The Elephant In The Room Property Podcast | Inside Australian Real Estate

Climate change has significantly impacted residential property: Constant house repairs, increasing energy bills, and more areas becoming uninsurable. 

…It feels like something needs to change. Will our policymakers be able to keep up? 

Today, we’re talking about the impact climate change is (or should be) having on housing policy. 

Nicki Hutley, a highly experienced economist and Councillor on the Climate Council, joins us today to talk about the extent of the climate change problem, what the government is doing, existing initiatives, and more!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. The extent of the climate change problem [04:01]
2. What will happen to property values in ‘uninsurable’ areas? [08:05]
3. The politics behind climate change decision-making [13:54]
4. NSW initiative on sustainability [20:01]
5. Raising awareness on climate change issues [26:19]
6. Climate change damages: Repairs vs Mitigation [30:56]
7. Nicki’s Property Dumbo [37:18]

About our Guest:

Nicki Hutley is a highly experienced economist with broad-based expertise in macroeconomics and microeconomic policy, gained over three decades in financial and investment markets and in economic consulting.  

After many years in the corporate world, including most recently as a partner with Deloitte Access Economics, Nicki is now an independent economist, advising governments, businesses and not-for-profits. She is also a Councillor on the Climate Council.

Nicki holds an Honours degree in Economics. In 2021, she was elected President of the NSW Branch of the Economics Society of Australia.

Nicki is a frequent commentator in the media and is a regular guest on The Drum and The Project.

Links from the show:

• Visit Nicki Hutley’s website: www.nickihutleyeconomics.com.au 
• A River with a City Problem by Margaret Cook: https://bit.ly/3olYKJ7 
• Ep 228: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/228 

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:

https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/239

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are currently in a phase of living with COVID, and while it’s too early to call it a ‘post-COVID’ era, what could that period look like?’

And how will the property market adjust?

Simon Kuestenmacher, the Director of Research at the Demographics Group is returning to the show. He shares his insights on the current state of affairs in Australia with borders opening and migration slowly returning to full swing.

We also talk about the status of the labour force, shifting family formations, the recent elections, and a heap of other topics!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. Overview of what’s happening in Australia [01:49]
2. Can we still hope for supply chain issues to get resolved? [06:03]
3. Australia’s reputation after the lockdowns [07:46]
4. Selling Australia’s image and attracting global talent [12:06]
5. The shift in settlement patterns after COVID [14:17]
6. Solving demographic and climate change issues [19:29]
7. Can the senior population be convinced to downsize? [25:25]
8. Millennials settling in areas outside the business district [30:45]
9. The future of work flexibility [35:57]
10. Office vs remote work [37:31]
11. Is a ‘Great Resignation’ really happening? [41:09]
12. Building a healthy work environment [46:30]
13. Simon’s thoughts on the 2022 election [51:25]
14. On voter personalities and existential crises [55:18]
15. Putting the Labor Party under a microscope [01:00:00]

About our Guest:

Simon Kuestenmacher is the Director of Research at the Demographics Group. He has amassed 140,000 followers globally in just two years. They enjoy his insights and his quirky observational style. He is a columnist for The Australian on demographic trends and urban development.

Links from the show:

• Visit Simon’s website: https://www.simonkuestenmacher.com/
• Check out The Demographics Group: https://www.tdgp.com.au/simon-kuestenmacher

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:

https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/238

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation is up, there’s a rental crisis across the country, and interest rates are rising for the first time in a decade – with all the negativity around the property market, how can we make sense of it all? 

Friend of the show and Head of Residential Research Australia at Corelogic, Eliza Owen, joins us today as we try to unravel what’s happening in the market… with accurate data and minus the media hype! 

We cover rising interest rates, falling house prices, consumer confidence, and heaps more!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. Summing up the property market in 2022 [01:42]
2. Effects of limited buying capacity on property buyers [05:28]
3. Can falling house prices be a good thing? [09:36]
4. How shifting household formations is driving up property demand [12:59]
5. When will the interest rate cycle normalise? [17:33]
6. How multimillion-dollar properties losing value affects property data [23:10]
7. Real estate conditions in regional Australia [30:39]
8. New building dynamics in coming years [36:02]
9. Is housing quality compromised for first home buyers? [39:26]
10. On Australia’s rental crisis [43:11] 
11. Are Australians slowly getting used to interest rate rises? [45:56]
12. What recent history tells us about timing the market [51:19]
13. More factors affecting the property market [55:20]
14. Correlation of mortgage repayments and interest rates [58:00]
15. Effects of job swaps and wage increases [01:02:13]

About our Guest:

Eliza Owen is the Head of Residential Research Australia at CoreLogic. She has a wealth of experience in property data analysis and reporting. Eliza worked as an economist at Residex, a research analyst at Domain Group and previously as the commercial real estate and construction analyst at CoreLogic. Eliza is passionate about economics, and is a popular keynote speaker, having presented to thousands across the real estate, finance and construction sectors.

Links from the show:

• CoreLogic Website 

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:

https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/237

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an interesting episode with our resident geek, Kent Lardner as we roll out Suburb Help – a little project we have to help investors make better decisions about where to invest. 

Today is all about Australia’s rental crisis: What’s driving up rental prices? Which areas have the highest vacancy rates? Is the same happening in places outside the country? 

Tune in to hear all about Kent’s invaluable research data and insights!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. What is Suburb Help? [00:56]
2. Are rents really at record highs? [03:44] 
3. Rental challenges in regional areas [05:49]
4. Effects of Australia’s rising rental demand [09:26]
5. Rental Crisis: A series of poor decisions [13:46]
6. Build to Rent schemes & Social Housing programs [17:08]
7. Regional areas with the most rental growth [21:05]
8. Which market segment will see the most rent increase? [24:53]
9. Current areas with high vacancy rates [27:48]
10. The problem with Build to Rent schemes [31:06]
11. Income lost due to rent rises [37:11]
12. Is the rental crisis happening in other countries? [39:43]
13. Solving Australia’s rental crisis [41:13]
14. The advantage of having the right data and expert help [44:31]

About our Guest:

Kent Lardner is a data science and business leader with over 30 years experience working for companies such as JLL, CoreLogic and General Electric. He has a passion for digital high growth businesses and has led teams of 5 to 200 people in both Australia and China.

Links from the show:

• Suburb Help Website

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:

https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/236

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love tackling questions our listeners sent in – and today, we’re answering some of them (plus a slightly controversial one towards the end!) 

How do company title properties compare to strata title properties? What makes an A-Grade property? Is there a way to make land tax less frustrating?

Tune in as we take on these questions and more!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. ‘Company title’ property: pros and cons [01:00]
2. Company Title VS Strata Title [04:22]
3. Is the property market boom NOW? Should you sell? [10:30]
4. Getting the price right in a rapidly shifting market [15:57]
5. Determining A Grade Property [21:19]
6. Are A Grade properties only found in premium suburbs? [25:46]
7. Getting an A Grade property in Sydney [32:22]
8. Landtax thresholds and rates [38:48]
9. Issues on tenancy and society [45:51]
10. Financial inequality in Australia [49:25]
11. Rezoning and NIMBYism [55:06]

Links from the show:

• Veronica’s article on land tax
• Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast Episode 40
• Ep 31: New ways for people to get onto the property ladder
• Ep 80: Is co-living the answer to housing our housing crisis?
• Ep 104: Build-To-Rent the new standard for renters
• Ep 108: Assembling Communities
• Ep 215: The Impact of Build-to-Rent Properties on Mum & Dad Investors
• Ep 230: Debunking Australia's Property Investing Myths
• Ep 66: What's causing Australia's housing affordability crisis?
• Ep 111: Homelessness, Housing Affordability and Protecting YOUR Future
• Ep 191:  The Growing Housing Affordability Crisis 
• Ep 89: Australia's home ownership crisis
• Ep 205: Should You Be Worried About Australia's Affordability Crisis?
• Ep 224: Debrief: The Falinski Report on Housing Affordability in Australia
• Ep 227: How Inflation and Interest Rate Rises Affect First Home Buyers
• Ep 231: The Sketchy Economics of Real Estate
• Ep 234: The Australian Dream of Home Ownership: Less Realistic Than Ever?

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:
https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/235

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the economic headwinds caused by rising interest rates, ballooning inflation, and wage stagnation, is it time for the majority to face reality and retire the great Australian dream of home ownership? 

Are government initiatives enough to ease the housing affordability crisis? Will there be any real housing policy changes after the elections? What should homebuyers do as prices increase? 

Brendan Coates, the Economic Policy Program Director at Grattan Institute, joins us in today’s episode to help us understand the economics behind the housing affordability crisis, government responses, inflation, and more.

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. Insights on election pitches around housing [02:05]
2. Housing shortage & the lack of first home buyers [05:19]
3. Will Australia see any REAL housing policy changes anytime soon? [10:02]
4. Will the rate of renters in retirement go down eventually? [16:12]
5. The myth around the demographic of first home buyers [19:43]
6. Western Australia’s and Victoria’s housing schemes [24:27]
7. Should you worry about inflation and rising interest rates? [30:58]
8. Financial moves homebuyers should do amid the inflation [36:49]
9. What’s driving house prices to go up? [41:15]
10. Can we ever go back to a low-interest world? [46:50]
11. Why have wages in Australia stagnated? [53:26]
12. Defining productivity from an economic perspective [56:05]
13. What’s causing the inflation in Australia? [01:01:30]
14. Does Australia have a short term migration problem? [01:05:25]

About our Guest:

Brendan Coates is the Economic Policy Program Director at Grattan Institute, where he leads Grattan’s work on tax and transfer system reform, retirement incomes and superannuation, housing, macroeconomics, and migration.

Links from the show:

• Ep 89: Australia's home ownership crisis
• Ep 124: The new normal: will your household finances hold up?
• Ep 153: Accessing super for home buying? Do it or don’t?
• Ep 195: Is Australia Ready to Reopen?
• Grattan: Shared equity is a start…

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:
https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/234

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Airbnb continues to take the world by storm and with lockdowns easing up and tourists surging, the demand for local accommodation has steadily increased – but with talks of legislation limiting short term rentals coming in, how will the market adapt? 

How much has the short term rental market changed? Will they continue to grow after COVID? Is it still a good idea to list your property on Airbnb? 

In today’s episode, Quirin Schwaighofer of MadeComfy shares his insights on the future of short term rentals. We talk about how the ratio of vacancy rates and tenants shifted over the pandemic, how the Work-From-Anywhere movement boosted short term rentals, existing Airbnb restrictions in Australia, and more!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. How COVID impacted the rental market [02:36]
2. Balancing out vacancy rates and tenants [07:04] 
3. Quirin’s thoughts on the Work-From-Anywhere movement [13:02]
4. COVID’s effects on property ownership [19:12]
5. Will legislation limiting short term rentals have a negative effect? [22:01]
6. Australian states with Airbnb restrictions [30:14]
7. Potential roadblocks for investors eyeing the short term rental market [37:02]
8. Will short term rentals continue to grow? [43:31]
9. The costs of putting up an Airbnb [51:24]
10. How MadeComfy filters properties [54:26]
11. Factors to consider if you want to enter the rental market [1:00:18]
12. Quirin’s property Dumbo [1:02:53]

About our Guest:

Quirin Schwaighofer is the Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Australia's accommodation innovator MadeComfy.

MadeComfy manages properties in the short term rental market and since its launch in 2015, MadeComfy transformed into a fast-growing and multi-award-winning disrupter of the Real Estate and Hospitality market and became an official partner of Airbnb in 2019.

In his spare time, Quirin loves adventurous travel and supporting his daughters to chase their dreams.

Links from the show:

• What sort of property makes the best short term rental?
• MadeComfy Website
  
  

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:
https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/233

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are at least three levels of government responsible for Australia's housing policy – all of which contribute to the country’s complex housing affordability issue. 

Which level of government holds the most swing? How much of the decision-making is evidence-based? What are the factors considered when formulating housing policy? 

Chris O’Dell of GYDE Consulting helps us understand the ins and outs of Australia’s housing policy. We talk about how the system works, rezoning opportunities in regional areas, site acquisition, and more!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. How many government-level decisions around housing are evidence-based? [02:14]
2. Key features of the Greater Sydney Plan [04:13]
3. Addressing rising prices in regional Australia [09:33]
4. Why small town property issues don’t make a national impact [14:18]
5. Why policy makers are missing out on opportunities in regional Australia [17:41] 
6. Migrants’ effect on Australia’s population growth [22:21]
7. Does Parramatta still have massive potential? [26:31]
8. Chris’s thoughts on building supply and costs [30:14]
9. Is land banking making site acquisition difficult? [36:00]
10. How rezoning of greenfields will affect NIMBYs [39:46]
11. The naivety around redeveloping Sydney [44:04]
12. Should there be a mandate on what properties need to be built when rezoning? [56:03]
13. Chris’s property dumbo [01:04:27]
    
    

About our Guest:

Chris O’Dell is a Director of Analytics at GYDE consulting in NSW. In his nearly 20-year career, he has worked across many industries including planning, engineering and transport in both the public and private sectors. He has dedicated his career to understanding and explaining how changes in policy and macro and micro trends impact the way people move, work and most importantly find homes to live in. 

During his time in State Government, Chris was responsible for the creation of key State Government datasets that monitor housing activity and population growth. He now works very closely with all levels of Government, strategic planners, industry and anyone else who will listen about the importance of evidence-based decision making.

Links from the show:

• ‘Historic’ drop in supply of new Sydney homes prompts shortage warning
• Info on the Greater Sydney Plan
  
  

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected]
   

Find this episode on our website: 
https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/232

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We enjoy conversations with economists in The Elephant in the Room podcast, we really do! – even though we rail against their persistent inability to predict the property market. 

Today, we’re talking to economist Dr Cameron Murray, a specialist in property markets, environmental economics, corruption – and a bit of a maverick in his space. 

We cover his views on the current state of the market, the (im)possibility of property prices going down, limiting the migration line, his proposed Singaporean housing model, and more!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. Cameron’s thoughts on the Falinski Report [02:07] 
2. The causes of drip feeding [03:57]
3. Why dropping property prices is close to impossible [07:56]
4. Housing supply shortage and rezoning matters [14:36]
5. Is housing affordability really a problem? [17:43]
6. The ‘NIMBY’ phenomenon [21:58]
7. Why Australia still has high homeownership rates [24:07]
8. The Singapore model of housing [31:09]
9. Australia’s grant scheme: The truth [36:45]
10. The Nightingale housing model [40:11]
11. Will changes in politics change the housing market? [46:52]
12. An economist’s view on migration [50:27]
13. Cameron’s property Dumbo [55:59]
14. House prices vs Income [57:30]
    
    

About our Guest:

Dr Cameron Murray is an economist with a passion for improving society. He specialises in property markets, resource and environmental economics, and corruption. His research on grey corruption in Australia has been transformed into a book called Game of Mates: How favours bleed the nation. The book explains how the Game of grey corruption is played, how much it costs us, and what we can do about it. 

Links from the show:

• Fresh Economic Thinking Blog
• Cameron’s submission to Falinski inquiry
• Cameron’s follow up “questions on notice” submission
  
  

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:
https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/231

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Property advice is unregulated and plenty of myths surround what makes a good investment. Many of these myths are just sales talk, but people still seem to be enticed across the nation. 

In this episode, we’re challenging property investing myths a lot of Australians believe – Is there such a thing as ‘the right timing’ in buying? Should you trust bank property predictions? Should you worry about rising interest rates?

Evan Thornley of LongView Property Managers & Advisors joins us in providing evidence that most of these property investing myths are… rubbish!

If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at [email protected]!

See you in the episode!

Episode Highlights:

1. Evan’s journey from tech to property [02:13]
2. Buying the wrong property investments [06:12]
3. What does LongView do? [09:36]
4. Managing investors with underperforming assets [14:36]
5. Why 71% of property investors stop at one property [18:19]
6. How does leverage help investors? [22:02]
7. On LongView’s vision and goals [26:21]
8. Is the government pointing you in the right property direction? [32:42]
9. Why traditional bank property data presentations don’t work [34:02]
10. School zones' impact on property prices [39:19]
11. What’s driving land value appreciation in Australia? [44:48]
12. The myth around interest rates and buying at the ‘right time’ [47:09]
13. Two factors that affect Australia’s rising interest rates [52:19]
14. Waiting for property prices to fall [56:56]
15. Evan’s property dumbo [1:03:07]
    
    

Links from the show:

• ‘Weapons grade bulls---’: Property data challenges sales blather
• Will Higher Interest Rates Cause Property Prices To Fall?
• Episode 222: Fool or Forecaster 2022: Bank Scorecard
  
  

Connect with Us:

• Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au
• Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan
• Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au
• Work with Chris: [email protected] 
• Send in your questions to: [email protected] 

Find this episode on our website:
https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/230

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.