Case Study · SMSF Commercial Property · September 2026
Buying a Bella Vista Office Through an SMSF, Without Draining the Fund
Sam and Daniela wanted to buy an office in Bella Vista through their self-managed super fund, to house the business they already ran. The property itself stacked up. The problem was cash: their SMSF had enough for the deposit and standard acquisition costs, but not enough left over to also cover the GST payable on the purchase.
The problem: GST on top of the deposit
Commercial property purchases attract GST, payable at settlement in addition to the deposit and other acquisition costs. For a fund with limited liquidity, that extra amount can be the difference between a purchase proceeding and stalling — and pulling more cash into the fund isn't always straightforward or timely.
The path we found
We identified a lender able to fund up to 80% of the property's value, structured to also cover the GST component of the purchase price — not just the base price. That meant Sam and Daniela didn't need to find additional cash from outside the fund to get to settlement.
After settlement, their accountant lodged the SMSF's next Business Activity Statement and claimed the GST credit the purchase generated. When that refund came through, it was used to repay the GST portion of the loan — closing the loop without the fund ever being short.
The result
Sam and Daniela's SMSF purchased the Bella Vista office, their business now operates from a property their retirement fund owns, and the fund's available cash was preserved throughout.
What this means for an SMSF property purchase
- GST is a separate, real cost on top of an SMSF's deposit and acquisition costs — worth checking your fund can cover it, or whether it needs to be financed.
- Not every lender will fund the GST component; it takes matching the deal to a lender whose policy allows it.
- A BAS-timed GST refund can be used to repay GST-related borrowing — but that needs coordinating with your fund's accountant, not assumed.
Names and identifying details have been changed to protect client privacy; used with the client's permission as an illustrative example only. This is general information about a past transaction, not personal financial or tax advice — SMSF borrowing rules are strict and lender-specific, and every fund's trust deed, cash position and investment strategy differ. Speak with a licensed financial adviser and your SMSF's accountant before acting on anything here, and see our SMSF commercial property loans page for the current rules on SMSF borrowing.