🎧 In this month’s Property Trio market update, Dave and Mike unpack the latest February 2026 monthly market figures.

Show Notes – Market Update: February Data, Global Risks & Investor Signals

In this month’s market update, Dave Johnston and Mike Mortlock take the reins while Cate is away, diving into the latest February housing data and unpacking what it means for sophisticated property buyers. The headline story is a familiar one…. Perth refuses to slow down, posting another strong monthly result and leading annualised growth across the capitals. After a decade of flat performance, affordability metrics and strong incomes continue to support the Western Australian market, even after a prolonged run.

Darwin, which briefly led the growth tables, appears to have stalled, highlighting the volatility that smaller capital cities can experience when transaction volumes are low and economic diversity is limited. Meanwhile, Sydney and Melbourne were largely flat for the month, while Brisbane and Adelaide continued to show resilience. Hobart, a market the Trio flagged months ago as near the bottom, is now showing early signs of recovery, supported by extremely tight vacancy rates and improving demand indicators. Could have the Trio picked the bottom of the Apple Isle’s market?

The discussion also explores a key shift beneath the surface. Regional markets are outperforming capital cities, helped by lower price points, internal migration trends and the ongoing impact of flexible work arrangements. Investors remain highly active, but sentiment surveys show growing caution, particularly among mortgage holders who are bracing for the possibility of further interest rate rises.

Global uncertainty is another theme this month, with rising oil prices, geopolitical tension and bond market movements pushing rate expectations higher. The Trio also examines the potential impact of policy changes, including possible capital gains tax reform and negative gearing adjustments, and how these could influence investor behaviour and rental supply.

Finally, the episode looks at emerging economic risks, including the early signs of job losses linked to artificial intelligence adoption, and what higher unemployment could mean for inflation, interest rates and property markets.

Despite the noise, the long-term message remains consistent: property cycles move at different speeds, but the fundamental drivers of supply, population and housing demand continue to underpin the market.

🏠 Tune in to hear more!…

Resources:

• Ep. 12: Property Cycle Management – why now is always the best time to buy if it suits your personal economy and you have a long-term property plan
• Ep. 158: How interest rate cycles have impacted the property market since 1990 when the RBA first started targeting the cash rate and some predictions on what will happen this time
• Ep. 164: Analysing regional locations – What investment principles can be gleaned from the highest performing regions in each state? Comparing capital city vs regional performance from 2003 – before and after covid
• Ep. 169: Houses vs units – Capital growth performance in capital cities and regions over the last 20 years and which locations have units outperformed houses and why?
• Ep. 313: The History of Property Prices After Rate Cuts – 40 Years of Data, Houses vs Units, Capitals vs Regions & Predictions

Upcoming ep: #354 – The Property Trio’s LIVE event

Charts sourced from Core Logic, ABS and SQM