> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.scaleconnect.com.au/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.scaleconnect.com.au/scaleconnect-docs/simulator/adding-properties.md). # Adding Properties Every strategy is built around properties. Before you can add events, set assumptions, or run cashflow projections, you need at least one property on the timeline. *** ## How to add Properties to a Strategy Click the **+** button on the strategy view to open the Add Property modal. Four ways to get started: 1. Adding a Property by Address 2. Template Properties 3. Property History 4. Manually Add a Property ![Add Property modal showing address search, template properties, and manual entry options](https://1103942972-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FIVoALSAigc466POg2rP1%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-19d3f74c651c2b8dbfb33bc42f07b00abcf89163%2FAdd_Property_Modal.png?alt=media) *** ## Search by Address Type any address into the address bar to retrieve PropTrack's latest data on that property, and add it to your client's strategy. PropTrack auto-fills what it can find: * Bedrooms, bathrooms, car spaces * Land area and internal floor space (estimated at 50% of land area if not available) * Property type (House, Unit, Apartment, etc.) * Purchase price estimate * Weekly rental estimate * Operating expenses (defaults to \~50% of monthly rent) {% hint style="info" %} Everything PropTrack fills in is editable. Treat it as a starting point — always verify and adjust for accuracy before saving. {% endhint %} If PropTrack can't find the address, the search displays "We couldn't find that address" with an **Add property manually** link. {% @arcade/embed url="" flowId="FfV2EUPUN20bOKy8XaPz" %} *** ## Template Properties Six pre-built templates for common property types: * **New Home** * **Duplex** * **Apartment** * **Home + Granny Flat** * **Existing Home** * **Land + Build** Templates pre-fill typical specs, loan structures, and financial parameters based on Australian market defaults. They're designed for quickly sketching a scenario before customising. {% @arcade/embed url="" flowId="1kcTcmvRZCOWobnJN7ox" %} *** ## Property History Properties you've previously added across other strategies for the same client appear here, sorted by last updated date. Select one to reuse its details as a starting point. {% @arcade/embed url="" flowId="HzD3DoErINrf9LkS7uT1" %} *** ## Manual Entry Click **Manually input without searching** below the address search field, or click **Add property manually** when a search returns no results. You'll need to enter all specs, purchase details, and loan information yourself. The simulation works identically — PropTrack just saves you the data entry. {% hint style="danger" %} This feature is currently in QA. {% endhint %} *** ## Editing a Property Click a property on the timeline to open the Property Profile, then click **Edit** (pencil icon). All fields from the setup are editable — location, purchase details, acquisition costs, loans (up to 3), parameters, tax settings, and ownership. Changes recalculate the simulation from the property's start date forward. *** ## Deleting a Property From the Property Profile, open the menu (⋮) and select **Delete**. A confirmation dialog appears — deletion is permanent and removes the property and all its events from the strategy. {% @arcade/embed url="" flowId="LVtoEAKOmqXVgv7MMe0r" %} *** ## Data Validation ### Calculated & Pre-populated Data Several values are auto-calculated or pre-filled during property setup. These are estimates or defaults — verify before saving.
FieldSourceBehaviour
Bedrooms, bathrooms, car spacesPropTrackPre-filled when searching by address. Editable.
Land area, floor spacePropTrackPre-filled if available. Floor space estimated at 50% of land area when not available. Editable.
Property typePropTrackPre-filled from address match. Editable.
Purchase pricePropTrack AVMEstimated from automated valuation model. Always verify against comparable sales or contract price. Editable.
Weekly rental estimatePropTrackPre-filled if available. Editable.
Operating expensesCalculatedDefaults to ~50% of monthly rent. Editable.
Land value at purchaseCalculated25% of purchase price. Used for stamp duty and capital works deductions. Editable.
Sale dateCalculatedPurchase date + 30 years. Recalculates when purchase date changes. Editable.
Stamp dutyCalculatedFrom purchase price, state, lot type, property purpose, and buyer type. Recalculates on any input change. Manual override available — subsequent input changes replace the override.
Initial loan balanceCalculatedPurchase price minus deposit plus LMI. Updates when deposit or LMI changes. Once manually overridden, auto-calculation stops.
Loan end dateCalculatedStart date + loan term. Recalculates when either changes. Editable.
ParametersDefaultsStrategy-level assumptions pre-filled: 5% capital growth, 3% rent & cost growth, 95% occupancy, 3% selling costs. Editable per property.
*** ### Key Property Inputs
Property Purpose Owner-Occupier or Investment — fundamentally changes how the simulation treats the property. **Investment:** Generates tax-deductible expenses (interest, operating costs, depreciation). Rental income is taxable. Negative gearing offsets reduce the owner's taxable income. CGT applies on sale with the 50% discount if held longer than 12 months. **Owner-Occupier:** No deductible expenses modelled. No rental income. Generally CGT-exempt as a main residence. Stamp duty concessions may apply (First Home Buyer exemptions, owner-occupier rates in some states). Changing purpose mid-strategy (e.g. moving out and renting) is modelled via a Move House or Partial Rental event — see [Property Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/simulator/adding-properties/property-events-1.md).
Ownership Structure Three structures are available. Each one changes how the simulator splits cashflows and models tax outcomes. **Sole Owner** — 100% of everything belongs to one person. All rental income, expense deductions, capital gains, and loan liability sit with the sole owner. Ownership is locked at 100%. **Joint Tenants** — Standard structure for couples. Ownership is fixed at 50/50 with right of survivorship — if one owner passes, the other automatically inherits their share. Rental income, expenses, tax deductions, and capital gains are split equally. Each owner's share is modelled in their respective personal cashflow timeline. **Investment Partners (Tenants in Common)** — Each party owns a defined percentage (e.g. 70/30, 60/40). No right of survivorship — each partner's share forms part of their estate. Ownership percentages are freely adjustable but must total 100%. The simulation models the client's share only — their cashflows, tax liability, and eventual sale proceeds based on their percentage. | | Sole Owner | Joint Tenants | Investment Partners | | ---------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------- | --------------------------- | | **Ownership split** | 100% (locked) | 50/50 (locked) | Custom — must total 100% | | **Rental income** | Full amount | 50% each | Proportional to ownership % | | **Expense deductions** | Full amount | 50% each | Proportional to ownership % | | **CGT on sale** | Full liability | 50% each | Proportional to ownership % | | **Loan liability** | Full amount | Split equally | Proportional | | **Personal cashflow** | Single timeline | Each person's timeline | Client's share only | **Tax implications:** Negative gearing losses, depreciation claims (Division 43 and PP\&E), and CGT are all apportioned by ownership share. On sale, each owner's capital gain is calculated against their own marginal tax rate with the 50% CGT discount applied individually where eligible.
Joint Accounts A Joint Account links two people on a single strategy — typically a couple. Each person has their own personal financial profile (income, expenses, tax position) while sharing the property portfolio. **Two personal timelines, one portfolio.** Each person's salary, superannuation, personal expenses, and tax are modelled independently. Properties are shared, with cashflows split according to each property's ownership structure. **Separate cashflow views.** Click a person's row on the simulator timeline to load their personal cashflow. Switch between the two to see how the strategy affects each person individually. The portfolio cashflow view aggregates both. Joint Accounts and property-level ownership are separate concepts. A Joint Account can include properties held as Sole Owner (one person owns entirely), Joint Tenants (50/50), or Investment Partners (custom split) — each property sets its own ownership independently. To set up: toggle **Partner?** in the About section of the client profile, then add Client 2 after saving Client 1.
Stamp Duty Auto-calculated from purchase price, state, lot type (new/established/vacant land), property purpose, and buyer type (First Home Buyer, citizenship status). Each Australian state and territory has different rates, thresholds, and concession rules. The figure updates automatically when any input changes. You can manually override with a conveyancer's figure — but any subsequent input change replaces the override with a new calculation. First Home Buyers may qualify for full exemptions or reduced rates depending on state and purchase price. Non-citizens may incur foreign buyer surcharges.
Deposit & LMI Deposit defaults to 20% of purchase price. Toggle between $ and % input modes. LMI (Lender's Mortgage Insurance) is triggered when the Loan-to-Value Ratio exceeds 80% — i.e. when the deposit is below 20% of purchase price. LMI is calculated as a percentage of the loan amount and added to the loan balance, increasing total borrowings and therefore repayments.
Loan Type: P&I vs Interest Only **Principal & Interest** — repayments reduce the loan balance over time. Monthly payments are higher but equity builds faster. Standard structure for most residential loans. **Interest Only** — repayments cover interest only during the IO period (1–5 years). The loan balance does not decrease. After the IO period, the loan reverts to P\&I for the remaining term — monthly repayments jump because the same principal must be repaid over a shorter period. IO is commonly used by investors to maximise deductible interest payments and preserve cashflow in the early years of ownership.
Interest Rate: Variable vs Fixed **Variable** — the simulation holds the entered rate constant throughout the projection unless overridden by a Rate Change event on the property timeline. **Fixed** — locks in a rate for 1–5 years, then reverts to the variable rate for the remaining loan term. To model a split loan (part fixed, part variable), add multiple loans to the same property — each loan can have its own rate type, balance, and terms.
Capital Growth Rate Annual percentage applied to the property's value each year. Default: 5%. Drives the property's projected value over time, which affects equity position, LVR, borrowing capacity on subsequent properties, and eventual sale proceeds including CGT. Can be overridden mid-timeline via an Appraisal event, which resets the property's value and adjusts the growth trajectory from that point forward.
Occupancy Rate Percentage of the year the property is tenanted. Default: 95% (\~2.5 weeks vacancy per year). Reduces effective rental income — at 95%, the simulation uses 95% of the annual rent figure. Set to 100% for no vacancy assumption, or lower for properties in weaker rental markets or those requiring longer lease-up periods between tenants.
Capital Works Deductions (Division 43) When enabled, the simulation claims annual tax deductions for the building's structural cost over 40 years at 2.5% p.a. The depreciable amount is purchase price minus land value. Only applies to investment properties. Properties built before September 1987 are generally not eligible. The "Existing Capital Works" toggle lets you enter deductions already in progress — useful when a client acquires a property with a depreciation schedule already underway.
Depreciation Method Applies to plant and equipment (PP\&E) items within the property. **Diminishing Value** — higher deductions in early years, declining over time. Front-loads the tax benefit. **Prime Cost** — equal deductions each year across the asset's effective life. Spreads the tax benefit evenly. **Low Value Asset Pooling** — when enabled, pools assets valued below the low-value threshold for simplified depreciation at a flat rate.
Deemed Acquisition Applies when a property has previously produced income (e.g. was rented before becoming a main residence). Resets the CGT cost base to the property's market value at the date it first produced income. Enable the "Has This Property Produced Income?" toggle and enter the deemed acquisition date and market value at that date. The capital gain on any future sale is then calculated from the deemed acquisition value rather than the original purchase price. Changing a property between main residence and investment via a Move House event can also trigger a deemed acquisition — see [Property Events](https://github.com/scaleapp-au/scaleconnect-docs/blob/main/simulator/adding-properties/property-events-1.md).
*** ## FAQs
What if PropTrack doesn't have my property? Use manual entry. Click "Manually input without searching" or "Add property manually" and type the address. You'll need to enter all specs, purchase details, and loan information yourself. The simulation works identically — PropTrack just saves you the data entry.
Can I change the property type or purpose after adding it? Yes. Edit the property and change any field, including type (Unit/House/Townhouse) and purpose (Owner-Occupier/Investment). Changing purpose affects tax treatment — investment properties generate deductible expenses; owner-occupied properties are generally CGT-exempt.
What are the template properties based on? Templates use typical Australian market parameters for each property type — median specs, standard loan structures, and default growth assumptions. They're designed as quick starting points, not precise forecasts. Always customise to match the actual property.
Can I add multiple properties to one strategy? Yes. Strategies can include as many properties as needed. Each property gets its own timeline bar with independent events and assumptions. All properties feed into the combined portfolio cashflow view.
Why does my initial loan balance change when I adjust the deposit? The first loan's initial balance auto-calculates as purchase price minus deposit plus LMI. If you change the deposit percentage or amount, the initial loan balance updates to match. You can override it manually — once you enter a custom value, the auto-calculation stops.
How is stamp duty calculated? Stamp duty is calculated automatically based on the purchase price, state, and property purpose (Owner-Occupier or Investment). Each state has different rules and thresholds. The result is editable if you have a more accurate figure from your conveyancer.
How does Joint Tenants differ from Tenants in Common? Joint Tenants have equal shares with right of survivorship — the surviving owner automatically inherits. Tenants in Common (Investment Partners in the simulator) have defined, potentially unequal shares that form part of each owner's estate. In the simulation: Joint Tenants are locked at 50/50; Investment Partners allow custom percentages with each party's share modelled independently.
What if my ownership split changes partway through? Edit the property and update the ownership percentages or structure. The simulation recalculates from the property's start date — it does not model a mid-timeline ownership change. To model a change at a specific future date (e.g. buying out a partner), ask ScaleAI via Broker Brain for guidance on structuring this in the strategy.
Can I have more than two owners? The simulation supports two parties — the primary owner and one co-owner (partner or investment partner). For structures with more than two parties, model the combined "other parties" share as the second owner and note the actual breakdown in your client notes.
Can a property have a different ownership structure from the Joint Account setup? Yes. Joint Accounts link two people at the strategy level. Each property within that strategy can have its own ownership structure — Sole Owner (one person owns entirely), Joint Tenants (50/50), or Investment Partners (custom split). Ownership is set per property, not per strategy.
Does changing ownership affect past cashflows? Yes. Changing the ownership structure or percentages recalculates the entire simulation from the property's start date. There is no way to apply a change from a specific date forward — the new structure is applied retrospectively across the full timeline.
--- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.scaleconnect.com.au/scaleconnect-docs/simulator/adding-properties.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.