Paul Johnston - Hodges McGrath

11/09/2026

Almost half the cost of a new house-and-land package in Melbourne isn't for the home itself.

It's made up of taxes and fees.

It's really a house and tax package.

If we want housing to be more affordable, we need to make it cheaper to build, not more expensive.

27/08/2026

Property data firm Cotality reports Sydney home prices fell 4% and Melbourne home prices fell 3.4% in the three months to July.

ANZ economists have forecast further falls, predicting Sydney could drop 14.5% by the end of next year and Melbourne 12.8%, before some recovery in 2028. Against that backdrop, the sellers active this winter are largely those facing divorce, a deceased estate, or a downsizing decision driven by life circumstances — not owners chasing a price.

Upsizers are also emerging as a distinct cohort. With prices having already fallen, some owners are calculating that the gap between their current home and a larger one has narrowed enough to make a move worthwhile, even at a lower sale price.

Source: SMH.

25/08/2026

18/08/2026

The end of SMSF borrowing for residential property is forcing a rethink of buying strategies, with commercial property gaining attention and concerns growing over housing supply.

Now that borrowing through self-managed super funds (SMSFs) for residential properties is no longer an option, investors are set to pivot toward commercial property, or exit the market altogether.

The number of investors affected could also be much higher than the government first estimated, with Australian Finance Industry Association figures showing more than 16,000 SMSF loans were written, compared with the government’s estimate of 4,000.

The change came after an agreement between the Labor government and the Greens in June, which gave investors 45 days to act before limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs) for residential property were removed.

That deadline passed on 10 August 2026, ending SMSF borrowing for residential property, although investors can still buy property outright through their fund.

While the government said the broader tax changes were designed to help everyday Australians enter the property market, many in the industry argued they could make it harder for investors to get a foot in the door.

Not the desired outcome

While the ban on SMSFs on residential property was intended to reduce competition in the market, industry professionals have warned it would likely reduce supply and new-build development.

According to PRD chief economist Diaswati Mardiasmo, while owner-occupiers would continue to transact in the residential property market in general, those in areas heavily reliant on SMSF activity would face different buyer demographics.

She said that as the market shifts, particularly in SMSF-reliant areas such as off-the-plan assets, agents will need to be prepared for a noticeable drop in buyer interest.

“There is a notable impact on real estate agents, particularly those dealing with residential property investors, off-the-plan developments, and boutique builders, Mardiasmo told SPI.

“They have lost a portion of the market as agents can no longer market residential listings to buyers seeking to use credit leverage via superannuation.”

“Because borrowing via LRBAs remains fully permitted for commercial, industrial, and retail spaces, some agents and brokers are aggressively pivoting their client base toward the commercial market.”

She said removing lending would weaken housing supply and continue to push property prices upward as the population grows.

smartpropertyinvestment.com.au 17.08.2026

18/08/2026

The nation is now facing one of the sharpest declines in investor participation in recent years, with an industry leader warning conditions could worsen before potential improvement.

Australia’s property investors have pulled back at the fastest rate in years, driven away from the market by the tax reforms introduced by the federal government at the May 2026 budget.

According to Property Investment Professionals of Australia (P**A) chair Cate Bakos, the tax changes had triggered a structural shift in the housing market.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data for the June quarter showed the largest decline in new investor loan commitments since September 2022, falling by 8.6 per cent.

“Established property investors – outside of self-managed super funds for a very brief window – have pretty much left our market since the 12th of May,” Bakos said.

“Maybe 2 per cent still exist. Aside from SMSF purchasers up to the 10th of August, the only client I’ve had any investment activity with recently was an international buyer who wouldn’t have received negative gearing anyway.”

While the data clearly showed that investors had pulled out of the market en masse, Bakos said that the full impact was still yet to come.

“This year is like no other. We’re going to see some unfortunately stunning results.”

She said that early results from P**A’s Annual Investor Sentiment Survey indicated that many were considering pivoting away from the property market entirely.

Bakos said that rather than moving into new build, as the government intended, many investors said they would redirect to shares or superannuation, with the removal of negative gearing being the core driver.

“This isn’t about sentiment. It’s about maths. One of my clients’ potential holding costs doubled overnight once the negative gearing was axed, with their borrowing capacity slashed from $850,000 to around $530,000.”

“These numbers are not something that investors will simply get used to. Almost all simply can’t afford to invest in established property. That’s a fact.”

She said the consequences for the rental market had already begun to emerge, with vacancy rates tightening, household size increasing and more tenants displaced from inner and middle-ring locations.

“The rental crisis we’ve been talking about for the past few years is about to be overshadowed by this calamity.”

Bakos said that while a small cohort of contrarian investors could take advantage of the downturn in investment, it would not be enough to offset the broader collapse across the market.

“This is a sledgehammer to the investor market, and today’s data is the first official confirmation.”

SPI Smart Property Investment 17.08.2026

26/05/2026

A lot of people talk about landlords as if they provide no value, but that completely ignores how housing actually functions in the real world.

Landlords take on massive upfront risk, debt, maintenance responsibility, legal liability, property taxes, insurance costs, vacancy risk, repair coordination, and long term capital investment so that other people can access housing without having to buy an entire property themselves.

Most renters could not or do not want to immediately commit to a 15 or 30 year mortgage, huge down payment, closing costs, property taxes, roof replacements, HVAC failures, plumbing disasters, appliance replacement, landscaping, legal compliance, and all the unpredictable costs that come with ownership. Renting gives people flexibility, mobility, and lower upfront barriers to housing.

Landlords also make temporary living possible for millions of people:
College students.
Young adults starting careers.
Families relocating for work.
People rebuilding financially after hardship.
Divorced parents.
Retirees downsizing.
People testing new cities before buying.
Traveling workers.
Immigrants arriving in a new country.

Without landlords, nearly everyone would be forced into one of only a few options:

1. Buy property immediately regardless of readiness.
2. Live with family indefinitely.
3. Depend on government controlled housing systems.
4. Face severe housing shortages due to reduced construction incentives.

The reality is that landlords help create housing supply by investing capital into homes, apartments, duplexes, townhomes, and multi family developments that otherwise may never exist. Investors fund construction because there is potential return. Remove that incentive and housing production falls dramatically.

People also ignore the fact that many landlords are not giant corporations. Many are ordinary middle class people who worked, saved money, bought a second property, and now provide housing while trying to build retirement security for themselves and their families.

If landlords vanished tomorrow:
Millions of renters would immediately face housing chaos.
Housing supply would shrink over time.
Maintenance quality would collapse in many areas.
Mobility for workers would decline.
Home prices could initially fluctuate wildly while financing barriers locked many people out.
Governments would likely expand centralized housing control to fill the vacuum.

No system is perfect because humans are imperfect, but the existence of bad landlords does not erase the enormous value landlords provide overall.

A functioning society needs builders, investors, contractors, property managers, maintenance workers, lenders, developers, and landlords all working together to create and maintain housing infrastructure at scale.

Housing does not magically appear.
Someone has to risk capital, maintain the property, absorb losses, and organize the entire system that allows millions of people to have a place to live without personally owning the building themselves.

23/05/2026

The dust is settling on the 2026 Budget, and many commercial investors are asking what it means for them, particularly for those investing through their self-managed super and through trusts. Housing was a major focus …

13/05/2026

01/05/2026

Another Let Another Wanted - Carrum

Well Let Fully Fitted Office.

Selling, renting? Call or message now.

28/04/2026

Another Sold Another Wanted - Parkdale

Another Parkdale Shop Sold. Investment Double - Well Let Shop and Upstairs Residence.

Selling, renting? Call or message now.