Charles Vargas

 Why does it now cost nearly a million dollars to build a basic home in Australia? The latest NAB Residential Property Survey reveals some uncomfortable truths. Construction costs are soaring, government taxes and delays are adding layers of expense, and productivity in the building sector has fallen dramatically over the past 30 years. Yet […]

 Why the Election Won’t Fix the Housing Crisis Australia has voted — but will the Federal Election result change anything for the housing crisis? For real estate consumers, the answer is… probably not. In this episode, we cut through the political noise and unpack what the election outcome really means for home buyers, investors,

 Perth Property: Boom or Bust? Cutting Through the Noise In the confusing world of real estate commentary, how do you know who to trust? In this episode, we unpack the conflicting headlines surrounding the Perth property market — with some claiming the boom is still raging, while others say it’s well and truly over.

 Perth Property: Boom or Bust? Cutting Through the Noise In the confusing world of real estate commentary, how do you know who to trust? In this episode, we unpack the conflicting headlines surrounding the Perth property market — with some claiming the boom is still raging, while others say it’s well and truly over.

 The Positive Cashflow Property Myth Busted Think high interest rates mean goodbye to positive cashflow? Think again. In this episode, we break down why smart investors are still finding strong cashflow opportunities right now across Australia. We explore the truth behind the long-held myth that you can’t have high rental yields and capital growth

 Government support for first-home buyers always seems to spark the same criticism: that it drives up prices and does more harm than good. But where’s the evidence? In this episode, we unpack the recurring claims that FHB schemes like deposit guarantees and grants inflate property values — and ask why these arguments persist despite

 After several years of standout growth, Perth’s housing market is starting to cool — but that doesn’t mean it’s headed for a fall. In this episode, we break down the latest indicators showing that Perth’s price growth has slowed, even as the state’s economy remains one of the strongest in the country. We also

 Scapegoating has become Australia’s unofficial national sport — and nowhere is this more obvious than in the commentary surrounding our housing crisis. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the latest wave of finger-pointing, where so-called NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) and Baby Boomers are being blamed for everything from unaffordable

 In this episode, we challenge the growing media and political narrative blaming older Australians for the housing crisis. With new data from Australian Seniors and PropTrack, we unpack why the push to guilt Baby Boomers into downsizing is not only misguided — it’s deeply unfair and factually wrong. We expose the lazy policy thinking

 In this episode, we dive deep into one of Australia’s most remarkable and resilient property markets—Adelaide. While other cities like Perth are losing momentum, Adelaide continues its upward trajectory, now entering its sixth year of steady growth. Backed by data from Hotspotting’s latest Price Predictor Index, we unpack why buyer demand remains high, which