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Commercial Property vs Gold — rental income or a liquid hedge?

Commercial property can deliver a real rental yield most other assets can't match, but ties up large capital with real vacancy and management risk. Gold pays no yield but is far more liquid and needs no active management. Compare both on the same starting amount.

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Commercial Property vs Gold Calculator — 15-year comparison

Opens Compare Lab pre-loaded with both, in your own currency — adjust any input and the chart updates instantly.

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Commercial Property
Gold Calculator
How each one actually works
Commercial Property

A shop, office, or similar commercial unit purchased for rental income, typically at a higher yield than residential but requiring more capital.

PROS
✓Often higher rental yield (as % of value) than residential property
✓Commercial leases can run longer once a tenant is secured
✓Diversifies a real-estate allocation beyond residential
CONS
✕Longer vacancy gaps between tenants than residential
✕Higher entry capital and typically a larger required down payment
✕More sensitive to local commercial demand cycles

Best for: Investors with more capital who can tolerate longer vacancy risk in exchange for a potentially higher yield.

Gold

Physical or digital gold, valued by weight at the prevailing market price, plus making charges and GST on physical purchases.

PROS
✓Globally liquid — can be sold almost anywhere, quickly
✓Tends to hold or gain value during market stress, a useful hedge
✓No counterparty risk on physical gold
CONS
✕No income or yield — return comes purely from price appreciation
✕Making charges and GST reduce the effective return on physical gold
✕Storage and security are a real practical concern

Best for: A smaller diversifying allocation (typically 5–15% of a portfolio) as an inflation and crisis hedge, not a primary growth holding.

Questions
Does commercial property really beat gold over time?

It can, once rental income is added to appreciation — but only if the property stays occupied and the local commercial market holds up; an empty unit earns nothing while gold's value doesn't depend on a tenant.

Which is easier to exit if I need the cash?

Gold, by a wide margin — it can be sold in a day, while a commercial property sale can take months and depends on finding a buyer at an acceptable price.

Where do these numbers actually come from?

The same calculation engine that powers our standalone calculators and Compare Lab — nothing here is a separate or simplified estimate. Every assumption (rate, tenure, tax) is visible and adjustable once you open the comparison with your own numbers.

All figures are illustrative projections based on the assumptions you select, not guaranteed returns. Validate tax and scheme rules before making financial decisions.