Australians are regularly told that inflation is running at a certain annual rate, yet many households look at their mortgage payments, rent, electricity bills, council rates, and insurance premiums and wonder whose cost of living the official figures really measure. Their experience feels very different because the headline Consumer Price Index is an average across…
Australia’s economy expanded by 0.4% in the June quarter, with spending growth driven by record sales of imported electric vehicles. For the year to June, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 2.1%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, slightly stronger than market expectations. The bureau noted overall growth remained subdued, with spending growth and…
SQM Research’s Weekly Asking Prices Index for the week ending 1 September 2026 showed relatively subdued monthly price movements nationally, while annual growth remained positive. Nationally, house asking prices eased 0.1% over the month, while unit asking prices increased 0.2%. Combined dwelling asking prices declined 0.1% month-on-month and remain 5.0% higher year-on-year. Sydney combined asking…
What if I told you that almost none of the financial decisions you agonise over actually matter? Most investors worry about interest rates, the next hot suburb, tax changes, market timing, stock picking, and whether they should buy now or wait. But what if 95% of your financial future is shaped by just a handful…
Have you ever looked at the latest inflation figures and wondered whether economists are living in the same country as you? We’re told inflation is running at three or four per cent, yet electricity bills have surged, council rates keep climbing, insurance costs more, rents have risen sharply and mortgage holders are paying thousands of…
Australia’s housing market has clearly entered a downturn, and prices are likely to fall further in some markets. Higher interest rates have reduced borrowing capacity, confidence has weakened and the Federal Budget has changed the investment equation for established residential property. Sydney and Melbourne are already recording meaningful declines, transaction volumes have fallen sharply and…
If you’re a young Australian hoping to buy your first home, you could be forgiven for wondering whether the property ladder has been pulled up just as you were ready to climb aboard. New research reported on realestate.com.au suggests 2026 is the most difficult year to be a first-home buyer since its records began in 1970….
Cotality’s national Home Value Index fell 0.9% in August, marking a fifth consecutive month of decline and taking national home values 3.6% below the market peak recorded in March. The downturn is becoming more widespread, with 93% of capital city suburbs recording a value decline through winter. Every month, investors, homeowners, and would-be buyers turn…
Australian home prices fell for a fifth consecutive month in August, according to the latest PropTrack Home Price Index Report, as higher interest rates continued to weigh on borrowing capacities and housing demand. Data shows that national home prices declined 0.2% over the month and are now 2.7% below their March 2026 peak. Despite the…
I’ve got a confession: I’m a terrible property investor. At least, that’s what conventional wisdom would tell you. You see, I’ve committed the ultimate sin in property circles: I’ve sold properties. Not just once, but multiple times. And to make matters worse, I’ve even told other people it’s OK to do the same. According to…
