The Property Couch

In this Friday Fundamentals episode, Ben is joined by building inspector Paul Baker to unpack one of the most common causes of property damage:
Water.
It comes from everywhere — leaking gutters, under-slab plumbing issues, failed waterproofing, cracked grout, balconies, bathrooms, and more.
And according to Paul, it’s behind the vast majority of the issues he sees in homes.
This conversation breaks down why water causes so much damage, what warning signs buyers and owners should look out for, and why some “small” issues can turn into very expensive repairs if they’re ignored.
If you’re buying, selling, renovating, or maintaining a property, this is a practical episode with real value.
Got a question or a “hill” you want us to unpack? Send it through here 👉 https://thepropertycouch.com.au/topics/
LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

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Negative gearing reforms. Capital gains tax changes. Trust adjustments. Housing affordability measures. Productivity promises. 
Beyond the latest Federal Budget headlines… what are the real consequences? 
This week, Ben is joined by David Robertson, Chief Economist, Head of Economic and Markets Research at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, and Evan Lucas, Market Commentator, to unpack one of the most ambitious (and controversial) budgets in decades. 
Together they explore: 
💰 What tax reform could mean for investors 
📉 Will borrowing power and investor behaviour change? 
📊 Could this create a two-tier property market? 
🤖 Why AI and productivity may become Australia's next growth story 
Plus: the unintended consequences nobody seems to be talking about... 
It’s a sharp look into where Australia’s economy is heading with these tsunami reforms.  Tune in now! 
 
FREE STUFF MENTIONED
(FREE WEBINAR) Property Prices After Tax Reform: Fact vs Fiction
With major changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax now on the table, what does this mean for property prices, investors, first-home buyers and renters?
Join Ben LIVE as he cuts through the headlines to unpack the potential winners, losers and unintended consequences shaping Australia’s property market.
🗓 Tuesday, 26th May
⏰ 7:30pm AEST
👉 Register Free Here 
Mortgage Hacks Video Series
Cashflow feeling tight? Ben’s got 6 short videos packed with practical mortgage hacks that could put hundreds of dollars back in your pocket every month. 
👉 Listen now! 
Listen Evan’s Podcast: Exchanges with Evan Lucas 
Missed our thoughts on the 2026 Federal Budget? Listen to 597 | Federal Budget 2026: Are YOU a Winner or Loser? (Property Edition) 
LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
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- Youtube

Ben Kingsley sits down with Senator Andrew Bragg, Liberal Senator and Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of housing, tax reform, productivity and Australia’s economic direction.
In this special interview, they unpack the proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, the growing challenge of housing affordability, construction bottlenecks, energy policy, lending restrictions and what all of this could mean for everyday Australians trying to build wealth through property.
They also explore whether Australia’s housing crisis is really a supply issue, how productivity and red tape are impacting new home construction, and why borrowing capacity rules may be creating unintended consequences across the property market. 
Plus, Ben asks the big question many investors are wondering right now:
 Will the proposed tax reforms actually improve affordability… or could they create a two-tier property market? 
If you want a deeper understanding of the policy debate shaping Australia’s property market, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 
 
Free Stuff Mentioned
Register for our upcoming webinar: Property Prices After Tax Reform: Fact vs Fiction 👇
https://thepropertycouch.com.au/registernow
 
 Timestamps 
00:00 – Introducing Senator Andrew Bragg
00:59 – Early life, money lessons and investing
03:30 – What Did the Budget Get Right?
04:16 – Shovel-ready housing and infrastructure
05:19 – Housing supply, migration and skills shortages
06:45 – Redistribution vs aspiration
08:31 – Productivity and building more homes
11:15 – Could a Simpler Building Code Help Build More Homes?
13:52 – Modular homes, tiny homes and cheaper builds
16:10 – Will banks finance alternative housing?
17:58 – Lending rules, APRA and borrowing capacity
18:31 – Investors competing with first home buyers
22:20 – How Do We Fix Australia’s Energy Problem?
25:09 – AI, data centres and economic growth
26:46 – Negative gearing and CGT changes
28:38 – Will the reforms help first home buyers?
30:40 – Could this create a two-tier property market?
31:04 – Housing fairness or revenue raising?
33:20 – Negative gearing as a “moment in time”
34:14 – Who really gets locked out?
36:19 – Capital gains tax and younger Australians
39:55 – Quick-fire housing questions
40:50 – One housing reform to pass immediately
42:06 – Ben’s final reflections
43:45 – Upcoming webinar: Property Prices After Tax Reform

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube

In this Friday Fundamentals episode, Ben is joined by Evan Lucas to unpack a bold policy idea for first home buyers.
Evan’s hill to die on?
Australia should use a super-like system to help people save for their first home deposit.
Instead of relying on grants, 5% deposit schemes, or capped first home buyer programmes, he argues that the super infrastructure already exists and could be used much more effectively to help people build real deposit savings from the moment they enter the workforce.
The conversation explores how the model could work, why saving a deposit remains one of the biggest barriers to home ownership, and the pros and cons of linking long-term retirement savings with first home access.
It’s a big idea — and one that’s guaranteed to spark opinions.
What do you think? Got your own hill to die on? Send it through here: https://thepropertycouch.com.au/topics/

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube

The 2026 Federal Budget just changed the property landscape... and not in the ways most people expected.
Recorded the day after the announcement, this special emergency episode brings Bryce back to the couch with Ben for an unfiltered, fast-thinking breakdown of what actually happened and what it means for property investors.
Negative gearing has changed. CGT treatment has shifted. Regional markets are exposed. And as Bryce puts it: "Location now does 90% of the heavy lifting."
In this episode, they unpack:
The unintended consequences already taking shape
What these changes actually mean for investors (beyond the headlines)
Whether affordability for first-home buyers will genuinely improve
Why rents could rise further (not fall)
Which markets are most at risk right now
And the clear-headed question every investor should be asking: what do I do next?
This is just the start of our Budget analysis. Deeper economic unpacking is coming in future episodes but if you want to understand the lay of the land before the dust settles, start here.

FREE STUFF MENTIONED
(FREE WEBINAR) Property Prices After Tax Reform: Fact vs Fiction
The Federal Budget has landed… and with it, major changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, but what does this actually mean for property investors? In this LIVE webinar, Ben uncovers what this means for property prices, investors, first-home buyers and renters across Australia.
 🗓 Tuesday, 26th May
 ⏰ 7:30pm AEST
👉 Register Free Here

How To Retire On $3K A Week 📘
The evergreen investing framework Ben & Bryce reference throughout this episode. Learn the long-term principles behind building financial peace through property and money management.
👉 Get Your Free Copy Today

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

MOORR MONEY MANAGEMENT APP:
👉 Apple: https://apple.co/3ioICGW
👉 Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OT86bW
👉 Web platform:  https://www.moorr.com.au/     

FREE MASTERCLASS:
- How to Build a Property Portfolio and Retire on $2,000 a week >>

FREE BEST-SELLING BOOKS:
- The Armchair Guide to Property Investing
- Make Money Simple Again

FIND US HERE:
- Website
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Youtube