‘The Time - is now…’
OPINION — There’s a palpable shift rippling through Australia’s property market. Off the back of interest rate cuts, surging consumer optimism, inflation pressures, and an array of government incentives, buyers are sensing that now is the perfect moment to dive back in.
We’re noticing this renewed vigour at our own auctions, with more bidders competing and clients once again walking away with significant prices above reserve. But what’s fuelling this reality, and what does it mean for buyers, sellers, and the market as a whole?
Yes, the comeback is real.
Interest rate relief is clearly doing the heavy lifting. The recent cut to the official cash rate has given households more breathing room and strengthened belief in rising home values. The “time to buy” index jumped 10.5 per cent month on month and is now 37 per cent higher than a year ago, a clear sign that buyer sentiment has turned.
At the same time, Australia’s housing stock has ballooned in value. In just one quarter, total residential dwelling values climbed by A$213 billion, pushing the national worth to A$11.6 trillion. The sheer scale of those figures shows just how much capital is flowing into property and staying there.
But the fear remains… and wisely so.
Despite the enthusiasm, buyers still wrestle with real phantoms: FOMO (fear of missing out), COMO (compromise or miss out), and FOOP (fear of overpaying). These aren’t just buzzwords; they’re evident in bidder behaviour.
When multiple confident buyers compete, the urge to act quickly can lead to emotional overbidding or later regret. While this bodes well for sellers, it does carry consequences. Many experienced voices in the property sector warn against letting impulse override fundamentals. As the always reliable Andrew Grinsell notes, FOMO can be “the very thing standing between you and genuine wealth creation.”
Time in the market beats timing - every time.
The success of a property investment lies less in catching the bottom and more in staying put through cycles. Buyers who try to pick the perfect moment risk spending endless time on the sidelines, missing out on compounding growth, rental income, and long-term capital appreciation.
By contrast, a property held for seven, ten, or fifteen years has a much higher chance of absorbing volatility and rewarding patience. Real wealth in property is built not through perfect timing, but through consistent, informed ownership. The element of “time in the market” allows greater yield and capital growth to compound, cushioning against any perceived short-term missteps.
The time is (always) now.
Yes, it is true that conditions today are propitious, thanks to rate cuts, stronger sentiment, government incentives, and low supply all combining to make it feel like now is the time to pounce.
But the true winner isn’t always determined by their ability to catch the moment; they emerge by enduring through many different peaks and troughs.
FOMO may be fuelling the rush in, and FOOP may lead to cold feet for some potential buyers. But those who anchor their strategy on the long view, focusing on fundamentals such as location, maintenance, cash flow, and holding power, are the ones best placed to turn this renewed cycle into generational returns.
Because ultimately, it’s not the timing of the market that matters most, it’s the time spent in the market that counts. Those who stay invested, stay patient, and stay educated will continue to benefit long after the latest cycle fades.
As the saying goes, property rewards patience… and in today’s climate, patience and trust might just be the most undervalued assets of all.
