Every time interest rates move up or down, we are asked the same question: “Should I fix my mortgage rate?” It’s a fair question – especially after the rollercoaster of recent years. Many borrowers are still feeling the sting of higher repayments and are tempted to lock in some certainty. But as with most financial decisions, the best answer is not based…
You know how every summer Australians wander down to the beach, breathe in the salty air, have a few too many wines, and suddenly convince themselves that owning a holiday home is a brilliant investment strategy? Well… it isn’t. In fact, it’s one of the biggest financial traps I see Aussies fall into. And today,…
Most property investors start out with one simple goal – financial freedom. But the question I often get asked is: “How do I actually live off my property portfolio when the time comes?” The truth is, owning a few properties isn’t enough. To achieve financial freedom, you need to build a substantial, diversified, and well-structured…
If you thought Victorian property reforms had already gone far enough, think again. A new set of rules will soon require reserve prices to be publicly disclosed at least seven days before a property goes under the hammer – and unless that happens, the home can’t legally be auctioned. Currently, Victorian regulations require selling agents…
We’ve all become comfortable shopping online, maybe too comfortable. Click, add to cart, tap the card, done. But what if your payment details were stolen even before you pressed the “Submit” button? That’s not a theoretical scenario. It’s happening right now, quietly, invisibly, on perfectly legitimate websites Australians shop on every day. And it’s part…
The decision to keep rates on hold was widely expected, but what does it mean for housing trends? The Reserve Bank of Australia held the cash rate at 3.60% at its final meeting of 2025. The decision came after core inflation trended above the target range, reaching 3.3% over the 12 months to October. Recent…
Every so often a single statistic captures the mood of the market far better than any forecast or headline. And the following is a good example of this month, it’s this one: One in ten homes sold in October was purchased using the federal government’s 5% Deposit Scheme, according to an article in realestate.com.au That’s…
In this month’s Big Picture Podcast, we step back from the headlines and look at what’s really going on beneath the surface in our economy, our property markets, and the world of wealth creation Ken Raiss and I discuss a range of topics of importance to property investors . Lenders are changing their rules. Rates…
Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin housing prices are once again predicted to continue to record outperformance compared to our larger capital cities in 2026. The three cities are tipped to record dwelling price rises of up to 16% according to forecasts released by SQM Research in its annual update, Christopher’s Housing Boom and Bust Report…
After watching the property market evolve over a number of decades, I’ve learned that the biggest shifts often happen quietly, long before they show up in median price charts or in the headlines. We talk endlessly about interest rates, supply shortages, migration surges and rental pressures. But there’s another structural force now shaping values in…
