Property Insights with Mark Bouris

In this episode of Property Insights, Mark Bouris sits down with economist and finance commentator Peter Switzer to discuss the future of Australian property investment, the outlook for interest rates, and the economic changes that could reshape how Australians build wealth.

With bond yields signalling the possibility of higher interest rates for longer, Mark and Peter explore what this could mean for mortgage holders, property buyers, investors and small businesses. They also unpack how the global AI boom is increasing demand for capital, why productivity growth matters, and whether businesses can achieve enough efficiency gains to offset the cost of borrowing.

The conversation turns to the changing Australian property market, including proposed changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, the appeal of investment properties versus shares and ETFs, and what reduced investor demand could mean for housing supply and property developers.

In this episode, Mark Bouris and Peter Switzer discuss:
- Interest rates and bond yields: Why global bond markets are signalling higher borrowing costs for longer.
- The RBA’s next move: Could another interest rate rise be on the horizon?
- AI and the economy: How artificial intelligence, data centres and demand for capital could reshape productivity and business investment.
- Australian property investment: Whether changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax could alter the traditional property investment strategy.
- Property versus shares and ETFs: The costs, risks, potential returns and diversification considerations investors should understand.
- Housing supply and property developers: How changes in investor demand could affect new developments and the availability of housing.
- The future of Australian business: Why innovation, productivity and economic reform may become increasingly important.

This discussion is for general information and education only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

*Note: this podcast was filmed in September 2026, before the RBA's October cash rate decision.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Property Insights: Peter Switzer joins Mark Bouris
00:39 Bond yields and the outlook for interest rates
01:28 Is the RBA close to raising rates again?
02:14 Could AI drive growth while interest rates stay high?
03:47 Why global demand for capital matters
04:10 AI investment, capital costs and business productivity
05:34 Government spending and competition for capital
06:42 Australia’s productivity challenge
07:16 Can businesses use AI to reduce costs?
08:18 The risk of investing in AI while rates stay high
10:47 Are we entering a structural economic shift?
11:39 The opportunities and threats AI poses to businesses
13:39 What should small businesses and investors do?
15:19 How tax changes could reshape property investment
16:34 The real costs of owning an investment property
18:21 Property versus shares and ETFs
20:56 Is Australia’s investment landscape changing?
21:06 Are investors reconsidering property?
22:06 What makes an investment property worthwhile?
23:23 Could tax changes create a structural shift in property?
24:20 Will Australians favour their own homes over investment properties?
25:04 What happens to housing supply if investor demand falls?
26:07 Could investment incentives encourage business growth?
28:36 Does Australia need a new approach to economic reform?
30:26 Why global capital costs matter to Australia
32:29 Should investors consider alternative asset classes?
32:41 Property investment, diversification and tax changes
33:16 What falling property transactions could mean for state budgets
34:38 Household spending and the GST debate
37:00 Final thoughts on politics, business and economic reform

--
Catch up on more episodes in the Property Insights podcast: https://yhomeloans.com.au/property-insights/
Chat with a YBR Broker: https://ybr.com.au/refinance-flagship-campaign-rates/
Get in touch with Yellow Brick Road: https://ybr.com.au/enquiry/

Yellow Brick Road was founded by Mark Bouris to help Australians on the road to their hopes and dreams. We offer competitive rates, an all-encompassing portfolio of mortgage broking services and a network of trusted home loan experts all over Australia. For more information, visit www.ybr.com.au or call 1800 927 927.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Property Insights, Mark Bouris sits down with economist Stephen Koukoulas to unpack what’s really happening across the Australian economy and what it could mean for interest rates, inflation, households, businesses and the property market.

With the RBA facing a difficult decision when they meet on September 29, the big question is whether Australia could be heading towards another rate hike.

Mark and Stephen break down the latest economic signals, including inflation, interest rates, bond yields, global markets and the uneven state of the Australian economy. They also debate whether the RBA could move sooner rather than later, and what upcoming inflation data could mean for its next decision.

In this video:

Is another RBA rate hike coming?
Why interest rates may remain higher for longer
What inflation is telling us about the economy
September vs November: when could the RBA move?
What bond yields are signalling
How global interest rates could impact Australia
The pressure higher rates are putting on households and businesses
Why the economic downturn is so uneven
What the next inflation numbers could mean
Why the RBA faces a difficult balancing act
The bigger economic issues Australia needs to confront

Chapters

00:00 — September Monthly Economic Update
02:15 — What’s happening in the Australian economy?
06:40 — The inflation picture
11:25 — What the RBA is watching
16:10 — Are interest rates restrictive enough?
21:05 — The warning from bond yields
26:30 — Could rates stay higher for longer?
31:45 — Global markets and interest rates
36:20 — The impact on households and businesses
41:10 — Why the downturn is so uneven
45:35 — Could the RBA hike again?
48:10 — The case for another rate hike
50:10 — Why Stephen thinks the RBA may wait
52:00 — The inflation problem
53:20 — Why the economy can change quickly
54:30 — The bigger economic picture

--
Catch up on more episodes in the Property Insights podcast: https://yhomeloans.com.au/property-insights/
Chat with a YBR Broker: https://ybr.com.au/refinance-flagship-campaign-rates/
Get in touch with Yellow Brick Road: https://ybr.com.au/enquiry/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Australia's property market entering a new era? In this episode of Property Insights, Mark Bouris sits down with Tim Graham, Managing Director of Hotspotting, to unpack what Capital Gains Tax changes, rising holding costs and government policy mean for investors, first home buyers and the broader property market.

Tim describes the current environment as a “perfect storm", with policy uncertainty affecting investor confidence and a falling market keeping many first home buyers on the sidelines. He believes the downturn could continue for 12–18 months, with investors likely to hold onto existing properties for longer.

The conversation also looks at the unintended consequences of housing policy, rising costs for landlords, rental legislation and the changing economics of property investment.

But where are the opportunities? Tim explains why buying something “cheap” doesn't necessarily make it a good investment, what he looks for when identifying markets with future growth potential, and why affordability, rental yields, infrastructure and scarcity matter more than simply chasing last year's winners.

--
Catch up on more episodes in the Property Insights podcast: https://yhomeloans.com.au/property-insights/
Chat with a YBR Broker: https://ybr.com.au/refinance-flagship-campaign-rates/
Get in touch with Yellow Brick Road: https://ybr.com.au/enquiry/

Yellow Brick Road was founded by Mark Bouris to help Australians on the road to their hopes and dreams. We offer competitive rates, an all-encompassing portfolio of mortgage broking services and a network of trusted home loan experts all over Australia. For more information, visit www.ybr.com.au or call 1800 927 927.
#markbouris #yellowbrickroad #homeloans

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Eastern Suburbs property market has been one of the toughest parts of Sydney in recent months...but has the market finally bottomed?

In this episode of Property Insights, Mark Bouris sits down with Ray White Phillips & Co. real estate agent Alexander Phillips, who has spent more than a decade at the top of the Australian property market, to get his read on what is actually happening on the ground. The discussion focuses on falling prices, buyer and seller sentiment, why 80% of properties bought in recent years are reportedly selling for less, and why Alexander believes the market has now stabilised. We also get into where property prices could go over the next few years, whether you should buy off the plan, what investors should be cautious about, why established properties can be a better investment, and what wealthy Eastern Suburbs homeowners are doing differently. If you're thinking about buying, selling or investing in Sydney property, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nerida Conisbee, Chief Economist at Ray White, joins Mark Bouris on Property Insights to unpack what is really happening in the Australian property market, and where prices could be heading next.

With interest rates rising, consumer sentiment falling, investors pulling back and the latest Federal Budget creating more uncertainty, the property market is at an important turning point.

Nerida shares Ray White's latest data on buyer activity, explains why open home numbers have fallen sharply, and reveals why she believes national property prices are unlikely to fall more than 5% from peak to trough.

The conversation goes deeper into what actually determines property values, the role banks and borrowing capacity play in setting prices, and why construction costs could ultimately put a floor under the market.

Nerida also explains why population growth and jobs remain critical drivers of regional property markets, what has transformed places like the Gold Coast and Geraldton, and how infrastructure such as train stations, public transport, retail precincts and proximity to water can influence long-term property values. She also gives her view on Melbourne, houses versus apartments, interest rates, unemployment, rental supply and the potential impact of fewer investors entering the market.

If you're a homeowner, investor, first home buyer or simply trying to understand where the Australian property market is heading, this episode is packed with insights into what the data is actually telling us. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wages went up. So why does every household still feel worse off? Stephen Koukoulas, economist and founder of Market Economics, sits down with Mark Bouris to answer that question with numbers that are hard to argue with. Prices have risen around 14 per cent over the past three years. Wages have grown roughly 10 per cent. The gap is real, it is compounding, and it is sitting in every Australian budget right now. This episode goes well beyond the monthly headline inflation figure. Koukoulas and Bouris work through the mechanics of how falling property prices tighten bank lending, why services inflation in rent, insurance and council rates is proving so stubborn, and why the Reserve Bank's hands may be more constrained than most people realise. They also name something most commentators are reluctant to say out loud: that getting inflation back to 2.5 per cent may require a hard landing. If you want to understand what is actually happening in the Australian economy right now, and what it means for your mortgage, your savings and your job, this is the conversation to watch. Topics covered

• Why prices up 14 per cent and wages up 10 per cent leaves a real deficit in household purchasing power
• How bracket creep quietly takes a slice of every pay rise before it reaches your account
• The compounding effect: how $100 in groceries became $114 in three years
• Falling property prices, tighter bank lending and the self-reinforcing cycle that worries Koukoulas
• The 23 per cent jump in property listings and what it signals about seller confidence
• Why services inflation in rent, insurance, school fees and council rates is the stickiest part of the problem
• Copper, lithium and commodity prices as a hidden inflation driver most people are not watching
• The case for and against a recession as the only remaining path to 2.5 per cent inflation
• Whether the RBA's updated mandate on full employment has reduced its room to move
• What rising unemployment above 5 per cent would actually mean for households, banks and the federal budget

Subscribe to Property Insights with Mark Bouris for weekly conversations with Australia's leading property, finance and economic minds. Find your local Yellow Brick Road broker: www.yellowbrickroad.com.au 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former NRL player Lachlan Coote made the switch from professional rugby league to residential real estate in Townsville, and what he has discovered about the market up there might surprise you. In this episode of Property Insights, Mark Bouris sits down with Lachlan to unpack what is really happening in Townsville right now. Median house prices up 80% in five years. A vacancy rate of just 0.01%. A defence force expansion bringing 500 new families to the city. A port expansion, new infrastructure, a brand new stadium, and a lifestyle that is starting to turn heads nationally. Lachlan also gets candid about the reality of starting from scratch in a new industry, the cold calls, the letterbox drops at 4am, and why being a former Cowboys player did not make selling homes as easy as he thought it would. If you are curious about regional property markets, thinking about investing outside the major capitals, or just want an honest conversation about what it takes to build a career in real estate, this episode is worth your time. Topics covered

• What it is really like to transition from elite sport to real estate

• How Lachlan built his client database and farming area from scratch

• Why Townsville's median house price has grown 80% since 2020

• The role of the defence force expansion in driving demand

• Vacancy rates, yields, and what investors need to know right now

• How interest rate rises have changed buyer behaviour on the ground

• The Townsville lifestyle case — schools, amenities, employment and liveability

• What vendors are doing in a slowing market and how to manage their expectations

Find a YBR broker near you: https://www.ybr.com.au Refinance calculator: https://www.ybr.com.au/calculators/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia just hit 28 million people. By 2065, we will have 40 to 41 million. Sydney will be the size of New York. Melbourne will be bigger than London. So what does that mean for our roads, our rail, our housing supply, and the property market? Mark Bouris sits down with Adam Copp, Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Australia, the federal government's independent advisor on infrastructure investment, planning and reform, to unpack what this population surge really means for everyday Australians. They cover:

• Why Sydney and Melbourne are heading toward megacity scale and what that demands of our infrastructure
• The mass transit projects already underway and the ones we still need to build
• Why housing supply and infrastructure investment must move together, and why they so often do not
• The 30-minute rule of thumb that determines quality of life for commuters
• How Western Sydney's Aerotropolis is being built as a city from the ground up
• The role of superannuation funds in financing the next generation of infrastructure
• What climate change and geopolitical instability mean for Australia's long-term resilience
• Why Adam Copp is optimistic about Australia's future, if we are willing to build for it

Whether you are a property buyer, investor, or simply trying to understand where Australia is heading, this is a conversation that cuts through the noise and gets to what actually matters. Subscribe to Property Insights with Mark Bouris for weekly conversations with Australia's leading property, finance and economic minds. Find your local Yellow Brick Road broker: www.yellowbrickroad.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Domain President Jason Pellegrino joins Mark Bouris to unpack where Sydney and Melbourne house prices are heading, why units are set to outperform houses for the first time in five years, and how AI is about to reshape the way Australians buy and sell property.

Jason forecasts mid-to-high single digit price declines in Sydney and Melbourne over the next 12 to 18 months (4 to 8%), with the other capital cities still growing but slowing. He also reveals why Australian property transactions have been in decline for 25 years, and it has almost nothing to do with interest rates.

This is the first Domain forecast to incorporate the recent federal budget changes and the latest RBA cash rate movement, both of which Jason describes as "seismic" for the property market. 

Chat with a YBR Broker: https://ybr.com.au/refinance-flagship...
Get in touch with Yellow Brick Road: https://ybr.com.au/enquiry/
Yellow Brick Road was founded by Mark Bouris to help Australians on the road to their hopes and dreams. We offer competitive rates, an all-encompassing portfolio of mortgage broking services and a network of trusted home loan experts all over Australia.

For more information, visit www.ybr.com.au or call 1800 927 927. #markbouris #yellowbrickroad #homeloans

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thinking about buying an apartment, but not sure what actually holds its value?

In this episode of Property Insights, Mark Bouris sits down with Andrew Hrsto, Founder and CEO of ALAND, for a candid look at the apartment market from someone who has built it from the ground up.

Andrew Hrsto founded ALAND in 2002 and has grown it into one of Sydney's most prolific apartment developers, with thousands of apartments delivered across Western Sydney and beyond, and projects now reaching the Central Coast and North Sydney. He has spent more than three decades in property and construction, and is also a long-time sponsor of the Parramatta Eels.

Mark and Andrew get into the things every buyer wonders about: what makes one apartment worth more than another, why brand, build quality and a walkable location now drive demand, and how the apartment buyer has changed from mostly investors to downsizers and owner-occupiers.

Andrew also explains why so much of an apartment's price comes down to taxes and imposts, why projects are harder to deliver than they were ten years ago, and where he thinks home ownership is heading, including the rise of build-to-rent and the lifelong renter.

-- Catch up on more episodes in the Property Insights podcast: https://yhomeloans.com.au/property-in... Chat with a YBR Broker: https://ybr.com.au/refinance-flagship...

Get in touch with Yellow Brick Road: https://ybr.com.au/enquiry/ Yellow Brick Road was founded by Mark Bouris to help Australians on the road to their hopes and dreams. We offer competitive rates, an all-encompassing portfolio of mortgage broking services and a network of trusted home loan experts all over Australia. For more information, visit www.ybr.com.au or call 1800 927 927. #markbouris #yellowbrickroad #homeloans

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.