Australia's housing debate seems to offer us two choices: a detached home on an increasingly unaffordable block of land, or an apartment in a large tower.

Between those two forms of housing is what planners call the "missing middle".

This includes duplexes, terraces, townhouses, maisonettes, courtyard housing and small low-rise apartment buildings. They provide more homes than a conventional suburban subdivision, while retaining much of the space, privacy and neighbourhood character people value.

So why aren't we building more of them, particularly in the well-located middle-ring suburbs where people want to live?

Our households are getting smaller, our population is ageing, affordability has deteriorated and many people want to remain close to family, employment, transport and familiar communities without maintaining a large home and garden.

Missing-middle housing appears well suited to these needs, and in my mind, they make great investment properties.yet it remains genuinely missing from much of our new housing supply.

In this episode I speak with Rebecca Lloyd Jones about Australia's missing middle and the housing options between detached homes and high-rise apartments.

I explore why townhouses, terraces, duplexes and low-rise apartments better reflect Australia's changing household demographics.

Rebecca explains how medium-density housing can support singles, families, downsizers and multi-generational households without sacrificing lifestyle.

We examine why established suburbs, walkability, mature trees, transport and amenity make well-designed medium-density properties appealing to owner-occupiers and investors.

I also discuss the difference between planning potential and financial feasibility, and what better housing development could mean for Australia's future.

Takeaways

• Australia needs more housing between houses and towers

• Townhouses can suit changing household demographics

• Walkability strengthens demand in established suburbs

• Downsizers want lifestyle quality, not compromise

• Medium density supports multi-generational living arrangements

• Mature trees add irreplaceable property value

• Planning approval does not guarantee project viability

• Construction costs can undermine development feasibility

• Good design protects long-term housing appeal

• Outer-suburb townhouses may lack essential amenity

Chapters

03:54 - What the missing middle actually is

12:26 - How Australian households have changed

15:16 - Why downsizers stay put in large homes

19:07 - Why rezoning alone does not deliver housing

24:38 - What makes a townhouse a good investment

Links and Resources:

Join us at one of our upcoming seminars in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

• Click here for more details and to lock in your spot.https://metropole.com.au/how-to-grow-seminar/

• Join us in this small group environment so you can get your personal questions answered.

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.PropertyTrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of Negotiate Influence Persuade.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report.

Michael Yardney

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Rebecca Lloyd-Jones Travaux

https://travaux.com.au/

Get a bundle of free reports and eBooks: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Twenty years ago I wrote a book that I honestly thought would sell a few thousand copies to friends and colleagues.

Instead, it became Australia's best-selling property investment book, and it's sat on the bookshelf of tens of thousands of investors who've gone on to build genuine wealth using the strategies inside it.

Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of me interviewing a guest, I'm handing the microphone over, and my colleague from Metropole, Joseph Bellotta, who is going to interview me about the brand new edition of "How to Grow a Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio in My Spare Time."

We're going to talk about what's changed since 2006, what's stayed exactly the same, why I felt the need to update it again, and what today's investors need to know that wasn't even a consideration two decades ago.

If you've read the earlier editions, you'll want to hear this. And if you've never read it, this conversation will give you a pretty good idea of whether it belongs on your own bookshelf because we discuss how property investment has changed since the original 2006 edition of my book.

I explain why higher interest rates, stricter lending rules and changing taxes have made borrowing capacity a critical strategic resource.

We explore why quality properties in strong locations remain more important than simply accumulating a large number of properties.

I discuss how financial buffers, long-term holding power and careful portfolio structures can help investors navigate market uncertainty.

Joseph and I consider why data and technology can support better decisions, while experience and sound judgement remain essential when selecting property.

Takeaways

• Lending capacity must be managed across future purchases

• Quality assets provide stronger long-term capital growth potential

• Financial buffers protect investors during market downturns

• Property investment requires decades-long thinking and patience

• Data cannot replace judgement about location and scarcity

• Tax policy can materially change investment returns

• Owner-occupier demand supports stronger property resale prospects

• Cash flow alone does not create lasting wealth

• Personal strategy should guide every property purchase

• Trusted advisers improve portfolio decisions during uncertainty

Chapters

02:11 - Why update the book again after twenty years

05:24 - Is it actually harder to build a portfolio today

08:14 - What changed most: finance, tax and holding power

11:47 - Data, AI and why algorithms cannot replace judgment

26:33 - Three lessons to take from the new edition

Links and Resources:

Join us at one of our upcoming seminars in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

• Click here for more details and to lock in your spot.https://metropole.com.au/how-to-grow-seminar/

• Join us in this small group environment so you can get your personal questions answered.

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.PropertyTrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of Negotiate Influence Persuade.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report.

Michael Yardney

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Joseph Ballota, Senior Wealth Strategist Metropole https://metropole.com.au/expert/joseph-ballota/

Get a bundle of free reports and eBooks: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

There is one thing every property investor wants to know right now. How long is this property downturn actually going to last?

You've heard all sorts of opinions. Some people say it's almost over. Others are telling you we're heading for a crash that will make 2008 look like a picnic. Neither of those is right, and today's guest has the data to prove it.

By the end of today's show, you're going to understand exactly what history tells us about how long property downturns run for, why some markets are falling harder than others, and what you need to be doing right now if the July 2027 capital gains tax changes could affect you.

My guest today is Scott Chapman, Managing Director of Opteon, the largest independent valuation firm in the country, which means Scott and his team aren't reading about the market from a spreadsheet somewhere. They're valuing thousands of properties every week, right across the country, so they see exactly what's happening on the ground before it shows up in the official statistics.

Opteon has just released some fascinating analysis comparing this downturn to the last three Australian property downturns. What they found might surprise you, and it has real implications for how you should be thinking about your portfolio right now.

We examine how the current downturn compares with previous cycles and why Sydney and Melbourne are experiencing different conditions from other markets.

We explore how interest rates, lending restrictions, buyer sentiment, open-home attendance and auction results can influence property market momentum.

Scott explains why the 1 July 2027 capital gains tax changes may make accurate property valuations increasingly important for investors.

We also discuss why automated estimates can be useful starting points, but should not replace professional advice when making significant investment decisions.

Takeaways

• Property downturns vary significantly between Australian cities

• Weak sentiment can delay property market recoveries

• Interest rates influence borrowing capacity and buyer confidence

• Auction clearances reveal changing demand before prices

• Open-home attendance signals shifts in buyer interest

• Regional markets can outperform struggling capital cities

• Capital gains tax changes require careful valuation planning

• Falling values may reduce future CGT baselines

• Automated estimates cannot capture property-specific market differences

• Tax planning should support strategy, not dictate it

Chapters

02:34 - What the last three property downturns tell us

05:42 - Why sentiment turned so fast this year

12:10 - The July 2027 capital gains tax changes explained

17:57 - Should you get a valuation, and when

20:31 - Why automated valuations can mislead you

Links and Resources:

Join us at one of our upcoming seminars in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

· Click here for more details and to lock in your spot.https://metropole.com.au/how-to-grow-seminar/

· Join us in this small group environment so you can get your personal questions answered.

Answer this week's trivia question here - www.PropertyTrivia.com.au

· Win a hard copy of Negotiate Influence Persuade.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report

Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Scott Campbell - Managing Director of Opteon Valuers https://opteonsolutions.com/about/team/scott-chapman

Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Smart investors still make expensive mistakes, and surprisingly often, the problem begins inside their own heads.

We like to believe that our investment decisions are based on facts, careful analysis and rational judgment. Yet cognitive biases quietly shape which facts we notice, which risks we dismiss and which stories we choose to believe.

They encourage property investors to follow the crowd, cling to underperforming assets, chase yesterday's winning markets and become more confident precisely when they should be more cautious.

Louise Bedford – "The Money Chick" recently interviewed me about the psychology behind these decisions and the cognitive biases that quietly influence property and share-market investment decisions.

We examine how confirmation bias encourages investors to seek supporting evidence while ignoring information that challenges their preferred conclusions.

I explain why sunk cost fallacy can keep people holding underperforming properties instead of recognising their opportunity cost.

Louise and I explore how loss aversion, recency bias and anchoring can distort decisions during market uncertainty and changing property cycles.

We discuss practical ways to improve investment judgement, including using strategic plans, seeking disconfirming evidence and inviting experienced people to challenge your thinking.

Takeaways

• Cognitive shortcuts can distort otherwise intelligent investment decisions

• Confirmation bias makes selective research feel genuinely rational

• Strategic property plans reduce emotionally driven investment commitments

• Sunk costs can prolong ownership of poor-quality assets

• Small losses may become much larger financial mistakes

• Quality properties deserve patience through normal market cycles

• Poor assets turn patience into expensive denial

• Recent market trends rarely predict permanent future conditions

• Leading fundamentals matter more than short-term property headlines

• Independent advisers can expose blind spots before costly decisions

Chapters

• 02:44 - Why intelligence cannot prevent investment bias

• 03:34 - Confirmation bias and selective property evidence

• 12:19 - Distinguishing patience from investment denial

• 17:06 - How recency bias distorts market expectations

• 25:26 - Overconfidence, humility and disciplined investing

Links and Resources:

Answer this week's trivia question here - www.PropertyTrivia.com.au

· Win a hard copy of Negotiate Influence Persuade.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report

Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Louise Bedford – The Money Chick https://www.tradinggame.com.au/about-us/louise-bedford/

Talking Trading Louise's podcasthttps://www.tradinggame.com.au/why-choose-us/in-the-press/

Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Most property investors don't fail because they lack access to information.

In fact, today they have more information, more data, more forecasts, more podcasts, more software, more AI tools, and more opinions than ever before.

And that may be part of the problem.

Because when your brain is wired for survival, uncertainty can feel like danger. So rather than making clear, strategic decisions, many investors freeze, over-research, procrastinate, follow the crowd, or chase the next shiny object.

That's why I wanted to bring Dr. Noah St. John back onto the show.

Noah is known as "The Neural Performance Architect" and he has spent decades helping high performers, business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, celebrities, professional athletes, and ultra-successful families remove the hidden mental blocks that stop them achieving what they say they want.

In this episode I'm speaking with Dr. Noah St. John about how AI is reshaping investor thinking and decision-making.

We unpack why uncertainty, not lack of information, is what most often stalls property investors.

Noah explains how the "caveman brain" can trigger fear, procrastination, and overthinking when markets feel unclear.

We discuss why strategy and systems matter more than chasing perfect timing or chasing every new AI tool.

We also explore how habits, mindset, and self-awareness can help investors act with more clarity and confidence.

Takeaways

• AI amplifies existing thinking patterns, so clear strategy matters more than extra information.

• Fear often shows up as procrastination, delaying property decisions until opportunity passes.

• The "caveman brain" can make investors freeze when markets become uncertain.

• Strong systems reduce emotional decision-making and improve long-term investing consistency.

• AI can assist research, but it cannot replace human judgment or local perspective.

• Successful investors act despite uncertainty, rather than waiting for perfect confidence.

• Conversion matters more than leads because it turns interest into actual investment results.

• Breakthroughs come from removing internal resistance, not simply working harder.

• Daily habits shape whether investors build wealth or stay stuck in hesitation.

• Mindset determines whether freedom becomes reality through time, energy, relationships, and money.

Links and Resources:

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.PropertyTrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report.

Michael Yardney

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Dr. Noah St. John – Tame Your Cave Man Brain

https://noahstjohn.com/

Get a bundle of free reports and eBooks: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

Success in property investment isn't just about numbers - it's about mindset, behaviour and decision making.

In The Michael Yardney Podcast, we explore the psychology of wealth, the habits of successful investors, and how to think strategically during uncertain market conditions.

Regular topics include:

• Psychology of money and wealth• Investor behaviour and market cycles• Rich habits vs poor habits• High performance mindset• Risk management thinking• Decision making under pressure• Long-term investing discipline• Overcoming fear in property markets• Building wealth through strategy, not speculation

If you want to avoid common investor mistakes and develop the mindset required to build lasting wealth in Australia's property market, this podcast is for you.

More resources at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

What if the greatest threat to your property investment success isn't choosing the wrong suburb, paying too much or getting your timing wrong?

What if it's your inability to remain disciplined when the headlines become frightening, the forecasts turn gloomy and everyone around you starts questioning whether property is still a good investment?

Over the last six years, Australian property investors have lived through a pandemic, lockdowns, recession warnings, emergency-low interest rates, a property boom, rapid inflation, a punishing interest rate cycle, construction failures, wars, tax changes and repeated predictions of a housing market crash.

Yet property values rose substantially over that period, although some markets and some types of property performed considerably better than others.

So, how did some investors build significant wealth while others remained frozen on the sidelines, sold quality properties at the wrong time or chased yesterday's hotspots?

That is what I'm going to explain in today's show.

I explain why property investing is really a blend of hard data and smart judgement. I break down how research, finance, demographics, and supply and demand give us the science behind good decisions.

I also share why context, patience, and emotional discipline matter just as much as the numbers.

I look at how headlines, uncertainty, and market noise can push investors into poor decisions if they lose perspective.

I finish by showing why a long-term strategy matters more than chasing certainty or the latest hotspot.

Takeaways

• Fear and headlines often damage investing results more than poor suburb selection.

• Property investing combines research, finance, and demographics with judgment and patience.

• Market noise has included pandemics, inflation, rate rises, and repeated crash predictions.

• Median price growth can hide major differences between cities, suburbs, and property types.

• Data can mislead when it lags the market or reflects an unusual sales mix.

• Successful investors study scarcity, demand, income growth, and owner-occupier appeal.

• Interpretation matters because raw numbers rarely tell the full property story.

• Over-analysis can become procrastination disguised as careful decision-making.

• A strong strategy includes buffers, leverage control, and sensible ownership structure.

• Wealth comes from holding the right assets through multiple market cycles.

Chapters

• 00:00 - Fear can derail property decisions

• 01:38 - Science and art in property investing

• 05:01 - Reading context beyond the numbers

• 09:20 - Why long-term growth still matters

• 17:40 - Strategy beats reaction every time

Links and Resources:

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time?

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report – What's ahead for property for 2026 and beyond.

Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

.

Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

Success in property investment isn't just about numbers - it's about mindset, behaviour and decision making.

In The Michael Yardney Podcast, we explore the psychology of wealth, the habits of successful investors, and how to think strategically during uncertain market conditions.

Regular topics include:

• Psychology of money and wealth• Investor behaviour and market cycles• Rich habits vs poor habits• High performance mindset• Risk management thinking• Decision making under pressure• Long-term investing discipline• Overcoming fear in property markets• Building wealth through strategy, not speculation

If you want to avoid common investor mistakes and develop the mindset required to build lasting wealth in Australia's property market, this podcast is for you.

More resources at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Did baby boomers become wealthy because they were better investors, or were they simply born at the right time?

It is a confronting question, because millions of Australians who bought property, invested in shares and contributed to superannuation over the past 40 years enjoyed one of the strongest financial tailwinds in modern history.

From the early 1980s, inflation and interest rates generally trended lower. As the cost of money fell, asset values rose, borrowing became progressively easier, and property, shares and bonds delivered unusually strong long-term returns.

Of course, plenty of boomers worked hard, saved carefully and made sensible decisions. Yet effort alone does not explain the extraordinary increase in household wealth. Timing played a much larger role than many people are comfortable admitting.

My guest today, Ashley Owen, believes that this golden era has ended. He argues that younger Australians are entering a very different world, with persistent inflationary pressures, higher average interest rates and potentially lower real returns across property, shares and bonds.

If Ashley is right, investors can't simply extrapolate the returns of the last 30 or 40 years into the future. Retirement calculations may be too optimistic, traditional asset allocations may be less reliable, and the next generation may need to save more, invest differently and remain invested for longer.

In this episode I'm speaking with Ashley Owen about how Australia's investment environment has changed across generations.

Join me as we unpack what this means for investors, retirees, and the next generation.

Takeaways

• Inflation is global, so Western economies tend to rise and fall together.

• Long periods of falling inflation create unusually strong returns across most asset classes.

• Government borrowing and loose fiscal policy can keep inflation pressures elevated.

• Military spending has repeatedly triggered major inflation spikes throughout history.

• The best recent investing decade was boosted by declining inflation and interest rates.

• Shares generally outperform bonds and cash during most long-term market cycles.

• Bonds can deliver weak or negative real returns during high inflation periods.

• Australian housing holds up better because debt is eroded by inflation over time.

• Rising protectionism and re-shoring increase costs across goods, wages, and supply chains.

• Starting early and avoiding crowd behaviour matter more than chasing short-term trends.

Chapters

• 05:08 - Why investors need a 150-year view of inflation • 08:54 - Three lessons from 150 years of global inflation • 22:26 - Every driver of the golden era has now reversed • 29:38 - What returns look like in high-inflation decades • 37:29 - Why Australian housing is the standout asset class

Links and Resources:

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/

• Win a copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time.

• Every entry receives a copy of a fully updated Michael Yardney Property Report.

Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Ashley Owen, Director of Owen Analytics https://www.owenanalytics.com.au/

Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

What if I told you that almost none of the financial decisions you agonise over actually matter?

Most investors worry about interest rates, the next hot suburb, tax changes, market timing, stock picking, and whether they should buy now or wait.

But what if 95% of your financial future is shaped by just a handful of decisions - many of them made quietly, early, and often without enough thought?

That's the fascinating idea we're unpacking today with Stuart Wemyss, founder of ProSolution Private Clients, who says there are really only a handful of decisions in your entire life that determine 95% of your financial outcome, and most of them have got nothing to do with property, shares, or the share market at all.

By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly what those decisions are, why most people get them wrong without even realising it, and how getting just four or five calls right can matter more than decades of diligent budgeting or clever investment picking.

In this episode Stuart and I outline the handful of financial decisions that can shape most of your lifetime outcomes.

We unpack why the big calls matter far more than obsessing over small, daily money choices.

We look at how partner alignment can either strengthen your wealth plan or create ongoing conflict.

We explore why career choice is really an income strategy, not just a lifestyle preference.

We discuss how your spending and saving philosophy needs to change as life stages change.

We finish by covering the tactical decisions that compound over time, including property, home ownership, superannuation, and advice.

Takeaways

• Your life partner shapes money habits, saving priorities, and long-term financial harmony.

• Shared financial goals reduce conflict and keep couples moving in the same wealth direction.

• Career choice matters because income potential sets the ceiling for future investing capacity.

• Choosing work aligned to skill and passion improves consistency, confidence, and earning power.

• A spending philosophy adapts across life stages, unlike rigid budgets that quickly become outdated.

• Some seasons demand aggressive saving, while others allow greater spending and enjoyment balance.

• The first property often creates the equity needed to accelerate later wealth-building moves.

• Buying quality in the right location can unlock borrowing power and future opportunity.

• Your home can become a powerful fallback asset through equity and tax-free growth.

• Superannuation decisions matter because fees and asset allocation compound over decades.

Answer this week's trivia question here –

https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report.

Links and resources:

Michael Yardney

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Stuart Wemyss – Prosolution Private Clients

Stuart's new book – Wealth by Design: 8 rules for smarter investing and financial freedom

https://www.amazon.com.au/Wealth-Design-smarter-investing-financial/dp/192318654X/

Please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Capital city home prices have continued to fall sharply over August with no sign yet of the usual pre-spring revival in activity.

The national capital city median house price fell by 1.8% over the August quarter to $1,226,833 compared to the July quarter, according to the latest data from My Housing Market.

In today's show Dr. Andrew Wilson explains what's really happening in Australia's property markets as we head into Spring.

We unpack why house prices have kept easing, why units are holding up better, and what the latest figures mean for buyers and investors.

We also look at how interest rate uncertainty, tax changes, and weaker confidence are shaping today's market conditions.

At the same time, we explore why low vacancy rates, strong migration, and housing shortages are still supporting the rental market.

If you're trying to make sense of the headlines, this episode gives you a clearer picture of where the cycle may be heading next.

Takeaways:

• National house prices fell again, extending the downtrend across Australia's capital cities.

• Sydney and Melbourne remain the weakest markets, driven by cautious buyer sentiment.

• Units are outperforming houses because affordability is pushing demand toward cheaper stock.

• A missing spring rebound shows confidence, not just prices, is still under pressure.

• Interest rate uncertainty is delaying major decisions from buyers and investors alike.

• Government tax changes are adding fresh caution to property market behaviour.

• Strong migration continues to support demand despite softer sales conditions.

• Housing undersupply is keeping vacancy rates low and rents under upward pressure.

• Melbourne units are showing resilience compared with the broader housing decline.

• Property cycles eventually turn, but recovery usually starts with renewed confidence.

Links and Resources:

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time.

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report – What's ahead for property for 2026 and beyond.

Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here.

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.

Each week we explore:

• Australian property market updates • Property investment strategies in Australia • Melbourne property market trends • Sydney property market forecasts • Brisbane property investment opportunities • Capital growth property strategies • Property cycles in Australia • Negative gearing and tax strategy • Interest rates and their impact on property • Buyer's agent insights and investment planning

If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.

Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Could you be earning a good income, owning property and still operating with a poverty mindset?

Could beliefs you absorbed as a child be quietly limiting how much wealth you build today?

And why do some people break free from financial hardship while others repeat the same patterns from one generation to the next?

My guest today, Tom Corley, spent years studying the habits and thinking of wealthy and financially struggling people, and what he discovered may make you reconsider some of your own beliefs about money.

Stay with us because, before we finish, Tom will help you identify the warning signs of a poverty mindset and give you practical ways to replace them with the habits and beliefs that support financial independence.

Tom and I discuss how childhood conditioning can shape money beliefs, habits, and emotional decisions for years.

We unpack the difference between victim thinking, entitlement, and the mindset wealthy people use to keep moving forward.

Tom shares practical ways to replace limiting patterns with wealth-building habits, gratitude, responsibility, and self-awareness.

Takeaways

• Money beliefs formed in childhood often control adult financial decisions.

• Spending every dollar can become a survival habit that blocks wealth.

• Closed minds stop learning, which creates blind spots in money decisions.

• Victim thinking encourages inaction by making people feel powerless.

• Entitlement mindset can exist in both inherited wealth and hardship.

• Frugal peer groups help saver-investors stay disciplined and avoid lifestyle creep.

• Wealth grows faster when people accept responsibility for their own outcomes.

• Gratitude improves mindset and supports better long-term financial choices.

• Social media comparison fuels envy by hiding debt and sacrifice.

• Tracking daily habits reveals patterns that can be inverted into growth.

Links and Resources:

Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.PropertyTrivia.com.au/

· Win a hard copy of Michael Yardney's and Tom Corley's Book – Rich Habits, Poor Habits

· Everyone wins a copy of a fully updated property report.

Michael Yardney

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

Get Tom Corley's regular money tips here: https://richhabits.net/tips-articles/

Get a bundle of free reports and eBooks: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

Success in property investment isn't just about numbers - it's about mindset, behaviour and decision making.

In The Michael Yardney Podcast, we explore the psychology of wealth, the habits of successful investors, and how to think strategically during uncertain market conditions.

Regular topics include:

• Psychology of money and wealth• Investor behaviour and market cycles• Rich habits vs poor habits• High performance mindset• Risk management thinking• Decision making under pressure• Long-term investing discipline• Overcoming fear in property markets• Building wealth through strategy, not speculation

If you want to avoid common investor mistakes and develop the mindset required to build lasting wealth in Australia's property market, this podcast is for you.

More resources at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au