Hi Simon,

Lending requirements are typically tighter for investment property loans as compared to primary residence loans, especially in the last few years.

For example, you would probably need at least a 10% deposit for an investment loan (many banks now require 20%) - for primary residence, its a 5% minimum. And interest rates are higher for investment loans...

Have a look at a site like Finder.com.au for a quick comparison:

Investment Loans:  https://www.finder.com.au/home-loans/investment-property-home-loans

Home Loans (owner occupied):  https://www.finder.com.au/home-loans

As you can see, its at least a 0.50% difference in rates.