Your First Step Into Leveraged ETF Investing: A Practical Checklist for Property Investors

You've read the articles. You understand the mechanism. You know why property worked, you know the conditions have changed, and you know that geared ETFs and the NAB Equity Builder are the most accessible ways to apply the same leverage principle to shares.

Now you need to actually do something.

This is the checklist. One decision at a time. No jargon. No spiralling into research paralysis.

Step 1: Choose your vehicle (5 minutes)

Three options. Answer one question to find yours:

Do you have less than $20,000 to invest right now? → Geared ETF. Open a brokerage account, buy GHHF or G200. Done.

Do you have $20,000+, want a P&I structure with mandatory repayments, and want direct ETF ownership? → NAB Equity Builder. Apply at NAB's website. Allow 1–2 weeks for assessment.

Are you an experienced investor who wants maximum LVR and full flexibility, and genuinely understands margin call risk? → Margin loan. CommSec, Bell Direct, or Interactive Brokers. Understand the risks fully before proceeding.

For most property investors moving into shares for the first time, the right answer is geared ETF or NAB Equity Builder. Both have no margin calls.

Step 2: Choose your fund (5 minutes)

If you chose a geared ETF, you need to pick one. Keep it simple.

GHHF — BetaShares Wealth Builder Diversified All Growth Geared ETF

Holds ~8,000 companies globally (Australia + international)
30–40% LVR, ~1.55× leverage
Fee: ~0.39%
Best for: most investors wanting broad global diversification

G200 — BetaShares Wealth Builder Australia 200 Geared ETF

Holds Australia's top 200 companies (ASX 200)
30–40% LVR, ~1.55× leverage
Fee: 0.35%
Best for: investors who specifically want Australian-only exposure

Recommendation for most people: GHHF. One fund, globally diversified, moderate leverage. Make the decision once and automate.

If you chose the NAB Equity Builder, you'll be selecting unleveraged ETFs to purchase with the loan:

DHHF (BetaShares Diversified All Growth ETF) for global diversification
VAS + VGS combination for Australian + international index exposure
VDHG (Vanguard Diversified High Growth ETF) as an alternative all-in-one option

Step 3: Open a brokerage account (20 minutes)

To buy a geared ETF, you need an ASX brokerage account. You don't need one for the NAB Equity Builder (NAB uses their own platform).

Recommended brokers for geared ETF investors:

Broker	Brokerage fee	Notes
Pearler	$6.50/trade or $0 via autoinvest	Best for regular automated investing
Selfwealth	$9.50/trade	Flat fee, no monthly cost
CommSec	$10–$29.95/trade	Largest broker, integrates with CBA banking
Betashares Direct	$0 for Betashares ETFs	Zero brokerage specifically for G200, GHHF etc.

If you plan to invest regularly (monthly or fortnightly), Pearler's autoinvest or Betashares Direct with zero brokerage makes the most sense. Brokerage fees on small regular investments compound into a meaningful drag over time.

Account setup: Name, address, tax file number, bank details. Identity verification (usually driver's licence or passport). Most accounts are open within 24–48 hours.

Step 4: Make your first purchase (10 minutes)

Once your account is funded:

Search for your chosen ETF by ASX code: GHHF or G200
Check the current price (approximately $50–$150 per unit depending on market)
Decide how many units to buy, or how much you want to spend
Place a market order if you want to buy immediately at the current price, or a limit order if you want to specify a maximum price
Confirm the order

Your first purchase can be as small as one unit. This is not symbolic — it is useful. It teaches you how the platform works, how your portfolio appears, and how distributions are handled before you've committed a significant amount.

Use our Compound Interest Calculator before you buy — model what your intended monthly contribution grows to over 10, 20, and 30 years. The number will make you want to start sooner.

Step 5: Set up automatic contributions (10 minutes)

This is the step most investors skip. Don't skip it.

Property worked partly because the mortgage forced regular capital commitment. Replicate that in your ETF investment.

Option A — Pearler autoinvest: Set up a recurring investment within Pearler. Choose the amount, the frequency (fortnightly or monthly), and the fund. The purchase happens automatically on the scheduled date. Zero brokerage applies to Pearler autoinvest orders.

Option B — Betashares Direct autoinvest: Similar to Pearler — set up an automatic regular investment into GHHF or G200 with no brokerage.

Option C — Direct debit to brokerage + manual purchase: Set up a bank direct debit to transfer your investment amount to your brokerage account on the day after payday. Then log in and purchase manually. Less automated, but achieves the same forced savings result.

Recommended amount: The equivalent of what you'd budget for a mortgage repayment on a new investment property. If that's $1,500/month, automate $1,500/month into your ETF. If it's $500/month, automate $500/month.

Step 6: Set a review schedule — and stick to it (2 minutes now, 30 minutes quarterly)

Property investors don't get a daily valuation on their investment property. You shouldn't check your ETF portfolio daily either.

Set a calendar reminder for quarterly reviews: 30 minutes, once every three months. In that review:

Note the portfolio value
Confirm your automatic contribution is still running
Check that distributions have been credited (or reinvested)
Make no changes unless your life circumstances have changed materially

That's it. The ETF does not need you. It needs time.

Delete the brokerage app from your home screen if it tempts you to check prices. The noise of daily price movement is irrelevant to a 20-year investment. The quarterly snapshot is what matters.

Step 7 (NAB Equity Builder path): Apply

If you chose the NAB Equity Builder:

Go to NAB's website and find the Equity Builder product page
Review the current interest rate and approved investment list
Confirm you have a stable income sufficient to service the P&I repayments at the loan amount you're targeting
Apply online — you'll need income verification, existing liabilities, and identification
Once approved, the loan funds are used to purchase your chosen ETFs via NAB's investment platform
Set up automatic P&I repayments from your salary account — treat them exactly like a mortgage repayment

Allow 1–2 weeks for the assessment and approval process.

What NOT to do

Don't wait for the "right time" to enter. There is no right time. Time in market beats timing the market. The cost of waiting a year to invest is, on historical averages, a year of compounding foregone.
Don't diversify across 6 different ETFs to start. One fund (GHHF) is enough. Complexity is the enemy of consistent action.
Don't check the price every day. You didn't check your property's value every day. The same rule applies here.
Don't sell in the first downturn. The first 30% drawdown you experience will feel like the worst thing that has ever happened to your portfolio. It is not. Hold.
Don't put money in that you might need within 5 years. Geared ETFs are not a savings account. Only invest capital you can leave untouched through a severe market cycle.

The full reading list for this cluster

If you want to go deeper on any aspect of this strategy before starting:

The real reason property made Australians rich — the leverage mechanism explained
How to get leverage on shares without a mortgage — the three options compared
Geared ETFs Australia explained — how G200 and GHHF work in detail
NAB Equity Builder review — the mortgage-style investment loan
Geared ETF vs margin loan vs NAB Equity Builder — the full comparison
Property vs geared ETF: the actual numbers — modelled outcomes side by side
The GFC fear and why a geared ETF is different — for investors still nervous about shares

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need to start with a geared ETF?

Approximately $500 — the price of one unit of GHHF or G200. You can buy a single unit to start, understand how the process works, and build from there with regular contributions. There is no minimum holding period, no lock-up, and no penalty for starting small.

How long does it take to open a brokerage account in Australia?

Most online brokerage accounts (Pearler, Selfwealth, CommSec, Betashares Direct) can be opened within 24–48 hours for Australian residents with a valid tax file number, driver's licence or passport, and bank account details. Some accounts require a manual identity verification step which can add a day.

Do I need to tell my accountant before investing in a geared ETF?

You don't need approval from anyone to invest in an ETF. However, if you are investing a significant amount and want to understand the tax treatment of distributions and capital gains for your specific situation, discussing it with your accountant is worthwhile. For the NAB Equity Builder, the tax deductibility of interest and how to structure the loan for optimal tax treatment is genuinely complex and warrants specific tax advice.

What if the market falls after I invest?

You will feel like you made a mistake. You didn't. Market falls are temporary; they are not permanent losses unless you sell. The correct response to a market decline in a long-term investment is to do nothing — or, if you have additional capital available, to continue your regular contributions (which buy more units at lower prices). The investors who built wealth through property held through falls. The same behaviour in shares produces the same long-term outcome.

Should I tell my financial adviser before starting?

If you have a financial adviser, discussing a new investment approach with them is reasonable, particularly if it involves borrowing (NAB Equity Builder or margin loan) or a significant allocation of capital. If you don't have a financial adviser and you're starting with a small regular investment in an unleveraged or geared ETF, there is no regulatory requirement to seek advice first — ETFs are available to retail investors without advice.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a registered tax agent or licensed financial adviser before making decisions based on this information.