Why The RBA Rise Is Kindergarten Economics and Grossly Unfair
Hotspotting
Are interest rate hikes really fixing inflation—or just shifting the pain? In this episode, we take a hard look at the latest move by the Reserve Bank of Australia and unpack why raising rates may be a blunt, outdated response to a complex economic problem. With the cash rate climbing to 4.10% under Governor Michele Bullock, we examine who actually bears the cost—and why mortgage holders continue to carry the heaviest load. Drawing on economic data and policy insights, we explore the real drivers of inflation in Australia, from energy prices and housing supply to government spending...
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The Supply Crisis Keeping Australia’s Property Market Under Pressure
Hotspotting
Australia’s property market is under pressure like never before. Listings are low, vacancies are tight, and new supply is failing to meet demand. Why are prices and rents continuing to rise despite government interventions? In this episode, we cut through the headlines to uncover the real drivers of the housing crunch. From shrinking rental stock to a stalled construction pipeline, we explore the structural challenges shaping the market and what it means for buyers, renters, and investors. Tune in for expert insights, data-backed analysis, and a clear view of why scarcity is the true force...
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The Supply Crisis Keeping Australia’s Property Market Under Pressure
Hotspotting
Australia’s property market is under pressure like never before. Listings are low, vacancies are tight, and new supply is failing to meet demand. Why are prices and rents continuing to rise despite government interventions? In this episode, we cut through the headlines to uncover the real drivers of the housing crunch. From shrinking rental stock to a stalled construction pipeline, we explore the structural challenges shaping the market and what it means for buyers, renters, and investors. Tune in for expert insights, data-backed analysis, and a clear view of why scarcity is the true force...
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How The Price Predictor Index Spots Australia’s Next Property Boom
Hotspotting
Want to know which Australian suburbs and regional markets are set to surge next? In this episode, we dive into the Price Predictor Index, Hotspotting’s proven tool for identifying growth areas before the rest of the market catches on. Hear how rising sales volumes act as early signals of property price growth and discover the methodology that has consistently predicted booms from Adelaide to Darwin. We break down the patterns, the trends, and the insights every property investor and market watcher needs to stay ahead. If you’re serious about property investment or spotting the next growth...
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Inside The First Home Buyer Surge And What The Data Really Shows
Hotspotting
Are first home buyers really locked out of the Australian property market or is that just a headline-driven myth? In this episode, we unpack the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and reveal what is actually happening on the ground. The numbers show first home buyers are not only active, they are a major force shaping demand and influencing property prices. We cut through the noise to examine the real issue driving affordability pressures: constrained housing supply. With low listings, underbuilding, and intense competition at the entry level, first home buyers are adapting...
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Why Property Values Rise
Hotspotting
Are you looking for the next property hotspot — but tired of backward-looking reports that tell you what’s already happened? In this episode, we reveal the Empirical Formula, a fact-based method I’ve developed over decades to identify locations poised for genuine future growth. From diverse local economies to major infrastructure projects and affordability, we break down the key factors that make certain suburbs stand out. Learn how Hotspotting cuts through the hype and helps investors make smarter, forward-looking property decisions. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or seasoned...
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The Mind Behind Hotspotting: A 20-Year Founder Interview with Terry Ryder
Hotspotting
In this special founder interview, Terry Ryder shares the story behind Hotspotting — from launching the business in a garage in Maleny in 2006 to becoming one of Australia’s most respected independent real estate research platforms. What sparked the idea? Why did Terry believe there needed to be a better way to identify property hotspots? And what has been the core principle behind Hotspotting’s success for two decades? Over the past 20 years, Hotspotting has built its reputation on something simple but powerful: We don’t just report what has happened — we identify what’s likely to...
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The Housing Promise That Is Falling Apart
Hotspotting
Australia’s housing crisis isn’t easing — it’s getting worse, and the numbers explain why. In this episode, we unpack the reality behind the Housing Australia Future Fund, the Federal Government’s 1.2 million homes target, and the growing gap between promises and delivery. We look at stalled projects, missed state targets, rising construction costs, land shortages, and the heavy hand of bureaucracy that’s slowing new housing to a crawl. This is a clear, data-driven conversation about why affordable housing is becoming harder to deliver, why rents and prices keep rising, and...
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Investors Are Not Causing The Housing Crisis
Hotspotting
Are first-home buyers really behind Australia’s rising property prices? In this episode, we dig into the data, government schemes, and hidden advantages that are giving first-time buyers a huge edge over investors and second-home buyers. From tiny deposits and no stamp duty to tax perks, we break down why first-timers are dominating the market right now and why politicians and media often get the story wrong. If you want to understand the real forces driving Australia’s housing market, this episode is your guide to who’s really shaping property prices today.
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The Real Reason Interest Rates Are Rising For Australians
Hotspotting
Another interest rate rise is looming — and this time, it’s not bad luck. Inflation is rising again, and the reasons are much closer to home than Australians are being told. Housing costs keep climbing, power prices are surging, productivity is weak and government spending remains elevated. These aren’t temporary shocks — they’re structural failures, and households are paying the price. In this episode, we unpack the latest inflation data, why the Reserve Bank is running out of options, and how policy decisions on housing, energy and spending are locking in higher interest rates for...
info_outlineThe trend we call the Exodus to Affordable Lifestyle is among the most powerful forces impacting real estate markets across Australia.
It’s a trend that been around for at least the past 10 years, with more and more residents of the biggest cities relocating to smaller cities or regional areas in search of a different and more affordable lifestyle, empowered by technology which allows many people to work remotely.
It was NOT created by the Covid lockdowns. It was under way long before Covid appeared in 2020 and it continues to have considerable momentum now that we are well beyond the pandemic restrictions.
But media continues to perpetuate the fiction that this was a Covid thing – and to express surprise that, now that we no longer have lockdowns and border restrictions, people are not all moving back to the big cities.
The latest quarterly edition of the Regional Movers Index confirms that this trend is as strong as ever – and it has generated more shock/horror/amazement from journalists who think it was all about the Covid lockdowns.
One article in major media expressed surprise that “Australia is not going back to the pre-pandemic way of life”.
And there’s a very good reason for that: this trend has very little to do with the pandemic.
The Regional Movers Index – which is a collaboration between the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) and the Commonwealth Bank - has once again reported that there are far more people relocating to regional areas than making a move in the opposite direction to major cities, with a 27 per cent difference in the June 2024 Quarter.
What the latest figures confirm, according to RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie, is that “the population movement we’re seeing is a sustained trend”.
Ritchie says: “Regional Australia has become the nation’s new frontier.”
The latest data highlighted a number of specific hotspots that are reaping the benefits of Australia’s romance with the regions.
Lake Macquarie, which sits beside Newcastle in NSW, has emerged as one of Australia’s most popular destinations for movers, securing an almost 5 per cent share of net internal migration over the past year.
Neighbouring local government areas on the NSW south coast such as the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla both experienced strong annual and quarterly surges in movement, according to the report.
Large centres within a few hours’ drive of capitals remain popular with many movers, however the regions that experienced the biggest population changes over the past 12 months were generally further afield, including Townsville (Qld), Mid-West Regional (NSW), Strathbogie (Vic), Murray Bridge (SA), Greater Geraldton (WA) and George Town (Tas).
Approximately three-quarters of the city dwellers who made the move to the regions in the past three months found new homes in either regional NSW or Victoria, confirming that Sydney continues to shed the highest number of residents, followed by Melbourne.
But that’s not to say that Queensland’s appeal has waned entirely, with regional Queensland’s share of net city outflows sitting at 19 per cent, even though it was as high as 41 per cent this time last year.
Indeed, the Sunshine Coast has retained its title as the nation’s most popular destination for relocators, accounting for a 14 per cent share of net internal migration. The Gold Coast has slipped down in the rankings, however, with the city experiencing a net outflow of people to other regional areas.
Western Australia also proved attractive for relocators, with Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, Capel and Northam all seeing an inflow of new residents.
The overall picture is that the trend of people moving from Sydney and Melbourne to regional areas continues strongly, with large numbers of big city dwellers still seeking a different and more affordable lifestyle.