Australian Property Podcast

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.
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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

Buyer demand has gone quiet, auctions are being pulled and another interest rate rise could be coming. Is this a genuine buying window, or are Sydney and Melbourne only halfway through the correction?

In this episode of the Australian Property Podcast, Pete Wargent and Chris Bates examine what they are seeing on the ground as investors step back, buyer enquiry dries up and confidence deteriorates. They discuss why falling turnover is hurting agents and state stamp duty revenue, how another RBA hike could affect borrowing capacity and sentiment, and why weak development economics and private credit stress may deepen Australia’s housing shortage.

Pete and Chris also unpack a proposal to let renters and mortgage holders redirect part of their compulsory superannuation towards housing costs. Could early access help Australians buy a home or reduce mortgage debt, or would it risk repeating the inflationary effects of COVID-era withdrawals?

Finally, they answer the practical question facing buyers now: should you wait for another 5% to 10% fall, or act when a scarce, well-located property appears? The answer depends on serviceability, time horizon, property quality and how quickly competition could return when sentiment turns.

If you are buying, upgrading, investing or simply trying to understand this unusual property cycle, this episode offers a clear look at the risks, opportunities and decisions that matter next.

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