Australia’s property market has shifted rapidly in 2026. Buyer confidence has weakened, interest rates remain higher for longer and the gap between our capital city markets is becoming harder to ignore.

But is the market heading into a deeper downturn, or are we beginning to see signs of stabilisation?

In this episode of Behind the Numbers, Sadhana Smiles is joined by property market analyst Cameron Kusher to unpack what is really happening across Australia’s residential market.

They discuss the changing behaviour of buyers and sellers, the growing divide between Sydney and Melbourne and markets such as Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, the impact of affordability and investor activity, and what current listings, clearance rates and demand indicators are telling us about what comes next.

They also tackle one of the biggest contradictions in Australian housing: if we have a structural shortage of homes, why can property prices still fall?

A practical conversation about the numbers behind the headlines, what agents should be watching now and where the market could be heading into 2027.

Australia&rsquo;s property market has shifted rapidly in 2026. Buyer confidence has weakened, interest rates remain higher for longer and the gap between our capital city markets is becoming harder to ignore.
But is the market heading into a deeper downturn, or are we beginning to see signs of stabilisation?
In this episode of Behind the Numbers, Sadhana Smiles is joined by property market analyst Cameron Kusher to unpack what is really happening across Australia&rsquo;s residential market.
They discuss the changing behaviour of buyers and sellers, the growing divide between Sydney and Melbourne and markets such as Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, the impact of affordability and investor activity, and what current listings, clearance rates and demand indicators are telling us about what comes next.
They also tackle one of the biggest contradictions in Australian housing: if we have a structural shortage of homes, why can property prices still fall?
A practical conversation about the numbers behind the headlines, what agents should be watching now and where the market could be heading into 2027.

 The Property Market Has Changed. Here’s What the Data Says with Cameron Kusher

When someone loses motivation, leaders often respond with more targets, more accountability and another burst of “rah-rah” energy. But what if the real issue sits beneath the behaviour we can see?

In this episode of Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series, Sadhana Smiles speaks with executive coach and leadership consultant Holly Cole-Havens about what really shapes motivation and performance.

They explore the role leaders play in influencing their team’s energy, why motivation often follows action, and how pressure, personal habits and workplace culture affect our capacity to perform.

Holly also explains why leaders need white space in their calendars to manage people well, how to respond when a high performer damages the team, and why the emotional highs and lows of success can make sustained performance harder.

Holly will continue this conversation in her session, Understanding Motivation Through Neuroscience, at The Business of Real Estate Conference on the Gold Coast.

When someone loses motivation, leaders often respond with more targets, more accountability and another burst of &ldquo;rah-rah&rdquo; energy. But what if the real issue sits beneath the behaviour we can see?
In this episode of Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series, Sadhana Smiles speaks with executive coach and leadership consultant Holly Cole-Havens about what really shapes motivation and performance.
They explore the role leaders play in influencing their team&rsquo;s energy, why motivation often follows action, and how pressure, personal habits and workplace culture affect our capacity to perform.
Holly also explains why leaders need white space in their calendars to manage people well, how to respond when a high performer damages the team, and why the emotional highs and lows of success can make sustained performance harder.
Holly will continue this conversation in her session, Understanding Motivation Through Neuroscience, at The Business of Real Estate Conference on the Gold Coast.

The Motivation Myth: What Leaders Get Wrong About Performance with Holly Cole Havens

What does it really take to build a team that performs under pressure without burning people out?

In this episode of Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Drew Ginn OAM, four-time Olympian, triple Olympic gold medallist, member of Australia’s legendary Oarsome Foursome and General Manager of Marshall White Bayside.

Drew shares what he learned when, at just 21, he joined an established championship crew and had to earn trust, find his place and learn how four ambitious individuals could move as one.

The conversation explores the less visible side of elite performance: honest feedback, shared accountability, recovery, injury and the personal cost of constantly striving to be the best. Drew also challenges the belief that high performance means operating at 100 per cent every day. People are not machines, and sustainable success requires leaders to understand when to push, when to reset and what each person needs to perform.

Today, Drew applies those lessons inside real estate. He discusses how he builds team culture at Marshall White Bayside, develops people across every role and creates an environment where performance and wellbeing strengthen one another.

Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series is presented in partnership with the RISE Initiative, working to improve mental health and wellbeing across the real estate industry.

What does it really take to build a team that performs under pressure without burning people out?
In this episode of Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Drew Ginn OAM, four-time Olympian, triple Olympic gold medallist, member of Australia&rsquo;s legendary Oarsome Foursome and General Manager of Marshall White Bayside.
Drew shares what he learned when, at just 21, he joined an established championship crew and had to earn trust, find his place and learn how four ambitious individuals could move as one.
The conversation explores the less visible side of elite performance: honest feedback, shared accountability, recovery, injury and the personal cost of constantly striving to be the best. Drew also challenges the belief that high performance means operating at 100 per cent every day. People are not machines, and sustainable success requires leaders to understand when to push, when to reset and what each person needs to perform.
Today, Drew applies those lessons inside real estate. He discusses how he builds team culture at Marshall White Bayside, develops people across every role and creates an environment where performance and wellbeing strengthen one another.
Behind the Numbers: The Leadership Series is presented in partnership with the RISE Initiative, working to improve mental health and wellbeing across the real estate industry.

From Olympic Gold to Real Estate Leadership with Drew Ginn 

Financial uncertainty is part of life. But when it comes to super, waiting for the perfect time to act can carry a lasting cost.

In the final episode of Future-Proof, our special series with REI Super on women’s financial wellbeing in real estate, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Vanessa Rader, Head of Research at Ray White, and Chris D'Astoli from REI Super.

Together, they explore how global events, inflation, interest rates, unemployment and market volatility can affect our investments and super balances, and why reacting emotionally to every headline may do more harm than good.

The conversation also examines the financial gaps that can quietly grow across a woman’s working life, particularly through career breaks, changing family circumstances, multiple super accounts, outdated insurance and delayed planning.

Vanessa and Chris share practical guidance on staying informed, understanding your risk profile, reviewing your super, considering additional contributions and deciding whether a self-managed super fund is right for you.

Most importantly, they challenge the belief that financial confidence depends on having a particular amount of money. It begins with knowing where you stand, understanding your options and having a plan, even a simple one.

You do not need to have everything figured out. But the perfect moment to begin does not exist. Start where you are, take one practical step and give that decision time to compound.

Financial uncertainty is part of life. But when it comes to super, waiting for the perfect time to act can carry a lasting cost.
In the final episode of Future-Proof, our special series with REI Super on women&rsquo;s financial wellbeing in real estate, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Vanessa Rader, Head of Research at Ray White, and Chris D'Astoli from REI Super.
Together, they explore how global events, inflation, interest rates, unemployment and market volatility can affect our investments and super balances, and why reacting emotionally to every headline may do more harm than good.
The conversation also examines the financial gaps that can quietly grow across a woman&rsquo;s working life, particularly through career breaks, changing family circumstances, multiple super accounts, outdated insurance and delayed planning.
Vanessa and Chris share practical guidance on staying informed, understanding your risk profile, reviewing your super, considering additional contributions and deciding whether a self-managed super fund is right for you.
Most importantly, they challenge the belief that financial confidence depends on having a particular amount of money. It begins with knowing where you stand, understanding your options and having a plan, even a simple one.
You do not need to have everything figured out. But the perfect moment to begin does not exist. Start where you are, take one practical step and give that decision time to compound.

  Future-Proof Your Super: Why the Best Time to Start Is Now

For many Australians, superannuation will become one of the largest assets they'll ever own. Yet it's often one of the least understood.

In Episode 2 of Future-Proof, I am joined by Khyati Halani from REI Super to explore the practical steps every real estate professional can take to build greater financial security.

From the introduction of Payday Super and understanding investment options, to insurance, salary sacrifice and navigating commission-based income, this episode cuts through the jargon to focus on the decisions that can make the biggest difference over time.

Khyati also explains why women continue to retire with significantly less super than men, how career breaks contribute to that gap, and why staying engaged with your super throughout every stage of your career is one of the most important financial habits you can build.

Whether you're an employee, business owner or working on commission, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you better understand your super and take greater control of your financial future.

Because building wealth through super isn't about making one big decision. It's about making better decisions consistently.

For many Australians, superannuation will become one of the largest assets they'll ever own. Yet it's often one of the least understood.
In Episode 2 of Future-Proof, I am joined by Khyati Halani from REI Super to explore the practical steps every real estate professional can take to build greater financial security.
From the introduction of Payday Super and understanding investment options, to insurance, salary sacrifice and navigating commission-based income, this episode cuts through the jargon to focus on the decisions that can make the biggest difference over time.
Khyati also explains why women continue to retire with significantly less super than men, how career breaks contribute to that gap, and why staying engaged with your super throughout every stage of your career is one of the most important financial habits you can build.
Whether you're an employee, business owner or working on commission, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you better understand your super and take greater control of your financial future.
Because building wealth through super isn't about making one big decision. It's about making better decisions consistently.

Is Your Super Working as Hard as You Are? With Khyati Halani from REI Super

Financial wellbeing isn't built in a single moment. It's shaped by the decisions we make throughout our lives.

In the first episode of our special three-part Future-Proof series, proudly presented by REI Super and Real Estate Industry Partners, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Jacqui Barnes from LSRE and Khyati Halani from REI Super for an honest conversation about the financial realities many women experience throughout their careers.

From parental leave and career breaks to business ownership, separation and rebuilding, they explore how life's milestones can quietly shape our long-term financial future, and why so many women find themselves playing catch-up with their superannuation.

Drawing on their own personal experiences, the conversation explores the financial lessons they wish they'd learnt earlier, the barriers that stop women engaging with their super, and why confidence, education and open conversations matter just as much as dollars and cents.

Whether you're just starting your career, returning to work, running your own business or beginning to think more seriously about retirement, this episode is a reminder that it's never too early, or too late, to take control of your financial future.

Because the best time to start thinking about your super was years ago. The second-best time is today.

Financial wellbeing isn't built in a single moment. It's shaped by the decisions we make throughout our lives.
In the first episode of our special three-part Future-Proof series, proudly presented by REI Super and Real Estate Industry Partners, Sadhana Smiles is joined by Jacqui Barnes from LSRE and Khyati Halani from REI Super for an honest conversation about the financial realities many women experience throughout their careers.
From parental leave and career breaks to business ownership, separation and rebuilding, they explore how life's milestones can quietly shape our long-term financial future, and why so many women find themselves playing catch-up with their superannuation.
Drawing on their own personal experiences, the conversation explores the financial lessons they wish they'd learnt earlier, the barriers that stop women engaging with their super, and why confidence, education and open conversations matter just as much as dollars and cents.
Whether you're just starting your career, returning to work, running your own business or beginning to think more seriously about retirement, this episode is a reminder that it's never too early, or too late, to take control of your financial future.
Because the best time to start thinking about your super was years ago. The second-best time is today.

The Superannuation  Conversations We Need to Have -Future Proof Your Super Series with REI Super 

In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we unpack the 2026 Federal Budget and what it could mean for housing, renters, investors, inflation, and the broader Australian economy.

The government says the proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax are designed to improve affordability and create more opportunity for first home buyers. But with Australia already facing critically low rental vacancy rates, rising construction costs, and not enough housing supply, we ask whether these reforms risk placing even more pressure on renters.

We discuss:
why the Budget may have created two property classes in Australia
what happens if investors leave the market faster than new housing is built
how rising rents could become an unintended consequence of the reforms
why regional Australia could feel the pressure hardest
and whether younger Australians are facing a very different pathway to wealth creation than previous generations

We also explore the broader economic contradiction sitting underneath the Budget, with inflation still being driven by global instability and energy costs while the Reserve Bank continues using higher interest rates to slow the economy down.

It is a direct and practical conversation about what these changes could actually mean for everyday Australians over the next few years.

In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we unpack the 2026 Federal Budget and what it could mean for housing, renters, investors, inflation, and the broader Australian economy.
The government says the proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax are designed to improve affordability and create more opportunity for first home buyers. But with Australia already facing critically low rental vacancy rates, rising construction costs, and not enough housing supply, we ask whether these reforms risk placing even more pressure on renters.
We discuss:
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>why the Budget may have created two property classes in Australia</li>
<li>what happens if investors leave the market faster than new housing is built</li>
<li>how rising rents could become an unintended consequence of the reforms</li>
<li>why regional Australia could feel the pressure hardest</li>
<li>and whether younger Australians are facing a very different pathway to wealth creation than previous generations</li>
</ul>
We also explore the broader economic contradiction sitting underneath the Budget, with inflation still being driven by global instability and energy costs while the Reserve Bank continues using higher interest rates to slow the economy down.
It is a direct and practical conversation about what these changes could actually mean for everyday Australians over the next few years.

Budget 2026: Can Australia Tax Its Way to Affordability? With Cameron Kusher and Cate Bakos

The RBA’s latest rate decision was anything but straightforward.

A 5–4 split has pushed the cash rate higher, at a time when households are already facing rising fuel costs and ongoing pressure on affordability.

So what problem is this rate rise actually trying to solve?

In this episode, we unpack the growing divide in economic thinking. Is inflation being driven by demand, or by global forces beyond our control? Are we moving too early, or doing what’s necessary to stay ahead?

We also explore what this means on the ground. Consumer confidence, spending behaviour, borrowing capacity, and the early signals in the labour market.

And with the RBA acknowledging that a recession is a risk, we ask the question many are starting to consider.

How far does this tightening cycle go, and what does the economy look like on the other side?

The RBA&rsquo;s latest rate decision was anything but straightforward.
A 5&ndash;4 split has pushed the cash rate higher, at a time when households are already facing rising fuel costs and ongoing pressure on affordability.
So what problem is this rate rise actually trying to solve?
In this episode, we unpack the growing divide in economic thinking. Is inflation being driven by demand, or by global forces beyond our control? Are we moving too early, or doing what&rsquo;s necessary to stay ahead?
We also explore what this means on the ground. Consumer confidence, spending behaviour, borrowing capacity, and the early signals in the labour market.
And with the RBA acknowledging that a recession is a risk, we ask the question many are starting to consider.
How far does this tightening cycle go, and what does the economy look like on the other side?

A Lineball Call: Rates Up, Pressure On 

In this episode of Behind The Numbers, we unpack exclusive REIP behavioural data revealing how the market is really moving beneath the headlines.

Seller appraisals strengthened early in the year, signalling renewed intent. Buyer inspections have been active but sensitive to interest rate shifts. And in the rental market, actual lease outcomes are showing tighter conditions than advertised rents suggest.

We also examine the growing conversation around potential changes to the Capital Gains Tax discount. What could this mean for investor confidence, rental supply and long-term market stability?

Joining us are Cate Bakos and Cameron Kusher as we explore how policy signals, investor sentiment and real-time activity are shaping the next phase of the property cycle.

This is not speculation. It’s behaviour.

And the signals matter.

In this episode of Behind The Numbers, we unpack exclusive REIP behavioural data revealing how the market is really moving beneath the headlines.
Seller appraisals strengthened early in the year, signalling renewed intent. Buyer inspections have been active but sensitive to interest rate shifts. And in the rental market, actual lease outcomes are showing tighter conditions than advertised rents suggest.
We also examine the growing conversation around potential changes to the Capital Gains Tax discount. What could this mean for investor confidence, rental supply and long-term market stability?
Joining us are Cate Bakos and Cameron Kusher as we explore how policy signals, investor sentiment and real-time activity are shaping the next phase of the property cycle.
This is not speculation. It&rsquo;s behaviour.
And the signals matter.

Inside the REIP Data - The First Rental and Sales Signals of 2026  

January has confirmed what many already felt – Australia’s property market is moving, but not in one direction.

In this January Behind the Numbers wrap, we unpack a highly diverse market. National home values lifted modestly, but growth varied sharply by location. Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra recorded slower conditions, while Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Darwin continued to outperform. Several regional markets also posted stronger growth than their capital city counterparts.

We explore why Melbourne unit prices are now rising faster than houses, driven largely by first home buyers seeking affordability and proximity. We also discuss investor behaviour, rental yields, and why Melbourne is increasingly viewed as a value market.

On lending, higher prices are translating into larger loan sizes, with average settled loans up around 11 per cent year on year. With inflation back in focus and interest rate expectations shifting, we look at how borrowers are responding, particularly around serviceability, pre-approvals and timing.

Migration, supply constraints and tight rental conditions continue to shape outcomes across the country, keeping vacancy rates low and rents under pressure.

As always, this episode focuses on what the data is really telling us – and how Australians are navigating the market right now.

January has confirmed what many already felt &ndash; Australia&rsquo;s property market is moving, but not in one direction.
In this January Behind the Numbers wrap, we unpack a highly diverse market. National home values lifted modestly, but growth varied sharply by location. Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra recorded slower conditions, while Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Darwin continued to outperform. Several regional markets also posted stronger growth than their capital city counterparts.
We explore why Melbourne unit prices are now rising faster than houses, driven largely by first home buyers seeking affordability and proximity. We also discuss investor behaviour, rental yields, and why Melbourne is increasingly viewed as a value market.
On lending, higher prices are translating into larger loan sizes, with average settled loans up around 11 per cent year on year. With inflation back in focus and interest rate expectations shifting, we look at how borrowers are responding, particularly around serviceability, pre-approvals and timing.
Migration, supply constraints and tight rental conditions continue to shape outcomes across the country, keeping vacancy rates low and rents under pressure.
As always, this episode focuses on what the data is really telling us &ndash; and how Australians are navigating the market right now.

What the January 2026 Property Data Is Telling Us 

Welcome to Behind the Numbers, the podcast that helps you make sense of the Australian real estate market. Whether you’re buying, selling, investing, or working as an agent, we break down the latest trends and insights to help you navigate the property landscape with confidence.

I’m your host, Sadhana Smiles, and with over 30 years in real estate, I’ve seen how tricky it can be to keep up with fluctuating prices, clearance rates, and market shifts. That’s why we’re here—to cut through the noise and give you clear, actionable insights.

So, whether you’re planning your next move or just curious about what’s driving the market - let’s dive into the numbers shaping Australian property with a team of experts in the know.

Reach out at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasmiles/ 

Welcome to&nbsp;Behind the Numbers, the podcast that helps you make sense of the Australian real estate market. Whether you&rsquo;re buying, selling, investing, or working as an agent, we break down the latest trends and insights to help you navigate the property landscape with confidence.
I&rsquo;m your host, Sadhana Smiles, and with over 30 years in real estate, I&rsquo;ve seen how tricky it can be to keep up with fluctuating prices, clearance rates, and market shifts. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re here&mdash;to cut through the noise and give you clear, actionable insights.
So, whether you&rsquo;re planning your next move or just curious about what&rsquo;s driving the market - let&rsquo;s dive into the numbers shaping Australian property with a team of experts in the know.
Reach out at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasmiles/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasmiles/</a>&nbsp;

Behind The Numbers

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