Have you ever wondered what to do with your growing superannuation balance? You're not alone. With Australia's super pot now totalling a staggering $4.2 trillion – dwarfing our $2.9 trillion stock market – Australians are increasingly looking beyond traditional investment avenues for their retirement savings.

The property market has always been a favourite for Aussie investors, but now we're seeing a fascinating trend: savvy investors using their self-managed super funds to purchase commercial properties, particularly storage units. These are flying off the shelf, with our northern beaches office reporting an unprecedented 10 storage unit sales in just one week. Why the sudden interest? Storage units offer an affordable entry point (starting from just $49,000 for smaller units up to around $220,000 for larger ones), minimal outgoings, and steady returns above CPI – making them an attractive alternative in a market with historically low residential stock.

What many don't realise is that property purchased within super sits in a separate financial universe from your personal assets. This means you can pursue investment through your super while simultaneously working toward upgrading your family home or building a personal property portfolio without the two affecting each other. For first home buyers, there's another golden opportunity – salary sacrificing additional funds into your super at a lower tax rate, then withdrawing those voluntary contributions specifically for your home deposit. This strategy can get you to homeownership 30% faster than traditional saving methods.

With residential listings across the northern beaches nearly halving in six months (from 1,200 to just 620 properties), these alternative investment pathways through super are capturing serious attention. As we potentially move toward easing interest rates, could we be entering a new boom time for property investment through super? Listen in as we explore the untapped potential sitting in your retirement fund and practical ways to make it work harder for your future.