Everyone wants to know why housing has become so unaffordable. But what if the policies designed to fix the crisis are actually making it worse?

On Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman question whether recent tax reforms, lending changes, and housing policies could have unintended consequences for investors, developers, and first home buyers alike.

From the crackdown on investor taxes to broader housing reforms, the pair examine whether the government's approach will genuinely improve affordability or simply reduce housing supply and place even more pressure on the market.

They also explore Australia's increasingly fragmented property landscape, where Sydney and Melbourne continue to soften while Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth tell a very different story, proving there is no such thing as a single Australian property market.

The conversation then shifts to the broader economy, examining how higher interest rates, persistent inflation, and growing employment uncertainty could shape borrowing power, property values, and investor confidence in the months ahead.

Finally, the duo assess the potential fallout from changes to self-managed super funds, posing one critical question: if individual investors are gradually pushed out of the market, who will fund Australia's next generation of housing?

Most investors are still chasing capital growth. But in today's market, cash flow is becoming the real competitive advantage, with many investors rethinking their strategy. The question is: should you?

On The Smart Property Investment Show, Liam Garman sits down with Josh Crealy from LEVR to explain why tighter borrowing capacity, higher holding costs, and looming tax changes are forcing investors to rethink what makes a good property investment.

Crealy argues that strong yield is no longer just a bonus – it's becoming one of the biggest drivers of buying decisions, allowing investors to hold assets more comfortably while positioning themselves for future growth.

The discussion then turns to blue-chip Melbourne apartments trading below replacement cost while delivering yields that many houses simply can't match.

Drawing on a recent acquisition, he explains how one Melbourne unit purchased for $416,000 is expected to return around 6.5 per cent in rental yield while costing as little as $16 a week to hold, highlighting why investors are taking a fresh look at the city's apartment market.

The pair also unpack Australia's growing housing supply problem, revealing why established properties in tightly held locations could become increasingly valuable as rising construction costs continue to choke new development.

If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.

If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

From Investor to Client Strategist

Tom Herceg began his journey with House Finder as an investor chasing financial freedom.

Less than five years later, we built a portfolio of 8 properties with over $3 million in combined capital growth. Even more impressively, three of those properties TRIPLED in value during that time.

Despite this exceptional growth, his entire portfolio is only around $20,000 negatively geared per year - a figure that's expected to improve as rental increases are on the horizon

After experiencing the strategy firsthand, Tom was so convinced by the results that he joined House Finder as a Client Strategist, helping other investors achieve similar success.

He doesn't teach theory. He teaches from real experience - the wins, the mistakes, and everything in between.

That's exactly what we believe in: experienced investors helping other investors build wealth through proven, real world experience.

The COVID-19 property boom rewarded almost everyone. But today's market is separating investors from speculators. So what does it actually take to build wealth in 2026?

On this week's episode of The Smart Property Investment Show, Liam Garman sits down with Pinnacle Buyers Agents founder Michael Lezaja to unpack why the post-COVID-19 property market demands a very different investment strategy, and what successful investors are doing to stay ahead.

With borrowing capacity under pressure and tax incentives becoming less generous, Lezaja argues the biggest opportunities lie in buying property below its intrinsic value – not simply "below market value". It's a strategy he believes many investors abandoned during the COVID-19 boom.

He explains why blue-chip property isn't the answer for most Australians, why a 3 per cent rental yield can stall your portfolio, and why the off-the-plan sales pitch is no more convincing today than it was a decade ago.

The conversation also explores practical strategies to accelerate portfolio growth, including adding granny flats, converting three-bedroom homes into four-bedroom properties, deliberately targeting "inferior" homes with upside, and why a $6,000 Bunnings kitchen renovation could deliver one of the highest returns on investment available.

If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.

If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

Everyone says Australia's property market is cooling. The problem? The headlines are telling only half the story, and investors buying into the panic could be looking in all the wrong places.

On Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant and Liam Garman rip into the biggest myths driving Australia's property market, arguing that the country's housing story is becoming more divided than ever, with winners and losers emerging simultaneously.

The duo reveals why Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth continue to push ahead while Sydney and Melbourne slow, exposing how relying on national headlines could lead investors to make costly decisions.

Attention then turns to the federal government's latest property reforms, with Tarrant warning they could backfire spectacularly by squeezing housing supply, making development harder and creating the very affordability problems they were meant to solve.

The episode finishes with one of the industry's biggest controversies, as Tarrant and Garman question whether some high-volume buyer agencies are manufacturing competition, inflating demand and putting business growth ahead of their clients.

Most investors see market uncertainty and hit pause, but history shows the biggest opportunities are often created in exactly these kinds of headline-driven cycles: when fear is high and clarity is low.

On the Property Investing Insights podcast, Phil Tarrant sits down with Victor and Reshmi Kumar from Right Property Group to cut through the noise and discuss why today's uncertainty could be setting up the next phase of market growth.

The trio argues that while higher interest rates, proposed tax changes, and shifting sentiment have sidelined many investors, much of the panic is being driven by policies that are not yet law.

Rather than retreating, Victor and Reshmi urge investors to focus on fundamentals: reassessing borrowing capacity, portfolios, and long-term strategy instead of reacting to headlines.

The discussion also explores a shift in behaviour, with investors moving away from scale and toward smaller, higher-quality portfolios built for long-term performance.

Attention then turns to opportunities emerging across NSW, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, where conditions are starting to shift beneath the surface.

Investors thought negative gearing was the big threat, but a new crackdown on SMSF borrowing could be the change that really blindsides Australians.

On The Smart Property Investment Show, Liam Garman sits down with Emilie Lauer to break down a major week for property investors, from the proposed self-managed super fund (SMSF) borrowing ban to rising inflation, interest rate pressure, and fresh warnings of a divided housing market.

The duo explores why the SMSF decision has sparked backlash, with critics arguing it targets everyday Australians trying to build wealth and take control of their retirement, while doing little to solve housing affordability.

Attention then turns to inflation and interest rates, as renewed price pressure raises questions about borrowing capacity, refinancing options, and investor confidence.

The duo also examine Domain's latest FY2027 forecast, which tips price falls for Sydney and Melbourne while Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth continue to show resilience.

Despite the uncertainty, the pair argue that opportunities remain for investors who stay disciplined, look closely at affordability-driven markets, and do their due diligence before making their next move.

If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and by following Smart Property Investment on social media: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.

If you would like to get in touch with our team, email editor@smartpropertyinvestment.com.au for more insights, or hear your voice on the show by recording a question below.

The proposed budget changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax have Australian residential property investors rethinking everything, and most are reacting to the noise instead of the facts.

In this episode of Inside Residential Property, host Liam Garman sits down with Pat Casey, Rethink Wealth director and financial planner, to cut through the panic and unpack what the proposed changes actually mean for everyday Australians at every stage of the journey, from saving a first deposit to scaling an established portfolio.

With over 20 years of experience, Casey has guided clients through market cycles and policy announcements, and his expertise spans structure, lending, investing, super, and strategy. He explains why the old approach of buying a negatively geared property purely for capital growth is under pressure, why rental yield has moved from an afterthought to the starting point, and why owner-occupier appeal remains the single biggest predictor of long-term growth, whatever the rules become.

This isn't a panicked post-budget reaction. It's a calm, practical guide to thinking clearly about residential property while everyone else jumps at shadows.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why the playbook that built property wealth for decades is being challenged.
• Why rental yield now matters more than chasing capital growth.
• How to spot a property that only investors want, and why that should worry you.
• What the proposed changes mean for first home buyers and rentvestors.
• Why owner-occupier appeal is the single biggest predictor of capital growth.
• How experienced investors read today's uncertainty as opportunity.