set the tone for the session.
The Presentation
The main presentation was delivered by Ben Wong and Paul Lam of Odin Mortgage - a firm specialising in mortgages, tax and conveyancing for Australian expats and foreign investors. Working through slides, they covered financing, ownership structures and cross-border tax considerations for Hong Kong-based buyers looking at the Australian property market.
What We Learned
A few general takeaways stood out from the presentation:
Your Hong Kong income still works, but the bank counts less of it. Lenders typically apply a haircut of around 20% to HKD income, along with shading on bonuses. Which lender you choose matters, since some use your actual Hong Kong tax rate rather than assuming a flat 45%.
Your Hong Kong mortgage shrinks your Australian borrowing power. Existing overseas debt count against your dollar-for-dollar, and a single Hong Kong mortgage can meaningfully cut the amount a lender is willing to offer.
A pre-approval doesn't last forever. If it's more than 60 days old, or rates have moved since it was issued, it's worth having it renewed or re-run.
New builds and established properties are no longer treated the same for tax purposes.
New build currently retain full negative gearing plus the option of the 50% CGT discount. Established properties purchased after 12 May 2026 can no longer offset losses against salary income.
More changes are on the horizon. From 1 July 2027, the current 50% CGT discount is set to be replaced with a new model carrying a 30% minimum. From 1 July 2028, a 30% minimum tax on discretionary trust distributions is due to begin.
Q&A
The Q&A sessiong brought Ben and Pau together with Mark Navin, Founder of Why Property, and Sandra Wu for a panel discussion, before the evening moved into networking and further conversation over canapes.
Thank You
Thank you to Ben Wong and Pau Lam of Odin Mortgage, and to Mark Navin of Why Property,
for sharing their expertise, and to everyone who joined us at Soho House for our first Deep Dive Series session. Conversations like these help our community navigate the practical, cross-border realities of building wealth - another step toward greater financial confidence and clarity.
Disclaimer: Nothing in our website, or any presentation material or linked article or any discussion in any forum associated with GJWHF Limited ("GJWHF$") should be viewed or interpreted as an offer or recommendation or advice to buy, sell or hold any security or other financial product or engage in any transaction. The views expressed in this website or in any forum, newsletter, presentation materials or article associated with GJWHF$ reflect the authors' personal views only and not those of GJWHF$. GJWHF$ has obtained tax-exempt status (91/17447) under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance of Hong Kong.