In May 2022 I settled on a property for $410,000.
At the time, it felt like a stretch.
Not reckless. But uncomfortable.
By March 2026 that same property was worth around $700,000.
The headline gain is significant.
But that is not the lesson.
The lesson is this
You cannot outsave the market.
From settlement to March 2026 is just under four years. Roughly 200 weeks.
The growth over that period is approximately $290,000.
That works out to around $1,450 per week.
Per week.
Most disciplined professionals can save consistently. But very few can accumulate capital at that speed purely from surplus income.
Where investors get stuck
This is where many investors stall.
They delay. They tell themselves they will save a larger deposit. Wait for more certainty. Feel more comfortable before committing.
On the surface that feels responsible.
The trade-off is rarely made explicit.
When you wait to feel ready, you are effectively betting that your savings rate will outrun market growth.
Sometimes that works in flat markets.
Often it does not.
The risk is not just that prices rise. The risk is that hesitation compounds.
While you are optimising spreadsheets, time is compounding in the background.