What if the property headlines are right…and wrong?

Property is everywhere in the headlines again.

Prices falling.

Buyers nervous.

Predictions getting worse.

But here's something I think gets missed.

There isn't really one Australian property market.

There are thousands of little ones.

And they can be doing completely different things at exactly the same time.

I was reminded of that recently when I met with one of Australia's larger buyers' agencies, who purchase investment properties in different parts of the country.

I wanted to understand how they're looking at the current market.

Not what's making the news.

Where they're actually buying.

Their approach was interesting.

They don't start with, "Is Australian property going up or down?"

They're looking much deeper.

Their strategy isn't based on one number or one headline.

They use a range of criteria and data to identify areas where the fundamentals suggest there could be stronger opportunities for long-term growth.

In other words, they're not trying to buy everywhere.

They're trying to work out where to buy.

Over the last 12 months they've purchased across more than 30 locations.

Here are five examples they shared with me:

Sunset Beach, WA: +45.55% | Typical house price $965,217

Karloo, WA: +32.35% | $533,525

Rangeway, WA: +29.01% | $474,728

Barney Point, QLD: +27.07% | $613,443

Jensen, QLD: +26.66% | $1,199,625

Now, I'm definitely not saying rush out and buy one of these.

That would completely miss the point.

Past growth doesn't tell us what happens next.

The lesson is what sits behind the numbers.

Because at exactly the same time, some very respected economists are becoming considerably more cautious about Australian property.

Shane Oliver from AMP recently said he expects national average property prices could experience a 10–15% top-to-bottom fall.

That's not a prediction we should simply ignore.

But it's also not a prediction that tells you what every suburb or every individual property will do.

PropTrack gives you a great example.

National prices fell 0.2% in September.

Yet over the year, regional Australian prices were still 5.1% higher.

Darwin was up 12.0%.

Regional South Australia was up 10.9%.

Regional Western Australia was up 10.6%.

Meanwhile, Sydney was down 5.0% and Melbourne was down 5.2%.

Same country.

Very different property markets.

It's a bit like the share market.

When the ASX falls, it doesn't mean every company fell.

Some sectors can be struggling while others are doing extremely well.

Property is no different.

And that's why I still like the old rule:

If in doubt, zoom out.

Not because zooming out makes every problem disappear.

It doesn't.

Property can go backwards.

A property can also underperform for years, particularly after inflation, interest, maintenance and other holding costs.

But zooming out stops one month's headline becoming your entire investment strategy.

The challenge today isn't simply owning property.

It's owning the right property, for the right reason, as part of the right plan.

Research matters.

Cash flow matters.

Your debt matters.

Location matters.

And patience matters.

If you've already got a good long-term plan, a scary headline isn't necessarily a reason to abandon it.

Sometimes changing markets simply create different opportunities.

One more thing before I go.

Shayla and Sam on the team have also been spending a fair bit of time looking at something affecting a completely different group of property buyers.

First home buyers.

And the interesting thing is that when you get underneath all the headlines about property prices and interest rates, the things stopping people are often much more personal.

"I just can't seem to save enough."

Or...

"I'm worried that even if I can buy a home, the mortgage will take over my life."

Those are real concerns.

But sometimes the problem feels much bigger when you don't actually know your numbers.

How much do you really need?

What could you comfortably afford?

What would the repayments look like?

And importantly, could you still travel, go out for dinner and actually enjoy your life after buying the place?

That's what Shayla and Sam are working through in their First Home Buyer Roadmap Sessions.

The idea is to help someone understand what's actually getting in the way, then turn the goal of buying their first home into a clearer, more practical path.

Because "I can't buy a house" and "here are the things I need to solve before I can buy a house" feel very different.

And often, clarity is the first bit of progress.

So if you have a son, daughter, family member or friend who keeps saying:

"I'd love to buy a home, but I don't know if I can..."

Send this email their way.

Shayla and Sam are holding a limited number of complimentary First Home Buyer Roadmap Sessions.

No pressure to rush out and buy.

Just a chance to work out where you are today, what's getting in the way and what the next useful step could be.

If you'd like the details, simply SMS 0483937777 with First Home and we'll send through the next steps.

Reading is helpful. Having a plan is better.

Book your free 30-minute Discovery Session and let’s build a strategy that fits your life.

7Wealth Pty Ltd ABN 44609210246 is a Corporate Authorised Representatives and is authorised throughCobalt AdvisersPty Ltd ABN 64 628 654 099 who is an Australian Financial Services Licensee 512550. 7Wealth Pty Ltd is a Credit Representative ofAustralian Finance GroupLtd ABN 11 066 385 822 (AFG) Australian Credit Licence 389087.
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