Investors
SDA Build to Own: Owning an SDA Home
How the SDA build-to-own model works, the steps from design to enrolment, and who SDA ownership may suit.
The model
What is SDA build to own?
SDA build to own means an investor owns a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) dwelling that has been designed and built for NDIS participants with SDA funding. The investor holds the property, while a registered SDA provider enrols the home with the NDIA and provides it to the participants who live there.
It is a different path from investing through a fund. With build to own, you hold the dwelling directly, along with the responsibilities and risks that come with owning it.
The process
How SDA build to own works
The steps below follow the NDIA’s requirements for new SDA homes.
1. Plan around need
Choose a location, design category and building type that match local participant demand. The NDIA encourages investors to look at local conditions, not just national figures.
2. Design and build
New SDA dwellings must meet the mandatory SDA Design Standard. The design category, such as High Physical Support or Robust, shapes what the home needs. See what to look for in an SDA builder.
3. Certify
An accredited SDA assessor who is independent of the provider certifies the home at the final as-built stage.
4. Enrol
A registered SDA provider applies to enrol the dwelling with the NDIA. As the owner, you agree in writing that the provider can enrol it and that you won’t enrol it separately.
5. Welcome residents
Participants with SDA funding choose their home. The provider claims SDA funding from the participant’s plan and receives a reasonable rent contribution from the participant.
6. Keep it compliant
Conditions of enrolment continue, such as keeping the dwelling in a good state of repair, notifying the NDIA of changes and keeping it certified.
SDA ownership
Who SDA ownership suits
Build to own may suit investors who want to hold an SDA dwelling in their own name rather than through a fund, and who are prepared to work with a registered SDA provider for enrolment and tenancy.
Because participants choose where they live, an owned SDA home relies on being the right home in the right place. Read about the risks to weigh in SDA investment before you decide, and see the SDA market overview for current NDIA data.
Prefer to invest through a fund? Wholesale investors can learn about the SDA B.O.O.T.S Fund.
Questions
SDA build to own questions
Do I need to be a registered SDA provider to own an SDA home?
No. The SDA Rules allow a registered provider to enrol a dwelling owned by someone else, as long as the owner agrees in writing.
Can an SDA home be used before it is enrolled?
No. The NDIA has to enrol a dwelling before it can be used as SDA. For a new build, the provider must give the NDIA a Design Standard certificate of compliance.
Where does the income from an SDA home come from?
From SDA funding in the resident participant’s NDIS plan, which the provider claims, and the participant’s reasonable rent contribution.
This page is general information only. It is not financial, legal or tax advice and doesn’t take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account. Consider getting professional advice before making an investment decision. Sources: National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Rules 2020; NDIA, Specialist disability accommodation guideline (3 September 2026); NDIA, NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Report: 2026 (30 June 2026).
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