It’s always a mixed emotion: You’ve sold a couple of properties off the rent roll, and done it fairly comfortably with landlord-sellers who trusted you and took your recommendations on marketing and price. But then you’re two down on your managements!
I liked to think I was pretty straight with my competitors when I had my agency, admitting when sales weren’t great or I’d had a bad run with recruitment, for example. But one thing I really, really, really hated was confessing to a shrinking rent roll!
There’s been plenty written over the years about natural churn in any rent roll. Some say 10-15% is “normal”. Ouch. And we all know landlords have been selling up as prices have strengthened across the state. And maybe because of these loopy tenancy laws…
So here’s what I see in my work as a rent roll broker, that agents are not freely admitting to eachother: almost every rent roll has shrunk over the past 6 years.
I love a good graph and this one shows the bonds held by the RTA over the past 20 years (every bond lodged with them across Queensland). The numbers rose steadily for much of that time, but since 2019 it’s grown by a measly 9,844 rental homes (totaling 631,804 at June 30th 2025). Meantime the state’s population rose by around 550,000!!
If you’re managing less properties than you did 5-6 years ago, you are definitely not alone.
The one bit of good news? The RTA says Queensland’s median rent rose from $365/week to $600/week in the past 6 years. Using a typical 7.5% fee our Average Annual Management Income is up from $1370 to $2350.
Recent data shows investors are back, with their loan borrowings up 18% in the last quarter. So maybe organic growth can happen again.
Or the quicker option to get back to the size business you want? Call me to buy a rent roll!!
If you’re considering selling I’d love to have a confidential chat about your rent roll or agency. Please call me on 0423 332 022.