By Michael Yardney October 26, 2025

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Why There’s Very Rarely a Bad Time to Invest in Property

Property Investment
Why There’s Very Rarely a Bad Time to Invest in Property

Key takeaways

Every downturn, from the 1980s boom aftermath to the GFC and COVID, was met with doom-and-gloom predictions. Yet, history shows the market has always bounced back, rewarding those who acted while others were fearful.

The only dangerous time is at the peak of a speculative bubble. Outside those rare moments, buying well-located, investment-grade properties is unlikely to cause regret over the long haul.

Australia isn’t one property market – it’s many. While one city cools, another rises.

Smart investors don’t follow headlines; they target areas with strong fundamentals like population growth, infrastructure investment, and economic resilience.

Trying to “pick the bottom” rarely works because fear holds most people back. Instead, steadily building a portfolio and focusing on time in the market delivers compounding results.

For long-term investors, the exact entry price fades in importance. Inflation, wage growth, and population pressures lift property values over decades, while debt stays fixed in dollar terms.

Wealth comes from holding quality assets long enough.

Every few years, the media tells us property is “finished.”

They say it’s too risky, too expensive, or that the market is about to crash.

I’ve been investing for five decades now, and I’ve heard it all before.

After the 1980s property boom, people said “our kids will never be able to afford property again.”
In the early 1990s, people were scared off by the “recession we had to have.”
In the Global Financial Crisis, many swore property values would fall for years.
During the pandemic, plenty predicted a property collapse.

Yet, each time, the market bounced back and smart investors who bought when others were fearful ended up doing very well.

But here we are again: interest rates remain stubbornly high, inflation, government interference, productivity crisis - take your pick. There’s always a reason why now’s a bad time, and you should wait for the dust to settle.

But when you look back at history, it’s usually – not always, but often – a decent time to buy.

And there are four reasons why:

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1. Most “bad” times aren’t actually bad

The only genuinely dangerous time to buy is at the peak of a speculative bubble.

That’s when everyone piles in, convinced prices can only go one way, and they ignore the fundamentals.

We saw this in Australia during the mini-boom of 2021 into early 2022, fuelled by record-low interest rates and FOMO.

Prices rose too quickly, and when rates started climbing, values in some overheated segments corrected.

But here’s the thing: those periods are rare. Maybe once a decade.

The rest of the time? It may not be the best time to buy, but nor will you live to regret it

If you buy quality assets in investment-grade locations, even in uncertain times, you’re unlikely to regret it in the long run.

2. It’s often a good time to buy somewhere

Australia doesn’t have one “property market.”

It’s a patchwork of markets, each moving through its own cycle. While Sydney might be stalling, Brisbane could be booming. When Melbourne is flat, Adelaide might be thriving.

Take the last decade as an example:

From 2012 to 2017, Sydney and Melbourne surged.
Then those markets cooled, while Brisbane, Adelaide, and parts of Perth picked up.
In recent years, regional areas have seen extraordinary growth as Australians rethought their lifestyles post-COVID.

As the cycle matures, new areas will start looking attractive.

When you’re open to buying anywhere in Australia, you can spend most of your time in buying mode.

If you’re tied to one location, there could be huge chunks of the cycle that just don’t work for you.

That’s why smart investors don’t just follow the headlines.

They dig into the data and focus on locations with strong fundamentals, such as population growth, infrastructure spending, and economic resilience.

3. Consistent action beats perfect timing

The dream scenario? Buying aggressively in the first few years after a downturn, then sitting on the sidelines until the next one.

The reality? Almost nobody does this.

Why? Because in the depths of a downturn, most people are paralysed by fear. And by the time conditions look “safe” again, you’re probably in the middle of another boom - meaning you’ll be paying top dollar.

Instead of trying to time the market perfectly, focus on time in the market.

Build a portfolio steadily, buying when your finances allow and when the right property becomes available.

As Warren Buffett likes to remind us: you don’t need to time the market; you just need time in the market.

4. Time makes timing almost irrelevant

Short-term speculators live or die by timing. If you’re flipping properties or trying to refinance quickly, the market cycle can make or break you.

But for long-term investors, time is your ally.

If you buy a well-located property today and hold it for 10, 20, or 30 years, there is plenty of time for rising wages, population growth, and inflation to do the heavy lifting for you.

Your debt remains the same in dollar terms, while your rents and property values rise, and the exact price you pay becomes less significant over time.

That’s why I remind clients: it’s not the price you pay that makes you wealthy - it’s the length of time you hold a quality asset that counts.

The bottom line

There’s always going to be noise, headlines, and reasons to hesitate.

But the investors who succeed aren’t the ones who wait for certainty — they’re the ones who take action when others are sitting on their hands.

Australia’s housing shortage isn’t going away any time soon.

Our population is growing faster than new homes are being built.

And while interest rates and economic conditions may shift in the short term, the long-term fundamentals for well-located property remain as strong as ever.

So rather than worrying about whether this is the “perfect” time to invest, the smarter move is to make sure you’ve got the right plan in place.

That’s where our team at Metropole can help.

A complimentary Wealth Discovery Chat with one of our experienced wealth strategists could give you the clarity you need. Lock in a time here now!

We’ll help you cut through the mixed messages in the media, understand your options, and map out a personalised strategy to grow, protect, and pass on your wealth.

Now may not feel like the “perfect” time — but history shows that it’s very often times like these that set up the biggest opportunities.

About Michael Yardney Michael is the founder of Metropole Property Strategists who help their clients grow, protect and pass on their wealth through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. He's once again been voted Australia's leading property investment adviser and one of Australia's 50 most influential Thought Leaders. His opinions are regularly featured in the media.