PIPA Report Reveals a Growing Threat to Australia’s Renters

From The Elephant In The Room Property Podcast | Inside Australian Real Estate Chris Bates

The latest PIPA Annual Investor Survey reveals a significant shift in investor sentiment, with more investors considering selling amid changing tax settings, rising holding costs, interest rates and concerns about property values.

Chris Bates and buyer’s agent Cate Bakos unpack what the survey reveals about investor behaviour and why grandfathering existing tax arrangements may not be enough to keep investors in the market. They explore what happens when established rental properties are sold to owner-occupiers, and why replacing that stock with new investment properties isn’t as straightforward as policymakers might assume.

The conversation also examines rentvesting, the growing appeal of higher-yielding property, the risks of investors pivoting into commercial property without sufficient expertise, and whether build-to-rent can realistically address the gaps in Australia’s rental supply.

With investor behaviour changing and rental demand remaining strong, Chris and Cate question whether housing policy is accounting for the full consequences of pushing private investors out of the market.

Episode Highlights

01:28 – PIPA Survey: The Investor Shift Nobody Can Ignore

04:20 – Why Investors Are Selling Despite Being Grandfathered

08:38 – Why Investors Aren’t Switching to New Builds

13:00 – Why Long-Term Investors Are Reconsidering Property

18:53 – Where Investors Are Selling and Why

20:52 – Who Pays When Investors Leave the Market?

22:32 – Why Qualified Property Advice Matters More Than Ever

27:09 – Are Property Falls as Bad as the Headlines Suggest?

30:58 – The Borrowing Capacity Squeeze on Investors

35:12 – Why Build-to-Rent Won’t Solve the Rental Shortage

38:07 – Chasing Yield: The Risk of Pivoting to Commercial

42:19 – PIPA’s Push for Better Investor Advice and Standards

44:41 – Outro: Submit Your Questions

About the Guest

Cate Bakos is a former President of the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia (REBAA) and is closely involved with the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA), where she advocates for investor education, consumer awareness and qualified property investment advice.

She is also the Owner and Buyer’s Agent at Cate Bakos Property, bringing extensive experience working directly with property buyers and investors across the Australian market. Her frontline perspective gives her a practical understanding of how investors respond to changing market conditions, tax settings and property values.

In this episode, Cate draws on that experience to unpack the latest PIPA Investor Survey, including why investors are selling, what happens to established rental stock when they exit, and why some investors are looking towards higher-yielding residential and commercial property. She also discusses the importance of qualified advice as investors navigate an increasingly complex property environment.

Connect with Cate

Resources

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