The Property Trio (formerly The Property Planner, Buyer and Professor)

🎧 In this month’s Property Trio market update, Cate, Dave and Mike unpack the latest August figures and look beyond the headlines to understand what is actually happening across Australia’s property markets.

The August market update covers city price falls, rental increases, listing numbers, interest rates and the forces shaping the next phase of this property cycle nationally.  🏠 Tune in to hear more!...  

The Property Trio is: 

David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/  

Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/  

Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/  

📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/  

Shownotes:https: //www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/09/14/ep-379-august-2026-market-update/

Dave, Cate and Mike dig into the immediate investor reaction to the negative gearing changes and the trends taking shape in their wake. Is the shift toward yield over growth a genuine strategic rethink, or is it serviceability and higher rates forcing investors' hands? Cate shares what she's hearing from buyers week to week, while Mike unpacks why resi investors are increasingly eyeing commercial property, small retail, offices and warehousing, and how differently that asset class behaves once you move past the headline yield. 

The Trio weigh up what investors might be compromising on when they chase yield over growth, and whether that trade-off is fully understood.

The Property Trio is: 

David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/  

Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/  

Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/  

📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/  

Shownotes:https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/09/07/propertytrio-property-investors-pivot-to-yield/

The Trio unpack the six principles that separate lasting property wealth from a scattered portfolio. They start with goal setting and long-term planning, then move through mortgage strategy, risk management, and the money management habits that fund a lifestyle by design.

Dave discusses a sobering example of first home buyers facing negative equity after buying at 95% LVR, while Mike explains why compounding and buy and hold tend to beat timing the market.

The Trio also make the case for quality over quantity, arguing well chosen properties beat a sprawling portfolio.

The Property Trio is: 

David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/  

Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/  

Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/  

📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/  

Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/08/31/the-six-principles-for-property-ssuccess/

This week, Mike, Cate and Dave dig into Tim Lawless's Cotality presentation from last month's REBAA conference, unpacking where the housing cycle genuinely sits. 

📊 National dwelling values have fallen for four straight months, now around 2% below their March peak, with Sydney and Melbourne leading the slide; 97% and 98% of their suburbs recorded falls over the latest quarter. Yet Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Karratha and Wagga Wagga are still growing above 19%, so could that gap change how investors chase last year's winners?

Cate explains what softer listings and auctions mean for buyer leverage, and Mike unpacks the investor demand risks sitting behind looming tax changes. The cycle has clearly turned, just not everywhere.

The Property Trio is: 

David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/  

Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/  

Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/  

📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/  

Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/08/24/are-investors-about-to-step-back/

This month's Property Trio market update sees Cate, Dave and Mike digging into July's figures, questioning whether the headline numbers are keeping pace with what's really happening on the ground.

National values fell 0.7%, with only Darwin, Perth and Hobart holding positive territory, and Cotality quietly revising prior months lower. 🏡 Melbourne draws real attention, with affordability and rising yields raising the question of genuine resilience.

Rents keep climbing, listings tell a mixed story across cities, and the RBA's warning of another possible hike looms large. A tight, data-driven read on where the market stands and what could shift it next.

The Property Trio is: 

David Johnston, Mortgage Broker - Managing Director of Property Planning Australia https://propertyplanning.com.au/  

Cate Bakos, Buyers Advocate - Managing Director of Cate Bakos Property https://www.catebakos.com.au/  

Mike Mortlock, Quantity Surveyor - Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors https://www.mcgqs.com.au/  

📩 Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Send it through https://www.propertytrio.com.au/contact-us/  

Shownotes: https://www.propertytrio.com.au/2026/08/17/ep-375-july-2026-market-update/