When the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) board voted unanimously to lift the cash rate to 3.85% on Tuesday, the decision was driven by one overriding concern. It wants to stop the rising cost of living from becoming entrenched. For some, like self-funded retirees, the rate rise was good news. Higher interest means their savings…
RBA reverses course to regain control over inflation, but a single hike is unlikely to alter the housing market balance. At its first meeting for 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted the cash rate to 3.85% (from 3.6% previously). This decision came in the wake of a surprise tightening in the labour market…
National home values increased in January, but a looming rate rise weighed on price growth, according to PropTrack. The report shows Sydney and Melbourne have seen home price growth soften in recent months. Melbourne has posted three months of modest declines, and while Sydney prices were up in January, they are below their recent peak….
Australian home values rose by 0.8% in January according to Cotality’s Home Value Index, a subtle acceleration from the 0.6% increase recorded in December. While every capital city and broad rest of state region recorded an increase in home values through the month, the start of the year returned a mixed result. Sydney and Melbourne…
Inflation has risen further above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2–3% target. There is now a very real prospect the Reserve Bank will feel it needs to increase interest rates at its meeting next week, with an announcement due on Tuesday afternoon. Inflation rose 3.8% in the year to December, up from 3.4% in the…
Confidence across Australia’s housing market remains strong entering 2026, but the mood is splitting along state lines as affordability and interest rate jitters reshape the landscape, new Cotality research shows. Findings from the Decoding 2026 report, based on responses from real estate agents and financial professionals across the property and finance sectors, show 87% of…
For the past few years, Australia’s rental market has been in overdrive. Investors have seen record returns, renters have felt the pinch, and headlines have been dominated by “crisis” talk. But now, as we begin a new year, something’s shifted. No, rents haven’t crashed. In fact, they’re still sitting near record highs in most capital…
If you feel like your daily commute is getting longer, more frustrating, and more expensive, you’re not alone. New research reported by realestate.com.au, combining data from the ABS and Census, confirms what many of us experience every morning on the road: Australia’s congestion problem has quietly grown into a major economic and social issue, and…
New analysis from Cotality shows that since September last year, lower-priced homes – that is those under the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme price caps – have generally recorded stronger growth than higher-priced homes. Growth in home values has diverged based on whether properties fall under or above the scheme’s price caps. Quarterly Growth Trends Homes under…
Imagine reaching retirement age, finally ready to enjoy the fruits of decades of hard work, only to realise you’re still sending monthly repayments to the bank. That’s the unsettling reality facing a growing number of Australians, as homeownership is being delayed later and later in life. For generations, the great Australian dream was simple: buy…
