Australian Property Podcast

Is the spring property market offering buyers a window — or is the real test still ahead? On the Australian Property Podcast, Pete Wargent and Chris Bates look past the headlines to ask what is actually listing, selling and sitting unsold as the year draws towards Christmas.

Chris explains why the next few weeks could matter for sellers who are considering when to list. Pete weighs the buyer’s side of a softer market: more choice and room to negotiate can coexist with uncertainty about borrowing capacity and where prices go next. They discuss why first-home buyers and upgraders may be making very different decisions, and why confidence can change faster than the supply of good homes.

The conversation also looks at the housing construction pipeline. Pete and Chris consider the gap between dwellings under construction now and the projects that may struggle to get built later, with financing, feasibility and developer risk all part of the picture. They discuss proposed migration cuts and why rental demand does not necessarily move in step with demand from home buyers.

In the listener Q&A, the hosts compare price movements across cities and property types, then turn to the choices facing people approaching retirement with multiple properties. Their message is to review cash flow, potential transaction costs and the role of super before making a major decision — not to rush because of a headline.

For buyers, sellers and property investors, this episode offers practical questions to ask about timing, local supply and the quality of the asset in front of you, rather than a one-size-fits-all call on the market.

~~ Disclaimer ~~

This podcast contains general financial information only, issued by The Rask Group Pty Ltd, and shouldn't be relied upon. This podcast shouldn't be relied upon because it does not consider your needs, goals or objectives. Speak to your financial adviser first. Read Rask's FSG at www.rask.com.au/fsg to learn more about us. Always read the PDS and TMD before acquiring any financial product mentioned in this video. Past performance is not always indicative of future performance.

Episode resources

– Ask a question (select the Property podcast)

Show partner resources

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

Rask resources

– Pete's Buyers Agency

– Alcove mortgage broking

– Amy Lunardi Buyers Agency (Melbourne)

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

Disclaimer

The information in this episode is provided by The Rask Group Pty Ltd and contains general financial product advice only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting, consider whether the information is appropriate for you and consider seeking personal advice from a licensed financial adviser. You can read our Financial Services Guide at www.rask.com.au/fsg. If a financial product is mentioned, consider the relevant PDS and TMD, where applicable, before making any financial decision.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are not guaranteed and capital may be at risk.

The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1280930 of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd, AFSL 563 907.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is a softer Australian property market finally giving buyers the upper hand, or are good homes still hard to find? On the Australian Property Podcast, Pete Wargent and Chris Bates unpack what higher interest rates, weaker prices and a shortage of fresh listings mean for the months ahead.

Pete examines how the downturn differs by city and price bracket, with more expensive homes under pressure while affordable parts of the market have held up better. Chris explains why a cheaper-looking apartment or a well-known suburb is not enough: building quality, strata costs, location and the individual property still matter. Their views on a possible Melbourne recovery and the outlook for Brisbane and Perth are scenarios, not certainties.

They also tackle a property-market puzzle. Some homes have sat unsold for months, yet new listings remain scarce. Does that create genuine bargaining power, or just a standoff between buyers and sellers? Pete and Chris discuss what might turn a slowdown into a buyer’s market, including motivated vendors, interest rates and the supply of desirable homes.

Two listener questions bring the conversation back to decisions families face now: how parents can help a daughter prepare for home ownership, and what an inner-west Sydney buyer should look for when prices soften but stock stays tight. Expect a practical discussion of earning power, money habits, negotiating room and why the market bottom is usually clearest only in hindsight.

Episode resources

– Ask a question (select the Property podcast)

Show partner resources

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

Rask resources

– Pete's Buyers Agency

– Alcove mortgage broking

– Amy Lunardi Buyers Agency (Melbourne)

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

Disclaimer

The information in this episode is provided by The Rask Group Pty Ltd and contains general financial product advice only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting, consider whether the information is appropriate for you and consider seeking personal advice from a licensed financial adviser. You can read our Financial Services Guide at www.rask.com.au/fsg. If a financial product is mentioned, consider the relevant PDS and TMD, where applicable, before making any financial decision.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are not guaranteed and capital may be at risk.

The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1280930 of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd, AFSL 563 907.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are higher interest rates finally testing the Australian property market—or creating a window for patient buyers?

In this episode of the Australian Property Podcast, Pete Wargent and Chris Bates discuss what rising mortgage costs and stubborn household expenses mean for buyers, borrowers and investors. Recorded ahead of an RBA decision, their conversation examines the prospect of another rate rise rather than assuming its outcome.

They look at why some households cannot refinance despite holding equity, how tighter borrowing capacity is changing the plans of first-home buyers and upgraders, and why a weaker market does not affect every suburb or price point equally. Pete and Chris also explore the pressures facing builders and developers, and the tension between falling prices today and constrained housing supply tomorrow.

Is property still worth investing in during a downturn? They weigh the appeal of well-located, established homes against higher holding costs, uncertain rates and the risk of buying new property on shaky assumptions.

In the listener Q&A, they consider how a property developer approaching retirement might plan a portfolio sell-down, the trade-offs of rentvesting in different markets, and whether a Melbourne homeowner should keep cash in an offset account, buy another home or investigate commercial property. Along the way, they stress the importance of debt, cash flow and property quality over easy predictions.

If you're deciding whether to buy, upgrade, invest or wait, this conversation offers a grounded look at the choices shaping the next stage of Australia's housing cycle.

Episode resources

– Ask a question (select the Property podcast)

Show partner resources

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

Rask resources

– Pete's Buyers Agency

– Alcove mortgage broking

– Amy Lunardi Buyers Agency (Melbourne)

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

Disclaimer

The information in this episode is provided by The Rask Group Pty Ltd and contains general financial product advice only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting, consider whether the information is appropriate for you and consider seeking personal advice from a licensed financial adviser. You can read our Financial Services Guide at www.rask.com.au/fsg. If a financial product is mentioned, consider the relevant PDS and TMD, where applicable, before making any financial decision.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are not guaranteed and capital may be at risk.

The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1280930 of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd, AFSL 563 907.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can young Australians still buy a home, or is property ownership slipping further out of reach?

In this Australian Property Podcast livestream, Owen and Milli unpack the challenge of buying property in your 20s and 30s, while still building wealth through shares and super.

They cover practical ways to save a deposit, including high-interest savings accounts, investing and the First Home Super Saver Scheme. You’ll learn how FHSS contributions, withdrawals and deemed earnings work, plus the risks of investing money you may need for a home purchase.

The discussion also explores how parents and grandparents can help with a deposit through gifts, loans, co-borrowing or co-ownership, and why the legal structure matters.

Owen and Milli then turn to debt recycling: what it is, why more Australians are asking about it, and how interest rates, investment returns and tax treatment can affect the strategy.

Plus, they tackle listener questions on family loans and asset protection, the changing capital gains tax landscape, HSBC’s retreat from Australian retail banking, and the difficulty retirees can face when applying for a new credit card.

Stay until the end for “What am I?”

Episode resources

– Ask a question (select the Property podcast)

Show partner resources

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

Rask resources

– Pete's Buyers Agency

– Alcove mortgage broking

– Amy Lunardi Buyers Agency (Melbourne)

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

Disclaimer

The information in this episode is provided by The Rask Group Pty Ltd and contains general financial product advice only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting, consider whether the information is appropriate for you and consider seeking personal advice from a licensed financial adviser. You can read our Financial Services Guide at www.rask.com.au/fsg. If a financial product is mentioned, consider the relevant PDS and TMD, where applicable, before making any financial decision.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are not guaranteed and capital may be at risk.

The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1280930 of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd, AFSL 563 907.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are higher global bond yields and the prospect of more RBA rate hikes about to push Australian property prices lower — or create a rare window for buyers ready to upgrade?

In this episode of the Australian Property Podcast, Pete Wargent and Chris Bates examine the most uncertain housing conditions they can remember. They connect surging bond yields, broad-based inflation and expectations for further rate rises with the decisions facing first-home buyers, upgraders, investors and renters.

Pete and Chris unpack Cotality data showing higher-value Sydney and Melbourne homes have already fallen by more than 10%, while cheaper properties and units have held up better. That gap could favour households selling a resilient starter home and buying into a larger property at a much bigger discount. However, listings are drying up, investors remain cautious and another rate hike could quickly erase the market’s early signs of stabilisation.

The discussion also turns to Australia’s supply problem: the gap between apartment approvals and commencements, data centres competing for construction capacity, developer stress and the risk that investor exits make rental conditions even tighter. They explain why low supply could eventually create a sharp rebound when buyer confidence returns.

The episode finishes with practical listener questions on whether Airbnb can still produce worthwhile income and when a 40-year mortgage might make sense. You’ll hear why short-term rentals are far from passive, how loan terms affect repayments, and which trade-offs matter when deciding whether to buy, wait or upgrade.

Episode resources

– Ask a question (select the Property podcast)

Show partner resources

– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit

– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe

Rask resources

– Pete's Buyers Agency

– Alcove mortgage broking

– Amy Lunardi Buyers Agency (Melbourne)

– All services

– Financial Planning

– Invest with us

– Access Show Notes

– Ask a question

– We love feedback!

Follow us on social media

– Instagram: @rask.invest

– TikTok: @rask.invest

Disclaimer

The information in this episode is provided by The Rask Group Pty Ltd and contains general financial product advice only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting, consider whether the information is appropriate for you and consider seeking personal advice from a licensed financial adviser. You can read our Financial Services Guide at www.rask.com.au/fsg. If a financial product is mentioned, consider the relevant PDS and TMD, where applicable, before making any financial decision.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are not guaranteed and capital may be at risk.

The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1280930 of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd, AFSL 563 907.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices