

The Elephant In The Room Property Podcast | Inside Australian Real Estate
Chris Bates
Who's really in control when you buy a property?
The Elephant In The Room is where the things that no one wants to talk about, actually get talked about.
Veronica Morgan, real estate agent, buyers agent and co-host of Foxtel’s Location Location Location Australia & Chris Bates, financial planner, mortgage broker and wealth coach have joined forces to find out what’s really going on in the world of real estate.
Veronica and Chris talk to property owners and buyers every day in their respective lines of business. They’ve observed a wide spectrum of confidence in people’s decision making ability when buying and selling property, often to the detriment of the individuals concerned. They are both fascinated by consumer behaviour and together they’re going to uncover who’s really making the decisions when you buy a property.
In each episode they get into the psyche of buyers, agents, auctioneers and other industry experts to learn the truth about how buyers are influenced and why they do the things they do. In every episode you’ll learn from the mistakes of a “property dumbo” as well as Chris & Veronica’s “elephant rider bootcamp” training session.
The plan? This property podcast has been created to help us all make better property decisions!
The Elephant In The Room is where the things that no one wants to talk about, actually get talked about.
Veronica Morgan, real estate agent, buyers agent and co-host of Foxtel’s Location Location Location Australia & Chris Bates, financial planner, mortgage broker and wealth coach have joined forces to find out what’s really going on in the world of real estate.
Veronica and Chris talk to property owners and buyers every day in their respective lines of business. They’ve observed a wide spectrum of confidence in people’s decision making ability when buying and selling property, often to the detriment of the individuals concerned. They are both fascinated by consumer behaviour and together they’re going to uncover who’s really making the decisions when you buy a property.
In each episode they get into the psyche of buyers, agents, auctioneers and other industry experts to learn the truth about how buyers are influenced and why they do the things they do. In every episode you’ll learn from the mistakes of a “property dumbo” as well as Chris & Veronica’s “elephant rider bootcamp” training session.
The plan? This property podcast has been created to help us all make better property decisions!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 1, 2023 • 1h 6min
An Honest Real Estate Agent... No, Really!
Truthful and honest real estate agents are a rare commodity in the property market. Finding agents willing to call a property what it is, for the sake of the people involved, and not just about the potential commissions one could make is quite challenging. And so we’ve brought in David Murphy, a genuine career agent who has captured our attention through his weekly newsletters that cut through the crap, to join us in our episode today. We talk about his very matter-of-fact approach as a real estate agent, his sharp and honest perspective on the behaviours displayed by buyers and sellers alike, and why people are at the heart of real estate (not houses). If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: Welcome to The Elephant In The Room [00:00] Truth and honesty are what people want in agents [2:10] How sellers can pick the right agent [6:46] Dealing with property issues with the seller [10:33] Unrealistic expectations during the buying and selling journey [15:15] Agents using fear during a market that turns down [16:35] Understanding the power of established markets [21:30] Frustrating buyer behaviour [24:36] What if agents show preference over buyers [27:52] The bigger picture of real estate [33:06] What is really frustrating with vendors [37:02] Buyer’s agents [43:07] Is every property a good property? [46:19] The drive behind David’s resilience to stay independent [52:13] Access to people makes a real estate agent’s job worth it [57:13] About our Guest: David Murphy’s passion for property saw him join a successful local agency at just 19, where he was trained and mentored by one of the area’s leading real estate identities and received numerous sales awards. David’s drive to make his mark on the industry saw him start his own agency in 2007, bringing his honed sales expertise and intimate local knowledge to his network of clients. Since then he has proudly nurtured a close-knit team who are known for championing an exceptional client experience in addition to achieving market-leading results. David now regularly rates among the most recommended agents and agencies in Mosman according to ratemyagent.com.au. Both the agency’s sales business and the property management department that followed have grown organically over time, driven by a corporate culture that is encouraging, progressive and client centric. Achieving his goal of becoming the leading independent agency in Mosman, David is dedicated to giving back to the local community that has been so supportive of the agency. A lifelong Lower North Shore local, he thrives on building relationships and relishes the challenges of negotiations, aiming to position himself as a trusted long-term real estate advisor to his clients. Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/261 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 25, 2022 • 56min
How the Flying Taxi Market Will Revolutionize Urban Transportation
We may soon be able to hop in an air taxi and cross the city in a fraction of the time it takes to cross congested roads thanks to driverless cars and drone deliveries. How will this affect our airways? Does it affect the view, the noise, or the privacy? Or safety? What effect will this have on property values? In this episode, The CEO of Skyportz, Clem Newton-Brown, discussed the possibility of air taxis revolutionizing aviation transportation within the next ten to thirty years. He also shared that the idea of air taxis has been in development since 2015, when Uber introduced the concept and many more. If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: Air Taxi Revolution Becoming Mainstream [02:21] Convey Commercially Certified Type Passengers [08:26] The Frontrunners are Already Flying [14:01] The Game Changing Cost [18:18] Federal Governments Interested in Regional Connectivity [20:24] This Aerial Revolution Will Change Tourism [25:17] Building Charging Stations To Be Ready for Electronic Aviation [30:12] Breaking the Annexes Between Aviation and Airport [37:19] Juggling with the Great Unknowns [49:56] The Big Hold-Up are the Regulators [52:50] About our Guest: Clem Newton-Brown is the CEO of Skyportz. He has undertaken a new era of advanced aerial mobility in Australia and now in Asia is identifying suitable landing sites that could help establish the initial landing infrastructure. He was Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne Member of Victorian Parliament, and barrister specialising in planning and property development. These experiences puts him at the forefront of the emerging aerial mobility industry.Visit the Skyportz to learn more: https://skyportz.com/. Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/259 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 18, 2022 • 1h 3min
The Differences Between American and Australian Property Markets | David Sidoni, How to Buy a Home Podcast
Property bears who predict that the Australian property prices will nosedive to 40% will often refer to what happened to the American property market in the mid 2000s… Is this basis reliable? Are the circumstances in both property markets similar to encounter the same outcome? In this episode, we are joined by David Sidoni, the host of How to Buy a Home Podcast, to do a comparative analysis on the Australian and American property market. We discuss the government’s control over property prices, home loan rates, drivers of property prices, buyer’s agents and more! If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: The Great Financial Crisis [02:29] Mortgage rates in the U.S. [11:29] Economic slowdown amid inflation [19:14] The Airbnb space [23:24] The role of the buyer’s agent in US [24:46] Government manipulation of interest rates [32:18] What is the 1031 Exchange? [34:54] Closing costs, explained [41:12] What caused the Great Recession? [43:45] “Rent back”: the natural process of a sale [50:00] David’s property Dumbo [52:57] About our Guest: David Sidoni began his real estate career in 2005 and after serving hundreds of first time home buyers in southern California, in 2019 he decided he was sick and tired of seeing first time home buyers being treated like garbage by the real estate industry. He kept seeing them passed over by the experienced Realtors and used as gunnie pigs for brand new agents to “get their feet wet” and learn how to be Realtors. Well, he didn’t have time to retrain an entire industry, so he decided to start the How to Buy a Home podcast and peel back the curtain for first time buyers and let them know the insider secrets on how to find the rare professionals that would give them the service they deserve. Now with almost 800,000 downloads and hours of free education and videos at www.HowtoBuyaHome.com the revolution has begun and first timers all over the US and Canada are getting empowered with real expertise from a true advocate for all frustrated renters seeking real, quality information and guidance Links from the show: How to Buy a Home https://www.howtobuyahome.com/ Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/259 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 11, 2022 • 57min
From Rental to Regional Property Prices… What Else for 2023? | Paul Ryan, REA
Regional Australia outperforming the capital cities in both sale and rental price growth remains to be one of the major phenomena of the country’s great property boom in 2021. However, property prices in regional markets are showing signs of a nosedive. Additionally, the return of immigration might worsen the already severe rental crisis soon… In this episode, we are joined by Paul Ryan, an economist at REA, to talk about what else we can expect in the Australian housing market in 2023. We discuss measuring rental prices, rent inflation, regional versus capital markets, regional sale prices and more! If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: The effects of remote work on housing prices [04:16] The demographic change in regional areas and capital cities [13:08] Current buyer behaviour in auctions [21:08] Seller intentions: checking property valuations [26:40] Why it’s taking longer to sell homes [30:25] Interest rate targeting of inflation [34:53] Measuring rental prices [39:54] Conversion rate of appraisals [34:45] A period of uncertainty in the property market [47:49] Paul’s Property Dumbo [53:05] About our Guest: Paul is an economist at REA, specialising in housing finance, market forecasting and big data analysis. Before joining REA in December 2020, Paul spent a decade at the Reserve Bank of Australia conducting research on the Australian economy, focusing on housing markets, lending risks and regulatory effects on property markets. Paul is based in Sydney. Links from the show: https://www.realestate.com.au/insights/what-rent-inflation-isnt-telling-you-about-the-extent-of-the-rental-crunch/ https://www.realestate.com.au/insights/five-ways-covid-changed-the-property-market/ Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/258 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 4, 2022 • 1h 1min
Inflationary Pressures and Rising Cost of Living: How Vulnerable are We? | Belinda Allen, CBA
Interest rates have been rising every month since early this year… To make matters worse, inflation is also yet to be under control. How vulnerable are homeowners and investors in a high inflationary environment and what do we need to be most worried about? Senior Economist at the Commonwealth Bank Belinda Allen joins us today to talk about Australia’s current economic landscape… How can we measure the impact of rising interest rates on household spending, mortgage arrears and the erosion of our buffers? We discuss the lag effect of interest rate rises, household spending intentions, inflationary pressures and more! If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: Belinda Allen’s overall observation on 2022 [01:44] The fundamental drivers of inflation [07:04] Limiting household spending to maintain buffers [11:53] Wage growth in Australia [21:30] How immigration impacts population growth [24:40] Global inflation and the volatility of financial markets [27:22] Economic growth’s effect on climate change [31:52] Banks’ responses to problem hotspots [38:39] Higher retail spending during Christmas [48:04] Why forecasting during COVID was difficult [49:19] The biggest challenge is getting the pricing right [56:12] About our Guest: Belinda Allen is a Senior Economist at the Commonwealth Bank. She has extensive experience as a financial markets economist. Belinda joined the Commonwealth Bank in 2017. Her work primarily involves developing and communicating views on the Australian and international economies. Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/257 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 27, 2022 • 1h 6min
Commercial Property Risk: What Every Investor Should Know | Scott O’Neill, Rethink Investing
All seasoned investors know that commercial property is a high-yield investment that typically offers the potential for higher rents than residential property. Despite its promising opportunities, however, investing in commercial property also entails risks. In this episode of The Elephant in the Room, commercial property specialist and host of Rethink Property Investing Scott O’Neill joins us today to talk about the commercial space. What are the advantages and disadvantages of investing in commercial property? We also discuss the ideal investor profile that’s best suited for commercial property investment, how to avoid the risks, the best market conditions for retail, and more! If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: What drove Scott O’Neill into the commercial property space [01:39] Why commercial property investment is a moving target [05:58] Ensuring higher yields in your investment [10:00] Doing due diligence [14:28] The current market conditions for commercial properties [21:20] Trends Scott O’Neill sees in the current property space [24:02] The ideal profile of a commercial property investor [30:56] Restructuring your investment portfolio [35:46] Understanding the financial element of commercial property investment [40:23] What’s a good location for a commercial property? [43:23] Scott’s property Dumbo [45:23] About our Guest: Scott O’Neill is a professional property investor, author and the Founder and Director of Rethink Investing. Rethink Investing is a BRW Fast 100 company (2017 & 2018) and Australia’s number one buyer’s agency for commercial property investors. Rethink Investing has helped over 3,050 clients purchase over $2.5 billion in real-estate since 2015. Scott also hosts the top rating podcast: Inside Commercial property https://www.rethinkinvesting.com.au/podcast/. Links from the show: Inside Commercial Property Podcast (https://www.rethinkinvesting.com.au/podcast/) Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/256 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 20, 2022 • 43min
Stamp Duty vs. Land Tax: What are the Implications for FHBs?
The NSW Government has just passed a legislation allowing first homebuyers the opportunity to choose… Should property purchasers save up another 5% on top of their deposit for stamp duty? Or commit to an annual land tax bill of a much smaller amount? In this episode of The Elephant in the Room, Chris and Veronica discuss what the NSW legislation really means for first homebuyers. Should they pay their stamp duty or land tax? What are the pros and cons of both options? If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: New South Wales’ new tax legislation [1:06] Stamp duty versus land tax: how are they calculated [04:00] How will this impact investors [12:34] Veronica’s Property Dumbo [16:33] The impact on borrowing capacity [21:36] Three groups of buyers impacted by interest rate rises [25:09] Focusing on quality assets rather than panic buying [30:35] Making the right choice [35:04] Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/255 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 13, 2022 • 56min
Listener Q&A | Top Questions from Property Investors and Homebuyers
Property investment is a high-risk venture that even the most seasoned investors remain on the lookout for new learning opportunities. Wherever you are in your investment journey, it is essential that you prepare and become adaptable to market changes. In today’s episode, we will be answering some of the most common questions we receive from investors and homebuyers. We tackle concerns about risk management in property investing, the pros and cons of buying a family compound, buying a high-return property on a low income, avoiding fad design trends, and more! If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: Using equity to borrow-invest a million dollars [01:02] How can low income families start investing in property [11:20] Understanding the role of real estate agents [15:53] Fad design trends vs timeless designs [17:53] Problems with long-term property plans [24:11] Potential opportunity costs [29:19] The risks of family consortium [32:56] Roof gutter downpipes as flood preparation [42:03] Buyer’s agents to get a competitive market advantage [46:59] Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/254 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 6, 2022 • 59min
Should We Be Worried About the Australian Economy? | Carlos Cacho, Jarden Australia
Inflation, rising cost of living and interest rates… Signs of a global looming recession have never been more palpable. As a result, many Australians question: amid all this negativity, where are we heading to? In this episode, Chief Economist at Jarden Australia Carlos Cacho joins us to weigh in on the current state of the national economy. Despite these difficult circumstances, is there a light at the end of this tunnel? We discuss what’s going on in the property market, consumer behavior and why spending is unaffected by low consumer confidence, labour shortages in Australia, and how inflation can lead us to a potentially worse economic outcome. If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: The global shift around goods versus services: [02:21] Why is Australia more affected by rising interest rates [05:38] Does consumer confidence impact spending? [09:18] Should Australians worry about inflation? [11:34] Looming recession amid rising unemployment and wage hikes [14:34] Labour shortages in Australia [18:08] The current pressures on the rental market [22:00] Where the national economy is heading to [27:24] The state of the property market [35:44] Changes to buyers’ borrowing capacity [47:00] Carlos’ Property Dumbo [54:52] About our Guest: Carlos Cacho is Chief Economist and Bank Analyst for Jarden in Australia. Prior to joining Jarden, Carlos spent three years as Australian Economist at UBS Australia, and previously five years at Colonial First State Global Asset Management. Carlos holds a Bachelor of Economics, as well as a First Class Honours in Economics from the University of New South Wales. Links from the show: Australia’s Economic Recovery | Carlos Cacho, Jarden Group (https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/177) Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/253 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 30, 2022 • 60min
Is Property Price Movement Data Reliable? | Kent Lardner, Suburb Help
We are ending October with another Suburb Help episode! This time, we’re talking about property price movement…is the data accurate? Joining us to discuss this breakthrough research is none other than our resident data geek, Kent Lardner. We talk about the various patterns that reveal which segments of the market are heavily affected in a slowdown. We also reveal areas that are undergoing major shifts and seeing big changes in supply, the metrics to identify better quality property investments, finding the right timing in a property boom, and more! If you enjoyed the show, do like, rate, subscribe, and share us on social media and if you have your own questions you need clarity on, email us at questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au! See you in the episode! Episode Highlights: Five markets that have undergone major shifts [03:50] The impact of the surge in listings [07:46] Your competition depends on your borrowing capacity [12:13] What’s the quality of listings in today’s market? [15:03] Is there a shift in the mentality of property owners? [24:00] How Kent Lardner sees patterns in data [27:21] Evergreen metrics: assessing supply issues [30:51] The art of finding great assets [37:24] Timing the market in a property boom [47:09] Borrowing capacity and FOMO as big drivers [55:51] About our Guest: Kent Lardner is a data science and business leader with over 30 years experience working for companies such as JLL, CoreLogic and General Electric. He has a passion for digital high growth businesses and has led teams of 5 to 200 people in both Australia and China. Links from the show: Suburb Help (www.suburbhelp.com) Connect with Us: Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? www.gooddeeds.com.au Work with Veronica: https://linktr.ee/veronicamorgan Looking for a Mortgage Broker? www.wealthful.com.au Work with Chris: hello@wealthful.com.au Send in your questions to: questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au Find this episode on our website: https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au/podcasts/252 If you’ve enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, rate and subscribe for more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


