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The property investment playbook is changing.Higher interest rates.Tighter lending conditions.Potential tax and policy c...
27/05/2026

The property investment playbook is changing.

Higher interest rates.

Tighter lending conditions.

Potential tax and policy changes.

The environment investors operate in today looks very different to a few years ago.

Yet investor activity remains strong.

Investor lending increased 31.8% over 2025 and investors now account for 39.7% of all lending nationally. 

That tells us something important.

Experienced investors rarely rely on one market condition to make decisions.

They adapt.

As borrowing costs rise, cash flow becomes more important.

As supply constraints continue, location selection becomes more important.

As policy settings evolve, strategy becomes more important.

Australia’s rental vacancy rate remains just 1.7%.

National rents increased 5.7% over the year to April.

And total advertised housing supply nationally remains 9.6% below the five-year average.  

Those conditions continue creating opportunities.

Not everywhere.

Not for every property.

But for investors who understand how changing market conditions influence long-term outcomes.

The market will continue evolving.

Successful investors usually evolve with it.

Investor activity is sending a clear message about Australia’s property market.The environment is changing.Investors are...
25/05/2026

Investor activity is sending a clear message about Australia’s property market.

The environment is changing.

Investors are adapting.

The value of investor lending increased 31.8% over 2025.

Investors now account for 39.7% of all lending nationally. 

That is well above the decade average of 33.5%. 

And it’s happening during a period of higher borrowing costs, tighter lending conditions, and major proposed policy changes.

The 2026 Federal Budget proposed significant property investment changes, including limiting negative gearing benefits to new builds from 1 July 2027 and focusing tax settings more heavily toward increasing housing supply. Existing holdings before Budget night would remain under current arrangements if legislated. 

At the same time, Australia’s rental market remains under pressure.

Vacancy rates sit at just 1.7%.

National rents increased 5.7% over the past year. 

Supply remains constrained too.

Total advertised listings nationally remain 9.6% below the five-year average. 

That combination matters.

Strong rental demand.

Limited housing supply.

Growing rents.

Those fundamentals continue attracting investor attention.

The market is evolving.

Policy settings are changing.

But experienced investors often focus on long-term supply and demand trends rather than waiting for “perfect conditions.”

And right now, investor lending data suggests many are still backing Australian property for the long game.

Auction volumes lifted again this week.Sydney recorded 1,038 auctions with a 64.2% clearance rate.Melbourne saw 1,032 au...
24/05/2026

Auction volumes lifted again this week.

Sydney recorded 1,038 auctions with a 64.2% clearance rate.

Melbourne saw 1,032 auctions clear at 61.7%.

But Brisbane stands out for a different reason.

189 auctions.
20.1% clearance.

That is down sharply from 34.5% last week and 43.3% this time last year.

At the same time, Sydney and Melbourne clearance rates are also sitting below where they were a year ago.

What does that tell us?

More stock does not automatically mean stronger conditions.

Buyers are becoming more selective.

Borrowing costs still matter.
Affordability still matters.
And properties that miss the mark on pricing, presentation, or positioning are taking a harder hit.

The part most people miss is this:

Auction markets often show buyer confidence shifts before broader property trends become obvious.

When clearance rates soften while volumes stay elevated, it can signal buyers are gaining negotiating power.

That does not automatically mean prices fall.

It means strategy matters more.

For buyers, it creates opportunity.

For sellers, it raises the importance of getting pricing and campaign ex*****on right.

Markets move in cycles.

The smart money watches behaviour before headlines.

Queensland’s property story is becoming bigger than just price growth.The underlying fundamentals still matter.Regional ...
21/05/2026

Queensland’s property story is becoming bigger than just price growth.

The underlying fundamentals still matter.

Regional Queensland dwelling values increased 15.0% over the past year. Brisbane dwelling values rose 19.7% annually and remain at record highs.  

At the same time, rental pressure remains elevated.

Regional Queensland rents increased 6.2% over the past 12 months. 

Supply constraints are still part of the picture as well.

Regional Queensland advertised listings remain 2.0% below where they were a year ago. 

When demand stays strong while supply remains constrained, it tends to create support underneath property values over the longer term.

That doesn’t mean markets move in straight lines.

Conditions change.

Interest rates change.

Buyer behaviour changes.

But many experienced investors focus less on short-term market noise and more on long-term fundamentals.

Population growth.

Rental demand.

Housing supply.

And right now, Queensland continues showing strength across multiple areas.

Investor demand across Queensland remains remarkably strong.According to the latest housing data, investors now account ...
21/05/2026

Investor demand across Queensland remains remarkably strong.

According to the latest housing data, investors now account for 40.1% of lending demand across Queensland. 

At the same time, rental pressure continues building.

Regional Queensland rents increased 6.2% over the past 12 months. 

Supply remains constrained as well.

Regional Queensland advertised listings are sitting 2.0% lower than a year ago. 

That combination matters.

Strong demand.

Tight rental conditions.

Limited housing supply.

Those fundamentals continue attracting investor attention despite higher interest rates and tighter borrowing conditions.

Experienced investors rarely wait for “perfect conditions.”

They focus on long-term fundamentals.

Population growth.

Rental demand.

Supply constraints.

And right now, Queensland continues ticking a lot of those boxes.

The market is changing.

But investor activity suggests confidence in Queensland property remains very much alive.

A lot of investors assume getting approved means they made the right lending decision.Not always.Some loan decisions sol...
19/05/2026

A lot of investors assume getting approved means they made the right lending decision.

Not always.

Some loan decisions solve today’s problem while quietly creating tomorrow’s limitation.

An investor buys their first property.

Everything goes smoothly.

Loan approved.
Settlement done.
Property purchased.

Then a few years later they want to buy again.

Suddenly borrowing capacity feels tighter than expected.

Equity exists.
Income is strong.

But the structure underneath the portfolio isn’t helping.

Sometimes it’s debt structured inefficiently.

Sometimes it’s lender selection.

Sometimes it’s portfolio planning that focused on the first property instead of property two, three, and four.

Good investors think beyond today’s purchase.

Experienced investors think about preserving future opportunity.

Because property investing isn’t usually won or lost on one decision.

It’s often the accumulation of small decisions made over years.

The right lending strategy can create flexibility.

The wrong one can quietly limit options without you even realising it.

The investors who build long-term wealth tend to think differently.

Not just:

“Can I get approved?”

But:

“Will this still put me in a strong position five years from now?”

That’s a very different question.

And often a much better one to ask.

A lot of people focus heavily on buying the “right” property.Far fewer focus on setting up the right lending structure.T...
19/05/2026

A lot of people focus heavily on buying the “right” property.

Far fewer focus on setting up the right lending structure.

That can become a very expensive mistake over time.

The way your loans are structured can directly impact:
• Borrowing capacity
• Cash flow
• Flexibility
• Future investment opportunities
• Risk exposure
• The ability to scale a portfolio

I’ve seen investors with strong income and solid equity hit a wall far earlier than they should have purely because their lending was structured poorly from the beginning.

Cross-collateralisation.
Incorrect ownership structures.
Using the wrong lender too early.
Not planning for future borrowing capacity.
Mixing personal and investment debt incorrectly.

These issues often don’t hurt immediately.

They show up later when the investor tries to buy the next property, refinance, release equity, or adapt to changing market conditions.

And by then, fixing the structure can be harder, slower, and more expensive.

The investors who tend to build wealth more effectively usually think beyond just “getting approved.”

They think strategically about:
• Which lender suits their long-term plans
• How to preserve borrowing power
• How to structure debt properly
• How today’s decisions affect tomorrow’s opportunities

Because property investing is rarely just about one purchase.

It’s about building a position over 10, 15, or 20 years.

And the lending structure underneath the portfolio matters far more than most people realise.

If you’re investing, or planning to build a portfolio over time, getting the lending strategy right early can make a massive difference later on.

Homes are taking longer to sell again.National median days on market rose from 25 days last year to 27 days this year. ...
18/05/2026

Homes are taking longer to sell again.

National median days on market rose from 25 days last year to 27 days this year. 

That may not sound dramatic.

But it signals demand is cooling.

Buyers are becoming more cautious.
Borrowing conditions are tighter.
And listings are rising.

Markets can still grow while conditions soften underneath the surface.

That’s exactly what this data is showing right now.

We’re also seeing auction clearance rates trend lower and vendor discounting increase, both of which usually point to weaker negotiating conditions for sellers.  

This doesn’t mean the market is collapsing.

But it does suggest buyers are becoming more selective, more price-sensitive, and less willing to rush into purchases compared to the conditions seen through much of 2024 and early 2025.

Australia’s rental market remains under enormous pressure.National rental growth accelerated to 5.7% annually in April, ...
17/05/2026

Australia’s rental market remains under enormous pressure.

National rental growth accelerated to 5.7% annually in April, while vacancy rates remained extremely tight at just 1.7%.

That vacancy rate is still well below the decade average of 2.5%.

In practical terms, demand for rental housing continues to exceed available supply across much of the country.

Regional Western Australia recorded annual rental growth of 9.0%.
Regional Tasmania hit 10.1%.
Perth rents rose 7.0% annually.

At the same time, housing supply remains constrained.

Total advertised listings nationally are still 9.6% below the five-year average.

That imbalance is keeping upward pressure on rents.

There is also an important shift happening for investors.

Rental yields have started rising again.

National gross rental yields increased to 3.59% in April as rental growth outpaced housing value growth.

For investors, that improves cash flow conditions slightly after years of compressed yields.

But for renters, conditions remain difficult.

The combination of strong population growth, limited new housing supply, and higher construction costs continues to create pressure across the rental market.

This is not just a short-term issue anymore.

It is becoming a structural supply problem.

Property listings are starting to rise again across Australia.National new listings reached 39,319 over the four weeks t...
16/05/2026

Property listings are starting to rise again across Australia.

National new listings reached 39,319 over the four weeks to May 3.

That’s:
• 22.4% higher than the same time last year
• 4.7% above the five-year average. 

After a prolonged period of extremely tight supply, more sellers are beginning to enter the market.

Part of the increase is seasonal, with long weekends and public holidays influencing listing activity. 

But the broader trend is important.

More stock levels generally create more choice for buyers and reduce some of the urgency that tends to build in undersupplied markets.

We’re already starting to see signs of that shift:
• Homes are taking longer to sell
• Vendor discounting is increasing
• Auction clearance rates are softening 

However, there’s another side to this story.

Despite the recent rise in listings, total advertised stock nationally is still sitting 9.6% below the five-year average. 

So while conditions are improving for buyers, Australia is still dealing with a broader structural housing shortage.

In other words:
Supply is improving from very low levels.
Not flooding the market.

That distinction matters.

Because markets can cool without becoming oversupplied.

And right now, that’s exactly what this data suggests is happening.

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