Talking Property with CBRE

In this first edition of The House View for 2026, CBRE’s Phil Rowland is joined by Sameer Chopra to explore the outlook for the Australian property sector. They discuss the impact of constrained supply, where investment and rental growth are set to emerge, and which sectors and cities could outperform. The episode wraps with a discussion around key risks and Sameer’s top predictions for the year ahead - including why developers may look back and ask why they didn’t build sooner. Discover more in CBRE’s 2026 Pacific Market Outlook report: Pacific Real Estate Market Outlook 2026 | CBRE Australia 

To kick off 2026 we've canvassed four Australian property leaders to discover where they see the best market opportunities, the potential industry game changers or challenges, the areas ripe for transformation and to find out what market trend or issue they think everyone will be talking about this year. We’ve already heard in Part 1 from Mirvac Group CEO and Managing Director Campbell Hanan and Aware Super’s Senior Portfolio Manager, Property Investments, Anjana Moran.  To round us out, we’re joined by the co-head of Australia for Brookfield’s Real Estate Group, Ruban Kaneshamoorthy and by Centuria Capital’s co-founder and joint CEO Jason Huljich. We hope you enjoy their insights. 

Happy New Year!  To kick off 2026 we canvassed four Australian property leaders to discover where they see the best market opportunities, the potential industry game changers or challenges, the areas ripe for transformation and to find out what market trend or issue they think everyone will be talking about this year. For this same Predictions series in 2025, we zeroed in on Australia’s new property CEO’s, who had been in the hotseat for less than 18 months.  This time around we’ve gathered perspectives from a major superannuation fund, a global investor, an Australian REIT/developer, and a fund manager with a big private wealth following. Leading us off is Mirvac Group CEO and Managing Director Campbell Hanan and Aware Super’s Senior Portfolio Manager, Property Investments, Anjana Moran. Then we’ll be back on January 29 with the co-head of Australia for Brookfield’s Real Estate Group, Ruban Kaneshamoorthy and Centuria Capital’s co-founder and joint CEO Jason Huljich. We hope you enjoy their insights. 

Australia’s student accommodation sector has been in the spotlight as international students return to our shores and investors circle what’s becoming one of the country’s most sought-after alternative asset classes. But the demand for purpose-built accommodation is outstripping supply as the sector grapples with the same issues facing the country’s broader housing market. So, what does the future hold? What measures are needed to address the current supply shortfall? And how can investors access this dynamic sector to propel its future growth? Find out in our latest Talking Property podcast from Anouk Darling, the CEO of Scape – one of Australia's largest student accommodation owners and operators; Alex Crossing, the Asia Pacific Regional Head of Indirect Private Real Estate at CBRE Investment Management; and CBRE’s Pacific Head of Research Sameer Chopra.  If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. You can also find out more in CBRE’s recent Accommodating the Growth in International Students research report. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Social and affordable housing has made up only about 1% of the homes that have been built in Australia over the past decade. It’s an area that needs urgent attention as a growing number of people experience rental stress and homelessness. But how do investors and developers get involved in a sector that’s still largely misunderstood? And what are the benefits? We explore this in our latest Talking Property podcast featuring Wendy Hayhurst - CEO of the Community Housing Industry Association, Nicholas Proud - CEO of Powerhousing Australia, Gavin Salt - Residential Lead at i2C Architects, and Steph Harper, Valuation & Advisory Services Director for CBRE’s Living Sectors business. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com.  If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Sky-high industrial facilities of up to 17-storeys are common in cities such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. But could multi-storey warehouses also start to proliferate in Australia, given ongoing supply challenges in our Industrial & Logistics sector? It’s a question explored in our latest Talking Property podcast by Charter Hall Development Manager Jack Hansen, CBRE's Head of Industrial & Logistics Research Sass J-Baleh and CBRE's South Sydney Managing Director Nathan Egan. In this episode they discuss the reasons why some cities are better suited to multi-storey projects, what developers need to consider and what’s top of mind for occupiers in a market sector that’s only just beginning to evolve in Australia. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. And you can read CBRE’s Rise of Multi-Storey Warehousing report here.       If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Major infrastructure can have an outsized impact on our cities.  And nowhere is that becoming more apparent than in Sydney where the new Metro rail network is transforming suburbs, driving up property prices and creating more vibrant communities. In this latest Talking Property episode, we speak to CBRE’s Pacific Head of Research Sameer Chopra and REA Group Economist Anne Flaherty to discover just how significant the Metro’s impact will be and the opportunities it will create for investors and developers. In their wide-ranging discussion, Sameer and Anne assess the scale of the price gains that buyers can expect from living near the Metro and why shorter commutes are such a drawcard, particularly for Gen Y and Gen Z. And it’s not just a Sydney-centric trend, with rail projects set to benefit many other major Australian cities. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. And you can read our Metro – Transforming Sydney Precincts report here.   If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

There are continued challenges in the real estate sector, particularly in the capital markets arena, as the cost of debt rises and sentiment wanes. An acute housing supply shortage in Australia is also continuing to dominate the media headlines. But there are also clear areas of opportunity, one of them being alternative asset classes such as student accommodation. Find out more in this latest episode of Talking Property: The House View where CBRE’s Phil Rowland, Pacific Advisory Services CEO, and Sameer Chopra, Pacific Head of Research, give some thought-provoking views on the property topics that are currently being debated, including the outlook for house prices, construction costs and commercial asset values. Subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you don’t miss the next quarterly forecast in early February 2024. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Adaptive re-use. It’s a hot topic right now as developers and investors assess how to best repurpose office buildings that are no longer fit for use. Given Australia’s housing crisis, it seems a given that some of these empty office towers could be converted to apartments. But is this a magic bullet and what are some of the hurdles we need to overcome? And if not for apartments, what other uses could be considered for our ageing office stock. In this latest Talking Property episode, we speak to the Principal and Commercial & Workplace Sector Lead at Hassell Ingrid Bakker, the Executive Director of Business NSW David Harding and the head of CBRE's UK Development Advisory Business Zoe Bignell to assess the options available to reenergise our CBDs and create true 24/7 cities. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

In 2019, Australia’s visitor economy was worth more than $166 billion and considered the country’s fourth largest export sector. As one of the world’s most liveable cities, Sydney has consistently placed amongst the top ten in the Global Liveability Ranking, a yearly assessment by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The global city was even named the world’s fourth most liveable city in 2023, beating out major cities like Vancouver and Geneva. One person who has contributed significantly to this performance is Steve Cox, CEO of Destination NSW. Part of his role is to drive the strategic direction of Destination New South Wales and the delivery of the visitor economy strategy for the state. In his exclusive interview with CBRE Pacific’s Chief Executive Officer, Phil Rowland, Cox explains the real-time strategies that his team are using to achieve economic targets and social benefits while bringing stakeholders together to make a difference to the people of NSW.  To form a guiding blueprint for other global cities to take inspiration from, this vital conversation explores:  Ways to develop the visitor economy Building the brand and reputation of a leading global city Driving repeat visitation locally and abroad How the existing built environment can be used to produce results Showcasing the hidden potential of cultural ‘villages’ beyond the city’s popular landmarks For more insights on how to create a thriving global city, read CBRE's recent feature on how experts are building world class cities. If you have any questions from this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to answer in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Is it possible to create an industrial workplace that workers want to be in? Or even an industrial workplace which sets a bold new standard in sustainability? While office, residential and retail spaces were the first property types to experience the real benefits of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and placemaking initiatives, the industrial & logistics space is now a major investment grade asset class which is also beginning to inherit the same sustainability criteria. It’s a strong indication that industrial property has changed and is no longer just about employees arriving to work in a shed and then clocking off. In our latest ESG in Conversation series, CBRE’s Pacific Head of ESG, Su-Fern Tan, talks exclusively to Andrew Thai, National Sustainability Manager for Frasers Property Industrial, and Tamara Williams, Head of ESG for Altis. In this insightful talk, the trio explore the real-time sustainability strategies being used by today’s leading developers to help future proof their portfolios while showcasing the unique ROI opportunities that innovation in this space can bring.With analysis based around The YARDS project, the first industrial estate to ever achieve a Green Star Communities rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, the experts will specifically look at:  What this industrial project did to earn this rating The challenges of pursuing the maximum Green Star rating for industrial assets The hidden benefits of providing workers with amenities and a sense of community Identifying the value of this rating system and the value of social impact for industrial assets Which stakeholders are demanding this radical shift in industrial assets If you have any questions from this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to answer in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

In Australia’s 2023 May budget, the government announced 1.5 million in net migration for the country over five years to help revive a stalling economy. CBRE’s in-house budget analysis had experts evaluating this as a huge number of people to accommodate.It’s this sentiment which leads perfectly into this week’s Talking Property episode which explores Australia’s build-to-rent (BTR) sector in detail - blocks of apartments that are specifically built to be leased rather than sold to individual owners. As an emerging asset class, BTR has been attracting significant interest from both local and offshore investors as well as garnering plenty of industry attention as one part of a bigger solution to alleviating the country’s housing and rental crisis.With 30,000 apartments operating or in the pipeline across the country, there's big potential with forecasts the BTR sector could grow to as many as 150,000 apartments within 10 years.To understand the diversity of benefits, challenges and future market outlook for BTR in Australia, CBRE’s Pacific Communications Director, Kathryn House, talks exclusively to Mirvac’s Fund Manager and BTR Sector Lead, Angela Buckley, alongside CBRE Pacific’s Head of Living Sectors Capital Markets business, Andrew Purdon.If you have any questions from this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to answer in future episodes, please email us at: talkingproperty@cbre.com. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Investment activity across the commercial property spectrum continues to be a fluid affair in 2023. While some specific sectors are performing better than others, investors need to understand which ones are remaining resilient against those that are experiencing market headwinds. CBRE’s new In and Out report reveals Australia’s latest inbound and outbound investment trends. While it highlights a challenging first half of the year with a 50% dip in the total value of deals across the office, industrial, retail, and hotel sectors when compared to 2022, it’s not all bad news. Some sectors remain buoyant while several Asian countries and the US see the Australian market as a prime offshore investment opportunity. And of course, there’s also speculation around the rapidly maturing BTR sector which is primed to become a key pillar to offshore capital’s portfolio construction across the country.  This important episode will examine the current debt landscape and the drivers that will shape the market and influence investor decision making this year.  CBRE's Communications Director, Kathryn House, will present the topic’s key insights from three of CBRE's leading market experts, Stuart McCann, Head of International Capital for Pacific and Southeast Asia, Andrew McCasker our Pacific Managing Director of Debt and Structured Finance, and Tom Broderick, CBRE's Australian Head of Capital Markets Research.   Read CBRE's investment In and Out report for H1 2023.If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Deciphering the broader property landscape across Australia and its true performance potential on the global stage requires a deep understanding of specific goals, processes and stakeholders. And no one else knows that property pulse better than the Property Council of Australia’s Chief Executive, Mike Zorbas. In his candid conversation with Phil Rowland, CBRE Pacific’s Chief Executive Officer, Zorbas provides his industry-backed insights into the property sector’s most pressing issues as well as current and future trends across the residential and commercial sectors and the journey to net zero. The duo also assess Australia’s robust investment strengths amid the current economic challenges and address potential solutions to the country’s growing housing shortage crisis. Other crucial talking points include an update on CBD revitalisation across the country, creating momentum for more women in leadership, and how the property industry can play its part in supporting reconciliation alongside the upcoming Voice to Parliament decision. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Indigenous businesses in Australia were once a rarity, but their growing presence is now more evident than ever. Today’s Indigenous businesses take on the dual responsibility of delivering profits while also driving lasting positive impacts for wider Aboriginal communities across the country. Three modern pioneers of Australia’s Indigenous business landscape are Michael O’Loughlin, the Managing Director of ARA Indigenous Services; Rohan Tobler-Williams, the General Manager at ARA; and Shane Jacobs, the Managing Director of Orana Services. The trio, who have varying degrees of experience across construction, property, facilities and infrastructure services, are pushing boundaries and paving the way for future Indigenous peoples to enter an industry in which they can learn to lead.As part of CBRE’s Talking Property series in NAIDOC Week, we’re exploring the rise of Indigenous business partnerships, the growth in the Indigenous business sector, and the real impact that these businesses are having in creating better economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Australia is grappling with an economic climate of fresh challenges. Regular interest rate rises have put capital values under pressure while pricing discovery continues to be challenged. As a result, the market is beginning to show early signs that occupiers might exercise extra caution when it comes to space requirements.  What does this mean for investors and relevant stakeholders in the broader property landscape? In the latest episode of Talking Property: The House View, CBRE’s Phil Rowland, Pacific Advisory Services CEO, and Sameer Chopra, Pacific Head of Research, present their expert evaluation on property pricing, lender sentiment, property types that are bucking the trend, occupier feedback in key markets, and one of the most controversial topics in Australia today – the residential market and its significant disparity of supply vs demand.Subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you don’t miss the next quarterly forecast in early October 2023. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Asset managers globally are expected to increase their ESG-related assets under management (AuM) to US$33.9 trillion by 2026, up from US$18.4 trillion in 2021. This was a key finding highlighted in a 2022 PwC report which also identified that nine out of ten surveyed asset managers believe that integrating ESG into their investment strategy will improve overall returns. Given this growing sentiment towards ESG across the property sector, CBRE is taking a closer look at the full spectrum of ESG in Australia today, including the often-overlooked ‘S’ (social) component of ESG. Joining Su-Fern Tan, CBRE’s Head of ESG, Pacific, for this insightful conversation is Ian Lieblich, Head of ESG for EG Funds, Linh Pham, Fund Manager at EG Funds, and Sarah Mathews, CEO of Little BIG Foundation, a firm specialising in tackling loneliness through developing places, programs and events for social connection.  The important conversation will address how social impact is being measured for clients, how KPIs need to shift to incorporate evolving ESG initiatives and ultimately, the strategies being used right now to invest in community building while still making a profit.    Links: Little BIG FoundationEG FundsIf you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Australia will need to support an EV fleet of 1 million vehicles by 2027 to reach its bold 2050 net zero targets. That’s the significant forecast from the Electric Vehicle Council which currently counts Australia’s electric vehicle adoption to just 83,000 cars. On the back of this projected influx of electric vehicles across the nation, CBRE is investigating the globally established strategies as well as future planning ideas to help support this impending EV wave. The EV conversation features commentary spanning across the border, from insights provided by Scott Howard, the Executive Managing Director at CBRE - EV Solutions Lead in the United States, Tim Washington, chair of the Electric Vehicle Council of Australia, and by Neil Glozier, Director of Energy and Sustainability for CBRE's Pacific GWS business.What are the challenges facing property landlords in commercial and retail spaces? How can the necessary infrastructure be safely and economically rolled out? And what are the major issues the EV industry is encountering? Listen to the podcast now to find out.CBRE 2023 Electric Vehicles Report: EV Charging in Australia: How ready are we? | CBRE Australia  If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Asian-based investment sentiment is shifting across the Asia Pacific region and Australia is increasingly positioning itself as a prime destination for foreign money as market momentum continues to steadily recover and international travel resumes. The only factor that could slow down this influx of Asian investment? Pricing.In the latest Talking Property podcast, CBRE’s Head of Client Care, Pacific, Kate Heaney, sits down with Dr. Henry Chin, Global Head of Investor Thought Leadership & Head of Research, Asia Pacific, to talk about the multitude of Australian investment opportunities as well as investor sentiment on a macro scale.With over 20 years of property research experience, Chin explores and evaluates the most crucial talking points in the Australian property market today. He provides his forecast on the potential of the local life sciences, office, logistics and build-to-rent sectors as well as touching on the growing demand for greenfield developments.With Australian migration predicted to explode over the next few years, Chin also identifies what type of commercial spaces local retailers are eyeing in preparation for servicing this new influx of consumers.If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.

Purpose-driven businesses and communities create opportunities for us to evolve how we live, work and play. So, how do we lay the foundations of a conscious city to maximise the human experience? In this episode of Talking Property, we dive into how dynamic environments form the fabric of our future city.  Natasha Mulcahy, Director of ESG at CBRE, sits down with Brett Leavy, the Virtual Heritage Jedi at Bilbie XR Labs, to discuss the role that country plays in creating conscious cities. The conversation also explores how important the past is to our future and how we can use digital storytelling and today's cutting-edge technology to contribute to the conservation and management of the environment. If you have any questions regarding this episode or property topics that you’d like CBRE to address in future episodes, please email us at talkingproperty@cbre.com.