Is the property market broken, or are you just playing by the old rules?

If you’re a buyer right now, you can feel it: the goalposts have moved. The strategies that worked in 2024 (and even early 2025) are now the exact reason buyers are getting stuck, outbid, or left behind.

In this state of the market episode, we’re welcoming back Sean Simpson (Dashdot's Head of Property), to round out the year & break down exactly what is happening on the ground as we head into 2026. We’re stripping away the headlines to look at the structural shifts in supply and the "hidden" traps catching smart buyers off guard.

Most importantly, we’re handing you the new playbook. This isn’t about waiting for the "right time" — it’s about having the right protocol to win in the toughest conditions we’ve seen in a decade.

In this episode:

• Why the market feels "irrational" (and why it’s actually perfectly logical)
• The supply lag and buyer pool data you haven't seen
• Why your "common sense" negotiation tactics will cause you to lose in 2026
• A step-by-step protocol to regain control and buy with confidence

Stop guessing. Start strategising.

See you on the inside. 

IMPORTANT: The Investor Lab is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research and seek independent professional advice before making any investment or financial decisions.

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WATCH ON YOUTUBE: 
State of the Market: How to Win in the Toughest Conditions in a Decade

MENTIONS:

• Did Macquarie Just Break Property Investing? (The Truth About Their Lending Freeze)
• How To Build A Property Portfolio That Pays For Itself
• Need help with your finance strategy? Chat with the Callum and the team: 
  http://hey.dashdotfinance.com.au/discoverycall

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OTHER RESOURCES TO HELP: 

1. Join the conversation: The Investor Lab Community 
2. Looking for a team to partner with you in your portfolio building journey?
   Book a no-obligation discovery call with Dashdot: https://bit.ly/3E0wKGa
3. Need finance guidance? Chat with the Dashdot Finance team:
   http://hey.dashdotfinance.com.au/discoverycall
4. Build Your FREE Portfolio Growth Plan on Property Pathfinder:
   https://propertypathfinder.io
5. Got a question or some feedback? We're all ears!
   https://bit.ly/tilqs

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Catch Up On Recent Episodes:

• Has APRA Killed Investment Lending? (What It Means for 2026)
• What Most Property Investors Get Completely Wrong
• The Brutal Truths About Property Investing for Cashflow Right Now
• Did Macquarie Just Break Property Investing? (The Truth About Their Lending Freeze)
• How to Build a Portfolio That Works When the System Doesn’t
• Australia's Property Market Is About To Explode (Here's Why)
• Managing a Market Meltdown: What Smart Investors Do When Chaos Strikes 
• Why You Feel Poorer Even as the World Gets Richer
• AI, Housing & Money Printing: 3 Big Questions Shaping Your Financial Future 
• Turning Property Wealth Into Retirement Income
• The Great Melt-Up: When Trust in Money Dies 
• The Illusion of Prosperity: Why Getting Ahead Feels Impossible 
• First Home Guarantee Scheme, Property Scarcity, and Why It Matters for Everyone Else
• NZ Property Market Crash: What Does It Mean For Australia?
• Bitcoin vs Australian Real Estate
• We Answer Everything: When You Have "Enough" Money, Why Cash Flow Is Dead & The Future of Money
• Why You Need To Retire Earlier Than You Think
• Beyond 2030: The Prosperity Wave Most Investors Will Miss (Biggest Opportunity Ever)
• Why Your Buyers Agent Might Be Leading You Into a Property Trap
• How To Build A Property Portfolio That Pays For Itself
• The Coming US Debt Collapse (And What It Means For Australia) 
• How to Help Everyone You Care About Win in the New Economy
• How to Design a Life You Won't Regret in the Next 5 Years
• How AI Will Change Your Economic Future 
• AI Is Here: And Most People Aren't Ready
• Is A Supercycle Coming? (Housing Market Outlook)
• The Inner Game of Investing
• Trusts & SMSFs: How Advanced Investors Are Rethinking Their Structures in 2025
• Tariffs, Trade Wars, and What It Means For Your Portfolio
• Portfolio Acceleration Masterclass
• Financial Jiu-Jitsu: How to Break Through Your Portfolio's Cashflow Constraints
• Winning the Investment Game: How to Set & Beat Your Hurdle Rate
• Fake Gold? Markets Down? Liquidity Up? – What’s REALLY Going On?
• The RBA Just Changed the Game — Here’s What It Means for You
• Hold vs Sell: How to Know When to Take Profits
• Bitcoin: Why Every Property Investor Needs to Consider Owning It
• Everything You Need To Know About Property Investing Finance
• Property Investing In Australia In 2025: What You Need To Know
• Investment Strategies for 2025
• Follow the Money: How Liquidity Drives Asset Prices (and How You Can Benefit)
• What You Don’t Know About Money Could Cost You Everything 

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Connect:
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