Current Market Insights

Harris Partners’ Peter O’Malley recently joined 2GB’s Michael McLaren to discuss the new housing data across Sydney.  Even though building approvals are on the rise, completion numbers are falling - as high costs and falling property prices cause developers to stay on the sidelines.  New projects being started are dwindling at a time the City, State and Country desperately needs more housing suppl...

Strata can be the quickest path into the Sydney property market, but it can also be the fastest way for a sale to stall when buyers sense uncertainty. We sit down as Ciaran O’Brien and Peter O’Malley to unpack why strata title apartments often face tougher market psychology than houses, and why a single line in a strata report can knock tens or even hundreds of thousands off what a buyer is willin...

Sydney’s spring market is meant to be loud, busy, and confidence-driven. Right now it feels muted, selective, and surprisingly fragile, even with buyer groups still showing up in the right parts of the city. We unpack what the latest auction clearance rates are really saying, why a lack of new listings is not automatically good news, and where genuine demand is still holding up across the Sydney p...

Paying $10,000 to $15,000 for a single online property campaign has somehow become a “normal” cost of selling in Australia, even when the outcome is far from guaranteed. We pull apart the ACCC’s move that forces REA Group to strip restrictive clauses from realestate.com.au contracts, and why that matters for everyday sellers, landlords, and renters who ultimately fund the marketing bill. We talk c...

Sydney’s spring selling season is supposed to feel like momentum, but the long weekend results feel more like a warning sign. We sit down with Peter O’Malley from Harris Partners Real Estate to make sense of the latest Sydney auction numbers and what they reveal about buyer confidence, pricing, and the real mood on the ground. We dig into why raw auction stats still matter, then compare this Octob...

A cash rate hike is never just a number, it’s a message, and the RBA just sent one loud and clear. We react to the Reserve Bank of Australia lifting the cash rate to 4.6% and dig into the wording that matters most: inflation risks are “materialising”, forecasts are being overtaken, and the Bank is prepared to do what it takes to bring inflation back “sustainably” to target. We talk through what’s...

Hosts Ciaran O'Brien and Peter O'Malley examine why Sydney’s spring property market has failed to deliver the expected lift, with weakening auction results pointing to broader market pressure rather than weakness confined to a particular property type or region. We unpack the signals that matter, the mistakes being made by vendors and agents, and what could genuinely shift buyer sentimen...

Sydney property has long been treated like a one-way bet on capital growth, but that story is getting stress-tested in real time. We sit down and talk through the shift we’re seeing on the ground: investors looking past the hype and asking a tougher question first which is what’s the net yield after the real costs, and does it stack up against today’s mortgage rates? When the answer is “no”, buyer...

Calling the “bottom” in the Sydney property market makes for great headlines, but it can be a costly mindset if the cycle still has further to fall. We take a hard look at the chatter coming from big industry voices and compare it with what we’re seeing from real buyers and sellers across Sydney, especially in the inner west. Rising sales volumes can feel like momentum, yet we ask the uncomfortabl...

A major Sydney developer collapses under billions in private credit debt, staff reportedly go unpaid, subcontractors get left holding the bag, and buyers stare down the nightmare scenario of stalled builds and deposits at risk. We break down what the Bathla saga says about the weakest points in the property system: cash flow, construction risk, and the moment confidence turns into contagion. We ge...

Spring is meant to feel hopeful, but spring 2026 in the Australian property market is shaping up as a season where small signals could have big consequences. Ciaran O’Brien sits down with Peter O'Malley to map out what we’re watching as Sydney real estate comes off a strange first half of the year, recorded just before the RBA’s August rate decision. Rather than guessing where prices “must” g...

“The property super cycle is over.” That’s the kind of line that makes you sit up, especially when it’s linked to Shane Oliver, one of Australia’s most watched economists. We take that claim seriously and pull it apart from the ground up: interest rates that have reset borrowing power, record housing affordability pressure, a constant tug-of-war over immigration numbers, and tax and incentive chan...

Sydney’s property market is sending mixed signals that only make sense once you follow the credit. Auction clearance rates are weak, confidence is fragile, and yet the right home can still attract multiple offers. So what’s actually happening on the ground and what should buyers and sellers do with that information? We break down the meaningful shifts across Sydney, from sharper corrections in Wes...

SQM Research's Louis Christopher previews the next Financial Year for the Sydney Property Market. In this insightful analysis, Christopher covers off on:  the RBA's next rate move  the challenges facing the property market  the tailwinds supporting prices  an outline of the 12 months ahead for buyers, sellers and landlords  the impact of geopolitical events  the collapse in Stamp Duty re...

On 2GB Nights with John Stanley , Peter O'Malley from Harris Partners explains why Australia’s property downturn is no longer confined to Sydney and Melbourne. As auction clearance rates weaken across more capital cities, the discussion explores the widening disconnect between buyers and sellers, and why confidence—not just interest rates—is shaping the market. They also discuss:  The propert...

In this deep dive on the issues that have dictated the market performance in 2026, Louis covers:  the shock and awe conditions facing the property market the historical crash in Auction results  the best and worst performing segments of the Sydney market  why the market won’t crash the true impact of the Federal Government's Budget  when the RBA are likely to cut interest rates First Home Buy...

On Across Australia , host Chris Smith is joined by Peter O'Malley to examine the sharp decline in auction clearance rates across Sydney and Melbourne, and whether recent federal housing policies are undermining confidence in the property market. The discussion explores the flow-on effects for buyers, sellers, landlords, and renters as affordability pressures continue to mount. They also disc...

On 2GB Nights with John Stanley , Peter O’Malley takes a hard look at the softening Australian property market and what weakening auction clearance rates mean for buyers and sellers. As competition thins, the focus is shifting from auction theatre to genuine negotiation, while rising renovation costs are forcing many owners to rethink their plans. They also discuss:  Winter stock levels tightening...

We tackle the uncomfortable vendor dilemma of whether to stick with an underperforming real estate agent or flick them and start again. We share the practical markers that separate a tough but competent agent from one who is avoiding reality, plus the legal and financial traps that can hit when you switch mid-campaign. • recognising when the market has moved since the appraisal • valuing honesty a...

Sydney’s property market can look like a disaster if you only read the headlines, yet the real story is more nuanced: prices are off their highs, auctions are struggling, and buyers are cautious, but demand has not vanished and credit is still flowing for people who qualify. We walk through what we’re seeing across Sydney right now, why the mood feels worse than the reality, and how to make sense...

On 2GB Nights with John Stanley , Peter O’Malley joins the program to discuss why the property market feels increasingly uncertain despite seemingly steady auction results. Beneath the headline numbers, buyer competition is thinning, demand is softening, and the outlook for housing supply remains constrained by high construction costs and economic pressures. They also discuss:  Holiday weekend con...

The budget headlines are everywhere, but the bigger story is what sits underneath them: inflation pressure, government spending, and what the RBA might be forced to do next. We sit down with Peter O’Malley to break down economist Warren Hogan’s hard-edged view of the 2026 Federal Budget, including his argument that Australia becomes inflationary once GDP growth pushes above 2%, while spending keep...

On 2GB Nights with John Stanley , Peter O’Malley from Harris Partners joins the program to unpack the clear softening emerging across Australia’s property market. With weak auction clearance rates, falling buyer confidence, and proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax dominating headlines, the conversation explores what could lie ahead for prices, investors, and renters. They als...

We react to the Federal Budget’s big property moves and explain why the headline promise of helping first home buyers may actually tighten rentals and lift prices in new stock. We break down how the negative gearing reset and capital gains tax changes could reshape investor behaviour, developer margins, and the next few years of the Sydney property market. • the budget framing on property policy a...

On Across Australia , host Chris Smith is joined by Peter O’Malley to cut through the political noise surrounding negative gearing and capital gains tax reform. Rather than focusing on headlines, the discussion examines what’s actually unfolding on the ground across Sydney’s property market — from weakening auctions to rising rental pressure and shifting buyer behaviour. They also discuss:  Why ta...