Palash Dave: Property Investment Strategist

04/11/2026

I was on ausbiz on Tuesday morning, a few hours before the RBA lifted rates for the fifth time this year.

What I said on air: four rises had already taken around $95,000 off a couple's borrowing capacity. This one takes it to around $116,000.

On the ground: fewer people at inspections, experienced investors buying well below what the bank will lend, and very little forced selling. Owners are holding rather than taking lower prices.

Full interview: https://ausbiz.com.au/media/investors-shift-to-cheaper-properties-as-rates-bite?videoId=52107

General commentary only, not personal financial advice.

Key points:Buyers are becoming more cautious, with fewer inspections and offers, while experienced investors are purchasing well below their borrowing limits.Some investors are targeting properties in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, regional areas and Darwin, focusing ...

01/11/2026

New home sales: down 17.5% in the September quarter, the lowest in 18 months (HIA). Queensland -26.3%, Victoria -23.3%.

Fewer builds today means tighter supply tomorrow. But new-build risk is real at 4.60%.

Planning a build? Email [email protected] or DM us.

29/10/2026

National vacancy: 1.4% in September, up from 1.3% (SQM Research). Still tight.

Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart are all below 1%. Sydney and Melbourne are the ones easing.

At 4.60%, rent assumptions matter. Email [email protected] or DM us.

28/10/2026

Regional values: +5.6% in 12 months. Capital cities: -1.8% (Cotality).

Regional WA +14.1%. Regional Tasmania +11.6%. Regional SA +10.7%. But not every regional town is a winner.

At 4.60%, picking the right market matters more than the label. Email [email protected] or DM us.

11/10/2026

Detached houses are drifting out of reach of buyer budgets. Townhouses and units are filling the gap (Domain, Matching Demand).

Meanwhile, 44% of suburban blocks could fit a second dwelling, and ~2.5M could take a granny flat (Archistar).

For investors, that could mean extra rent without buying a second block.

Curious whether your block qualifies? DM us or email [email protected]

08/10/2026

Fewer than 1% of Australian households are in negative equity, according to the RBA Governor. Even a 20% price fall would take that to only ~5%.

The real risk isn't a paper loss. It's being forced to sell with no buffer.

With rates now at 4.60% after a fourth hike this year, stress-test your cash flow before you buy, not after.

DM us or email [email protected]

06/10/2026

18% of Australian properties delivered 58% of all capital growth since 1999 (LongView, 6.4M sales analysed).

The winners were older houses on well-located land, not the highest-yield stock.

With the cash rate now at 4.60% after last week's hike, choosing the right asset matters more than ever.

Want to know if the property you're eyeing is in the 18%? DM us or email [email protected]

30/09/2026

Open home attendance, per inspection (Ray White):

January: 4.5 people
July: 2.0
Now: about 2.2

Small move. First one going the right way in six months, and it's led by the prestige end.

Ray White's Nerida Conisbee says it's too early to call a recovery, but premium buyers are acting when homes are priced properly.

The signal usually arrives after the competition does.

[email protected]

28/09/2026

The number behind the housing tax debate:

10,700 fewer new homes expected to start between 2026-27 and 2029-30, under modelling for four major housing industry bodies. Forecast impact on rents: about +$10 a week.

Meanwhile CommBank has housing costs up 5% a year, construction costs up 5.7%, rents up 3.6%.

Fewer homes being built. Each one costing more. That's the squeeze.

Questions? [email protected]

25/09/2026

"Will the new tax changes hurt me?"

It's the question I'm hearing most from investors right now.

New research from the e61 Institute, an independent economic research institute, gives a clearer answer than the headlines.

They applied the CGT and negative gearing changes to ~920,000 real housing investments held between 2008 and 2025.

53% of investors would pay more tax. 43% would pay less.

That's not a hit to every investor. It's a split, and it runs through both taxes:

• Capital gains: lower for 54% of investments, higher for 42%
• Rental income: higher for 49% of investors, lower for 28%, the rest largely neutral

Which side you land on comes down to your borrowing, your expected growth, whether you buy established or new, and your tax rate when you sell.

I've broken it down in the slides.

One thing to keep in mind. This is an "all else equal" exercise. e61 applied the new rules to what actually happened between 2008 and 2025, and the model holds investor behaviour constant. Rates, prices and behaviour will all move from here. So read the 53/43 split as a map of who is exposed under the rules, not a forecast of anyone's outcome.

Which is the point: the averages tell you less than your own numbers do.

The policy is the same for everyone. The outcome isn't.

Full e61 research note (free): https://e61.in/how-many-housing-investors-pay-more-tax-under-the-reforms/

General commentary only, not personal financial, credit or tax advice.