loader from loading.io

The Real Driver of Property Prices (It’s Not Interest Rates) with Simon Kuestenmacher

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

Release Date: 06/03/2026

The 7 Biggest Myths About Rich People & Why Believing Them Keeps You Broke | Tom Corley show art The 7 Biggest Myths About Rich People & Why Believing Them Keeps You Broke | Tom Corley

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

Most people have strong opinions about rich people.   They think the wealthy are lucky. Or greedy. Or born into privilege. Or somehow wired differently.   But here’s the problem… if you believe any of that, there’s a good chance you’ll never build real wealth yourself.   Because those stories aren’t just wrong – they’re dangerous.   Today, Tom Corley and I discuss the common myths surrounding wealth and the psychology of successful individuals.   We discuss the importance of mindset, the role of luck, and the common misconceptions about...

info_outline
The Real Driver of Property Prices (It’s Not Interest Rates) with Simon Kuestenmacher show art The Real Driver of Property Prices (It’s Not Interest Rates) with Simon Kuestenmacher

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

If you’ve been following the headlines, you’d be forgiven for thinking property markets rise and fall on the back of interest rates, government policy, or the latest migration numbers.   But when you step back and look at what really drives long-term property performance, a different story starts to emerge.   In fact, the biggest driver of property values isn’t what most commentators focus on at all.   In today's show I speak with leading demographer Simon Kuestenmacher about the real drivers of property markets.   We explore why employment, not just population...

info_outline
Three Rate Rises. One Big Question: Is the Property Boom Finally Over? | Latest Data from Dr Andrew Wilson show art Three Rate Rises. One Big Question: Is the Property Boom Finally Over? | Latest Data from Dr Andrew Wilson

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

The property market has just taken an interesting turn.   After a strong run, we’re now seeing signs that higher interest rates, affordability pressures and buyer uncertainty are starting to bite.   But as always, the headline numbers don’t tell the full story.   Some markets are slowing, some are still showing resilience, and underneath it all we still have the same big issue: Australia simply isn’t building enough homes for the people who need them.   So today, Dr Andrew Wilson and I unpack what’s really happening in our housing markets, what the latest...

info_outline
Labor's Budget Is Making Australia's Housing Crisis WORSE - Senator Andrew Bragg Explains Why show art Labor's Budget Is Making Australia's Housing Crisis WORSE - Senator Andrew Bragg Explains Why

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

It doesn’t matter whether you own an investment property, whether you’re renting, or whether you’re desperately trying to buy your first home. This Federal Budget has just made your situation harder.   If you’re a tenant, rents are already punishing. Vacancy rates are near record lows, and there simply aren’t enough rentals to go around. The tax changes will lightly push rents even higher. If you’re trying to buy your first home, you’re already fighting a market that has taken the average deposit savings time out to over 11 years. The budget does nothing to fix the...

info_outline
Why Investors Who Obsess Over Tax Often Miss What Matters More | Stuart Wemyss show art Why Investors Who Obsess Over Tax Often Miss What Matters More | Stuart Wemyss

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

There’s a strange thing that happens to many property investors.   They’ll spend hours worrying about tax, negative gearing, capital gains tax, trusts, land tax, and what the next government might change - yet they’ll give far less thought to the quality of the asset they’re buying, the level of debt they’re taking on, or whether their portfolio is actually going to deliver the long-term returns they need.   And that’s dangerous, because saving tax on a poor investment is still a poor investment.   In today’s show I chat with independent financial adviser...

info_outline
How high do we want property prices to keep rising? Who wins and who loses? | Simon Kuestenmacher show art How high do we want property prices to keep rising? Who wins and who loses? | Simon Kuestenmacher

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

For decades we’ve celebrated rising house prices in Australia. If your home was worth more this year than last, life felt a bit easier.   Politicians were happy, banks were happy, homeowners were happy.    But after 50 years of almost uninterrupted price growth, we need to ask a harder question: Is it actually good for us if housing just keeps getting more expensive?    The answer, of course, depends on who you are.    Because rising prices have created a lot of winners in Australia: homeowners, investors, banks, governments, tradies, and...

info_outline
Federal Budget Tax Bombshells? What Property Investors Need to Know | Ken Raiss show art Federal Budget Tax Bombshells? What Property Investors Need to Know | Ken Raiss

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

Australia has always promised that if you worked hard, took responsibility, invested wisely and built something for your family, you’d be encouraged - or at least not punished for doing so.   But some of the recent Budget changes raise a very uncomfortable question: are we slowly dismantling that promise?   Because buried behind the headlines, the political spin and the carefully chosen language are proposals that could reshape the way Australians build wealth, invest in property, use trusts, manage tax, fund retirement and pass something meaningful on to the next generation....

info_outline
The Next Phase Of Australia’s Property Market Has Begun | Dr Nicola Powell show art The Next Phase Of Australia’s Property Market Has Begun | Dr Nicola Powell

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

Australia’s property markets are still rising, but the cracks are starting to show.   Not the type of cracks that suggest a collapse, but the type that tell us the next stage of the cycle will reward careful, strategic investors and punish those chasing yesterday’s hot spots.   According to Domain’s latest House Price Report, most capital cities reached new highs in the March quarter, but the pace of growth has slowed sharply since late last year.   At the same time, Domain’s Rental Report shows vacancy rates have fallen to a record low nationally, yet many renters...

info_outline
The Smart Investor’s Guide to Manufacturing Property Growth, with Greg Hankinson show art The Smart Investor’s Guide to Manufacturing Property Growth, with Greg Hankinson

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

Most investors spend their time waiting for the market to do the heavy lifting.   But the more sophisticated investors don’t wait. They create their own capital growth.   And in the current stage of the property cycle, that shift in thinking is becoming essential.   If you’ve been following the property markets lately, you’ll know we’re in a very different phase of the cycle.   The easy gains of the past are behind us, finance is tighter, and many investors are sitting on the sidelines, unsure what to do next.   But here’s the thing… this is...

info_outline
The Big Property Investment Mistake Hidden in Sales Data | Stuart Wemyss show art The Big Property Investment Mistake Hidden in Sales Data | Stuart Wemyss

Property Investment & Wealth Creation Australia | The Michael Yardney Podcast

There’s never been more property data available to investors than there is today.   You can jump online and within minutes see median prices, growth rates, suburb rankings, sales histories, heat maps, demand scores and predictive analytics. It all looks impressive. It all looks scientific.   But here’s the uncomfortable question…   What if most investors are using that data the wrong way?   What if relying on sales data alone is actually leading people into average suburbs, average properties, and very average long-term results?   Because while data...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

If you’ve been following the headlines, you’d be forgiven for thinking property markets rise and fall on the back of interest rates, government policy, or the latest migration numbers.

 

But when you step back and look at what really drives long-term property performance, a different story starts to emerge.

 

In fact, the biggest driver of property values isn’t what most commentators focus on at all.

 

In today's show I speak with leading demographer Simon Kuestenmacher about the real drivers of property markets.

 

We explore why employment, not just population growth, is crucial for property value growth.

 

Simon and I discuss how job quality and security influence housing demand and investment.

 

We analyse the impact of demographic trends and local economies on property strategies.

 

Join us as we provide insights to help you make informed investment decisions.

 

Takeaways

 

• Employment growth drives property values more than population increases.

• Local economies and job security boost housing demand and confidence.

• Dual-income households significantly impact property prices and market dynamics.

• Infrastructure linked to jobs supports sustainable economic growth.

• Industry diversity strengthens local economies and property markets.

• High-income jobs in city centres attract property investment.

• AI and hybrid work models reshape property location preferences.

• Defense spending boosts property markets in specific regions.

• Long-term planning is crucial for understanding job quality and local economies.

• Skilled, high-income households drive property market growth.

 

Links and Resources:

 

Answer this week’s trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/

        Win a hard copy of Negotiate, Influence, Persuade.

        Every entry receives a copy of a fully updated Michael Yardney Property Report.

 

Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here

 

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.

 

Simon Kuestenmacher: Australia’s leading demographer and partner in the Demographics Group

 

Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au

 

 

Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.

 

About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia

 

The Australian property market doesn’t move in isolation - it’s shaped by demographics, economic forces and long-term structural trends.

 

The Michael Yardney Podcast dives into:

• Australian economic outlook
• Demographic trends shaping housing demand
• Population growth and migration impacts
• Housing affordability debates
• Interest rates and inflation
• Supply shortages and construction cycles
• Government policy and property markets
• Future trends in Australian real estate
• Strategic property investment planning

 

If you want to understand what’s really driving property prices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and around Australia, and how to position your portfolio for the future, this podcast delivers data-driven insights and practical strategy.

 

Explore more at:
https://propertyupdate.com.au
https://metropole.com.au