What does it take to be in the top 1% of wealthy people? Is it a matter of luck, hard work, education, or perhaps a combination of these? And more importantly… why do so few people actually get there, even though most dream about it? We know that true wealth is much more than how…
I hate to repeat what everyone else is saying, but clearly, we are living in challenging times. Despite all the bad news in the media, with economic problems, geopolitical problems, and cost-of-living pressures, there is also good news out there if you look for it. But there’s no doubt there are still many challenges ahead…
A recent report has claimed that Australia is drifting towards becoming a “homeowners’ welfare state.” It’s a provocative headline, but is it really the full story? Yes, it’s true that tax settings and government policies have long favoured homeownership, but rather than seeing this as a handout, we should recognise it as a deliberate choice…
Today, Simon Kuestenmacher and I discuss a topic that’s at the heart of the “Great Australian Dream”: homeownership. For over a century, owning your own home was not just a rite of passage—it was an expectation. But that dream is slipping further out of reach for millions of Australians, particularly younger generations. We discuss the…
If you’ve ever tried running a business—or even building a property portfolio—with your partner, you’ll know it can be both incredibly rewarding and, at times, incredibly stressful. The kitchen table becomes a boardroom, the bedroom becomes an office, and before you know it, every day feels like Groundhog Day. But it doesn’t have to be…
If a picture paints a thousand words, then this collection of charts should do a pretty good job of painting the landscape as it affects our economy and our property markets. Each month the RBA summarises macroeconomic and financial market trends in Australia by providing a detailed chart pack. World Economy Australia’s economy doesn’t operate in…
Three rate cuts this year have clearly lit a fire under our property markets. Affordability has improved, confidence is back, and the spring selling season is heating up. It’s not just houses making gains – unit prices have now risen for eight straight months. Brisbane and Adelaide are leading the charge, while Melbourne is quietly…
Australia’s housing market is at a crossroads. For first-home buyers, the dream of ownership has never felt further away – with deposits taking more than 8 years to save and mortgage repayments eating up over half of disposable incomes. Yet, at the same time, buyer demand is powering ahead, clearance rates are hitting multi-year highs,…
Did you feel a little wealthier lately? Maybe not in your day-to-day spending money, but according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, you actually are. In fact, Aussie household wealth jumped by 2.7% in just three months – that’s close to half a trillion dollars added to our collective balance sheets. And as always, much…
Everyone was banking on another interest rate cut this year – but what if it never comes? In this month’ Big Picture Podcast, Ken Raiss and I will unpack why the economy is running hotter than expected, and what that means for rates, housing, and your mortgage. We also explain how the Bank of Mum…