The Property Nerds

With the country’s interest rate at an 11-year high, what are the new rules for playing the property investment game? Data nerd and founder of InvestorKit, Arjun Paliwal, sits down with Redom Syed, co-director at Confidence Finance, to provide a combined property research and housing finance point of view on how the Reserve Bank of Australia’s rapid rate rise cycle has raised the hurdles faced by property investors. Amid increased mortgage repayments and reduced borrowing capacity, many property investors are skeptical about buying. However, the experts say it’s all about learning the new rules investors must play in this high-interest rate environment, such as adopting a holistic cash flow perspective and prioritising microeconomic factors over macroeconomics, among others. Lastly, they remind investors there are always opportunities across the markets, emphasising that “doing something is better than doing nothing”.

You may be waiting to see how mortgage rates shake out to make any big portfolio changes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive about your financial management. In this episode, Arjun Paliwal, founder of InvestorKit, and Leigh Paliwal, director at Hills Finance, talk tactics for facing interest rate pain in light of the June rate hike and potentially more in future. They share some of the options for refinancing that have become increasingly popular as investors look to ensure they don’t end up in mortgage prison. Arjun and Leigh discuss how a second- or third-tier lender can help you out when the big four aren’t right for you. The duo also dig into why South Australian investments have been such high performers over the past year and look at how local supply conditions and microeconomic trends can be important indicators of when an area is about to go off.

With the RBA delivering another blow to mortgage holders’ borrowing capacity in May, data nerds Arjun Paliwal and Leigh Paliwal offer insights into how mortgage holders can improve their financial positions. Arjun, founder of InvestorKit, and Leigh, director at Hills Finance, take a closer look at how the lending landscape has shifted in the wake of 11 interest rate hikes, including banks scrapping cashback offers, adjustments to fixed rates, and tightening in serviceability requirements. Amid the challenging high-interest rate environment, the duo explore strategies for borrowers to find flexibility in their mortgages. Lastly, they unpack the investment opportunities available to property buyers in Queensland who are working within a budget of $500,000 and below.

In this episode, data nerd Arjun Paliwal is joined by Nerida Conisbee to make sense of the different housing data indicators and work out what it means for future property trends. Arjun, head of research at InvestorKit, sits down with Ray White’s chief economist to talk about how the market is beginning to show signs of recovery before analysing which areas are poised to lead the rebound. For investors looking to “make a call” in their investment strategy, the duo underlines the importance of not only taking into account housing data but also economic indicators, demographic trends and other market-shaping factors. They also address the different challenges in today’s market, including the ongoing rental crisis, escalating construction costs, and supply shortages before unpacking the short, medium and long-term indicators that investors need to keep track of to make informed and data-driven investing decisions.

With the ceiling to the Reserve Bank’s interest rate hike cycle still out of plain sight, data nerds Arjun Paliwal and Leigh Paliwal say it’s more important than ever for investors to be proactive in improving their financial positions. Arjun, founder of InvestorKit, and Leigh, director at Hills Finance, unpack the rising trend of refinancing among mortgage holders and present different financing strategies that can help investors continue scaling their portfolios despite the increasing pressure on borrowing capacity. They also warned against getting caught up with predictions in the market and instead urged market players to “focus on the chain of events” that can set up the stage for a forecasted scenario so they can accordingly improvise and adapt their strategies. Lastly, they talk about Australia’s ongoing infrastructure boom and explain its potential impact on the property market.

Data nerds Arjun Paliwal and Leigh Paliwal have cautioned investors against playing real estate roulette when choosing their next location. Arjun, founder of InvestorKit, and Leigh, director at Hills Finance, unpack the latest lending data and encourage investors to review their financial positions in the face of the Reserve Bank’s rapid rate hike cycle. As refinancing becomes a higher priority for Aussies who are coming off their fixed-rate contracts, the duo also looks at the possible options that are available for home owners and investors to buffer their mortgages. The duo also brings back their analysis of overvalued and undervalued markets before highlighting the significance of identifying locations that have “healthy” growth prospects.

To get the ball rolling in 2023, data nerds Arjun Paliwal and Leigh Paliwal dissect the biggest trends in finance, policy and real estate to help investors charge ahead into the new year. Arjun, founder of InvestorKit, and Leigh, director at Hills Finance, debunk the gloomy narrative around the “mortgage cliff” and “mortgage prison” borrowers are said to face this year before enumerating the strategic ways borrowers can avoid finding themselves on the edge of this financial conundrum. They discuss the latest lending data, analyse why refinancing is becoming the new norm among mortgage holders and explain why it might be time to reevaluate your loan. The pair also touches on the latest inflation data and unpack what it means for the trajectory of the Reserve Bank’s rate hike this year. Finally, they talk about the newly rolled out NSW First Home Buyer Choice scheme and pore over the pros and cons of the policy.

With Christmas just around the corner, data nerds Arjun Paliwal and Leigh Paliwal sit down to unpack what the latest lending stats tell us about the state of the Australian property market. Arjun, founder of InvestorKit, and Leigh, director at Hills Finance, give us the low-down on lending, reflecting on the consecutive cash rate rises and the flow of data that comes with it. Arjun visits the idea of what currently defines an undervalued property, before turning his attention to seven trends that are set to leave their mark on the market in 2023. From financial assistance sugar rushes to consumer sentiment and job market activity good old-fashioned supply and demand, Arjun and Leigh impart their own wisdom to listeners in this must-hear end-of-year episode.

On the latest episode of The Property Nerds podcast, self-proclaimed data nerds Arjun Paliwal and Leigh Paliwal explain why it’s due time investors review their portfolios — and how they can start by shopping for a new mortgage. Arjun, head of research at InvestorKit, and Leigh, director of Hills Finance, look into the latest data on finance and lending before providing their expert take on why the Reserve Bank of Australia is at risk of overshooting its rate hike cycle. On the back of seven consecutive rate hikes, the duo also recommended property owners shop around for a new mortgage, with Leigh providing insider insights on how to get the best rates and what types of cost-cutting deals are currently on market. Arjun also explains how a lending and equity position review can help investors who are on a portfolio-scaling journey. Lastly, the mini brain trust unpacks the housing shortage that is happening across the country and talks about the factors that have brought on the supply squeeze.

On this episode of the Property Nerds, hosts Arjun and Leigh Paliwal sit down to discuss three major topics in the real estate industry. To begin with, they touch on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest cash rate increase, what the decision spells for future plans, and how it has impacted borrowers. They then analyse the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest lending indicators and why the figures “make sense” when sentiment, borrowing capacity and other market factors are considered. They then reveal their must-buy locations around the country and relay what buyers should look for in prospective purchasing areas. In this episode, you will also hear: How your borrowing capacity can end up working against you Detriments of data weighting Understanding the best, middle, and worst-case scenarios