The national housing market is navigating a distinct cyclical turning point, with Cotality’s National Home Value Index rising by just 0.3% in April, taking the slowest monthly growth recorded since January 2025. While values continue to trend higher on a national level, the pace of appreciation is clearly losing momentum as the housing cycle moves…
The federal budget dropped last week and, if you believe the loudest voices in the room, property investment in Australia is finished. I don’t buy that for a second, but I do think this changes the game enough that investors need to think more carefully than they have for years. I’ve been watching governments tinker…
Capital city auction numbers were sharply lower over the past week with clearance rates generally steady although remaining at near lowest levels for the year. Weekly Auction Results to Saturday, May 16th 2026 Capital City This Week Last Week Same Week Last Year Auctions Rate Auctions Rate Auctions Rate Sydney 807 61.4% 1030 63.1% 667…
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Market Room Live, where I delve into the complexities of the property market and the recent bombshell federal budget’s impact. This discussion, featuring insights into current trends and future predictions, is essential for anyone interested in navigating the evolving landscape of real estate investment in Australia. Understanding the Federal…
SQM Research released its latest data on residential rental property vacancy rates. Australia’s national residential vacancy rate rose to 1.2% in April 2026, up from 1.0% in March. The total number of residential vacancies increased to 35,258 dwellings, reflecting a moderate rise in available rental stock across several capital cities. Despite the monthly increase, vacancy…
Every week I sit down with the latest property data and try to cut through the noise to find what actually matters for serious investors. And this week, there is more noise than usual. The RBA confirmed what most of us expected on May 5th, raising the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35%…
For much of the last two years Australia’s property markets have defied expectations. Despite higher interest rates, affordability pressures, and cost-of-living concerns, property values in many parts of the country continued to push higher as strong population growth, tight rental markets, and limited housing supply kept prices resilient. But the landscape is beginning to change….
2026 is shaping up to be another year of solid, though uneven, growth. At its first meeting for 2026, the Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate to 3.85%, up from 3.6%, exactly as most economists expected. That move officially ends the shortest and most modest rate-cutting cycle since the RBA began inflation targeting back in…
There is no doubt that our housing markets are facing challenges from all directions, but clearly, they have remained resilient. To better understand what’s happening, this monthly collection of charts from Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) paints an interesting picture. Cotality’s latest Housing Chart Pack shows conditions are easing as borrowing capacity tightens, with analysis of the Home Value…
For many Australians, getting into the property market has never been more challenging, so it’s no surprise that policies aimed at helping first-home buyers are gaining traction. According to Money.com.au, first-home buyer market could take until 2030 to return to peak levels following 5% deposit scheme expansion. First-home buyer (FHB) loans surged 9.7% in the…
