Another interest-rate rise has landed, and the conversation is already shifting towards four consecutive rate rises.

What would that mean for Australian mortgage holders, first-home buyers, property prices and investors?

In this episode, we discuss:

- Why four rate rises in a row are now being discussed

- What higher rates could mean for mortgage repayments

- How rising rates may affect property prices

- Why first-home buyers could be pushed to the sidelines

- What investors should be doing before the next rate move

- How to get your finances ready for a higher-rate environment

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More at: https://andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. This is not financial, tax, legal, credit or investment advice and does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#RBARates #InterestRates #MortgageAustralia #PropertyMarket

The RBA has all but confirmed another rate rise, and the market is now talking about three. Mortgage broker Keaton Howard joins me to break down what a potential 75 basis points of increases could mean for your mortgage repayments, household budgets and the Australian property market.

We look at why first home buyers are holding back even with a 5% deposit, why stamp duty data shows fewer people are buying, and what the RBA's focus on unemployment means for jobs, spending and business. We also discuss how higher rates could affect property prices, why some buyers may stay in the rental market for longer, and why investors with cash should be preparing now rather than waiting.

In this episode:

-Why another RBA rate rise looks almost certain

-What three rate rises could add to a $1 million mortgage

-Why first home buyers are hesitating on 95% loans

-What falling stamp duty data says about the market

-How rising unemployment feeds into spending and business

-How higher rates could put pressure on property prices

-Why investors should get their finance ready now

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal, credit or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#RBARates #InterestRates #MortgageAustralia #PropertyMarket

Countries are moving their gold out of the United States, and Trump has just met Xi Jinping. James joins me to unpack what is really going on, why trust in the US is shifting, and what it could mean for gold, markets and everyday Australians.

We discuss why nations are bringing their gold home, how money printing and a weaker faith in fiat currency could drive a gold re-price, and what was at stake when Trump and Xi met, from rare earths and Taiwan to the AI arms race. We also get into the warnings coming from inside the AI industry, the risks of handing your inbox to an AI assistant, why markets keep pumping into the US midterms, and how $2.50-plus fuel is already hitting Australian businesses and households.

In this episode:

-Why countries are pulling their gold out of the US

-What money printing could mean for the price of gold

-What was on the table when Trump met Xi

-Rare earths, Taiwan and the US–China AI arms race

-The AI safety warnings you should not ignore

-Why markets are pumping into the midterms

-How fuel prices are already slowing Australian businesses

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal, credit or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#Gold #TrumpXi #AustralianEconomy #AI

Negative gearing has changed, but does that mean property investing no longer works? Mortgage broker Keaton Howard joins me to explain how investors are reassessing residential property, what the changes mean for cash flow and borrowing capacity, and why leverage remains central to the Australian property strategy.

We discuss the difference between losing a tax benefit and delaying it, how lenders may treat future tax outcomes when assessing serviceability, and why investors are beginning to ask questions again after the initial shock. We also examine whether SMSFs are moving to the back burner, how slowing property growth affects household confidence, and why another RBA rate rise could make the coming months difficult for borrowers and businesses.

In this episode:

-What the negative gearing changes mean for property investors

-Why the tax benefit may be delayed rather than lost

-How the changes could affect borrowing capacity

-Why leverage continues to attract investors to property

-Whether SMSF property strategies are losing momentum

-How another RBA rate rise could affect borrowers

-Why households and businesses are becoming more cautious

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal, credit or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#NegativeGearing #PropertyInvesting #MortgageAustralia #RBARates

The Iran conflict is pushing oil and fuel costs back into focus just as Australia approaches another RBA decision. James joins me to examine how higher diesel and petrol prices can flow through transport, groceries, inflation and household budgets, and why another interest-rate rise is now part of the conversation.

We also discuss whether Donald Trump is losing political control ahead of the US midterms, the risk of a longer conflict with Iran, growing tension between the United States and China, and what delayed crypto regulation could mean for Bitcoin, XRP and the wider market. The bigger question is whether these shocks remain contained or become the catalyst for a broader market correction.

In this episode:

-Why the Iran conflict matters for Australian fuel prices

-How diesel costs can flow through the wider economy

-What higher oil prices could mean for inflation and the RBA

-Whether Trump can regain control before the US midterms

-Why US political instability could unsettle global markets

-What the delayed CLARITY Act means for crypto sentiment

-Whether the AI trade is approaching a turning point

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#IranWar #FuelPrices #RBARates #AustralianEconomy

Building costs are still rising even as the property market slows. Residential builder Charbel joins me to explain why trades and materials are not getting cheaper, why land prices may have to fall, and why some house-and-land projects no longer stack up financially.

We discuss the pressure on volume builders, the effect of Bathla’s administration on trades and development sites, and the growing caution among buyers considering major renovations or new builds. Charbel also explains why serious enquiries are still coming through, how AI has changed his building business, and why the easy-money property assumptions of recent years no longer work.

In this episode:

-Why the construction slowdown may not have fully arrived yet

-What builder failures can mean for trades, buyers and development sites

-Why higher building costs put pressure on land values

-The risks of overcapitalising on a renovation or new home

-Why yesterday’s property-growth assumptions no longer work

-What builders are watching ahead of the next RBA decision

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal, building or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#AustralianProperty #ConstructionCosts #BuildingIndustry #PropertyMarket

More Australians are asking whether they should pay down their home loan instead of buying another property. At the same time, mortgage broker Keaton Howard is seeing a sharp increase in commercial-property enquiries from both business owners and investors.

\We examine why uncertainty changes borrower behaviour, what makes commercial property fundamentally different from residential, and the risks investors can miss when they focus only on yield. We also discuss falling residential-property sentiment, negative-equity concerns, building approvals and whether the RBA should raise rates again on 29 September.

In this episode:

-Why borrowers are prioritising mortgage repayment

-What is driving new interest in commercial property

-The vacancy, tenant and lending risks commercial buyers need to understand

-Why residential and commercial property require different analysis

-How rate uncertainty changes borrowing decisions

-The outlook for Australian property and lending

Subscribe for practical weekly conversations about Australian property, tax, business and the economy.

More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal, credit or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#MortgageAustralia #CommercialProperty #PropertyInvesting #RBARates

Brent is trading just under US$100 as the US-Iran conflict puts renewed pressure on fuel prices. Sydney Premium 98 is averaging about $2.32 a litre, diesel is in the mid-$2.50s, and Australia’s temporary fuel-excise relief ended on 3 August.

James joins me to connect the global headlines to Australian households. We examine the latest tanker strikes and Iran sanctions, the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, falling Australian dwelling values, building approvals, Bathla Group, proposed trust-tax changes and what the RBA may do on 29 September.

We also discuss:

-What the US-Iran conflict means for oil and Australian inflation

-Why the 15 September CLARITY Act vote is procedural

-The Fed and Bank of Japan decisions in the same week

-The ABS confirmation that dwelling values fell $34.1 billion

-The real negative-equity position for 5% deposit buyers

-Bathla Group’s current voluntary-administration status

-The proposed 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal or investment advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.

#AustralianEconomy #OilPrices #IranWar #PropertyMarket

Bathla remains in voluntary administration after the NSW government declined a $20 million funding request. Around 2,000 homes are under construction, leaving buyers asking what happens to their deposits, unfinished properties and finance.

Mortgage broker Keaton Howard joins me to explain what can happen when a builder or developer fails during construction.

We cover the difference between detached homes and larger off-the-plan projects, why another builder or lender may be reluctant to take over, and how a falling valuation can trap a borrower with the same lender.

We also discuss:

- How NSW off-the-plan deposits are meant to be held

- What voluntary administration does and does not mean- Home building compensation cover and its limits

- Why lenders mortgage insurance may be payable again when refinancing

- The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme

- August falls in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and national dwelling values- Desktop, kerbside and full property valuations

- Why the highest valuation is not automatically the best loan

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More at andrewromano.com.au

General information and commentary only. Not personal financial, credit, tax, legal or investment advice. It does not take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account.

Consider your circumstances and seek advice before acting.

#AustralianProperty #Bathla #HomeLoans #MortgageBroker

Diesel is back above $2.50 a litre nationally, Australia has only two operating refineries, and about 95%of the country's oil requirements are imported.James joins me to connect the latest Iran and Venezuela developments to the bills Australians actuallypay. We look at why fuel remains exposed to overseas supply shocks, what expensive diesel can do tofood and freight costs, and why the next RBA decision on 29 September matters.We also discuss:- The Strait of Hormuz and the latest US-Iran escalation- Venezuela's new oil arrangement with the United States- Australia's dependence on imported fuel- The split among major banks over the next interest-rate rise- August falls in Australian housing values- The latest position of Bathla Group while it remains in voluntary administration- When cash in a savings account can still beat inflationSubscribe for practical weekly conversations about Australian property, tax, business and the economy.More at andrewromano.com.auGeneral commentary and opinion only. Not financial, tax, legal or investment advice. It does not takeyour personal circumstances into account. Speak to a licensed professional before acting.#AustralianEconomy #FuelPrices #RBARates #CostOfLiving