What do zoning shakeups mean for your suburb, your street, and your property’s value? In this Q&A episode, we answer real questions from listeners and unpack the property market trends that are shaping the way people buy, build, and invest right now.

We talk about what makes a home “A-grade” beyond land size and location, how to avoid overcapitalising, and why things like natural light and flexible layouts matter more than fancy finishes. We also break down the reality of rentvesting with a family and whether that under-$600K “positively geared” investment still exists.

Here’s what we break down in this episode:
Zoning changes are reshaping Sydney’s character suburbs—some areas will win, others could lose.
Future-proofing your build matters: think layout, street appeal, and long-term resale.
High rental yield doesn’t always mean better—capital growth still does the heavy lifting.
Rentvesting only works if it fits your long-term goals and lifestyle.
Don’t chase trends. Understand why the property market is shifting before you buy.

If these are the questions keeping you up at night, or at least making you pause, this episode’s worth a listen.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction

01:49 - How will zoning and development changes affect Sydney’s heritage suburbs?

11:44 - What should I consider when building a home to maximise resale or rental value?

18:50 - Are three-bedroom apartments really being bought by first home buyers?

22:41 - Should I focus on capital growth or rental yield while building my portfolio?

34:03 - Is it still possible to buy a positively geared property under $600K?

43:56 - Should we rentvest or try to buy in an area we’ve been priced out of?

Resources:
Visit our website https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au
If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at: The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast - questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au
Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? https://www.gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Veronica: https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au
Looking for a Mortgage Broker? https://www.alcove.au
Work with Chris: chrisbates@alcove.au

Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now!
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765

What do zoning shakeups mean for your suburb, your street, and your property&rsquo;s value? In this Q&amp;A episode, we answer real questions from listeners and unpack the property market trends that are shaping the way people buy, build, and invest right now.
We talk about what makes a home &ldquo;A-grade&rdquo; beyond land size and location, how to avoid overcapitalising, and why things like natural light and flexible layouts matter more than fancy finishes. We also break down the reality of rentvesting with a family and whether that under-$600K &ldquo;positively geared&rdquo; investment still exists.
Here&rsquo;s what we break down in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Zoning changes are reshaping Sydney&rsquo;s character suburbs&mdash;some areas will win, others could lose.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Future-proofing your build matters: think layout, street appeal, and long-term resale.</li>
<li aria-level="1">High rental yield doesn&rsquo;t always mean better&mdash;capital growth still does the heavy lifting.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rentvesting only works if it fits your long-term goals and lifestyle.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Don&rsquo;t chase trends. Understand why the property market is shifting before you buy.</li>
</ul>
If these are the questions keeping you up at night, or at least making you pause, this episode&rsquo;s worth a listen.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
01:49 - How will zoning and development changes affect Sydney&rsquo;s heritage suburbs?
11:44 - What should I consider when building a home to maximise resale or rental value?
18:50 - Are three-bedroom apartments really being bought by first home buyers?
22:41 - Should I focus on capital growth or rental yield while building my portfolio?
34:03 - Is it still possible to buy a positively geared property under $600K?
43:56 - Should we rentvest or try to buy in an area we&rsquo;ve been priced out of?
Resources:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Visit our website <a href="https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au">https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at: The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast - <a href="mailto:questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au">questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? <a href="http://www.gooddeeds.com.au/">https://www.gooddeeds.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Work with Veronica: <a href="http://www.veronicamorgan.com.au">https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Looking for a Mortgage Broker? <a href="https://www.alcove.au">https://www.alcove.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Work with Chris: <a href="mailto:chrisbates@alcove.au">chrisbates@alcove.au</a></li>
</ul>
Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now!
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast">https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719">https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765">https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765</a></li>
</ul>

Who's really in control when you buy a property?

The Elephant In The Room is where the things that no one wants to talk about, actually get talked about.  

Veronica Morgan, real estate agent, buyers agent and co-host of Foxtel’s Location Location Location Australia & Chris Bates, financial planner, mortgage broker and wealth coach have joined forces to find out what’s really going on in the world of real estate.

Veronica and Chris talk to property owners and buyers every day in their respective lines of business. They’ve observed a wide spectrum of confidence in people’s decision making ability when buying and selling property, often to the detriment of the individuals concerned. They are both fascinated by consumer behaviour and together they’re going to uncover who’s really making the decisions when you buy a property.

In each episode they get into the psyche of buyers, agents, auctioneers and other industry experts to learn the truth about how buyers are influenced and why they do the things they do. In every episode you’ll learn from the mistakes of a “property dumbo” as well as Chris & Veronica’s “elephant rider bootcamp” training session.

The plan? This property podcast has been created to help us all make better property decisions!

We talk about the things no one wants to talk about in the Property Market