The Property Couch

You’ve probably heard Commbank’s “warning” that property prices could drop by “a third” as a result of the unemployment levels due to COVID-19. You’ve probably ONLY seen this scary number come out of their March Quarter 2020 Trading Update, though right? Probably because it’s the ONLY number being reported in the headlines!!! But what’s really interesting is there’s a whole lot of OTHER scenarios...

Is the “home office” the future office? Coronavirus has changed the face of many businesses – entire companies are now working from home, retail shops have switched to online selling and others, like cafés and restaurants, have simply “shut up shop”, either temporarily as they wait for the storm to pass, or permanently. So it begs the question… is investing in COMMERCIAL property still a good idea...

It’s the full month after Australia’s social restrictions so… what should we expect in today’s RBA Board meeting? One thing for sure, the cash rate remains at 0.25% and while there isn’t too much of a surprise there, Ben is about to walk you through the THREE CRITICAL THEMES unfolding with regards to the direction, outlook and recovery of the economy; both here in Australia and globally. Free Reso...

“ Kyal & Kara ” Demmrich became household names after the humble chippy & physio joined The Block back in early 2014 for their Fan Vs Favs series . And when that popular reality program was over, the courageous renovation-lovers decided to do it ALL again – this time on Reno Rumble in April 2015! And now, with their own successful Design & Construction business, Diverse Design & Bu...

As each State Govt rushes to respond to this health crisis, we strive to update our community on the most recent changes relating to residential real estate as well. And this update is no different. This time, we’ll be unpacking the New Residential Rent Relief Grant released by the WA Govt last week on the 23rd of April 2020! The WA State Government is making available $30 million for grants of up...

And so our theme of chatting with the Presidents of the property markets across the country continues! Here to tell us what’s happening in Bryce’s hometown (Perth ) and the best strategy a property investor should adopt in WA, is… Damian Collins, President of REIWA – the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia! The last time we checked in with Damian was waaay back in Episode 73 … and there’s b...

Time for our monthly catchup with Nerida Conisbee, Chief Economist at realestate.com.au ! It’s a long one today but we promise you it’s jam-packed with absolute gold! So here are some of the discussions we had today:  What’s been happening in the rental market and AirBnB listings?  How did the Job Seeker and Job Keeper payments impact the real estate industry?  Which Australian markets are showing...

What a difference a couple of days makes, huh?!! Back on the couch is Antonia Mercorella , CEO of REIQ … with some GREAT NEWS!!!! In light of last week’s episode , the Queensland Government has reached out to The Real Estate Insitute of Queensland (REIQ) to collaborate on a package that ensures protection for EVERYONE … ie. tenants AND landlords!! Antonia will fill you in on all the amendments to...

Leanne Pilkington is no stranger to real estate. When she first started in the property industry almost four decades ago, things looked a bit different from what they do now… For one, she was literally fired from her job every Friday afternoon! And now? Well, today’s guest is the PRESIDENT of Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW) — the largest and most influential association of real e...

Yes, we’ve got TWO back-to-back episodes this week! ‘Cos let’s face it… there’s been A LOT that has disturbed the property industry over the week! Case in point: Easter. Oh, Easter. The break that had a lot of us biting our nails, not biting into chocolate eggs… and a lot of folks didn’t even KNOW it almost ended in disaster for property owners! Thankfully, common sense prevailed – and today’s gue...

There’s no doubt governments are “regulating on the run” with the current crisis on our hands. Coronavirus demands quick action… but, wow, the Queensland Government’s new “Renter Protection Package” is a SHOCKER. What’s being proposed is, ahh, let’s just say, out of step with the rest of the country and, quite frankly, seems to ignore the COVID-19 stimulus package already on offer … and leaves us...

As a property investor, you have to master the frameworks. But during a pandemic, you have to tweak specific strategies in each framework to not just survive in this climate but thrive — now and in the future. Make no mistake… the fundamentals DO NOT change ! But in a brand new world, there’s no doubt that adaptability and proactivity in regards to our Four Pillars of Mastery — A sset Selection ,...

Yes, it’s the first Tuesday of the month… which means the RBA Board has met and kept the cash rate on hold at 0.25% . This video features Ben’s update on the cash rate… as well as a DEEP dive on the data that’s spreading across the economy as the world tries to navigate through COVID-19. Ben will be talking about the economic mess we’re likely to see — in terms of a Recession here in Australia — h...

Just a quick update folks! There’s been some changes since we released today’s episode. The Queensland government had set up a grant program that offers an emergency rental assistance payment of up to $500 a week, for up to four weeks, for Queenslanders who cannot make rent. We thought it’s critical that we let you know about this considering it’s related to today’s episode on Landlords vs Tenants...

“Landlords vs Tenants.” Has this become the Unspoken Virus as the current pandemic escalates and more folks lose their jobs, fall into financial distress and struggle to pay rent? Well, to answer this question, let’s talk about the myths and misinformation out there .  Because we want to set the record straight in order to help BOTH landlords and tenants navigate what is a difficult time for all o...

Folks, March hasn’t ended yet but we’ve decided to bring forward our monthly catchup with Nerida Conisbee, Chief Economist at realestate.com.au! We understand that in these uncertain times, all you want is some certainty and information around all the changes that’s been happening. So today, we had Nerida on Zoom and unpacked these discussions: All the most recent updates to date relating to the r...

There’s been a lot of questions coming in about the coronavirus and its implications to the property market, the finance sector and the economy at large — particularly in direct response to the higher levels of social distancing regulations we’re now seeing and its flow–on effect to unemployment and how we transact property. So, today we’re answering a whole heap of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ...

If you’ve seen the headlines recently, you would notice these: ASX finishes worst week in more than 11 years Dow drops more than 900 points, ending worst week since 2008 And then yesterday night, for those who’re active with the share market news, you’d probably notice this: Dow future surge 900 points — hit ‘limit up’ — on optimism a coronavirus rescue bill is close Japan stocks jump 7% as Fed ra...

As you’re likely aware, the coronavirus has NOT slowed. In fact, the coronavirus pandemic was having deep ramifications for financial systems right around the world, until central banks stepped in. So in his unprecedented speech late last week, Dr Philip Lowe announced an Emergency Rate Cut along with other measures effective immediately. We’ve mentioned this to you in last week’s episode on COVID...

There’s no doubt that every one of us is impacted by COVID-19 — the coronavirus pandemic — that’s practically everywhere right now. So, today’s episode is all about navigating the uncertainty of COVID-19 and lifting our eyes so we can see the bigger picture BEYOND the short-term contagion — and the social contagion — that’s currently going on. Our message remains the same as our first episode on t...

Where do you sit on the ladder of financial success? In this episode, we’re unpacking a brand-new framework that outlines the seven grades of financial well-being … so you can self-assess your financial health in a way you’ve never been able to do before! Here’s the deal, folks... There’s actually nothing out there like this. ‘Cos what we’re about to discuss is the overarching framework of ALL the...

With the Coronavirus outbreak spreading across the globe and impacting the economy, it begs the question… Is buying property right now still a good idea? Because when widespread contagions like the Coronavirus break out, they snowball into something else that’s also highly contagious… irrational human behaviour. So, our intention with this special episode is to separate facts from fiction so we st...

It’s the first Tuesday of the month which means the RBA Board has met and announced the official cash rate! And to no surprise, they’ve decided to cut it by 25 basis points to 0.5%. Now, this commentary features Ben’s update on the cash rate as well as the biggest impact on the data this month… “COVID-19”, aka… The Coronavirus! As you’re probably aware, the coronavirus has NOT slowed… in fact, it’...

Folks, it’s officially March AND today’s Facebook LIVE with Nerida Conisbee, Chief Economist at realestate.com.au was like no other!! So… what did we chat about? Here’s a rough list!  COVID-19 and what does it really mean for ordinary Aussies?  Will it cause a recession?  Why strong growth in debt is worrying for economic growth?  Are we looking at a housing undersupply in Australia?  Does droppin...

The property industry is unregulated. What this means is that there are more than a few Bad Guys – and not just the sharks in white shoes – out there who slither under the radar and sell dodgy advice that, quite frankly, moves their wealth position and not yours. This is what keeps us showing up every Thursday. This is what started this podcast in the first place. And if you’ve been with us for a...