Rental Yield Explained: How Kwinana Suburbs Stack Up

Key takeawaysRental yield is the annual rent as a percentage of the property’s value.Gross yield ignores costs. Net yield takes them out, and it is the number that matters.Lower priced…

Key takeaways

Rental yield is the annual rent as a percentage of the property’s value.
Gross yield ignores costs. Net yield takes them out, and it is the number that matters.
Lower priced Kwinana suburbs tend to show higher yields than higher growth suburbs.
Yield is only half the picture. Weigh it against capital growth before you buy.

Rental yield is the first number investors look at, and the most misunderstood. It tells you how hard your money works as income, but only once you use the right version of it. Here is what it means, how to calculate it, and how the Kwinana corridor tends to stack up.

Gross yield and net yield

There are two yields, and the difference matters.

Gross yield is the annual rent divided by the property value, as a percentage. It ignores costs.
Net yield takes the costs out first. It is the honest number, because it reflects what you actually keep.

A worked example

Take a $450,000 home renting at $520 a week.

Annual rent is $520 times 52, which is $27,040.
Gross yield is $27,040 divided by $450,000, which is about 6%.
Take out say $7,000 of annual costs, and net yield is about 4.5%.

The figures above are an example of the method, not a market quote. Run your own on the rental yield calculator.

Styled bedroom in a Parmelia rental property prepared for tenant viewings — A styled rental in Parmelia. Yield tells you the income, growth tells you the wealth.

What counts as a cost

Net yield is only useful if you count every cost. Include these.

Property management fees.
Council rates and water rates.
Landlord insurance.
Repairs and maintenance.
Strata levies, where they apply.
Any vacancy between tenants.

How Kwinana suburbs tend to compare

Yield and price move in opposite directions. Because the Kwinana corridor has lower entry prices than inner Perth, its gross yields tend to be higher. The pattern usually looks like this, though it shifts with the market, so treat it as direction, not a promise.

Lower priced suburbs such as Medina, Calista, Orelia and Leda tend to show higher gross yields.
Growth suburbs such as Baldivis and Wellard often blend a solid yield with stronger capital growth.

Good to know. A high yield with no growth is not automatically a better buy than a modest yield with strong growth. The best investment depends on your strategy, income now or wealth later.

Get the real number

The only yield that counts is the one for a specific property, at a real weekly rent. Get that rent from a rental appraisal, and read how we protect the return on our property management page.

Sizing up an investment in the corridor? Get a real weekly rent and we will help you work the yield.

Get My Rental Appraisal Calculate My Yield

Linda Healey

Head of Property Management

A happy home is more than a roof over your head; it’s a foundation under your feet.

I have always felt a strong connection to those words. For me, matching the right tenant with the right property is just as important as the property itself is to its owner—whether it’s a much-loved family home or an important investment.

My career in real estate began in New Zealand, where I worked my way up to Assistant Manager at Christchurch’s largest property management company, overseeing more than 600 properties. When I moved to Perth in 2008, I continued my professional growth, completing my REIWA License in Property Management, Certificate IV in Property Services, and several other qualifications. I’m also close to completing my Diploma in Property Services.

With over 20 years of experience across both commercial and residential management, I’ve had the privilege of leading award-winning departments, being nominated for Property Manager of the Year, and contributing to a professional property management chapter in Western Australia. As a personal investor in both residential and commercial property, I understand the importance of protecting investments while ensuring tenants feel at home.

I pride myself on being approachable, professional, and thorough. Communication is central to the way I work—I make sure that both owners and tenants are always kept in the loop and feel supported. I often describe my role as part counsellor, part negotiator, part advisor, and sometimes even teacher or handyman. Property management is about balancing people’s emotional and financial commitments to their homes, and when everything comes together, I find it incredibly rewarding.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband, our two young daughters (aged 5 and 7), and our energetic cavoodle. I’m also an active member of the P&C at Aubin Grove Primary School, which gives me the chance to stay involved in the school community and support my children’s education. And whenever I can, I love cheering on the mighty boys in black—the All Blacks.