Aussie home owners just got $82,000 richer on average

What a way to start the new year! After a strong 12 months in the property market, plenty of homeowners around the nation are now a whole lot wealthier. And their newfound increase in home equity has opened up some exciting possibilities for 2026.

Your home isn’t just a place to live in, it could also be a cornerstone of personal wealth.

2025 proved this in spades.

At a time when holiday spending means many of us may not be feeling particularly wealthy, a rise in your home’s value could see you $82,200 richer (on average) as we head into 2026, according to PropTrack.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening, and how you could put all that equity-driven wealth to work.

2025: a bumper year for homeowners

Australia’s housing market finished 2025 on a record high, spurred on by rate cuts, increased investor demand and expanded home buyer incentives, says PropTrack.

After climbing 8.8% over the year, the national median home value gained $82,200 over the course of the year.

Even bigger gains were recorded in several capital cities.

Sydney’s median value rose by $101,200 through 2025. Brisbane’s median went up $135,900 and Adelaide’s median home price grew by $101,600. 

Perth topped the leaderboard of gains, with the city’s median home price rising by an eye-watering $148,100 in 2025.

A few smart strategies could help you get a lot more bang from your higher-home-equity buck! Here are three ideas worth a look.

1. Give your place a makeover

Whether your home is a little too snug for your family’s needs, or it could just do with a thorough refresh, your home equity could help fund the renovation improvements.

Even better, renovations don’t just make your place more liveable, they can also add to your property’s value – making renovations a win-win.

2. Invest in a rental property

Property may not only serve as a long term investment, it could also generate regular rental income plus valuable tax savings (always speak to your tax professional for tailored advice on this).

And if you think you have to be rich to become a landlord, think again.

Teachers, nurses, truckies and cops are among the nation’s most-prolific property investors.

That’s because one trick to becoming an investor is to use your resources wisely. 

The good news is that you may be able to use home equity in lieu of cash as a deposit on an investment property.

This may not only let you hang onto cash savings, it could also mean you use one valuable asset (your home) to fund another asset (the rental place), which may also grow in value.

3. Refinance and reap the rewards of a new loan

An increase in your home’s value may offer more than bragging rights around the office water cooler. 

It could also help you save on interest on your home loan. 

When your home’s value increases, your loan-to-value ratio (LVR – that’s the value of your loan as a percentage of your home’s market value) decreases. 

This shift matters because a lower LVR may mean you represent less risk to lenders. And this might see you eligible for a lower interest rate.

Refinancing isn’t just about rate savings, though.

Switching to a new loan and lender could help you access new or more suitable loan features.

It could also free up funds for other purposes – anything from giving your kids a quality education, to paying for your next holiday, or consolidating personal debt to streamline your finances.

Talk to us about putting your equity to work

If you’re not making the most of your home equity, it might be time to ask yourself ‘why not?’.

Get in touch today to find out how you could make your home equity work harder.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to your circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Happy New Year! Let’s discuss some potential 2026 goals

There’s nothing quite like a New Year’s resolution to fire you up for another lap around the sun. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home, save on your mortgage, or leverage the equity in your current position, here are three resolutions to consider for 2026.

So long, 2025 … You know what? We’ve got to admit, you weren’t too bad after all.

Three RBA rate cuts, a bunch of first-home buyer schemes unveiled, and national property prices increasing by 8.7% all bode well for the three potential New Year’s resolutions we’ve outlined below.

Potential goal 1: cracking the property market

If you’ve been keen to buy your first home for a while, then we’ve got good news for you.

There are currently a range of government schemes that could help you get into the property market with less than the typical 20% deposit.

For starters, in October last year the federal government expanded the Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) so that all first home buyers are now eligible to buy a home with as little as a 5% deposit – and not pay lenders mortgage insurance.

Then in December, the federal government launched its long-awaited Help to Buy shared equity scheme.

Under the scheme, eligible home buyers only need a 2% deposit. From there, the government contributes up to 40% of the purchase price of a new home and up to 30% for existing homes, in exchange for an equity stake in the property.

There are also potential state and territory first-home owner grants and stamp duty concessions you may be eligible for, meaning you could already have enough saved up to buy your first home.

Get in touch today and we’ll help you crunch the numbers.

Potential goal 2: leverage newfound equity in your home

As we touched on earlier, national property prices have increased 8.7% over the past 12 months.

In the same period, we had three RBA cash rate cuts, meaning interest rates are lower than they were 12 months ago.

Now, with those two special ingredients combined, you could potentially refinance your home loan to a lower interest rate, cash out some newfound equity in your current property at the same time, and use that equity to invest in an investment property, shares, or a renovation.

Contact us today to get a clearer picture of your home’s potential equity – and how you could use it to achieve your financial goals in the year ahead.

Potential goal 3: refinance to a more competitive interest rate

The mortgage market remains highly competitive on the back of three rate cuts in 2025, with some lenders recently trimming their variable home loan rates. 

So there’s a chance you could be eligible for a lower rate, especially if you’ve had the same home loan for a while. 

Refinancing to a more competitively-priced loan could put money back in your pocket during 2026 (and beyond), or help you enjoy loan features better-suited to your needs.

Contact us today for a home loan review. The odds of another RBA rate cut this year are looking increasingly slim, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a special rate cut of your own!

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to your circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Season’s greetings! Here’s to a well-earned summer break

As the Christmas and New Year’s festive season rolls around, we want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your trust and support throughout 2025.

Fortunately, we had a bit more to smile about this year, with three RBA rate cuts and national property prices increasing by 8.7%.

That said, 2025 wasn’t without its hardships, with many families around the country still facing cost-of-living pressures and inflation starting to creep back up again (which inevitably brings with it talk of rate hikes, rather than cuts).

Looking ahead, if there’s anything we can do to help ease any cost-of-living pressures you may be experiencing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can review your home loan.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to buy your first home, second home, or an investment property (or a family member mentions any of the above over the Christmas catch-up), we hope you think of us!

But for now, take a well-earned pause, enjoy the festive moments, and spend time with the people who matter most.

While the year ahead will no doubt bring its own surprises, one thing remains constant: our commitment to supporting you at every stage of your property journey.

Wishing you a joyful Christmas, a relaxing break, and a bright, opportunity-filled year ahead. We look forward to supporting you again in 2026.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to your circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Your suburb’s 2025 property report card is in

You might’ve seen recent headlines that national property prices made another big jump this year. But do you know exactly how your suburb and property type performed? Well, today we’ll show you how to find out in just a few quick clicks.

Over the past year, home prices have risen 8.7% nationally, according to PropTrack. 

If you think that’s impressive, over the past five years, property values have jumped more than 50% nationally.

The question is, what’s the current market value in your neck of the woods? 

Here’s how to find out.

Does your neighbourhood top the table for price growth?

To discover what the average home is worth in your neighbourhood, and how much values have increased in the past year, head to Domain’s online property price calculator.

With any luck, you’ll be pleasantly surprised (note: you can toggle between ‘house’ and ‘unit’).

You could be among the home owners around Australia who have seen their place outstrip the national uptick (remember that’s 8.7% in the past year).

Domain data shows there have been some stand-out suburbs. 

Houses in Adelaide’s Blair Athol notched up 17% gains in 2025 to reach a median value of $802,500. 

Houses in Cabramatta, in Sydney’s south-west, jumped 18% to hit a median of $1.152 million. 

Brisbane’s Acacia Ridge (median value $830,000) recorded price growth of 13% in 2025.

Not far behind was the Perth suburb of Baldavis (median value of $720,000), where house price growth topped 11% this year. 

And in Melbourne, houses in beachside Frankston North racked up 10% price gains to reach a median value of $650,000.

Why have home prices climbed?

Australia’s housing market staged a surprise turnaround in 2025, thumbing its nose at affordability challenges and cost-of-living pressures, to achieve above-decade-average price growth.

Three rate cuts in 2025, an expanded 5% Deposit Scheme and low volumes of homes listed for sale helped drive values higher.

Put your home equity to work

A rise in your home’s value offers more than bragging rights over Christmas lunch. 

It could make you eligible for a lower-rate home loan, offer a source of funds to achieve personal goals in 2026, or be the key that lets you upgrade to your next home. 

Call us to find out how you could make the most of a rise in your home’s value.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to your circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

No Christmas rate cut – could rates rise in 2026?

Not so long ago plenty of economists were tipping a fresh round of rate cuts in 2026. But the picture’s not so clear anymore. There’s even talk of possible rate hikes next year. Here’s how you can prepare.

Talk about interest rates being unpredictable! 

We started 2025 with the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA’s) cash rate sitting at 4.35%. February saw the first rate cut in five years. After two further rate cuts, the cash rate is down to 3.60%. 

And thanks to the RBA keeping rates on hold in December, that’s exactly where the cash rate will stay – at least until February when the Reserve makes its next rate call.

The thing is, as recently as October, several of the big banks were predicting lower rates in 2026.

Today, the odds of a rate cut early next year – or any time over the next 12 months – are looking increasingly slim. 

Let’s take a look at why, and what you could do about it.

What’s stopping more rate cuts?

Three factors are keeping the cash rate in a holding pattern.

First, the Aussie economy is growing. It’s only managed growth of 2.1% for the year, but the direction is upwards.

In addition, the job market is strong. The unemployment rate fell to 4.3% in October, down from 4.5% in September.

The chief deal breaker for further rate cuts (for now) is rising living costs. 

Inflation is currently at 3.8%, well above the RBA’s target range of 2-3%. 

Following the December rate meeting, RBA Governor Michele Bullock told journalists “additional (rate) cuts are not needed”. Instead, she flagged the prospect of possible future rate hikes. 

Long story short: official rate cuts appear to be off the table. 

But that shouldn’t stop you from trying to make a rate cut of your own.

Let’s review your home loan

The mortgage market is highly competitive, with some lenders recently trimming their variable home loan rates. 

So there’s a chance you could score a lower rate, especially if you’ve had the same home loan for a while. 

Refinancing to a more competitively-priced loan could put money back in your pocket during in 2026 (and beyond), or help you enjoy loan features better-suited to your needs.

Contact us today for a home loan review – you could line yourself up with a rate cut in time for Christmas after all – or possibly even consider fixing it ahead of any more talk of rate hikes in 2026.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to your circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.