The Property Couch

Could millions of Australian property investors be leaving things too late?

In this week's FUNdamental Friday, Ben Kingsley sits down with Greg Sugars from Preston Rowe Paterson to discuss the practical challenges surrounding the government's upcoming capital gains tax valuation requirements.

With approximately 3.5 million investment properties across Australia and only around 6,000 valuers available, Greg explains why investors should start planning now rather than waiting until the last minute.

They discuss:

✅ Why 1 July 2027 matters
✅ The growing demand for certified property valuations
✅ Why relying on automated valuation models could be risky
✅ The difference between valuations and indexing methods
✅ Why accountants are already planning ahead
✅ The potential bottlenecks property investors should be aware of

If these changes affect you, this episode highlights why preparation could be far easier than panic.

🎁 FREE UPDATED $3,000 A WEEK CASE STUDIES

Leave a review for The Property Couch on your favourite podcast platform OR leave a review for the Moorr app.

Then:

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We'll send you FREE access to our updated video case studies, refreshed for today's property market, negative gearing and capital gains tax changes.

⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 The upcoming CGT valuation challenge
0:43 How the new rules affect investors
1:13 3.5 million properties vs 6,000 valuers
2:08 Why valuers are already preparing
3:03 Why investors should plan early
3:53 The risk of relying on automated valuatons
4:20 Can valuations be completed later?
5:21 What we still don't know
6:09 Why proper valuations matter
7:16 How accountants are planning ahead
7:57 Is the valuation tax deductible?
8:08 Greg's final advice

#PropertyInvesting #CapitalGainsTax #PropertyValuation #PropertyInvestor #TaxPlanning #InvestmentProperty #PropertyMarket #WealthCreation #ThePropertyCouch #FUNdamentalFridays

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

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- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

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- Make Money Simple Again

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With cooling market conditions, tax changes and another rate rise expected this year, uncomfortable decisions are starting to surface for many investors.  

In this jam-packed Q&A Day, Ben is joined by Couch Crew, Ben Thompson (QPIA) and Shane Pope (Buyers Agent), to tackle four real scenarios facing property investors right now. 

• Should you sell a good property when cash flow gets tight?  
• Have recent tax changes fundamentally changed the investment equation?  
• What happens when the regional portfolio you built to eventually buy your dream home starts falling behind? 
•  And can you realistically wipe out your home loan in five years?

Plus, Ben opens the episode with an important warning about the hype, false scarcity and short-term promises appearing in parts of the buyer’s agent industry , and why changing market conditions could expose investors who bought speculation rather than quality. 

From cash buffers and debt reduction to fear of messing up, portfolio exits and knowing when to seek professional advice, this episode is about making the invisible visible before making your next big financial move. Listen now!  

FREE STUFF MENTIONED

• Sell, Hold or Optimise Webinar
  7:30pm AEST, Tues 22 September
  Register for our upcoming webinar on how to make the right property decision in the current market, including whether to sell, buy or sit tight.
  👉 Save your spot
•  Updated Case Study Series
  See how the original strategies from How to Retire on $3,000 a Week stack up under today’s tax settings, plus a brand-new bonus Live-Vesting case study. Usually $197, Couch Crew can access the full series for just $17 using code COUCH17.
  👉 Save $180 on your updated Case Studies   
• 🏠 Rental Property Owner’s Playbook 
  Download your free practical guide to running your investment property “on autopilot” and managing the ongoing admin in less than 10 hours a year. 
  👉 Start saving time and energy 
• Guests & Episodes Mentioned:  
  • 564 | From FOMO to COMO: What Compromise Gets You Into the Property Market? 
  • 610 | Livevesting: Could Buying a Better Home Be Smarter Than Another Investment Property? – Chat with Stuart Wemyss 

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

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👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

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How much money is enough?

It sounds like a simple question, but most of us have never actually defined the answer.

In this week’s Throwback Tuesday, Ben and Bryce revisit a powerful idea from The Psychology of Money and explore why the comparison game is one you can never win... and how to start working out your own “enough” number.

Because if you don’t know what enough looks like, how will you ever know when you’ve arrived?

For the original episode, tune in here: Episode 395 | How This NRL Star Found Financial and Mental Peace.

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

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Do you need to clean your home before a bank valuation?

In this week's FUNdamental Friday, Ben Kingsley is joined by Neal Ellis from Preston Rowe Paterson to lift the curtain on how bank valuations actually work.

Many property owners assume valuers are looking for spotless homes, premium finishes and perfect presentation.

The reality is very different.

Neal explains what banks really want from a valuation, why speed of access matters more than a clean house, how comparable sales drive valuation outcomes, and what risk factors lenders pay attention to when assessing a property.

You'll learn:

✅ The difference between a bank valuation and an agent appraisal
✅ Why valuers focus on a 30-60 day sale outcome
✅ How comparable sales influence value
✅ What you can do to help the valuation process
✅ The risk factors that banks assess
✅ Why presentation isn't nearly as important as people think
✅ Which upgrades may (or may not) add value

Because sometimes the best thing you can do for your valuation is simply open the front door.

⏱️Timestamps

0:00 The best thing you can do before a valuation
0:37 Why bank valuations differ from agent appraisals
1:14 The 30-60 day valuation rule
2:08 Can homeowners help the valuer?
2:47 The biggest valuation misconception
3:37 What actually happens during an inspection?
4:32 Why valuers take photos
5:07 Valuing tenanted properties
6:20 What valuers assess
6:56 Understanding property risk ratings
7:55 Which upgrades add value?
8:34 Final takeaways

🎁 FREE UPDATED $3,000 A WEEK CASE STUDIES

Leave a review for The Property Couch on your favourite podcast platform OR leave a review for the Moorr app.

Then:

📸 Take a screenshot of your review
📧 Email it to [email protected]

We'll send you FREE access to our updated video case studies, refreshed for today's property market, negative gearing and capital gains tax changes.

#PropertyValuation #PropertyInvesting #PropertyMarket #MortgageLending #PropertyOwners #RealEstateAustralia #PropertyEducation #HomeLoans #ThePropertyCouch #FUNdamentalFridays

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
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👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

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 Most investors think they’re buying a property. What they don’t realise is they’re also taking on a small rental business. 

That business generates income, incurs expenses, carries risk and creates ongoing tax, compliance and record-keeping responsibilities. While a great property manager can handle much of the day-to-day work, there are some jobs only the owner can oversee. 

In this practical episode, Ben is joined by Senior Tax Adviser Danish Ahmed and Moorr Product Manager (and fellow property investor) Connor Christie to unpack what it really takes to run an investment property well. 

They unpack: 

• 🔑 What to organise before and immediately after settlement 
• 📂 Which documents you may need to keep for decades 
• 💵 How to stay across rent, expenses and cash flow 
• 🔨 Why repairs and improvements need to be recorded differently 
• 🧾 The information accountants regularly find missing at tax time 
• ⚠️ Which responsibilities still belong to you (and not your property manager) 

Plus, we’re giving you a brand-new free resource to help bring it all together: The Rental Property Owner’s Playbook. If you own an investment property, or plan to, this is your holy grail operating manual.  

Listen now!  

FREE STUFF MENTIONED

• The Rental Property Owner’s Playbook 🏠
  Download our free practical guide to the records, routines and reviews you need to run your investment property like a business, without letting the admin take over your life. Set up the right systems now and you could manage the ongoing work in less than 10 hours a year.
  👉 Download the playbook now >> 
  
  
• Updated Case Study Series! 📊
  Discover 7 refreshed case studies and a brand-new Live-Vesting strategy, remodelled by QPIAs Ben Thompson and Polly Chu to reveal what still stacks up, and what needs to change. 
  Free access has now closed, but as part of the TPC community, you can access the entire series for just $17, usually $197. Use the discount code COUCH17 at checkout to save $180.
  👉 Explore the Case Study Series now >> 
  
  
• Moorr: Your All-In-One Financial Home 💻
  Bring your property finances, documents, transactions and key dates together in one place with Moorr. 
  👉 Create your free account or log in now >> 
   
• Don’t Leave Money on the Table This Tax Time 🧾
  Missing records can mean missed deductions, and more tax-time stress than necessary.  Our property tax specialists can help you accurately report your rental income, expenses, and eligible deductions, so you can feel confident that your investment property tax return is prepared correctly.
   👉 Book your complimentary initial appointment with the team today.
   
• Related Episodes: 🎧 
  • 031 (Part 2) | Checklist to Getting A Great Property Manager – Chat with Carolyn Wright    
  • 203 | How to Choose the Right Property Manager – Chat with Lauren Robinson    

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

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Remember when broccoli cost $11 a kilo? 🥦

When everyday essentials are already getting more expensive, raising interest rates can feel completely backwards.

In this Throwback Tuesday snippet, Ben and Bryce explain why the RBA does it anyway... and how cooling demand can help stop inflation from becoming an even bigger problem. 

For the original episode, tune in here: Episode 404 | What do Inflation, Interest Rates & Broccoli Have to Do with Property?!

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
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Do off-market properties really offer the best value?

In this Friday Fundamentals episode, Shane Pope and Ben Thompson challenge one of the most common assumptions in property buying.

Many buyers believe the best opportunities are hidden away off-market. But in today's market, the guys argue some of the strongest buying opportunities are actually being found on-market, particularly after failed auction campaigns.

Together they unpack:

✅ The difference between on-market and off-market properties
✅ Why vendor motivation matters more than exclusivity
✅ How today's market conditions have changed the equation
✅ Why some off-market buyers may be overpaying
✅ The role of competition and price transparency
✅ How to assess true value before making an offer

They also share a real-world example where a property purchased for $1.175M later received a bank valuation of more than $1.3M.

Because sometimes the best property opportunities aren't hidden from the market.

They're hiding in plain sight.

Got a question or a "hill" you'd like us to unpack? Send it through here 👉 https://thepropertycouch.com.au/topics/

🎁 FREE UPDATED CASE STUDIES

 Leave a review for The Property Couch podcast (any podcast platform) OR leave a review for the Moorr app.

Then simply send a screenshot to:

📧 [email protected]

 We'll send you FREE access to our updated $3,000 A Week Case Study Series, featuring real-life scenarios updated for the latest negative gearing and capital gains tax changes.

More info at https://thepropertycouch.com.au/playbook-case-studies/ 

⌚ Timestamps
0:00 Welcome to Friday Fundamentals
00:26 Introduction
01:13 On-market vs off-market explained
01:54 Why they're avoiding many off-market deals
02:54 Where today's best buying opportunities are appearing
03:50 Why buyers are obsessed with off-markets
05:13 Understanding vendor motivation
06:21 Why transparency matters
07:00 A real-life $200,000 buying opportunity
08:39 How motivation creates value
09:15 The 3 Ds of property transactions
10:25 Where opportunistic vendors have gone
10:48 The key question to ask an agent
11:20 Why they prefer market testing

#PropertyInvesting #PropertyBuying #BuyersAgent #OffMarketProperty #PropertyMarket #AuctionStrategy #RealEstateAustralia #HomeBuying #PropertyStrategy #ThePropertyCouch #FUNdamentalFridays

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
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Brisbane may already be turning. Interstate investors may be splitting cities into two-tier markets. And 200+ valuers across Australia and New Zealand are the first to know it. 

Ben is joined by Preston Rowe Paterson's Neal Ellis and Greg Sugars, who draw on that ground-level valuer network to unpack what's really happening in residential property, including the warning signs that headlines are missing. 

The conversation shifts to commercial, where tax changes are pulling more investors beyond residential. Does commercial genuinely offer a better opportunity, or are its higher yields hiding bigger risks? 

Vacant offices, oversupplied industrial units, tenant quality, finance costs, year-long vacancy periods: this episode maps out what investors need to understand before making the leap. 

PLUS, you'll hear: 
🏗️ Why housing approvals aren't translating into completed homes 
🏢 The fundamentals of office, retail and industrial property 
💰 Why a higher commercial yield doesn't automatically mean a better investment 
📈 Where opportunities may emerge for informed, long-term investors 

Listen now! 

FREE STUFF MENTIONED

📚 Get FREE access to our updated Case Study Series
We’ve updated all seven case studies from How to Retire on $3,000 a Week to reflect the latest tax changes. To unlock the complete video series:

1. Leave a review on 
   • The Property Couch 
     • 🍎 Apple  
     • 🎧 Spotify
   • Moorr:  
     • 🍎 App Store  
     • 🤖 Google Play 
2. Take a screenshot of your review 
3. Email it to [email protected] 

Be quick though, free early access closes soon!  

Free Book 📚 
How to Retire on $3,000 a Week: Discover the bestselling book where our case studies originated from and learn the timeless principles behind building long-term wealth. 

Preston Rowe Paterson 🏢  
Learn more about Neal, Greg and Preston Rowe Paterson’s property valuation and consultancy services across Australia. Find out more >>  

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
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You’re doing all the right things: steady income, paying down the mortgage, building up the offset. So… why take on more risk?

In this Throwback Tuesday snippet, Ben and Bryce unpack why doing well today doesn’t automatically mean you’re set for the future, and why the right investment strategy starts with knowing what you actually want your money to do. 

For the original episode, tune in here: Episode 223 | How to Overcome your Fear in Taking The Next Step.

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
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How much can you really borrow?

In this Friday Fundamentals episode, Ben Kingsley sits down with mortgage broker Luke Oxenham to unpack one of the most common questions property buyers ask:

"How much can I borrow?"

The answer isn't always straightforward.

Luke explains how lenders assess income, expenses, HELP debt, credit cards, business income, car loans and more, plus why different banks can produce dramatically different borrowing outcomes for the exact same borrower.

They also discuss why borrowing capacity shouldn't be confused with borrowing comfort, and why the largest loan available may not always be the right one for your goals.

You'll learn:

✅ How lenders assess your income
✅ What HEM (Household Expenditure Measure) means
✅ Why credit cards can impact borrowing power
✅ How HELP debt is assessed differently today
✅ Why self-employed borrowers receive different outcomes
✅ The difference between lender tiers
✅ Why borrowing capacity is only a starting point

Because the real question isn't always how much can I borrow?

Sometimes it's how much should I borrow?

How to Retire On $3k A Week Case Studies: https://thepropertycouch.com.au/playbook-case-studies/
Moorr: https://www.moorr.com.au/

Got a question or a "hill" you'd like us to unpack? Send it through here 👉 https://thepropertycouch.com.au/topics/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:17 Welcome to Friday Fundamentals
00:22 The borrowing power question everyone asks
01:13 How lenders assess income
01:30 What is HEM?
02:06 The 3% serviceability buffer explained
02:27 Why lenders calculate income differently
03:15 First-tier, second-tier and third-tier lenders
04:08 How self-employed income is assessed
05:35 Credit cards and borrowing capacity
06:41 How HELP debt affects borrowing power
08:10 New lender approaches to HELP debt
09:02 Car loans vs novated leases
10:09 Online borrowing calculators explained
10:46 Using Moorr to estimate borrowing power
11:19 When to speak to a mortgage broker
12:44 Just because you can borrow more...
13:08 Updated $3,000 Per Week case studies

#PropertyInvesting #BorrowingPower #MortgageBroker #PropertyFinance #HomeLoans #HELPDebt #MoneyManagement #PropertyInvestor #FinancialFreedom #ThePropertyCouch #FUNdamentalFridays

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube