As expected, the RBA is taking a cautious approach, holding the cash rate firm at 4.1% in April, despite inflationary pressures easing into the target range and labour markets showing a softer outcome in February. The monthly CPI update for February shows core inflation has been tracking inside the RBA’s 2-3% target since December. At…
Why are we blaming international students for Australia’s housing crisis? In recent years, as housing affordability has worsened across Australia, international students have been thrust into the spotlight as a scapegoat. It’s an argument that’s tempting in its simplicity: more students mean more demand, which pushes up rents. But the reality? It’s a lot more…
With the 2025 Federal Election now locked in for May 3rd, Australian property investors and homebuyers are naturally keen to understand how the electoral outcomes could impact the real estate market. Historically, elections bring uncertainty, and uncertainty tends to make markets cautious. Buyers hesitate, sellers hold back, and investors wait to see if major policy…
There’s been a lot of noise again about allowing first-home buyers to dip into their superannuation to purchase a property. It’s not a new idea—the Morrison government floated it in 2022, and now it’s resurfacing as a potential vote-winner for the Liberals ahead of the next election. At first glance, it sounds appealing, doesn’t it?…
A little-known change by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has put property sellers at risk of having 15% of their sale price withheld, a mistake that could cost over $122,000 for the average property owner. Since January 1, 2025, anyone selling property in Australia must obtain a clearance certificate before settlement. If they fail to…
Housing affordability has long been an issue in Australia, but a new report makes it clear, we’re in uncharted territory. The new report, Priced Out: An Index of Affordable Rentals for Australian Voters (2025), published by Everybody’s Home, reveals a rental crisis that’s no longer just affecting low-income earners. Today, even middle-income Australians, nurses, teachers, police…
It’s been two years of interest rate hikes, rising cost-of-living pressures, and constant warnings about mortgage stress. And yet, Australian homeowners are proving more resilient than many expected. The latest data from APRA’s Quarterly Property Exposure Statistics shows that offset account balances have surged to record highs, while mortgage defaults have fallen for the first…
It was March 11th 2020 when the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Although the onset of the pandemic is now five years behind us, the influence on housing markets is still being felt. One of the most significant factors five years on from March 2020 is how housing values have changed….
Have you noticed that property investors are surging ahead while first-home buyers and owner-occupiers take a backseat? The latest mortgage trends suggest this gap will only widen in 2025. With investor loans soaring, refinancing making a comeback, and interest rates shifting, the property market is entering a new phase, and if you’re not paying attention,…
At the end of last year, the headlines screamed of falling migration numbers, but don’t be fooled—this is no breather for Australia’s housing market. If anything, it’s just a reminder of the storm brewing beneath the surface. For the first time since our borders reopened in late 2021, Australia’s annual net overseas migration has fallen…
