Arizona real estate leader Scott Kumler and his team — The Kumler Group — have joined eXp Realty, leaving My Home Group after a high-performing 2024. The 53-member Phoenix Valley team closed more than $80 million in sales across 192 transactions last year, ranking among the top five teams at their former brokerage.
“My goal is to give unparalleled value and support to our agents,” said Kumler. “After months of research, it was clear that eXp was the best place to deliver that.”
Kumler’s decision to move to eXp came with support from mentor Joshua Smith — host of the GSD Mode Podcast — under whose sponsorship he joined.
“Joshua has been one of the biggest influences on my career. Joining under him just made sense,” Kumler said. “Plus, our agents now get access to coaching from Mike Sherrard, which adds even more value.”
While eXp’s revenue-share model is a well-known draw for agents, Kumler said it was the company’s mentorship structure and leadership support that ultimately influenced his decision.
“I’m extremely loyal, and I won’t ask my agents to follow unless I’m 100% sold,” he said. “eXp gave me total confidence in our ability to scale support, coaching, and training.”
Kumler has consistently ranked in the top 1% of real estate agents in Arizona and was recognized as a Top 100 solo agent before forming his team, eXp said.
“Scott’s unwavering focus on agent development and leadership aligns perfectly with our values,” said Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty. “His decision to bring a high-performing team like The Kumler Group to eXp reflects our continued growth among the industry’s top professionals.”
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But as it relates to housing costs, the unfortunate reality is that the federal government has few policy levers at its disposal to directly address the issue. That’s because most of the regulations that drive up costs are administered at the local level.
Restrictive land-use regulations conjure images of aging coastal cities that have environmental or historic preservation concerns that tend to impede new development.
That’s well founded as New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston have some of the most restrictive zoning and construction laws in the country. While these aren’t the only things that drive up home prices, these cities are nonetheless among the most expensive markets.
And just because a city is relatively cheap doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t have regulations around land use.
“While it’s evident that the more restrictive the land-use regulations, the less affordable homes are, it is notable that even lightly regulated communities impose considerable restrictions on housing development,” Altos President Mike Simonsen in his research paper Unaffordable by Design.
Simonsen crossed housing affordability with land-use restrictions to see if there was a recognizable trend. To measure affordability, he used the home-price-to-income ratio. To measure land-use restrictions, he used the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Land Use Regulation Index (WRLURI), which tracks a number of factors regarding land use and distills it into a score.
The trend is fairly clear. San Francisco has by far the highest WRLURI of the markets analyzed and the second-lowest level of affordability. New York has the next-highest WRLURI, but it’s surprisingly more affordable than Seattle, Miami and Los Angeles in terms of price-to-income ratio.
At the other end of the spectrum, Houston has the lowest WRLUSI and is the most affordable major market. Dallas, Charlotte and Atlanta have low WRLURI scores and are also comparatively affordable.
Austin is an interesting exception. Despite a lower WRLURI than Atlanta and Minneapolis, it has a substantially higher price-to-income ratio.
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Noelle and Matthew Wallace, as well as their daughter Mia, 3, are selling their Mentone unit as they look to step up the property ladder. Picture: Jason Edwards.
An interest-rate cut this week is set to bring relief to thousands of Melbourne households struggling with mortgages.
But for Mentone’s Wallace family a cheaper rate on their loan is the signal to ramp up their savings as they plan to upgrade from their first home, bought in 2016.
Noelle and Matthew Wallace are currently selling the 5/35 Como Pde East, Mentone, home where they have been raising daughter Mia, 3, and have moved back in with Mr Wallace’s mother to maximise their chance to save once they don’t have a mortgage.
It’s a rare, but effective move that should also help ensure buyers can inspect the property more conveniently — and will hopefully help them make a six-figure upgrade to their home.
The family bought the home in 2016 and the unusual inclusion of a back yard had helped make the apartment a great space to entertain friends and family — while its location close to the beach and local cafes and shops had been invaluable.
But with Mia growing they have Obrien Real Estate’s John Rombotis helping them to sell at the start of an interest rate cutting cycle they believe offers a rare instance of botha good time to buy and a good time to sell, perfect for an upgrade.
The 5/35 Como Pde East, Mentone, property is quite different to what most people would expect for an apartment.
The backyard features its own rock garden, a very rare addition for a unit.
“We had been looking at interest rates, seeing them start to stabilise and plus with the potential for them to drop, we saw that as offering a great sellers market and also for buying, so we hope to be in a good position both ways,” Ms Wallace said.
“But we have been thinking about it from about this time last year.
“And we are back to saving as we try to finalise our purchasing plans, though we had been getting ahead of our mortgage as well.”
Even after an interest cut, the family will be putting any saved money from their mortgage aside to help facilitate their next purchase.
“Even $50 could be making a huge difference,” Ms Wallace said.
A light and bright kitchen has comfortably catered to the family of three.
Moving out of the home has meant that it can be perfectly staged at all times, which would have been challenging with a young daughter living in it.
They’re aiming to be into their next home in no more than 12 months time, but are hoping to move fairly quickly with the expectation home values could rise as rates fall.
“We definitely feel like we have timed it and it’s starting to feel like there’s some hope coming, and that people are more confident,” Ms Wallace said.
Mr Rombotis said the pair were not alone, but those thinking of selling a home today would need to think carefully about how quickly they could move as a sale without a quick follow up purchase could cost them if prices rose rapidly.
The agent is anticipating three rate cuts before the end of this year, and said by the time the third hits buyers would no longer be “window shopping”.
The main bedroom comes with an ensuite bathroom and neutral colour scheme.
However, for affordable homes with unusual features, like the Wallace’s supersized apartment back yard, the ability to concentrate first-home buyers could allow them to catch the first wave of any improvements, with first-home buyers tipped to be among the first to respond to rate cuts.
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The territory government has proposed “missing middle” planning changes to boost housing in the nation’s capital.
The ACT government announced the draft reforms to suburban zoning and new design requirements to encourage more low-rise homes, such as townhomes, in Canberra’s existing suburbs.
The territory says the new changes will deliver an increased supply of “missing middle” housing types to help meet its target of 30,000 new homes by 2030.
The changes include removal of minimum block sizes for additional dwellings in RZ1 areas, removing the 120sqm limit for a secondary dwelling, allowing block subdivisions and allowing townhomes, terraces and low-rise apartments to be built up to two storeys.
“Right now Canberra is characterised by single dwelling detached homes in the suburbs and high-rise apartments in our town centres, without much housing stock in-between,” ACT minister for planning and sustainable development Chris Steel said.
The draft reforms are set to boost more low-rise homes in Canberra’s existing suburbs. Picture: Getty
Consultation is now open for local community members to have their say on the “missing middle” housing design guide, which will be used by industry to guide the types of housing that could be built under the changes.
According to the territory government, proposed missing middle housing developments in RZ1 and RZ2 zones are required to respond to the design guide.
Architects and industry professionals have developed the draft design guide to ensure its outcomes are supportive of delivering more types of housing in all ACT suburbs.
Property Council ACT and capital region executive director Ashlee Berry said the reforms reflected the council’s calls for more medium-density housing.
“We agree with the planning minister that better design, including on larger, consolidated sites, will deliver better homes, better streetscapes, and better neighbourhoods for current and future residents,” Ms Berry said.
“This is generational planning change that will bring our suburbs into the 21st century and start to unlock delivery of the housing we need, closer to services, shops and public transport.”
Housing Industry Association ACT and southern NSW executive director Greg Weller said the plans will address the territory’s slow pace in developing housing such as dual-occupancies and townhomes.
“Missing middle housing can deliver on Canberra family’s needs for larger dwellings than might be feasible or affordable in an apartment building, without the land requirements of a detached dwelling,” Mr Weller said.
“Sensible and well-planned medium density will be essential to deliver on Canberra’s future housing needs if the city is to limit its geographic size. It has been a long held policy of the ACT to build 70% of new homes in the city’s existing footprint, and these reforms will go a long way to supporting that aim.”
Consultation for the design guide closes on July 22, 2025 and long form submissions will be accepted until August 5.
Are you interested in buying and building new? Check out our New Homes section.
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“It’s my property and I can dictate how I expect the tenant to behave and what they can do.”
I hear this a lot from landlords and they are quite taken aback when I tell them, well, actually no, you can only put in conditions that are consistent with the legislation.
I get it – a landlord wants to protect themselves and their investment as much as possible. And so, I commonly see all manner of special clauses in the lease – from carpet cleaning to inspections to not being allowed to drink alcohol or play music.
Can someone tell me what I can and can’t drink in my rental? Picture: iStock
However, under tenancies legislation, any term of a lease that is inconsistent with the law is not enforceable and any person who enters into an arrangement to defeat or prevent the operation of the legislation is guilty of an offence of $50,000.
The most common term that I see (still!) added into a lease is that the tenant must professionally steam clean the carpets at the end of the tenancy.
It seems to be fair enough – the carpets may have been professionally cleaned before the tenant moved in, the tenants may have been in there for a while, why shouldn’t they get the carpets professionally cleaned?
However, under the legislation, the tenant is only required to return the property back to the landlord in a reasonable condition and in a reasonable state of cleanliness.
Any term that seeks to put a higher standard on the tenant is therefore unenforceable and must absolutely not be in the lease.
Cancel the professional cleaner – the tenant is only required to return the property back to the landlord in a reasonable condition. Pic: iStock.
Another common term included is that the tenant agrees that the landlord is only required to attend to emergency maintenance or even that the landlord is not responsible for maintenance at all! This is also unenforceable.
The tenancies legislation clearly states that it is the landlord’s responsibility to keep the premises in a reasonable state of repair and you cannot exclude or modify what is set out in the legislation.
One of the most surreal conditions I have seen is that the tenant is not able to drink alcohol at the premises at any time or have visitors from 5pm Friday to 9am Monday.
Start popping bottles. Your landlord can’t tell you not to! Pic: iStock
Once again, this would be unenforceable as the tenant has a right to quiet enjoyment of the property and you cannot seek to exclude that right.
Remember, a lease is a special type of contract – a contract governed by very specific legislation. If you are in doubt, seek your own advice but beware that you cannot just add anything you like to a lease because you think that you have the right because you own the property.
– Paul Edwards is the Real Estate Institute of South Australia’s legislation and industry adviser.
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Two days after Federal Housing Finance Agency(FHFA) Director Bill Pulte said any decision over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exiting government conservatorship would be up to President Trump and Trump alone, the president has weighed in.
In a message posted on Truth Social Wednesday night, Trump said “I am giving serious consideration to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public.”
He added that he would be meeting with Pulte, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and “making a decision in the near future. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right. Stay tuned!”
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are publicly traded entities, but have been under government control since the 2008 financial crisis and the bulk of its stock is owned by the federal government. In effect, removing them from conservatorship would be privatizing the entities, and there are plans on the books to do so, though they are controversial.
Fannie Mae’s net worth reached $98.3 billion as of the first quarter of 2025. Freddie Mac’s net worth stood at $62.4 billion.
It’s long been South Australia’s cheapest beachside suburb but after breaking property records twice already this year, experts say O’Sullivan Beach is a star on the rise, with predictions house prices will soon near the $2m-mark.
The house price benchmark currently sits at $1.522m, following the recent sale of a two-storey family home with a pool and breathtaking ocean views at 7 Hill St.
That price surpasses the previous record of $1.515m, set just two months ago, with the sale of 1/3 Tingira Drive, a contemporary dual-level home that also has panoramic water views.
The O’Sullivan Beach house at 7 Hill St recently sold for $1.522m.
It now holds the record for the suburb’s most expensive house.
It has panoramic views of the ocean.
Ray White Seaford selling agent Denzil Cheesley, who sold the Tingira Drive property, said O’Sullivan Beach was finally shedding its industrial reputation to be recognised as a highly desirable residential location that represented comparatively good value for money.
Mr Cheesley said property records would continue to fall in the southern suburb over the coming year and expected house prices would nudge $2m.
“O’Sullivan Beach has fallen under the radar for a long time, maybe because the beach isn’t as glorious as some of our (other) southern beaches and maybe (due to) the proximity to what used to be an oil refinery and then a desal (desalination) plant but it’s definitely changing,’’ he said.
“That (current property record) will be broken in the next 12 months – there will be more properties along the (beach)front that will sell and there will be more eyes (buyers looking) in that area.
“That $2m price is now a given for coastal properties along Hallett Cove and Christies Beach and Port Noarlunga.
“O’Sullivan Beach will be nudging that figure pretty soon, with the right property.’’
The Port Stanvac oil refinery closed in 2003 while the Adelaide Desalination Plant started operating in 2012. Both are on the boundary of O’Sullivan Beach.
Both controversial at times, Mr Cheesley said younger home buyers did not hold the negative memories of previous generations and were encouraged to move to the area by new land releases.
He said the only significant barrier to O’Sullivan Beach homes reaching the lofty prices of neighbouring coastal suburbs was its lack of an esplanade.
“It’s not like Christies Beach or Port Willunga, where literally you cross the street (from the house) and you’re on the sand,” he said.
The house at 1/3 Tingira Drive sold for $1.515m in March.
The sale briefly set the bar for O’Sullivan Beach, until the property on Hill St was snapped up.
It has equally as impressive ocean views.
“There’s a buffer there, where (housing) is set away from the beach, across from a reserve.
“O’Sullivan Beach is still sitting on the coat tails of those suburbs that way but there’s definitely still plenty of appeal and for people that are looking for high-end coastal properties that you can snap up for a comparative bargain, it’s the ideal suburb.’’
Magain Real Estate agent Robbie Leigh, who sold 7 Hill Street in conjunction with Levi Sakkas, said the competitive property market had “priced out’’ home buyers in preferred locations such as Christies Beach, forcing them to look to O’Sullivan Beach.
“That being said, O’Sullivan Beach has perhaps been a hidden gem of a suburb,’’ Mr Leigh said.
He said the first two sellout land releases at Salt, a 6ha estate earmarked for 114 new homes along Gumeracha Road and Baden Terrace, showed there was strong interest in the suburb, which would be further buoyed by 3600 new dwellings planned for Port Stanvac.
“This all points towards a bright future for the suburb and the resulting property values,’’ Mr Leigh said.
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While the eight capitals may dominate attention from home buyers, Australia is full of underrated smaller cities packed with possibilities – and new homes in the pipeline for incoming residents.
From bustling beachside hotspots and goldfields boomtowns to leafy inland centres and vibrant port hubs, the breadth of metropolitan options is vast – both geographically and culturally.
Coast to coast and state to state, there is an abundance of choice to suit lifestyle and budget for those who want a happy medium between capital city and small town.
Wangaratta is attracting locals with a bustling downtown, access to nature and new homes in the pipeline. Image: realestate.com.au
There is no official definition for an Australian city, as the classifications vary across states and territories, but the general rule of thumb is by population (at least 10,000) and factors such as infrastructure and amenities.
“Major” regional cities tend to have a population of more than 100,000, such as Newcastle, Townsville, Geelong and the Gold Coast.
Here are some of Australia’s best small cities for lifestyle, all with new developments currently in the works.
Port Macquarie, New South Wales
With a sunny climate and laid-back vibe, this small picturesque city on the Mid-North Coast has long been a lifestyle destination for nature-lovers, with pristine beaches on one side and the Hastings River on the other.
Leisure activities abound on the water, such as surfing, kayaking and dolphin or whale-watching, or on-land adventures including rainforest walks, museums, galleries and wineries.
Port Macquarie is also the unofficial koala capital of the east coast.
It appeals to home buyers who want a more relaxed pace, such as families, commuting professionals and downsizers, with infrastructure and major hubs within reach.
Set between Sydney and Brisbane – about four and six hours away by car, respectively – the city is well-connected with train stations and its own airport.
New land developments are currently selling such as The Sanctuary, with lots starting from $415,000, and the sprawling masterplanned community Sovereign Hills offering a range of lot sizes.
Nobby Head in Port Macquarie. Image: visitnsw.com
Wangaratta, Victoria
A vibrant city in Victoria’s High Country, Wangaratta is packed with lush-green scenery, historic buildings and modern eateries, about two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Melbourne.
Its position at the junction of the Ovens and King rivers provides plenty of natural beauty, as well as proximity to a range of surrounding wine regions.
Wangaratta has a thriving cultural scene, with an arts precinct and annual jazz festival appealing to locals and tourists alike. There’s also a wealth of heritage attractions including famous Ned Kelly sites in nearby Glenrowan.
Home buyers can snap up titled lots at Warby Views, a sprawling estate set beside Three Mile Creek, five kilometres from the city centre. Land sizes range from 567 to 2000sqm.
An impression of Warby Views, which is currently offering lots for those interested in building in Wangaratta. Image: realestate.com.au
Toowoomba, Queensland
Known as the Garden City, Toowoomba is Queensland’s largest inland urban centre but retains its country charm, in an elevated position on the Great Dividing Range.
This scenic regional city is home to hundreds of parks and hosts the Carnival of Flowers each spring, as well as a growing scene of arts, culture, dining, shopping and sports.
About 90 minutes from Brisbane, Toowoomba is a major transport and logistics hub with thriving job sectors such as agriculture, health, education, manufacturing, energy and construction.
Housing affordability is another factor drawing attention from buyers, with a current median house price of $600,000 and median unit price of $415,000 according to the latest data from realestate.com.au.
Large lots are currently selling at Botanic Highfields Road, a land estate about 20 minutes out of the CBD, ranging from 580sqm to more than 1000sqm.
Toowoomba attracts visitors from all over for its yearly Carnival of Flowers. Image: Queensland.com
Fremantle, Western Australia
While it may be connected to Perth, the historic port city of Fremantle has its own distinct and dynamic identity, with an enviable lifestyle framed by the Swan River and Indian Ocean.
“Freo” has long been a magnet for fans of arts, music and food, home to the iconic Cappuccino Strip and Fishing Boat Harbour and host to a rotating range of festivals and events.
A rich maritime history and heritage landmarks keep the city’s character alive throughout its winding streets.
New developments are fairly rare in this well-established city, which has a median house price of $1.33 million, according to latest realestate.com.au data – but Fremantle has two new luxury projects in the pipeline.
Architecturally designed apartments are available at Muse at Artisan Place, which is currently under construction; and a collection of contemporary townhouses are now selling off-the-plan at Monument East.
The population of Fremantle was 31,930 in the last Census and it’s well-serviced with infrastructure, including schools, healthcare and a train station.
While its part of the Perth metropolitan area, there’s no denying that Fremantle has its own distinct character. Image: fremantle.wa.gov.au
Mount Barker, South Australia
It’s the largest regional centre in the Adelaide Hills, but picturesque Mount Barker offers a tranquil lifestyle just 39 kilometres from the capital’s CBD.
Surrounded by premium wineries and food producers, this small city is a beacon for foodies, tourists and tree-changers seeking the country experience with urban amenities.
There’s a wealth of walking trails, wetlands, parks and leafy streetscapes, with panoramic views of it all from the top of Mount Barker Summit.
A heritage railway, farmers market and cultural centre also add to the lifestyle appeal.
As a growing hub, Mount Barker is experiencing a burst of new developments and communities.
Land is currently selling at Springlake Communities, ranging from around 500sqm up to 4400sqm lifestyle lots for building a dream home.
Bluestone Mt Barker is a burgeoning community filled with green spaces and a diverse range of housing options. It’s estimated to be completed by December 2026.
And just two kilometres from the Mount Barker CBD, Newenham offers large premium lots with a range of community amenities in the pipeline.
Mount Barker is a hub for the surrounding wineries and agricultural sector. Image: Wikimedia
Launceston, Tasmania
As the third-oldest city in Australia and the largest in northern Tasmania, Launceston’s liveability is well known – yet its village-style charm remains in 70,000-strong community.
Named a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO, “Launnie” is one of the Apple Isle’s major food bowls, yielding top produce and destinations from farm gates and vineyards to stellar restaurants.
Natural beauty also abounds throughout the landscapes, including rivers, mountains, green hills and the rugged and sacred Cataract Gorge.
Launceston also enjoys a vibrant mix of arts, culture and architectural character.
A new addition is Cedar Grove, an estate within 7km of the CBD, where blocks are selling for between $190,000 and $300,000.
Launceston is considered a “city of gastronomy” by Unesco. Image: Launceston.tas.gov.au
Are you interested in exploring new homes located around the country? Check out our dedicated New Homes section.
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The nation’s most-viewed properties highlight not only Australians’ obsession with luxury real estate, but our desire to find affordable homes that won’t break the bank.
The latest data has revealed the most popular properties on realestate.com.au in the past year, and mega-mansions in premium suburbs with record-breaking price tags have topped the list.
Use the interactive to see the most popular properties in your suburb.
Historic homes on blue-ribbon streets, luxury estates with sprawling grounds and newly-built residences with all the mod-cons were among the properties Australians clicked on the most.
High-end homes dominated the lists of the most-viewed properties on realestate.com.au at the national level and across all the states, with curious Aussies keen to see inside expensive homes that few of us could ever dream of owning.
But at the other end of the spectrum, affordably-priced units also piqued the interests of buyers hoping to nab a bargain.
Mega-mansions and luxe homes excite property watchers
Owned by the Myer family since 1903, the property known as ‘Cranlana’ was first purchased by Sidney Myer only a few years after he founded what would go on to become Australia’s largest department store chain.
The Toorak property Cranlana is expected to break the Victorian price record. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Occupying a 1.14ha block – the largest in the suburb – the eight-bedroom, nine-bathroom home includes a ballroom, tennis court, pool and a leafy grounds filled with rare plants and a sunken garden.
Selling agent Marcus Chiminello of Marshall White Stonnington said it was an iconic Melbourne property.
“It’s steeped in significant history that has ties to the fundamentals of Melbourne, given the Myer family’s influence through the retail community and philanthropic work subsequently,” he said.
It’s the largest private landholding in Melbourne’s most expensive suburb. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“It’s the largest private landholding in Toorak so that in itself is something that’s exceptionally scarce and near impossible to recreate.”
Of all its impressive features, the garden stands out the most, Mr Chiminello said. “It’s like you’re in the botanical gardens, but in your own backyard,” he said.
Its meticulously maintained gardens contain an extraordinary variety of rare plants. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
In second place was ‘Opus’, a 2018-built French provincial style mansion on a one-acre block in Gilberton in Adelaide’s inner north that’s packed with luxury amenities.
The deep block features tennis and basketball courts, a pool and terraced lawns, while the house itself includes a cellar with tasting room and a dedicated gym and sits on what the listing describes as a “mansion laden street”.
This luxury mansion sits on an acre of land in Adelaide’s inner north. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
The three-year-old house includes a grand entry hall, home theatre, library and billiards room on an elevated 4000sqm landholding.
This recently-built palatial property in Templestowe was a hit with house hunters. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
But taking the cake when it comes to luxury and opulence was Bellagio La Villa, a European-style gilded mansion in Tallebudgera in the Gold Coast hinterland with $30-35 million price expectations that was the nation’s fourth most-viewed property.
The 10-bedroom home includes a living room with a 7.5m high ceiling and a five-car showroom, and 44-acre block property also features a three-bedroom guesthouse, horse stables and landscaping by celebrated designer Paul Bangay.
A 44-acre estate in the Gold Coast hinterland was the fourth most-viewed property in Australia in the past year. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“It is a mega-mansion,” said selling agent Lucy Cole. “It is exceptionally impressive and people are just curious.”
“The architecture is outstanding and it sits on massive land. It’s so incredibly imposing and people just want to view it.”
The luxury home Gold Coast home could potentially be a wedding venue or retreat. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Mr Chiminello said he expected a flurry of sales activity in the top end of the market in the months ahead after disruptive few months of public holidays and international trade ructions.
The fairytale exterior of this Hawthorn home enchanted property seekers. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“Though we’re heading into winter, our market’s actually coming out of hibernation,” he said.
“We’ll find there’ll be less listings coming on, but far more transactions.”
REA group executive manager of economics Angus Moore said the beginning of an interest rate cutting cycle has historically led to stronger price growth for more valuable homes.
“One of the things we often see in the housing market is that when prices are going up, the top end tends to outperform, and the reverse is true when prices are going down,” he said.
A Noosa Heads home with an impressive waterfront position clocked up huge numbers of views online. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“As rates come down we may see a little bit more strength in home prices, and a bit more strength at the top end of the market.”
Penthouses and cheap units cause a stir
It was a different story in the unit market, where the types of homes generating the most views varied more compared with houses.
Sweeping ocean views made this Newcastle apartment highly sought-after. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Also ranking highly was a harbourfront apartment just a few doors down from the Prime Minister’s Sydney residence in Kirribilli, which offered sweeping views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
An unbeatable view of Sydney Harbour made this Kirribilli apartment one of Australia’s most popular units for sale. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
But topping the list of most-viewed units was a humble one-bedroom apartment in the Sunshine Coast suburb of Caloundra, which is priced at less than half a million dollars.
The furnished holiday rental is the cheapest unit currently on the market in the hot seaside suburb, where median unit prices rose 17% in the past year, and is just a 30-second walk to the beach.
This humble Sunshine Coast unit was viewed more than any other on the market in the past year. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
“We’re seeing the majority of interest coming from investors,” said selling agent Lachlan Anderson.
“There’s’ a lack of stock on the market which due to supply and demand does push the prices up.”
It wasn’t the only affordable apartment to rate highly among property watchers, with a $650,000 two-bedroom unit in an over-55s complex in Drummoyne in Sydney’s inner west coming in second place.
Filtering the data for homes priced below the median of their capital city reveals just how much Australians love a bargain property, especially amid the high interest rate environment and with the price of a typical home higher than ever.
The most-viewed affordable house in Sydney was this property in Cambridge Park in the outer west, on the market for $749,000. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Many of the most-viewed properties priced lower than a typical home were located in the outer suburbs and were among the cheapest homes on the market, while others were sold in somewhat questionable condition.
Mr Moore said many of Australia’s affordable property markets had been popular with buyers in recent years.
“We’ve seen prices hold up more in the affordable capitals, and more affordable parts of cities,” he said.
“That’s consistent with the fact that housing affordability has been extremely challenging and so buyers have been looking in more affordable areas.”
This storm-damaged Melbourne home caught the attention of buyers seeking a bargain, selling for $420,000. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Sydney’s most-viewed affordable home was a three-bedroom house in Cambridge Park, about 54km west of the CBD, which is on the market for $749,000 – about half the price of a typical Sydney property.
Several of the top 10 most viewed affordable Sydney homes were located on the Central Coast – a ‘satellite city’ included within the Greater Sydney region – while one leafy property was located in Elvina Bay, a suburb that’s only accessible by boat.
In Melbourne, the most popular affordable home in the city was a four-bedroom house in Kalorama near Mount Dandenong, on a large 2991sqm block which sold for just $420,000 last year.
But the buyer would need to spend a lot more to make it habitable as it had suffered extensive storm damage, had gaping holes in the roof and lacked ceilings and internal walls in many rooms.
A four-bedroom house in Chelsea in the city’s east also ranked highly, attracting attention for its dilapidated state, which included a collapsing ceiling and a weed-filled swimming pool, not to mention the dirt bike parked in the kitchen.
The unpolished state of this Melbourne home drew bargain-hunters looking to update with cosmetic improvements. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Perth’s most-viewed affordable home went viral when it was offered to the market filled with abandoned possessions and junk after it was vacated by its previous owner. Selling agent Ash Swarts warned potential buyers “you better be prepared to get your hands dirty” and suggested the furniture remaining behind could be used as kindling for a fireplace.
The Kelmscott house sold for $589,000, with Mr Swarts receiving six offers to buy the property before the first open home had even been held.
A junk-filled Perth house selling in a hot suburb had buyers offering to purchase it without even stepping foot inside. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
It wasn’t the only affordable home in a damaged state to rank highly, with a fire-damaged house in Medina also getting plenty of views.
Mr Moore said stability in construction costs may be giving some buyers more confidence in taking on renovation projects.
“Buying a fixer upper is going to be a more affordable purchase than a turnkey home, though of course you then have to put in the construction costs so it’s not as if it’s necessarily going to be that much cheaper overall.”
“Building costs are still very high, but they’re not growing as quickly as they were, so that might be starting to give people a little bit more comfort around picking up some of these fixer-uppers.”
https://www.juliankent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/logo.png00JKentshttps://www.juliankent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/logo.pngJKents2025-05-21 12:01:482025-05-21 12:01:48Big mansions and cheap units: The wildly varied homes Aussies love most
A tourist and Airbnb user walking past an anti-Airbnb poster in the Koukaki area of Athens, Greece, as anti-tourism short-term rental anger builds.
A massive 65,000 homes are among the first to be banned from short-term tourism rentals after Airbnb lost a court case, sparking global fallout amid worldwide housing shortages.
Backlash against Airbnb is growing amid the worst housing shortages that several countries have ever seen, including Australia where as many as 300,000 homes have been snapped up for the tourism market.
That backlash has translated into thousands of people protesting against tourists taking up housing in the past several months across Spain, where a government enquiry has seen demands made to Airbnb to take down listings, with warnings issued to local real estate agencies and corporations – watched by other authorities currently facing extreme housing pressure.
The Spanish ministry of social rights, consumption, and the 2030 agenda ordered Airbnb to block more than 65,000 illegal tourist accommodation listings on its platform – which the global refused to do with the matter ending up in court.
“The Spanish government’s ministry of social rights and consumer affairs has sent three resolutions in recent months to the multinational ordering the withdrawal of a total of 65,935 advertisements for tourist housing,” a translation of the ministry’s official statement said.
“Airbnb appealed the Consumer Protection Act in court, and now a ruling from the Madrid High Court on the first ruling supports the initiative of the Ministry.”
Around 5,800 tourist accommodation listings were among the first ordered to be removed immediately.
Search results from Basque Country, Spain, where there is growing anti-tourism rental anger. Source: Airbnb
The matter has been building for months but Airbnb continues to refuse to take down the advertisements, drawing even further backlash – not just against the firm but sparking growing anti-tourist sentiment across Spain, watched on by the rest of the world.
In Australia, where Airbnb listings have gone as high as 300,000-plus, the global giant has denied any role in worsening housing affordability for locals, claiming a study it commissioned with Urbis found short-term rental accommodation “has no consistent impact on affordability” in the country.
“Therefore, other factors must be driving affordability outcomes in Australia,” an Airbnb statement said
A global storm against Airbnb is now raging with sites such as Reddit seeing heated debate: “This is happening all over the world. Airbnb really screwed up the housing situation in many countries. This is the first step to getting residents back into homes”.
Another Redditor said “next major step is to outlaw all the corps that specialise in buying homes for cheap then jacking up the prices or turning said homes into rentals” – a view which was supported by another user who said “corporations should not be in the rental business of SFH or condos. If they want to be part of the rental market, they should buy or build a rental building or hotel”.
Airbnb has denied it is causing housing unaffordability pressure in Australia.
A Spanish government statement by consumer affairs minister Pablo Bustinduy said “these listings violate the regulations of the various autonomous communities where the Consumer Affairs Department has detected them”.
“In all cases, the listings are for entire tourist accommodations; no listings for individual rooms appear.”
The regions impacted were Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, and the Basque Country, but the matter is set to widen with Mr Bustinduy’s goal is to “end the widespread lack of control and illegality of tourist accommodation, as well as to facilitate access to housing and protect consumer rights” with his officers also sanctioning large tourist apartment managers “for failing to correctly indicate the legal nature of the landlord”.
“These sanctioning procedures are ongoing regardless of the measures now announced. Furthermore, on March 27, a sanctioning procedure was also opened against a large real estate agency for abusive practices against tenants.”
The digital economy has seen a rapid surge in homebuyers choosing to rent property out short-term for significantly more than they can charge for longer term rentals.
The statement said the department was collaborating across various administrations to share information and offer technical assistance to boost the crackdown “and put an end to the thousands of illegal advertisements detected”.
The Spanish government requires that short term rental listings include the license or registration number of the firm offering the property. “This is mandatory in several regional regulations and is the most common violation in the advertising analysed.”
It also requires that such listings indicate the legal status of the landlords – “whether the landlords are professionals or individuals, a crucial factor in determining whether the person making the contract is protected as a consumer”.
It also said some of the listings had licence numbers that did not correspond to those issued by Spanish authorities, which it deemed misleading and deceptive against consumers.
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