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Aussie Expats in London: How Damian & Tanya Built Equity Back Home with InvestorKit
Living in London, investing in Australia. Damian and Tanya grew equity fast with InvestorKit’s end-to-end process for expats. Here’s how.
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Living in London, investing in Australia. Damian and Tanya grew equity fast with InvestorKit’s end-to-end process for expats. Here’s how.
TL;DR
Living and earning in the UK, Damian and Tanya leveraged a strong currency, expat-friendly lending and InvestorKit’s end-to-end team to buy a South Australian house for around $660k. It is now up by approximately $200k in value, with rent around $350 per week, all managed from London. Their lesson: familiarity does not equal results. A data-driven team beats gut feel.
Why Expats Invest Back Home (Not in the UK)
Many Aussies in the UK consider buying locally. Damian and Tanya did not. Why?
- Intrinsic system knowledge: They grew up in Australia, so the rules and process feel familiar.
- Time and focus: Building UK property knowledge takes years. They lacked the bandwidth while raising a young family and starting a business.
- Comparative value: London prices made deposits daunting. Australia offered better value and lending terms for their goals.
“You are not saving the whole property, just the deposit and costs. With 80 to 90 percent LVR in Australia, expats can move sooner.”
The Turning Point: From Gut Feel to a Professional Team
Before InvestorKit, their decisions relied on proximity, family opinions, and what felt familiar. That approach does not work overseas.
What changed with InvestorKit:
- Country-wide research, not just where they knew
- Clear process and communication across time zones (calls, WhatsApp, email)
- Specialist partners for finance, legals, and settlement, removing late-night admin
“Until we met InvestorKit, we did not realise a buyer’s agent could run the whole end-to-end process.”
Finance as an Expat: Different but Doable
The biggest surprise was finance. Earning in GBP changes how banks assess income and borrowing power, but with the right broker and lender, the path is straightforward. Access, documentation, and timing were handled by the InvestorKit team so the couple could focus on decisions, not paperwork.
Key expat finance insights:
- Lenders discount foreign income differently, so use expat-friendly options.
- A strong currency helps, since pounds convert efficiently into Australian deposits.
- Remote purchasing is normal, with no need to fly home for inspections or settlement.
Learn more about how finance fits into our property strategy on the Discovery Call page.
The Purchase: South Australia Over What We Know
As NSW natives, Damian and Tanya would never have picked Adelaide on their own. InvestorKit’s research pointed there.
By the numbers (approx.):
- Purchase price: $660,000
- Current uplift: $200,000 equity
- Rent: $350 per week
- Asset type: House with ocean views, renovation potential, and modern finishes
“We would have defaulted to Sydney fringes or apartments because that is what surrounds us in London. The data said otherwise.”
See more client success stories like this on our Case Studies page.
Why Familiarity Can Cost You (Especially Overseas)
Living in London normalises apartment living. Many expats mirror that back home, often a mistake. Recent Australian cycles saw houses outperform units, widening the house-unit gap. Following familiarity over fundamentals can limit growth.
Team over gut feel:
- Market selection driven by research, not anecdotes
- Access to the right agents, properties, and contracts
- Replicable process so each purchase compounds the last
Hear more about this in Arjun Paliwal’s analysis on The Property Nerds Podcast.
Life Happens, Your Portfolio Can Still Progress
They paused while starting a business and raising a family. Because the asset performed, equity did the heavy lifting. Their next steps are likely to recycle equity into a third purchase, again data-led and time-zone friendly.
Key Takeaways for Aussie Expats
- Leverage your currency: You are saving a deposit, not the whole purchase price.
- Use expat-ready finance specialists: Lender policy matters more than ever.
- Go borderless: The best market may not be in your home state.
- Avoid London bias: Do not assume Australian apartments behave like UK flats.
- Build a team: Data, sourcing, finance, and legals managed end-to-end will always win.
Pull Quotes
- “Familiarity does not equal results.”
- “End-to-end beats after-hours admin.”
- “You are saving the deposit, not the whole property.”
- “A borderless strategy unlocked a market we never would have considered.”
FAQs for Aussie Expats
Can I buy in Australia while living in the UK?
Yes. With the right team, you can manage finance, due diligence, and settlement remotely.
Do I need a larger deposit as an expat?
Not necessarily. Many lenders still offer 80 to 90 percent LVR to eligible expats, depending on the lender.
Why not just buy where I know?
Because the best risk-adjusted returns may be interstate. Follow the data, not anecdotes.
Are apartments safer for expats?
Not by default. Recent cycles show houses outperforming units in many regions. Compare fundamentals before choosing.
What matters most when I am time-poor?
An end-to-end, data-driven team: buyer’s agent, expat broker, and responsive legal partners.
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Thinking about investing from overseas?
Book a free Discovery Call with InvestorKit to map your expat lending options and shortlist data-backed markets for your next purchase.
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Aussies in London do not need to pick between croissants and compounding. Damian and Tanya used InvestorKit’s end-to-end team to buy in South Australia from abroad, adding $200k in equity. Familiarity does not equal results. Data does.
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From London to equity gains back home 🇦🇺📈
Strong currency + expat lending + data-led buying = results.
Read more on our Case Studies page
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Living in London, compounding in Australia. Data over gut feel. #AussieExpats #PropertyInvesting
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