🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒The Property Trend Agents Can’t Ignore

GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

A chocolate brown bedroom could help sellers achieve a higher sale price than a white bedroom.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• The multi-gen housing trend agents can’t ignore

• The fight is on to ‘axe the tax’

• Housing supply watch

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 30 seconds

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LISTINGS

Why multi-gen homes are reshaping property demand

Sydney's median house price now sits at 16.7 times average annual earnings, up from just five times in 1981, a shift that is fundamentally reshaping how Australians think about housing and family life. New McCrindle research shows 57% of Australians are now open to multigenerational living, as affordability pressures push households to pool resources and rethink the traditional path to homeownership.

Urban Land Housing CEO Katrina Tarrant says the issue has moved beyond a simple rental shortage, arguing: "We've actually pushed rents beyond people's affordability," with families increasingly combining households to stay afloat.

She says this shift is already being reflected in what the market is demanding, with properties featuring dual-occupancy layouts, granny flats, studio attachments and zoned living spaces leasing faster and attracting stronger interest.

While 65% of Australians now believe the traditional homeownership pathway is broken, McCrindle data also shows a counter-tension remains, with 73% still preferring a smaller private home over shared living, particularly among Gen Z and Baby Boomers.

Katrina says this friction between affordability and privacy is now central to how agents need to position property, as multigenerational living moves from a niche arrangement to a mainstream response to Australia’s housing pressures.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The price-to-income ratios: How Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth compare – and why these numbers matter in vendor conversations

• Three high-demand floorplan configurations: The specific layouts attracting multigenerational buyers and tenants

• The co-purchasing trend: How families are pooling funds to buy five and six-bedroom homes together

• The sandwich generation opportunity: Why Gen X clients may be your most motivated multigenerational buyers

This is one of those shifts that touches every part of your business – from listing descriptions to buyer qualification conversations.

Read the full article

ICYMI yesterday: How agents can take advantage of the AI trust gap

TOGETHER WITH EBM RENTCOVER

The insurance myths costing landlords thousands

Landlords often assume their insurance will protect them against every eventuality, but experts warn that many policies contain exclusions, limits and conditions that can leave owners unexpectedly out of pocket when it comes time to make a claim.

From believing loss of rent is automatically covered to confusing accidental damage with malicious damage, common misconceptions can lead to claim disputes, repair delays and strained relationships with property managers. EBM RentCover says agents play a crucial role in helping landlords understand that not all policies offer the same level of protection and that factors such as policy definitions, excesses, sub-limits and leasing conditions can significantly affect cover. By encouraging landlords to look beyond price and understand exactly what their policy includes, agents can help avoid costly surprises and create a smoother claims process for everyone involved.

Read more about EBM RentCover here

AUCTION MARKET

Confidence crisis emerges as the real story behind the auction slowdown

Australia's falling auction clearance rates are only part of the story, with Domain revealing buyer confidence, not demand, is now driving the market. As purchasers wait for greater certainty, vendors are increasingly withdrawing listings rather than accepting lower prices.

POLICY

Hume demands Labor ‘axe the tax’

The Coalition wants proposed changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing scrapped entirely. Deputy Liberal Leader Jane Hume says the reforms would hurt small businesses and undermine aspiration – and she's flagged that changes affecting millions of Australians are only getting a two-day parliamentary inquiry.

PROPERTY DEMAND

Supply crunch drives biggest house price jumps in WA and Queensland

Western Australia added 3.2 people for every new home completed last year – and house prices jumped 25.2%. Queensland wasn't far behind at 2.8 people per dwelling and 17% growth. Ray White Chief Economist Nerida Conisbee says the state-by-state breakdown makes the link between supply shortfalls and price pressure hard to miss.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Dallas estate with presidential neighbour asks A$102M

Villa Fiorenza has hosted Coco Chanel, royalty, and presidents – and George W. Bush lives next door. The 15.7-acre Crespi Estate is back for its third listing in two years at A$102 million, up from the A$75 million it couldn't sell for last year.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Jon McConkey joins McGrath Lower North Shore and Harbourside as Head of Growth and Performance

The former Domain executive and Before You Buy Chief Revenue Officer takes on the newly created role across the group's six offices. More here.

Explore Property welcomes Bowen office to the network

The team formerly known as Peter Lawton Property has joined Explore Property, becoming Explore Property Bowen while keeping the same local team in place. More here.

Eric Seetoo joins Harcourts Property Centre

The veteran Noosa luxury specialist brings three decades of experience to the brand, including sales exceeding $23 million. 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

Currently in hiding. They say good agents are hard to find. 😉🫣

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

A chocolate brown bedroom could help sellers achieve a higher sale price than a white bedroom.

And the answer is …

TRUE. According to Zillow's 2026 Paint Colour Analysis, buyers were willing to offer up to $2,277 more for homes with a chocolate brown bedroom compared to the same room painted white. The standout shade was Sherwin-Williams Turkish Coffee, which researchers said created a warm, cosy and luxurious feel that resonated with buyers. The findings suggest today's buyers are gravitating towards richer, more character-filled interiors rather than plain white spaces.

Wishing you a productive day!

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