Distressed property listings have surged 42 per cent, but Australians are quietly stockpiling billions in mortgage offsets. As another RBA rate hike squeezes borrowers, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack the risks of bridging loans and parental guarantees in a falling market, and whether the government could be forced to backtrack on its controversial property tax reforms.

On this episode of Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack Australia's cooling property market, with national listings up 19.3 per cent, distressed listings climbing 42.3 per cent and another rate hike putting borrowers under pressure.

The pair examine a 168 per cent jump in bridging loan submissions and the risks of buying before selling in a falling market. They also warn about the hidden dangers of parental guarantees, negative equity and commercial property margin calls, and why investors need to understand their exposure.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Garman reveals that Westpac's mortgage offset balances have climbed from $71 billion to $81 billion in just 12 months, with National Australia Bank (NAB) reporting a similar trend. Are Australians preparing for a recession, or stockpiling cash for their next investment?

The hosts also challenge the popular 18.6-year property cycle theory, questioning whether its apparent accuracy is simply coincidence, and debate whether the government will be forced to wind back its self-managed super fund (SMSF) lending restrictions and negative gearing reforms.

Finally, it's listener questions, with the pair tackling debt recycling, the impact of falling property transactions on government tax revenue, and when investors should consider selling rather than continuing to fund a struggling portfolio.

France is already paying billions to service its debt. Australia could be heading down the same path, with only a narrow window to turn things around.

On Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman compare Australia's fiscal position with France's, examining rising debt costs, bond yields, tax settings, and public sector growth.

Garman warns Australia could be only a few years behind as government spending and debt servicing put increasing pressure on the economy.

The pair revisit France's failed wealth tax experiment and Greece's experience with spending cuts, before examining Australia's own warning signs, including weaker employment, falling stamp duty revenue, and fewer capital gains to tax.

They also compare personal, company, and capital gains tax settings, and debate whether further property tax changes could push investors out of the market.

Tarrant is sharply critical of the federal government and the ATO, predicting a royal commission and further political battles over property taxes before the next election.

The discussion also covers the impact of the SMSF residential property ban on development, rising construction costs, and the risks facing first home buyers caught in falling apartment markets.

To get in involved, leave questions for Phil and Liam, or simply share videos or memes - join the Whatsapp group here.

Prestige vendors are being asked to accept millions less, forecasters are revising their predictions down, and the RBA is hinting that inflation is worse than expected ... but will rising yields be a silver lining? Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman unpack what it could mean for investors, first home buyers and anyone with a mortgage.

On this episode of Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman look at a market where negative equity is spreading. They discuss a report that 20,000 Perth homes are now worth less than their owners paid and a Harbourside Sydney listing where the guide has reportedly slipped from a $28 million offer to $20 million-plus.

The pair then weigh up the forecasts, including JPMorgan's revised outlook and Coolabah Capital's warning that some pockets could fall by as much as 40 per cent. Garman explains why he doesn't agree with every call, and why falling prices could open up higher yields in blue-chip suburbs for long-term investors. Both urge listeners to do their own due diligence and be wary of spruikers.

Tarrant also challenges a report that investors are shifting to new builds, while the hosts discuss what proposed changes to trusts could mean for tradies and builders, and how rising interest costs and the pullback of SMSFs are adding pressure to developers.

Then it's on to rates and politics: hints of a Melbourne Cup rate rise, what is feeding inflation beyond the war in Iran, and One Nation's pledge to restore the capital gains tax discount for up to two investment properties. Garman argues investors should factor in every political outcome, with the hosts floating a tongue-in-cheek policy of one negatively geared property per child.

To get in involved, leave questions for Phil and Liam, or simply share videos or memes - join the Whatsapp group here.