Connected Finance Solutions

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Connected Finance Solutions

"For all Commercial, Residential and Equipment Finance needs." Call (08) 89 41 41 41 for a free no-obligation broker service.

Getting the right finance in today’s market is more complex than simply providing a few pay slips and your driver’s licence. Finding the best deal let alone understanding the application process can be a daunting and difficult prospect. Connected Finance Solutions can make it simple and because we are a full service broker firm we can meet your business, commercial and home loan needs. With Manag

ing Director Andrew Carmichael at the helm, our team combines integrity, quality advice and business acumen to help you find the right finance solution. Disclaimer - Your contact information will be collected by Connected Finance Solutions Pty Ltd ATF The Finance Unit Trust and AFG or its subsidiaries and related businesses. AFG can be contacted at www.afgonline.com.au . We use this information to stay in contact and provide our services to you. We may also use your information to offer or provide you with additional products or services, or ask for your feedback. We may not be able to assist you if we do not have your current contact information. We may need to disclose your information to our associates, contractors and service providers, who may be overseas. Our Privacy Policy contains information about how you can access your personal information and request corrections or complain if you are dissatisfied with how we have dealt with your personal information.

14/06/2026

A tale of three stamp duty policies

When you buy a property in Australia, most states and territories charge a tax on the transaction. It's called stamp duty – or transfer duty – and it can be a substantial cost on top of your deposit and other upfront expenses.

Recent state budgets have produced three notably different approaches to how this tax applies to first home buyers.

From 1 July, the ACT will abolish it entirely for first home buyers, with no restrictions on property value or income. It's a national first. The same exemption will apply to pensioners, eligible NDIS recipients and buyers who haven't owned property in the past five years.

Tasmania, however, is simultaneously removing its existing first home buyer exemption, returning all buyers to standard rates from 1 July.

Western Australia, meanwhile, is expanding its concessions, lifting the full exemption threshold for established homes to $600,000 and offering a 75% stamp duty rebate for eligible off-the-plan purchases.

11/06/2026

What the last 20 years can teach us about property

Markets shift. Forecasts change. But 20 years of data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has something to say that no economist can argue with.

In March 2006, Brisbane's median house price was $325,000. By March 2026, it was $1,150,000. Perth went from $370,000 to $1,000,000. Adelaide from $280,000 to $980,000. Sydney from $470,000 to $1,485,000.

Melbourne, often cited as the market that has lost its shine, still went from $330,000 to $850,000 over the same period – a 158% increase.

These are not stories of perfect timing or lucky suburb picks. They're the result of ordinary people buying homes and holding them through two decades of interest rate cycles, housing downturns and global shocks.

The current environment – rising rates, falling clearance rates and softer conditions in some cities – is part of that same long story, not an exception to it.

The 20-year numbers are a useful reminder of what the end of that story tends to look like.

09/06/2026

NAB tips rate cuts from 2027

Good news for borrowers: NAB thinks the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is done raising rates.

The major lender has dropped its forecast for an August hike, and is now expecting the cash rate to hold at its current level of 4.35% before cuts begin in the second quarter of 2027.

The reason? Economic momentum is clearly fading. Both GDP growth and NAB's own business survey point to a slowdown, with growth likely having already peaked for this cycle.

That said, don't expect rate relief anytime soon. Underlying inflation is still forecast to stay above the RBA's 2–3% target until mid-2027, which means the central bank is unlikely to move quickly.

"We have greater conviction that the next move in rates is down, but less conviction on the timing," NAB chief economist Sally Auld said.

If NAB's forecasts prove correct, the cash rate would fall to 3.6% by the end of 2027.

07/06/2026

Listings surge as the market hits a turning point

Something notable happened in May. For the first time in over a year, the number of homes listed for sale nationally is higher than it was 12 months ago.

According to SQM Research, total property listings rose 10.4% in May from April to 258,803 dwellings. New listings are now 12.0% above May 2025 levels, suggesting vendors are returning to the market in meaningful numbers.

But here is the telling part. Five of the eight capital cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide – recorded monthly falls in asking prices.

SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher said the combination of rising supply and stalling prices is "usually an early sign that the market is at a turning point."

For buyers, that means more choice and less urgency. For sellers, pricing realistically matters more than ever.

04/06/2026

Australia falling further behind on housing targets

Australia's housing pipeline is moving in the wrong direction, again.

Total dwelling approvals fell 3.4% in April to 16,710, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, following a 10.5% drop in March. That leaves annual approvals at 200,424 homes, well short of the 240,000 needed each year to meet the federal government's National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029.

And the headline figure flatters the reality. Approvals are only the first step in the construction process. Not every approved home gets built, and with construction costs still elevated, labour shortages persisting and financing harder to secure, the gap between what gets approved and what actually gets delivered continues to widen.

Australia's population keeps growing. Its housing pipeline keeps shrinking. Until that changes, the pressure on prices and rents is going nowhere.

03/06/2026

When is the right time to buy a property? Here are 3 answers.

02/06/2026

Budget housing modelling: a tale of two forecasts

How much will the federal budget's housing tax changes actually affect supply and rents? The answer depends on whose modelling you read.

Treasury projects a net increase of around 12,000 new homes over the next four years and a modest rent rise of about $2 per week. Independent modelling commissioned by Master Builders Australia, the Property Council of Australia and the Real Estate Institute of Australia tells a different story.

Qaive and Tulipwood Economics found the combined package – negative gearing changes, CGT reforms and the $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund – would reduce new dwelling starts by more than 8,700 over four years, lower GDP by $864 million and push rents up by $9 per week by 2029/30.

The negative gearing changes are identified as the primary driver of the supply reduction. While the $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund is expected to add homes, the modellers estimate it will deliver around 5,300 new dwellings over four years – well below the government's projection of 26,000.

31/05/2026

Older investors now make up a larger share of the market

Australia’s property investor market is gradually getting older, according to new research from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

The median age of investors increased from 45 in 2000 to 51 in 2023, while the share aged over 60 rose from 12% to 28%. Over the same period, the share of investors aged under 30 roughly halved, based on the RBA’s data.

Part of that reflects Australia’s ageing population more broadly, but it also highlights how long-term property ownership can build wealth over time.

Many older investors purchased property decades ago when prices were significantly lower and have had more time to pay down debt. That has likely helped many remain active in the market later in life.

At the same time, rising property prices, larger deposits and borrowing constraints mean younger Australians are generally entering the market later than previous generations.

28/05/2026

Holiday home owners face tougher tax rules

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is tightening the rules around holiday home tax deductions, in a move that could catch out many property owners from 1 July 2026.

Under the new guidance, owners will generally only be able to claim deductions such as interest, council rates and depreciation if the property is genuinely being used to earn income. That means making it available for rent during genuine peak periods, such as Christmas, Easter or local high-demand seasons.

Private use will also need to be limited. A week or two away in the off-season may be acceptable, but owners who regularly use the property themselves could lose access to major deductions and will need to apportion expenses carefully.

The changes are significant because the ATO’s previous position was more flexible, often allowing deductions if owners made reasonable efforts to rent the property out.

27/05/2026

ATTENTION DARWIN FIRST HOME BUYERS - important changes coming 1st July 2026.

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3/7 Margaret Street
Stuart Park, NT
0820

Telephone

+61889414141

Website

http://www.connectedfinance.com.au/

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