The Housing Shake-Up That Could Change Everything for Gen Z With Simon Kuestenmacher
Property Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Release Date: 11/10/2025
Property Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Today’s show is going to hit close to home for a lot of Australians. Because despite living in one of the richest countries on the planet, the vast majority of Aussies are quietly battling something uncomfortable – the inability to actually build their wealth. We’re working harder than ever. We’re earning more than ever. But most households still feel like they’re running on a treadmill. Why is that? Well, it’s rarely about income. It’s rarely about intelligence. It’s rarely about effort. Today I’m joined by Australia’s leading...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Have you ever looked at today’s property prices and wondered, How is this even possible? How can values keep climbing when interest rates are still high, affordability is stretched to breaking point, and so many Australians feel locked out of the market? You’re not alone. It feels counterintuitive. It feels unfair. And for many, it feels completely unsustainable. But here’s the uncomfortable truth about our housing market - and it’s the part most people don’t want to hear. Property prices don’t rise because the average Australian can afford them. They rise...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
If you could see one number that reliably predicts where property prices are heading next, would you want to know what it is? Well, today, you’re about to find out — and it’s not what you think. You see…most investors think population growth drives property prices… but today I’m joined by Stuart Wemyss, financial strategist and founder of ProSolution Private Clients, who’s done some fascinating analysis showing that the real driver of housing price growth is lending volumes — not population growth or money supply. Our conversation highlights the need for...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Everywhere you look, people are talking about the Brisbane property market. The Olympics are coming, property prices have surged, and there’s this growing belief that Brisbane is the place to be for investors right now. In fact, it's not just Brisbane, but a whole swag of new and let me call them inexperienced buyers agents are suggesting buying in regional areas of northern Queensland. But history tells us something interesting - when everyone’s talking about a market, it’s often already too late. So, is Brisbane still a smart investment play, or has the...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
What if the biggest lessons that will shape property investing in 2026 have already happened, and we just need to stop long enough to notice them? Every year leaves clues. Some are obvious in hindsight, others quietly shape the next cycle without anyone paying attention. And 2025 was packed with more of these clues than most years. So today, Brett Warren and I unpack the 25 lessons from 2025 that smart property investors should carry into 2026 – the insights that help you cut through the noise, stay focused, and position yourself to thrive regardless of what the...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Whether you’re just starting out, deep in your wealth-building years, or nearing retirement, it’s only natural to wonder: “How do I stack up compared to others?” In today's show, Simon Kuestenmacher and I look into the fascinating – and sometimes uncomfortable world of generational wealth. We discuss the current financial landscape, highlighting the wealth distribution among baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z. Our conversation delves into the challenges faced by each generation, the impact of intergenerational wealth transfer, and the...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
At the end of 2025, Australian property investors were hearing two very different stories. On the one hand, we’ve seen strong price growth across most capital cities; rents were still painfully high for tenants, and auction clearance rates were holding up surprisingly well. On the other hand, we were being warned about rising unemployment, sticky inflation, higher building costs, and plenty of noise about what could go wrong in 2026. So what’s really happening beneath the headlines? And more importantly, what does it mean for investors, home buyers and property markets...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Today Ken Raiss and I zoom out from the noise, unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface, and help you make sense of the shifting forces shaping our economy, our property markets, and your long-term wealth. The RBA wrapped up the year with a steady hand, but the tone behind that decision has raised more than a few eyebrows. Sure inflation is easing… except where it’s not. Growth is soft… except where it matters. And the Board is hinting that some of these price pressures may be more persistent than we hoped. So the narrative of “rate cuts in 2026” suddenly...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
Over the past year we’ve been told affordability would cap prices, that demand would fade, that higher costs of living would finally slow housing down. And yet, here we are – national home prices finishing the year almost 10 per cent higher, with some capital cities recording extraordinary double-digit growth. So what really happened? In today’s episode, we’re stepping away from opinions and into the evidence as Dr Andrew Wilson unpacks his end-of-December House Price Report, and it reveals not just where prices moved in 2025, but why they moved, and what that means as we...
info_outlineProperty Investment, Success & Money | The Michael Yardney Podcast
The world’s changing faster than ever, isn’t it? Technology, AI, shifting markets, changing values – sometimes it feels like we can’t keep up. But in a world that never stops changing… there are still some things that never change. And when it comes to building wealth through property, understanding what doesn’t change might be even more important than trying to predict what will. In today’s episode, I explore what really stands the test of time — the principles, habits, and fundamentals that never go out of fashion, even when everything else does. ...
info_outlineIf you spend five minutes talking to a Gen Z, you could walk away feeling pretty gloomy. They’ll tell you the world is burning, wars are endless, work is meaningless, and of course, that housing is forever out of reach.
And on the surface, they’ve got a point — affordability is at record lows, and the property ladder feels further away than ever.
But here’s the thing… the future might not be as bleak as they think. In fact, there’s a quiet housing revolution coming that could turn things around for this younger generation.
Demographics, policy shifts, even the way we build homes — all of these are lining up to create opportunities that might surprise a lot of people.
And in today's show, leading demographer Simon Kuestenmacher and I explore the impact of demographics on our housing markets, and the potential for Gen Z to benefit from favourable job conditions and economic shifts.
Takeaways
· The housing market may improve for Gen Z in the future.
· Demographic trends suggest job security for Gen Z.
· Gender equality is improving and will benefit future generations.
· Baby boomers transitioning out of homes will create opportunities.
· First home buyer grants may inadvertently raise housing prices.
· More tradespeople are needed to address housing shortages.
· Innovation in housing construction is essential for affordability.
· Government policies need to be reformed for better housing access.
· Gen Z's future may be more optimistic than current perceptions suggest.
Chapters
03:17 - Gen Z: Smartphones, Social Media and Mental Health
06:11 - Why a Small Generation May Have Big Job Advantages
10:24 - Baby Boomers Passing Homes and Housing Supply Shift
13:58 - Densification of Middle Suburbs and Urban Change
15:44 - First Home Buyer Grants Driving Prices Up
Links and Resources:
Answer this week’s trivia question here- www.PropertyTrivia.com.au
· Win a hard copy of Michael Yardney’s Guide to Investing Successfully
· Every entry receives a copy of a fully updated Michael Yardney Property Report
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 free reports and eBooks – 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.