Ben Robinson - Finance Broker - Flint

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Ben Robinson - Finance Broker - Flint

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Mortgage and Finance Broker based in Newcastle, servicing professional clients Australia-wide as well as expatriates. Property Investment specialists.

Book a meeting: https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr

02/11/2026

Inflation is proving far more difficult to control than many expected.

Australia's latest annual inflation figure has increased to 4.3%.

Underlying inflation is also running above the RBA's 2–3% target.

And with the cash rate currently sitting at 4.60%, the prospect of further interest rate increases is very real.

The RBA meets again today.

What's interesting is that we're seeing inflation remain elevated at the same time as other parts of the economy are showing signs of weakness.

Auction clearance rates are falling, households are dealing with higher living costs and businesses are facing continued pressure on their operating expenses.

It's a difficult environment for monetary policy.

For borrowers, another 0.25% increase would mean approximately $2,500 in additional annual interest on $1 million of debt, assuming the increase is passed through in full.

For investors and business owners carrying several million dollars in debt, these movements become substantial.

But I think the bigger consideration is how people are positioning themselves.

Are you maintaining sufficient liquidity?

Have you stress-tested your debt repayments?

Are your loan facilities structured appropriately for the next few years?

You can't control where interest rates go. But you can control how well your finances are positioned to deal with them.

That's becoming increasingly important in this environment.

01/11/2026

Less than half of Australian properties taken to auction are selling.

Some interesting figures coming out of the property market.

Cotality's final auction results for the week ending 25 October show clearance rates across the combined capital cities falling to just 43.6%.

Sydney was even weaker at 41.7%.

For perspective, the combined capital city clearance rate was 66.4% in February.

That's a significant change in buyer sentiment in a relatively short period.

Higher interest rates, reduced borrowing capacity and uncertainty around the economic outlook are all influencing purchasing decisions.

But I think there's another side to this.

For investors with strong cash flow, access to capital and a long-term investment strategy, a softer market can present opportunities.

Less competition, more negotiating power and potentially better purchasing conditions.

That doesn't mean every property is suddenly a good investment.

The fundamentals still need to stack up. Rental yield, holding costs, debt structure and long-term demand remain critical.

I've always believed the best investors aren't necessarily the ones who buy when everyone else is buying. They're the ones who are financially positioned to act when others can't.

It will be interesting to see how the property market performs over the next six months.

27/10/2026

You don't need to buy expensive houses to build a $3.7M property portfolio.

But you do need a plan.

On this week's episode of The Deal Desk, I break down how one property portfolio can grow from a family home into four assets.

We cover using equity to fund the next purchase, buying residential investment properties, and planning ahead for commercial property through an SMSF.

The key is getting the structure right before you scale.

Buying the next property is one thing. Making sure the numbers, cash flow and ownership structure work long term is another.

That's what we discuss on The Deal Desk.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

26/10/2026

What do yield-based investments look like for our clients at the moment?

1. Units

Many of these are two-bedroom units in small blocks in established blue-chip suburbs. They’re unique in character and located in areas where house prices and unit prices are disproportionate.

Many are purchased with gross rental yields between 5% and 6%.

Value-wise, the entry price for most of our investors is between $550,000 and $650,000.

2. Unit Blocks

One of my favourite assets.

Most of these unit blocks have 4 to 10 units on a single title. The majority are well below replacement cost.

Many offer an opportunity to improve yields through internal cosmetic uplift.

These assets often start at a gross yield between 4.5% and 5% and, after renovation, can increase to 6.5% to 7%.

Value-wise, the entry price for this style of asset is anywhere between $3 million and $6.5 million.

3. Commercial Property

Many of our clients are drawn towards retail and industrial assets.

However, many are finding it more challenging to source strong commercial properties. There has been a massive shift in investor sentiment towards this asset class following this year's Federal Budget.

Commercial property values have performed well in the recent past, so many assets are sitting at slightly compressed net yields between 5.5% and 6.5%.

Value-wise, most of our investors are targeting commercial property between $1.6 million and $6 million.

All of these options balance future capital growth with rental yield.

We never want to sacrifice growth for yield alone.

25/10/2026

Australian property prices could fall by 10–15%

And according to some of Australia's leading economists, we may not have reached the bottom yet.

Recent forecasts suggest:

- CBA: national prices to fall approximately 9%, with Sydney down 13%
- NAB: capital-city prices to fall around 11% from peak to trough
- AMP: national property prices could decline by 10–15%

These are total projected declines from the market peak, not additional falls from today's prices.

So what's driving the downturn?

- Higher interest rates
- Reduced borrowing capacity
- Weaker buyer confidence
- Changes to property investor tax concessions

But here's what I find interesting.

While property prices are declining, rental demand remains strong, housing supply is still constrained and rents are expected to continue increasing.

For buyers and investors, this is creating opportunities that simply weren't available 12 months ago.

For existing homeowners, it reinforces the importance of understanding your equity position, borrowing capacity and longer-term strategy.

My advice?

Access your equity now. Put it in your offset account. Even if you haven't finalised the plan for this equity, pull it out while valuations are strong.

Maybe another investment property is the right move, maybe not.

This liquidity is important, regardless of whether it relates to the next acquisition or not.

22/10/2026

A major bank has just made a big change to commercial lending.

And it could have a significant impact on borrowing capacity.

The lender is now assessing commercial loan applications using the actual interest rate, rather than adding a buffer on top.

So, if your rate is 7%, the application is being assessed at 7%, not 8%, 9% or 10%.

They're also assessing certain interest-only loans based on the actual loan structure, rather than stressing the application against the principal and interest repayments after the interest-only period ends.

Both changes can make a substantial difference to how much an investor can borrow.

There's an important caveat here. Banks don't make these changes without considering their own risk. If this lender wasn't confident we were near the top of the rate cycle, it's unlikely we'd be seeing this kind of move.

It doesn't guarantee rates have peaked, but it's an interesting signal.

If you've been looking at commercial property, this is worth paying attention to. Your borrowing capacity may look very different under the new assessment rules.

21/10/2026

Stamp duty revenue is down 23% in NSW. Here's what that could mean for property investors.

Property transactions make up a significant chunk of state government revenue, particularly in NSW and Victoria.

With stamp duty revenue falling, governments will need to make up that shortfall somewhere.

At the same time, sentiment across the property market is weak. Clearance rates in several locations fell below 50% over the weekend, interest rates have just increased, and another RBA rate rise is a possibility.

It's not exactly a positive outlook for the market.

But for investors, weaker sentiment can create opportunities.

When other buyers pull back, there may be less competition and more room to negotiate on the right property.

The key is having your strategy and numbers right before you make a move.

Sometimes, the best time to buy isn't when everyone is confident. It's when others are sitting on the sidelines.

20/10/2026

What Your Credit File Says About Your Next Purchase.

Nick Ball joined me for this one. We got into how credit reporting is changing, late payments on smaller facilities like credit cards, hardship markers, and company and trust loans showing up on personal credit reports.

Your credit file is only part of it though. Why your structure should be built around your long-term plan, where your accountant fits in, and how to plan ahead when an interest only term is about to expire.

Whether you’re buying your next property or a few in already, there’s something in this one.

Full episode is out now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

19/10/2026

Property market conditions are putting pressure on state revenue, too.

NSW stamp duty revenue is down 23% as property transactions slow.

NSW and Victoria derive almost a third of their state tax revenue from property transactions, making stamp duty a significant source of income.

When transaction volumes fall, that revenue takes a hit. Governments still need to fund services, so it raises the question of where that shortfall will be made up.

For investors, the current market presents a different picture.

Interest rates remain elevated, sentiment is weak and clearance rates have fallen below 50% in some locations.

That can make buyers hesitant, but it can also create opportunities for those in a position to act.

Less competition and more cautious buyers can change the negotiating power between buyers and sellers.

The key is knowing your numbers and being selective about what you buy.

A weaker market doesn't automatically mean a good buying opportunity, but it can be worth looking more closely at what's available.

18/10/2026

The biggest hurdle I’m seeing for most investors at the moment?

Novated car leases.

We are seeing them more and more, for both standard vehicles and EVs.

There are a lot of incentives around the FBT exemption for EVs under novated leases, and they look compelling.

The issue lies in the cash flow for the household.

Most novated leases that we see cost between $1,500 and $3,000 per month (combining the pre-tax and post-tax deductions).

This reduces the household’s overall cash flow when bank servicing models are applied.

The majority of banks don’t factor in the tax savings when servicing these car loans.

Nor do they adjust the living expense models, given that novated leases already include all associated vehicle running costs.

For many investors, $1,500 to $3,000 a month is the difference between the mortgage, outgoings and net rental for an investment property or two.

It can be compelling to take out a novated lease and buy a new car, especially if the pre-tax deduction is going to drop you a tax bracket.

However, for most, it simply limits the budget, or the outright feasibility, of the next investment acquisition.

Address

653 Hunter Street
Newcastle, NSW
2302

Telephone

+61458588580

Website

https://book.flint.nbh.co/teambr, https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben--robinson/, https://flintgroup.au/ben-robinson/

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