Ultimo NSW Property Investment

Sydney · 2007 · Score: 58/100 · Hold

Median House Price
$1.61M
Rental Yield
3.5%
Vacancy Rate
1.6%
Median Weekly Rent
$1100/wk
Median Unit Price
$670K
Population
7,410
Days on Market
74 days
Annual Growth
0.0%

Ultimo Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market

Avg Nightly Rate
$558/night
Occupancy Rate
40%
Est. Annual Revenue
$81K

Estimated revenue assumes year-round availability. Non-hosted short-stays are night-capped in some councils (e.g. 60 nights across most of Byron Shire, 180 in Ballina, Muswellbrook and parts of Greater Sydney) and levied in Victoria — the legal cap can cut achievable income well below this figure. Run STR Check for the rules on a specific address.

AI Investment Analysis

Ultimo NSW Investment Brief

## 1. Investment Verdict Hold – the Investment Scorecard of 58 / 100 is the key figure that drives the recommendation.

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## 2. Market Overview - Median house price: $1,612,311 - Median unit price: $669,988 - 5‑year CAGR: 1.1 % per year - 3‑year growth forecast: 6.0 % (annualised) - Days on market: *Data not provided*

What it signals The modest 5‑year CAGR (1.1 %) shows limited long‑term price acceleration, while the 3‑year forecast of 6 % suggests a short‑to‑medium‑term upswing. With no days‑on‑market figure, we cannot gauge current buyer urgency, but the price level (house median > $1.6 m) indicates a high‑entry barrier for new buyers and a relatively stable seller base.

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## 3. Rental Market - Median weekly rent: $1,100 - Gross rental yield: 3.5 % - Vacancy rate: *Data not provided* - Demand rating: *Data not provided*

Implication for investors A 3.5 % gross yield sits below the 4–5 % range many investors target for strong cash flow, implying that rental income alone will not comfortably cover financing costs if interest rates rise. The high weekly rent reflects strong tenant willingness to pay, but without vacancy data we cannot confirm the tightness of the market.

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## 4. Short‑Term Rental Opportunity - STR nightly rate: *Data not provided* - STR occupancy: *Data not provided* - Estimated annual STR revenue: *Data not provided*

LTR vs STR Because no short‑term rental metrics are supplied, we cannot quantify STR profitability. Given the strong long‑term rental demand (high weekly rent) and the lack of STR data, a long‑term rental (LTR) approach remains the safer default.

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## 5. Infrastructure & Growth Drivers - Known projects, transport, employment base: *Data not provided*

Demand drivers/limitations Without specific infrastructure or employment information, we cannot identify concrete catalysts or constraints. The suburb’s proximity to the Sydney CBD (within 5 km) is a positive attribute that typically underpins demand, but it is not listed as a risk.

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## 6. Bull Case Assume the 3‑year forecast of 6 % annual growth materialises for the whole period:

  • House price after 3 years: $1,612,311 × (1 + 0.06)³ ≈ $1,923,000
  • Unit price after 3 years: $669,988 × (1 + 0.06)³ ≈ $800,000

Potential upside - House: ≈ $310,000 gain (≈ 19 % above today) - Unit: ≈ $130,000 gain (≈ 19 % above today)

If rental yields improve to 4 % through rent growth or cost optimisation, cash‑flow margins would become more attractive.

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## 7. Risks | Risk | Quantified aspect | Impact | |------|-------------------|--------| | Low yield | Current gross yield 3.5 % | May not cover higher borrowing costs if rates rise. | | High price base | Median house $1.612 m, median unit $669.9 k | Limits buyer pool and can suppress price appreciation. | | Growth uncertainty | No 1‑year price growth data; reliance on forecast 6 % | If growth stalls, capital gains could be flat or negative. | | Interest‑rate sensitivity | Yield 3.5 % vs typical loan rates > 5 % | Negative cash flow possible without strong rent growth. | | Supply pipeline | *Data not provided* | Unknown future unit completions could increase vacancy. |

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## 8. The Play - Entry price range: - Units: around $630k – $720k (brackets the median unit price). - Houses: around $1.55m – $1.70m (centred on the median house price).

  • Minimum yield target: ≥ 4.0 % gross (to provide a buffer above the current 3.5 %).
  • Watch signals:
  • Recommended strategy:
  • - Acquire a unit within the $630k–$720k band if you can negotiate a purchase price that delivers ≥ 4 % gross yield (e.g., via price discount or higher rent).
  • - For houses, only consider entry below $1.55 m to achieve the same yield target.
  • - Adopt a buy‑and‑hold approach, monitoring the three‑year growth forecast and any emerging infrastructure announcements.
  • - Re‑evaluate annually; if yields stay below 4 % and interest rates rise, consider exiting or repositioning to a higher‑yield suburb.

Gentrification Index

Pre-gentrification3.5/10
▼High SEIFA decile — already upgraded or established affluent area
—Inner city location — already gentrified or premium
▲High renter base (68%) — room for tenure upgrade as area improves
▲Active development pipeline (6957 approvals) — supply attracting new residents
▲Strong public transport infrastructure — supports walkable gentrification

Growth Forecast

low confidence
1yr Forecast
1.0%
p.a.
2yr Forecast
0.9%
p.a.
5yr Forecast
0.8%
p.a.

Basis: 5yr CAGR 1.1% + 10yr CAGR 2.5%

Growth drivers
  • +Low rental vacancy (1.6%) — constrained supply
  • +Premium transport infrastructure — supports long-term capital growth
Headwinds
  • −Population decline (-3.5%/yr) — demand headwind
  • −Slow market (74 days avg) — buyer hesitancy
  • −High supply pipeline (6957 new approvals) — may cap price growth

Suburb Metric Thresholds

6 green1 yellow9 red
Rental Vacancy Rate
1.6 high impact
Days on Market
74 high impact
Weekly Rent (house)
1100 medium impact
5yr Price CAGR
1.07 high impact
10yr Price CAGR
2.47 high impact
1yr Price Growth
0 medium impact
Population Growth
-3.48 high impact
Median Household Income
1805 medium impact
Unemployment Rate
9.8 medium impact
Public Transport Score
10 medium impact
School Zone Quality
7.9 medium impact
Distance to CBD
1.88 medium impact
SEIFA Advantage/Disadvantage
8 medium impact
Owner Occupier Rate
24.7 medium impact
Gross Rental Yield (%)
3.55 high impact
Net Rental Yield (%)
2.05 high impact

Macro Environment

Macro Indicators

Cash Rate

4.35%

▲ 0.25%

Cash rate as at 2026-05-06 · Credit data 2026-07

Suburb Supply & Demand

Suburb Supply Pipeline — New Dwelling Approvals

753

2020

2,161

2021

1,184

2022

1,108

2023

1,751

2025

New dwelling approvals — higher numbers mean more future supply

Socio-Economic Profile

Source: ABS Census 2021

SEIFA Index · Postcode 2007

Most disadvantagedLeast disadvantaged

Decile 3 of 10 — High disadvantage

Population

7,410

Education (IEO)

10/10

Econ. Resources (IER)

1/10

10-Year Investment Projection

Modelled on Ultimo NSW data — rent, capital growth, tax, and depreciation over 10 years.

Pre-filled: $1100/wk median rent for Ultimo. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.

Schools

In your catchment

Glebe PS
PrimaryGovernment
6/10
SSC Balmain
SecondaryGovernment
No data
SSC Blackwattle Bay
SecondaryGovernment
No data

These are the government-school zones containing this suburb centroid. Specific addresses within the suburb may fall in different catchments — confirm with the school directly.

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Data sourced from ABS, state government property sales, and Airbnb market analytics. For informational purposes only — not financial advice.