The Perth Property Show

Host Trent Fleskens welcomes Derek Baston of Baston & Co to discuss Victoria Park, East Victoria Park and nearby St James/Bentley, focusing on Albany Highway’s lifestyle appeal and how the market has evolved since COVID. Derek explains key drivers by area, including Vic Park Primary School, Raphael Park, dog-friendly Harold Rossiter Park, and the growing food and brewery scene, plus major activation projects like Bailey Hill and the Boston Brewing precinct. They cover gentrification, the shift from state housing weatherboard cottages to prized character homes (influenced by a streetscape policy), and changing buyer profiles including downsizers from South Perth/Como and intergenerational support. Current medians are about $1.165m in Vic Park and $1.2m in East Vic Park, with East Vic Park’s larger blocks lifting its median, while development has slowed due to feasibility. Derek expects the median to track sideways as the market differentiates more between premium and inferior stock.

Host Trent Fleskens welcomes Brendon Habak from Inhabit for an apartment-focused suburb spotlight on East Perth, discussing buyer sentiment amid negative gearing and tax noise. Brendon sells East Perth on its riverfront amenity and improving infrastructure (WACA pool/slides, growing cafe culture) but notes the suburb lacks a true town centre and community spark, suggesting Wellington Street and the Perth Girls School redevelopment as the best chance to create a walkable retail hub. They outline the typical East Perth two-bed, two-bath apartment rising from about $480k pre-COVID to nearer $700k, with rents around $800/week, but describe a slowdown from last year’s multiple-offer market to fewer home-open attendees, driven by higher interest rates, affordability and rising strata fees. Brendon contrasts softer East Perth conditions with stronger demand and price outcomes in Wembley/Jolimont and discusses premium Perth CBD and Burswood Point offerings.

Host Trent Fleskens welcomes Devon Kelly back to the Perth Property Show for an updated suburb spotlight on Kewdale, revisiting their January 2020 episode and how the market has changed since. Devin shares personal history growing up in Kewdale and highlights Tomato Lake, the evolution of Kewdale High School into the Australian Islamic College, and differing precincts around the suburb. They discuss how Kewdale’s median has shifted from around $430,000 for a 3x1 in 2020 to roughly $1.1–$1.2 million today, pricing out many first-home buyers and attracting more second-home buyers and investors. Devin outlines current development activity, new townhouse and apartment pricing, buyer turnout fluctuations tied to news events, rising days on market, and forecasts Kewdale could reach about $1.25 million within 12 months.

Host Trent Fleskens welcomes UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck to discuss how recent state and federal budget policies will (or won’t) improve WA housing supply, separating meaningful initiatives from headline “pretend policies” and potential negative market impacts. Trent notes Perth listings have risen to around 5,000 but remain more than 50% below a balanced market, keeping sellers in control. They argue that while large infrastructure spending is welcome, the key constraint is workforce and delivery capacity, with competition from mining and the need for targeted skilled migration alongside apprenticeships. They highlight the Infrastructure Development Fund and Keystart’s pre-sale finance guarantee as important for apartment feasibility, criticise stamp duty as an inefficient tax (especially for first home buyers), and caution that federal negative gearing/CGT changes may shift investor demand toward new supply without increasing overall supply. They conclude delivery depends on improving approval culture and bureaucracy.

Host Trent Fleskens and guest Lachlan Delahunty discuss current Perth market conditions, discussing recent “noise” from media and federal budget changes is short-lived compared to slow-moving fundamentals. They note Perth is still growing at roughly 1% per month with around 5,000 listings versus a balanced 13,000, keeping sellers in control despite fewer home open attendees and offers. The biggest constraint is interest-rate-driven serviceability, with some investor deals falling over due to negative gearing changes in bank assessments, reshaping investor behaviour toward new builds and infill. They warn against spruiker-led outer-suburban/off-the-plan and SMSF pitches, and highlight Perth’s strong population growth and supply shortages. Strategies discussed include value-add subdivision/infill development, syndication for larger sites, and the “accidental landlord” approach to upgrading while keeping and renting an existing home.