GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

In Switzerland, foreign buyers can pretty much buy any home they want, from alpine chalets to lakeside villas, with no restrictions, as long as they’ve got the budget.(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• What is the 18-year-cycle and are we about to peak?

• Vacancy rates at record low - what does this mean for PMs?

• Reader response to the Tesolin ban sparked widespread debate across the real estate industry

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 20 seconds

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FORECAST

The 18-year cycle and what comes next

Is Australia still in expansion mode, or approaching the point where the cycle turns? Property analyst Catherine Cashmore believes the answer lies in a structural pattern that has repeated across generations – the 18 year property cycle and she says we're nearing a critical inflection point. She references researchers who emerged after the Great Depression, including Homer Hoyt and Roy Wenzlick.

"His pamphlet was published in 1936, and it became a bestseller," Catherine said. "It outsold Gone With the Wind."

What these early land economists discovered about property markets reveals something agents need to consider now, as the same structural forces that drove past cycles remain in play today, even with policy intervention, migration flows, and lending regulation adding complexity.

"We are approaching that next inflection point," she says.

At the centre of Catherine's argument is something deceptively simple: the role of land itself as the underlying driver of economic behaviour.

"Everything we do is about land," she said. "We live on it, work on it, sleep on it, eat from it."

How speculation, credit availability, and taxation settings interact to create long waves, rather than linear growth, changes how you might think about risk and opportunity.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The historical evidence: How researchers mapped 100 years of land values and what patterns emerged

• Late-cycle signals: The specific market behaviours Catherine watches for as inflection points approach

• The tax system connection: Why Catherine believes cycles will continue repeating without structural reform

• Timing windows: Her view on when the next turning point may arrive

Whether you see the 18-year cycle as a predictive framework or an observational lens, understanding where we sit within it could reshape how you advise clients in the months ahead.

Read the full article

ICYMI, yesterday, Hayley Mitchell discussed why not all business is good business.

TOGETHER WITH PM/ONE

PM/ONE 2026: property management takes centre stage

PM/ONE returns to the Sydney Hilton on September 13–14, positioning property management firmly at the centre of the industry conversation as leaders gather to tackle everything from AI disruption to the future of human connection in business.

Founder Fiona Blayney says the event exists because property management is too often treated as secondary in real estate, despite being central to how agencies operate and survive. PM/ONE was created to give the sector its own platform where it is recognised as “the main event” rather than a side discussion, arguing that many businesses would struggle without it. She says the industry is now at a turning point, driven by rapid technological change and rising expectations, and staying relevant will depend on stronger connection between professionals and a renewed focus on shared learning as the sector moves beyond 2026.

“The future of property management will not be shaped by doing more of the same. At PM/ONE, we are bringing together strong industry practice with ideas from in and outside our sector that can challenge thinking, broaden perspective and improve the way we lead, operate and deliver service” .

Early bird tickets are now on sale at $795. Read more about PM/ONE here.

MARKET

Rent growth stalls despite record-low vacancies

Domain’s latest Rental Report shows rent growth is slowing in several cities despite record-low vacancy rates. Affordability is increasingly influencing rental outcomes across the country, with tighter budgets shaping how much renters can pay. Conditions are now varying significantly by city and property type.

OPINION: A MUST READ

One article triggered an industry conversation

Last week's piece on the Tesolin ruling drew responses across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, email, and phone – unlike anything we've seen. The conversation split into debates on awards culture, underquoting practices (with a revealing state-by-state breakdown), and whether NSW's proposed $110,000 fines will actually change behaviour. Here is what you had to say.

HOW IT SOLD

$900k building record from a lifestyle pitch

Jarrod Dickens marketed a Newcastle CBD apartment on its city-living appeal rather than property features alone. Two buyers emerged ready to purchase, driving negotiations that secured the building's highest recorded sale after just 30 days on market.

Stories like this build your online reputation long after the sold sticker comes down. Want yours told? getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

Mariah Carey says goodbye to her $27m Manhattan sky palace

The triplex from that iconic 2002 MTV Cribs episode, (where Mariah declared every room her favourite), has hit the market at US$27 million. The 12,728-square-foot Tribeca penthouse is drenched in butterfly motifs, from cabinet handles to bath soap, and once featured Marilyn Monroe's white baby grand.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Aaron Raco joins The Agency

The 23-year northern beaches veteran brings experience across residential sales and major off-the-plan developments exceeding $400 million. More here.

Jade Fitzgerald builds a family buyer's agency

Her brother Vern joined Ideal Property Buyers last year, turning the Brisbane-based business into a family operation focused on personalised service. More here.

Success doesn’t rest on weekends! 
Get the latest on top agent and agency moves every Sunday with our weekly roundup in Movers & Shakers. Subscribe now.

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

Love the house, just not the price, suburb, or anything really… OK, straight to (text) jail you go. 🚔⛓️

Seen an Agent On Social we should include? Let us know here (email link)

TRUE OR FALSE:

In Switzerland, foreign buyers can pretty much buy any home they want, from alpine chalets to lakeside villas, with no restrictions, as long as they’ve got the budget.

And the answer is …

False (and not even close)

In reality, Switzerland keeps foreign buyers on a pretty short leash under the Lex Koller law - think of it as real estate “VIP access only”.

Foreign buyers don’t get free rein to snap up alpine chalets wherever they please. Under the country’s rules, non-residents are usually limited to buying property only in designated holiday zones, often with strict caps on size and usage, and in some areas, they need government or cantonal approval just to proceed.

So instead of “pick any lakeside villa you like,” it’s more like: you can have a Swiss holiday home… but only from the approved menu, in the approved location, with the approved paperwork.

Wishing you a productive day!

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