16/05/2026
People are still investing in property - but where and what they’re investing in is becoming the more important discussion. And to be honest, I’m concerned about what the federal budget changes could mean for our local rental market.
I ran a poll recently and 81% of investors said they’re still investing - which is great. But the shift I’m hearing in conversations is that more investors may now focus on higher-yielding, more attainable properties.
In Geelong and regional Victoria, that often means they've been priced out of the market, or they will invest in townhouses and units.
From a property management perspective, the part I’m concerned about is the ongoing shortage of family-sized rental homes (3-bedroom and larger) in established areas. If more of those homes are sold to owner occupiers, that can be a positive outcome for buyers - but without creating more rental properties, it can also place extra pressure on renters who still need larger, family homes and aren’t in a position to buy, or don't want to buy.
Most investors and renters want stable, long-term tenancies, the policies that have now been taken away helped combat the high holding costs to make it sustainable to offer rental housing.
I just think we need to keep the conversation grounded in real potential outcomes - if family size homes in established areas will no longer be selling to investors, what happens to our rental market?
