Australian Property Show

Some Newcastle properties are selling in a matter of weeks. Others are sitting on the market for 45, 60 or even 90 days. Buyers are increasingly cautious, agents are struggling to get deals across the line, and sellers who genuinely need to transact are facing some uncomfortable decisions.But for buyers who understand what's happening beneath the headlines, there could be some very interesting opportunities.Newcastle real estate agent and property investor Josh Lloyd joins Tom Haigh to share what he's seeing on the ground, how current conditions compare with the 2017–2019 downturn, and why the skills required to buy and sell property successfully have fundamentally changed since the post-COVID boom.We also get into the art of deal-making, including a real negotiation involving an offer $120,000 below the advertised price guide, and why understanding a seller's circumstances can sometimes be more valuable than negotiating aggressively on price.What you'll learn:• What's really happening in the Newcastle property market, and why some properties are selling while others are going stale.• Where opportunities are emerging, particularly in Newcastle's $1.2 million to $1.5 million market.• How to identify motivated sellers, ask better questions and negotiate deals that work in your favour.• Why choosing the wrong selling agent, getting the price wrong or neglecting presentation can cost homeowners dearly.• Why homeowners considering trading up could benefit from a smaller price gap between their current property and their next home.The biggest opportunities in property rarely arrive when everyone feels confident. But taking advantage of them requires more than optimism. It requires good information, a clear strategy and the ability to recognise value.If you're considering buying, investing or trading up and want to understand what the current market could mean for your circumstances, book a complimentary Clarity Call with our team at Groundswell Property using the link below.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a complimentary clarity call⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We'll help you make sense of your position, explore opportunities you might be overlooking and get clear on what a well-considered next move could look like.Because clarity creates confidence, and confidence helps people act.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with host of The Australian Property Show - Tom Haigh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠General Advice Warning! The information (including taxation) contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not consider your individual financial circumstances or needs. You should not act on the information provided without first obtaining professional advice specific to your circumstances. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individual; they are not reflective or indicative of Groundswell Property's position and are not to be attributed to Groundswell Property Pty Ltd. The host is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. This podcast cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of Groundswell Property.

Everyone wants to know when the property market will bottom.But what if that’s the wrong question?In 2019, Australian property had been falling for close to two years. Credit was tight, an election was approaching and investor confidence was low.It was also when Tom bought a property in Merewether with virtually no competition.The renovation wasn’t perfect. In fact, parts of it were wrong.The result? Around a $100,000 profit.In this episode of The Australian Property Show, Tom looks back at thirty years of Australian property cycles to explain why the greatest opportunities often appear before the market feels safe again.More importantly, he explains why successful investing is less about perfectly predicting the market and more about buying with a margin of safety.Tom also shares what Groundswell Property is seeing in the 2026 market, particularly in vacant commercial property, where holding costs, motivated vendors and reduced competition are creating some of the most interesting buying opportunities in years.If you’re wondering whether to buy, wait or keep sitting on the sidelines, this episode will help you change the question.Instead of asking, “Has the market bottomed?”Start asking, “Can I buy this asset well?”KEY LISTENER TAKEAWAYS• Why the end of the 2017–2019 property downturn felt anything but obvious while investors were living through it.• How Tom bought a Merewether property with virtually no competition, got parts of the renovation wrong and still made around a $100,000 profit.• Why “you make your money when you buy” is about creating a margin for error — not simply negotiating the lowest possible price.• Why waiting for confirmation that the market has bottomed can mean waiting until the best buying conditions have already disappeared.• How to distinguish an asset that is cheap because it has fundamental problems from a quality asset that has become cheaper because sentiment, vendor pressure or competition has changed.• Why vacant commercial property is creating opportunities in 2026, particularly where owners are carrying interest, rates, insurance, land tax and other costs without rental income.• The questions astute buyers should be asking about land value, replacement cost, rental potential, vendor motivation and long-term utility instead of trying to predict what property prices will do next.Take Action Today:If you are serious about building wealth through property, but not yet fully clear on your next move, book a complimentary clarity call with our team via the link below.In one conversation, we can help you get clearer on your position, your options, and the path forward — because clarity creates confidence, and confidence helps people act.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a complimentary clarity call⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with host of The Australian Property Show - Tom Haigh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We'll help analyse your current position, identify your biggest untapped opportunities, and get you moving towards the life you want.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠General Advice Warning! The information (including taxation) contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not consider your individual financial circumstances or needs. You should not act on the information provided without first obtaining professional advice specific to your circumstances. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individual; they are not reflective or indicative of Groundswell Property's position and are not to be attributed to Groundswell Property Pty Ltd. The host is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. This podcast cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of Groundswell Property.

Could right now actually be the window first-home buyers have been waiting for?Australia has fallen around 145,000 homes short of estimated housing demand over the past three years.Yet with affordability stretched, buyers nervous and uncertainty around property prices, plenty of people are sitting on their hands waiting for the market to feel safer.But what if that uncertainty is precisely what creates the opportunity?This episode isn’t a prediction that property prices are about to rise. Nobody has a crystal ball.Instead, Tom looks beyond the headlines at the fundamentals shaping Australian housing: population growth, housing supply, construction costs and why fixing the imbalance between the number of homes we need and the number we’re actually building is far more difficult than it sounds.More importantly, he explains why your first home doesn’t need to be your forever home.For some buyers, the smarter strategy may be to use this period of reduced competition to secure the right first property — and use it as a springboard towards the home they ultimately want.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:• Why Australia has fallen around 145,000 homes short of estimated housing demand over the past three years• Why weaker buyer sentiment doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying housing fundamentals have changed• Why nobody can reliably predict where property prices go next — and why you don’t need to• The risk first-home buyers often overlook when deciding to “wait and see”• Why location and the quality and scarcity of the underlying land can matter more than buying the prettiest house• How buying an older property with the right fundamentals can create opportunities to manufacture equity through sensible improvements• How your first home can become a strategic springboard towards the home you really wantTake Action Today:If you are serious about building wealth through property, but not yet fully clear on your next move, book a complimentary clarity call with our team via the link below.In one conversation, we can help you get clearer on your position, your options, and the path forward — because clarity creates confidence, and confidence helps people act.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a complimentary clarity call⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with host of The Australian Property Show - Tom Haigh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We'll help analyse your current position, identify your biggest untapped opportunities, and get you moving towards the life you want.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠General Advice Warning! The information (including taxation) contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not consider your individual financial circumstances or needs. You should not act on the information provided without first obtaining professional advice specific to your circumstances. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individual; they are not reflective or indicative of Groundswell Property's position and are not to be attributed to Groundswell Property Pty Ltd. The host is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. This podcast cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of Groundswell Property.

What if the property opportunity you’re overlooking is hiding in plain sight?An empty warehouse. A vacant office floor. An old building that looks like more trouble than it’s worth.Most investors see the cost, the risk and the work involved. Lauren Wiltshire sees what the property could become — and, more importantly, what people actually need.Lauren is a Newcastle-based artist and property investor who has renovated six homes and transformed commercial spaces into sought-after creative workspaces. Alongside her business partner Kate Fenton, she helped create Studio 97 in Carrington, turning an empty warehouse into a place where small businesses and creatives can work, connect and collaborate.In this conversation, we unpack how Lauren approaches property differently, identifies unmet demand and turns underused spaces into functional, income-producing assets.We also explore why understanding the people who will use a property can be just as important as understanding the building itself.IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER:• How to spot potential in vacant commercial property that other investors overlook.• Why identifying unmet demand matters more than simply having a clever property idea.• How Studio 97 turned an empty warehouse into a sought-after creative workspace.• The commercial advantage of creating multiple income streams from a single property.• Why affordability, community and collaboration can make a property more attractive to tenants.• How design, natural light and the quality of a space can influence tenant demand and sale results.• Why vision and hard work need to go hand in hand — and how to recognise an opportunity without relying on speculation.Lauren’s story is a reminder that successful property investing doesn’t always mean buying the property everyone else wants. Sometimes the opportunity lies in understanding what the market is missing and having the vision to create it.If you're serious about building wealth through property, this episode will challenge you to look beyond the obvious, think more carefully about demand and recognise where you might be overlooking an opportunity.Take Action Today:If you are serious about building wealth through property, but not yet fully clear on your next move, book a complimentary clarity call with our team via the link below.In one conversation, we can help you get clearer on your position, your options, and the path forward — because clarity creates confidence, and confidence helps people act.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a complimentary clarity call⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with host of The Australian Property Show - Tom Haigh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We'll help analyse your current position, identify your biggest untapped opportunities, and get you moving towards the life you want.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠General Advice Warning! The information (including taxation) contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not consider your individual financial circumstances or needs. You should not act on the information provided without first obtaining professional advice specific to your circumstances. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individual; they are not reflective or indicative of Groundswell Property's position and are not to be attributed to Groundswell Property Pty Ltd. The host is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. This podcast cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of Groundswell Property.

Buying your own commercial premises could be more achievable than you think. But getting the property purchase wrong can be an expensive lesson.In this episode of The Australian Property Show, Tom Haigh sits down with Ben Henri from Atmosphere Capital, a commercial finance broker who recently purchased an office for his own business through his self-managed super fund (SMSF).Ben shares what it was like moving from advising clients on commercial finance to navigating the process himself, including the decisions he and his wife, Teresa, made along the way.We unpack why they chose to buy, how they assessed different properties, and why finding the right commercial space often comes down to understanding the trade-offs rather than waiting for the perfect property.You'll also hear why getting your SMSF established before looking seriously at properties matters, how the fit-out can be funded separately from the property purchase, and why the right finance structure can make a significant difference to what you can afford.If you're a business owner currently renting your premises, or you're considering buying commercial property through your SMSF, this conversation will help you understand what to consider before you commit.THE BIG TAKEAWAYDon't spend months searching for a property before understanding your borrowing capacity, ownership structure and purchase costs. Get the right advice early, understand your options and make informed decisions before you sign a contract.Connect with Ben Henri - Atmosphere CapitalIf you're serious about building wealth through property, this episode will help you think more strategically about the opportunities available to business owners. Because clarity creates confidence, and confidence helps people act.Take Action Today:If you are serious about building wealth through property, but not yet fully clear on your next move, book a complimentary clarity call with our team via the link below.In one conversation, we can help you get clearer on your position, your options, and the path forward — because clarity creates confidence, and confidence helps people act.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a complimentary clarity call⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with host of The Australian Property Show - Tom Haigh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We'll help analyse your current position, identify your biggest untapped opportunities, and get you moving towards the life you want.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠General Advice Warning! The information (including taxation) contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not consider your individual financial circumstances or needs. You should not act on the information provided without first obtaining professional advice specific to your circumstances. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individual; they are not reflective or indicative of Groundswell Property's position and are not to be attributed to Online Financial Planning Australia Pty Ltd. The host is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. This podcast cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of Groundswell Property.