Podcast episode: The top 10 investment books

Podcast episode

In this week's episode of the Low Rates High Returns podcast we discuss the next two selections in our 10 top books here (or click on the image below):

You can listen to the whole podcast back-series on Apple here.

You can also tune in to the full podcast series at Soundcloud, Stitcher, or Spotify.

You can download our new e-book here.

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Treechange or seachange: which has been the choice of the pandemic?

Seachange moves

We took a look at the most popular moves over the past year here (or click on the image below):

Rental vacancies fall and rents surge

Rentals tighten further

Rental vacancies fell again to 1.7 per cent in June according to SQM Research, well down from 2.2 per cent a year earlier.

This equates to 60,457 vacancies, down from 77,132 in June last year (and a far cry from more than 100,000 rental vacancies over the 2020 Xmas period). 

Hobart and Darwin are extremely tight again, and Adelaide is heading in that direction.

Some regional markets are now recording modest increases in vacancies. 

Nationally asking rents surged by more than 15 per cent year-on-year for houses, driven by a raft of regional cities, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin. 

Asking rents for units were up 6.6 per cent over the year nationally. 

Rents are also now beginning to rise in Sydney and Melbourne, which may have some implications for inflation down the track.

CBD vacancy rates in Sydney and Melbourne have returned towards their longer run levels, at at 5.6 per cent and 5.8 per cent respectively reported SQM Research's Louis Christopher. 

SQM reported that we have probably now seen the high point in regional occupancy, with some blessed relief in sight for regional renters. 

Overall, though, rental markets have continued to tighten. 

Property listings not keeping up with demand

Buyer depth

I discussed buyer depth with Annette Beacher on ausbiz TV here (or click on the image below):

How long will this property cycle run for?

Global property cycle

It's been a unique market cycle - how long might it run for?

I discussed here (or click on the image below):

How to prepare for macropru

Screws to tighten?

Quite a bit has happened since we discussed this topic - not least that the entire city of Sydney has gone into an extended lockdown, which could change things a bit! 

Nevertheless, if investment lending accelerates for the remainder of 2021 there remains a decent possibility that credit restrictions are implemented.

Here's how to prepare (or click on the image below):

As we've seen over the past 18 months, an awful lot of unpredictable things can happen in markets, so investors need to consider likely returns over the full time horizon of an investment decision. 

Supply shock

Lockdown continues

Exciting tennis and a wonderful win for Ashleigh Barty at Wimbledon.

Meanwhile in Australia the calls for longer and tighter lockdowns in Sydney are gathering pace.

Perhaps not surprisingly auction numbers reported for Sydney were well down as auctions were withdrawn.

Prices were squeezed higher, though, as the competition for properties remains fierce.

Source: Domain

It's not hard to envisage fewer listings in Sydney over the remainder of winter as restrictions on movement are tightened. 

This is what's happening to fixed mortgage rates

Boothy Bites

This is what's happening to fixed mortgage rates (i.e. they've bottomed out):