‘Financially it stacks up. And we find it so much more manageable going through DHA'
Phil Coe has spent his whole career teaching students to think critically and do their research. When it came to property investment he used the same approach.
His investment journey started with a DHA information session in 2005 where he took notes, asked questions and went home to run the numbers. Twenty years later, Phil still has the first property he bought, along with three others, all leased to DHA.
The Canberra-based deputy school principal and his wife, Tegan have built their portfolio with DHA in three different ways. Their first property was purchased off-the-plan. The second had a DHA lease in place when they bought it (known as a mid-lease purchase), with rent flowing from the day of settlement. The third was a property they owned, which met requirements, and DHA agreed to lease.
"A lot of elements involved in DHA investing really appealed to us from a risk and organisation point of view,” Phil said. “The certainty around the rent being paid each month is really important to us.
"If you buy a property as an investment, it needs to go on the rental market and there is a lengthy process involved. But from day one, as soon as we signed up to purchase the investment property that already had a DHA lease, the rent flicked over to us."
Support for remote owners
The DHA advantage became apparent when Phil and Tegan moved abroad to teach in London. At the time they had two investment properties in Australia – one with DHA and one managed on the open market – and the experience was very different.
In the four years they were overseas, the property leased through the real estate agency had multiple tenants, a six-week vacancy when no rent was paid, and a property manager who contacted them from the other side of the world about minor issues, such as changing light bulbs. Every month brought surprises on the statement too.
In contrast, rent from their DHA property always arrived on time and, when DHA did make contact, it was for something that genuinely needed their input.
A key difference was DHA’s Property Care Contract which meant most non-structural repairs were automatically handled by DHA, without Phil needing to source quotes, chase contractors or field calls.
"To have the maintenance covered and looked after by DHA is really important to us. We know they're going to engage professional, experienced people. And financially, it means a number of things are just covered as part of the contract,” he said.
“The management fee is different when comparing leasing to DHA to leasing through the private market. You can get a cheaper rate elsewhere, but we feel that is just not worth it.
“With DHA, we can budget for 12 months of rental income. We know there will be periods when a property on the private market might not be tenanted – and when you start analysing that gap, it starts stacking up… we find it so much more manageable going through DHA.
“A good friend of mine has a property rented through a real estate agency and we discuss this quite frequently. He's now considering his next purchase to be a DHA-leased property simply because it will be less stress. He currently pays a significantly lower management fee, but financially that has not stacked up and it has definitely not worked out from a stress point of view.”
Location and choice
The variety of investment property types and locations where DHA leases housing across the country has proven to be a major drawcard. Phil and Tegan’s portfolio reflects how Defence demographics and housing needs are changing, with less emphasis on large family homes than in the past, and greater demand for smaller apartments that appeal to singles and couples.
"When making a decision to invest, we've really appreciated the range of properties available. Our properties are all in high-demand areas that people genuinely want to live in.
“We're getting to the age where we're thinking about the long-term and retirement. The certainty financially, and knowing that the property is going to be looked after, is the most important aspect for us in investing with DHA. It gives us great comfort."
Want to know if a DHA investment adds up for you? Contact our Investor Support Team on 133 342 or submit an enquiry(Opens in a new tab/window).
The opinions expressed in this testimonial only reflect the experiences of this investor as at 01 May 2026. DHA does not take into account an investor's objectives or financial needs. Investors should always seek appropriate independent advice before making any investment decisions with DHA.
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