Every SDA developer presentation includes compelling yield projections, national participant growth figures, and a polished house render. What they rarely include is the suburb-level supply data that tells you whether the opportunity is real.
These five questions cut through the presentation layer and get to the information that actually matters. Ask them at any SDA information event, in any one-on-one developer meeting, or in writing before you sign anything.
Can you show me the suburb-level SDA supply data for this postcode?
Not national figures. Not state-level figures. The specific number of completed and approved SDA dwellings within 10km of the proposed build site — broken down by design category.
A developer who genuinely believes in their suburb selection should be able to answer this immediately, with data. If they respond with national participant growth statistics instead, they have not answered the question — and that non-answer is itself significant information.
What is your track record on tenanting timelines for completed projects?
Ask for specific examples of completed SDA builds — the suburb, the design category, the completion date, and the date the first NDIS tenant moved in. Ask what happened to any projects that were not tenanted quickly.
A developer with a strong track record will answer this question with specifics. A developer who deflects, generalises, or cannot provide verifiable examples has told you something important about the reliability of their projections.
Why does demand in this suburb specifically support the design category you're proposing to build?
This question targets the category mismatch problem. A suburb can be undersupplied for High Physical Support dwellings and oversupplied for Improved Liveability simultaneously. Most developer presentations treat SDA demand as a single category — it is not.
Ask the developer to demonstrate that the specific design category they want to build matches the unfulfilled demand profile in the specific suburb they are selling — not just that SDA demand exists in general.
What are your obligations if the property is not tenanted within 12 months of completion?
This question makes the vacancy risk allocation explicit. In most SDA build contracts, the developer's obligations end at settlement. The vacancy risk transfers entirely to the investor from that point. Understanding this before signing is not optional.
Some developers offer rental guarantees or post-settlement support arrangements. If they do, ask for the terms in writing and have a lawyer review them before relying on them as part of your investment thesis.
Would you have any objection to me getting an independent suburb-level demand report before signing?
This question is the most important of the five — not because of what it asks, but because of what the answer reveals.
A developer who is confident in their suburb selection has nothing to fear from independent data verification. They should welcome it — because it confirms what they already know and gives the investor confidence to proceed.
A developer who discourages independent analysis, creates urgency around signing before you can verify, or suggests the report is unnecessary has just told you everything you need to know about their confidence in the project.
The independent report costs $770. If a developer's suburb selection is genuine, the report will confirm it and you proceed with confidence. If it isn't, the report has just saved you from a decision that would have cost $200,000 or more. There is no scenario where asking this question costs you anything. Order your suburb report →
Get Independent Suburb Verification
Our SDA Opportunity Index™ reports give you the independent suburb-level analysis every SDA investor needs before committing to a build.
Order a Report — from $770 →