Current Market Insights

Hosted by Harris Partners Real Estate

Business Education

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Episodes

185

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

The Current Market Insights Podcast is brought to you by Harris Partners Real Estate. Understanding the property market can be a challenging thing, with highs and lows, twists and turns. The media and agents tend to spread the news they want you to hear, with the advice they want you to follow. Current Market Insights is an unbiased look into what is happening, what tips you can use to buy, sell, or rent, and that you wont find anywhere else.

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60 recent

August 10, 202619 min

Episode 123: Spring Market Signals

Spring is meant to feel hopeful, but spring 2026 in the Australian property market is shaping up as a season where small signals could have big consequences. Ciaran O’Brien sits down with Peter O'Malley to map out what we’re watching as Sydney real estate comes off a strange first half of the year, recorded just before the RBA’s August rate decision. Rather than guessing where prices “must” go, we focus on practical signposts that help you read the market week by week. We start with interest rates, because even the suggestion of another hike can hit households hard when budgets are already under pressure. From there we talk unemployment risk and why it matters to anyone carrying debt, including the quieter impact of businesses streamlining operations with AI. Then we get into the market metrics that shape buyer and seller psychology: days on market, stock levels, and the auction clearance rate, including why the headline number isn’t always the whole story and what it means if clearance rates slide into the 20s or teens. To finish, we get tactical. Peter shares vendor advice that can save you from a nasty chain reaction: don’t buy before you sell if the purchase depends on sale proceeds. We also cover the rental market as a potential safety valve, buyer strategy focused on quality rather than “bargains”, and a timely reminder that a too-good-to-be-true price can hide problems like dysfunctional strata. If you’re planning to buy or sell in Australia this spring, this is a grounded guide to risk, timing, and decision-making. If this helped, subscribe, share the episode with someone navigating the market, and leave us a review. What’s the one signal you’re watching most closely right now? Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

August 6, 202634 min

Episode 122: Is The Property Super Cycle Over?

“The property super cycle is over.” That’s the kind of line that makes you sit up, especially when it’s linked to Shane Oliver, one of Australia’s most watched economists. We take that claim seriously and pull it apart from the ground up: interest rates that have reset borrowing power, record housing affordability pressure, a constant tug-of-war over immigration numbers, and tax and incentive changes that can permanently reshape how investors and owner-occupiers behave. We also challenge an assumption that gets repeated endlessly: that Sydney real estate is wildly overpriced compared with the rest of the world. After looking at major global cities, we land on a more practical reality. The pain is often less about “Sydney versus the world” and more about wages, deposits, and the everyday capacity to service a loan under current RBA conditions. That’s where the market turns from headlines into real decisions at open homes and with brokers. From there, we get into what this market feels like on the street. Why are some auctions drawing barely any bidders? What does a 30-something per cent clearance rate actually mean? We talk Tom Panos’s observations, the way downturns hit different parts of Sydney differently, and how the Fair Trading crackdown on underquoting makes it harder to whip up a frenzy. We finish by calling out the politics in housing messaging, including Jim Chalmers’ framing, and why this downturn looks “manufactured” in a way past cycles weren’t. If you’re buying, selling, investing, or just trying to make sense of the Australian property market, this one will help you separate noise from signal. Subscribe for weekly market breakdowns, share the episode with someone arguing about house prices, and leave us a review with your biggest question about what happens next. Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

July 29, 2026Episode 12136 min

Episode 121: When Clearance Rates Collapse Who Really Pays?

Sydney’s property market is sending mixed signals that only make sense once you follow the credit. Auction clearance rates are weak, confidence is fragile, and yet the right home can still attract multiple offers. So what’s actually happening on the ground and what should buyers and sellers do with that information? We break down the meaningful shifts across Sydney, from sharper corrections in Western Sydney to a clear slowdown in the five to fifteen million dollar prestige bracket. We also get specific about the mechanics behind the mood: tighter borrowing capacity, lower lending appetite, and the ripple effects of policy changes connected to negative gearing. If you’ve heard stories about buyers stretching serviceability with rental projections, we explain why that pathway is now being shut down and how that flows through to prices. Then we zoom out to the bigger forces shaping the next few months: the Reserve Bank of Australia’s inflation warning, the risk of another rate hike, and why “terminal rate” matters for anyone with a mortgage. We also touch on the employment backdrop, productivity tension between sectors, and how AI-driven cost cutting can change household confidence fast. If you want a clearer read on the Sydney property market, housing affordability, auction strategy, and what real buyers and vendors are doing right now, hit play. Subscribe for more Current Market Insights, share this with a mate watching the market, and leave a review with your take: are you buying, selling, or sitting tight? Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

July 15, 202630 min

Talking Property - The Year Ahead for Sydney Property

SQM Research's Louis Christopher previews the next Financial Year for the Sydney Property Market. In this insightful analysis, Christopher covers off on: the RBA's next rate move the challenges facing the property market the tailwinds supporting prices an outline of the 12 months ahead for buyers, sellers and landlords the impact of geopolitical events the collapse in Stamp Duty revenue for State Governments and much more... These insights will benefit anyone buying, selling or leasing in the next Financial Year. Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

July 8, 20268 min

2GB with John Stanley: Property Downturn Spreads Beyond Sydney

On 2GB Nights with John Stanley , Peter O'Malley from Harris Partners explains why Australia’s property downturn is no longer confined to Sydney and Melbourne. As auction clearance rates weaken across more capital cities, the discussion explores the widening disconnect between buyers and sellers, and why confidence—not just interest rates—is shaping the market. They also discuss: The property downturn spreading into more Australian capital cities Why slowing property activity affects both federal and state government revenues What weak auction clearance rates reveal about buyer and seller expectations The risks of agents accepting unrealistic listings in a falling market The negative feedback loop where buyers expect even lower prices tomorrow Why spring alone won’t reverse the market without rate cuts or meaningful policy changes Immigration continuing to outpace new housing supply Whether something as simple as wet weather can influence buyer perception on auction day Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

June 29, 202635 min

Talking Property - State of the Market: June 2026

In this deep dive on the issues that have dictated the market performance in 2026, Louis covers: the shock and awe conditions facing the property market the historical crash in Auction results the best and worst performing segments of the Sydney market why the market won’t crash the true impact of the Federal Government's Budget when the RBA are likely to cut interest rates First Home Buyers facing negative equity and the unfortunate rise in homelessness as rents & immigration numbers surge. Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

June 26, 20267 min

Across Australia: Sliding Auction Results, Housing Policy & the First Home Buyer Squeeze

On Across Australia , host Chris Smith is joined by Peter O'Malley to examine the sharp decline in auction clearance rates across Sydney and Melbourne, and whether recent federal housing policies are undermining confidence in the property market. The discussion explores the flow-on effects for buyers, sellers, landlords, and renters as affordability pressures continue to mount. They also discuss: Auction clearance rates falling to decade lows and what that signals for market momentum Interest rates versus proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax Why a surge in spring listings could place further downward pressure on prices Price weakness emerging across both prestige suburbs and Western Sydney The "wealth effect" and how falling property values can reduce household spending Rising rents making it harder for tenants to save a deposit despite affordability initiatives First home buyers leaving the rental market and intensifying competition at the affordable end Whether current housing policies are achieving their intended outcomes Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

June 24, 20268 min

2GB with John Stanley: Auctions, Renovation Risks & a Changing Market

On 2GB Nights with John Stanley , Peter O’Malley takes a hard look at the softening Australian property market and what weakening auction clearance rates mean for buyers and sellers. As competition thins, the focus is shifting from auction theatre to genuine negotiation, while rising renovation costs are forcing many owners to rethink their plans. They also discuss: Winter stock levels tightening and the short selling window this can create Weakening auction clearance rates and what they reveal about buyer demand Why auctions depend on a deep buyer pool to generate strong results The shift from competitive auctions to direct negotiation in softer markets Selling a property's true value through fundamentals such as aspect, layout, and liveability Local infrastructure projects and neighbourhood changes influencing buyer interest How negative property headlines affect confidence and price expectations The risks of waiting for spring if listings surge and buyer demand remains subdued Renovate versus sell: when a blank canvas may be the better option Why more DA-approved properties are coming to market Builder cost blowouts derailing renovation plans across Sydney Avoiding overcapitalisation and the importance of obtaining valuation and local market advice before spending Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

June 21, 202630 min

Episode 120: Stick Or Flick Your Real Estate Agent?

We tackle the uncomfortable vendor dilemma of whether to stick with an underperforming real estate agent or flick them and start again. We share the practical markers that separate a tough but competent agent from one who is avoiding reality, plus the legal and financial traps that can hit when you switch mid-campaign. • recognising when the market has moved since the appraisal • valuing honesty and evidence over likeability and hype • spotting “conditioning” and other avoidance behaviours • separating price issues from agent skill and closing ability • understanding NSW agency agreements and double commission risk • knowing when switching agents usually leads to a lower result • setting hard no-go lines around integrity and confidentiality • using time on market and buyer behaviour as the real signal Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!

June 15, 202629 min

Episode 119: Auction Clearance Rates Are Tanking So Why Are Buyers Still Showing Up?

Sydney’s property market can look like a disaster if you only read the headlines, yet the real story is more nuanced: prices are off their highs, auctions are struggling, and buyers are cautious, but demand has not vanished and credit is still flowing for people who qualify. We walk through what we’re seeing across Sydney right now, why the mood feels worse than the reality, and how to make sense of auction clearance rates that sit in the low 30s while open homes can still be busy. We dig into the crucial difference between the 2018 downturn and the current cycle. Back then, the problem was credit availability. This time, interest rates and serviceability are doing the damage, which changes how quickly deals fall over and how negotiable good properties really are. We also break down why auctions can be the wrong tool in a softer market, why so many campaigns are selling before auction day, and what a smarter private treaty strategy looks like when buyers are wary. Then we get practical: which parts of the Sydney property market are performing better (entry-level homes, renovated houses, family homes close to the CBD), what is stalling (rebuild projects, DA-driven potential, strata with issues), and why renovation risk is reshaping buyer preferences. We also talk price guides, underquoting enforcement in NSW, and the ethics mistakes that can hand buyers leverage in a single email. If you’re buying, selling, or simply trying to understand where Sydney real estate is heading, this is your reality check. Subscribe, share with a mate who’s doom-scrolling auction results, and leave a review if you want more straight, on-the-ground market insights. What are you seeing in your suburb right now? Send us Fan Mail As always if there is a specific topic you would like for us to cover, please reach out and let us know!