Jason’s Perspective | November 2026
With another Reserve Bank decision just days away, Australian homeowners are asking a familiar question: should we make our move now, or wait to see what happens next?
Interest rates have become the topic of almost every property conversation.
Should we sell now? Should we wait until rates fall? Will buyers return? And if prices are softening, are we better off sitting tight?
They’re all reasonable questions.
But there’s something I’ve learnt over my years in real estate.
Waiting for the perfect market can become a strategy in itself. And sometimes, it’s a very expensive one.
Another RBA decision. Another round of predictions.
On 29 September, the Reserve Bank increased the official cash rate to 4.60%, its fourth increase this year.
Its next decision is scheduled for Tuesday, 3 November.
By the time you’re reading this, economists, banks and property commentators will have offered plenty of opinions about what the RBA should do next.
But the reality is that nobody can guarantee what will happen.
And even if we knew exactly where interest rates were heading, that wouldn’t necessarily tell us what an individual property would sell for.
Because interest rates are only one part of the property equation.
What are the experts saying?
Finance commentator Mark Bouris has been particularly vocal about the pressure higher interest rates are placing on Australian households.
In his September commentary, Bouris highlighted the additional mortgage costs borrowers are facing and questioned whether the burden of controlling inflation is falling too heavily on mortgage holders and small businesses.
He also encouraged borrowers to review their existing loans rather than simply accept that their current arrangements remain competitive.
It’s a valuable reminder that when financial circumstances change, doing nothing isn’t necessarily the safest option.
Real estate commentator and auctioneer Tom Panos has been equally direct about changing market conditions.
In his October market commentary, Panos argued that affordability, rather than a complete absence of buyers, is one of the major challenges facing Australian real estate.
That’s an important distinction.
Buyers haven’t necessarily disappeared. Their ability — and willingness — to pay has changed.
And that brings us to what we’re experiencing in the property market.
Buyers are still there. But they’re thinking differently.
For a long time, Brisbane homeowners became accustomed to extraordinary market conditions.
Properties attracted strong attention, buyers moved quickly and sellers often had the upper hand.
But markets don’t remain in that position forever.
Higher borrowing costs have changed the numbers for buyers.
A household that could comfortably borrow a particular amount twelve months ago may now find that the same loan would place too much pressure on their budget.
Other buyers are simply becoming more cautious.
They’re comparing properties, looking closely at condition and considering what else might become available.
For sellers, this means one thing.
We need to work harder to demonstrate value.
The right presentation, realistic pricing, effective marketing and genuine buyer engagement matter enormously.
Simply putting a property online and waiting for the market to do the work is no longer a strategy I’d be comfortable recommending.
But here’s the part many homeowners overlook.
Most people who sell a property aren’t leaving the property market altogether.
They’re selling to buy something else.
And that’s where the conversation becomes interesting.
Imagine a family who purchased their home several years ago.
Their children are growing, the house feels smaller and they’re considering moving to something with another bedroom and a bigger backyard.
Twelve months ago, they were worried about the price of the next property.
Today, they’re worried about what their existing home might sell for.
But what if the property they want to purchase has also become more affordable?
What if they have more properties to choose from?
What if they can negotiate terms that would have been almost impossible in a stronger market?
The question shouldn’t simply be:
How much less might I receive for my current home?
It should also be:
What will it actually cost me to make the move?
Of course, borrowing capacity, stamp duty, selling expenses and other costs all need to be considered.
But looking at one side of the transaction without the other can give a very misleading picture.
The hidden cost of waiting
Let’s consider another situation.
A couple are living in a large family home.
Their children have moved out. The garden is becoming harder to maintain. There are rooms they rarely use, and the ongoing costs of owning the property are increasing.
They’ve been talking about downsizing for years.
But every time they get close, something happens.
An interest rate announcement.
A newspaper headline.
A prediction that property prices might rise again.
So they wait.
Another six months passes. Then another year.
And while they’re waiting, they’re continuing to pay for a property that no longer suits the way they want to live.
Now, I’m certainly not suggesting that everyone should rush out and sell.
There are very good reasons to hold property, particularly when it suits your needs and your financial circumstances.
But I do think it’s worth asking:
Are you waiting because it makes financial sense, or because you’re afraid of making the wrong decision?
They’re two very different things.
Does auction still have a place in this market?
Absolutely.
But perhaps not for the reasons people traditionally associate with auctions.
We’re not necessarily seeing crowds of buyers battling one another at every auction.
That doesn’t mean the process has lost its value.
An auction campaign gives us a clear timeframe.
It allows us to introduce the property to the market, engage with interested buyers, understand their feedback and establish where they see value.
Importantly, it also brings the campaign to a decision point.
At Macwell, we’ll sometimes commence marketing a property with an advertised price and later recommend moving to auction.
That recommendation isn’t about creating theatre or promising competition that may not exist.
It’s about using the information we’ve gathered to determine the most effective way forward.
Even when a property doesn’t sell under the hammer, the campaign can provide valuable insight into buyer expectations and the property’s market position.
An auction isn’t simply an event. It’s part of a selling strategy.
And like any strategy, it needs to suit the property, the seller and the conditions we’re working in.
So, should you wait for interest rates to fall?
Perhaps.
If you’re financially comfortable, happy in your current home and have no particular reason to move, waiting may be entirely sensible.
But if your circumstances have changed, I’d encourage you to look beyond the interest rate headlines.
Ask yourself:
- What is my property realistically worth in today’s market?
- What would the property I want to purchase cost?
- How would the move affect my finances and lifestyle?
- What is the cost of remaining where I am?
- Am I making a decision based on evidence, or waiting for certainty that may never come?
These questions are far more useful than trying to predict the exact month interest rates will peak or property prices will bottom out.
Jason’s Perspective: Don’t let the headlines make the decision for you.
I understand why people are cautious.
Property is often our largest financial asset, and nobody wants to feel they’ve made the wrong decision.
But there’s a difference between being cautious and becoming stuck.
The property market will always move. Interest rates will rise and fall. Buyer confidence will change.
And there will always be another commentator telling us what might happen next.
The best property decisions aren’t necessarily made at the top or bottom of the market. They’re made when you understand your options and have a strategy that suits your circumstances.
So before you decide to wait another six months, have a conversation.
Find out what your property is worth.
Understand what your next move might look like.
Then make an informed decision based on your own situation — not simply the next RBA announcement.
Because sometimes the biggest cost isn’t making a move at the wrong time.
It’s spending years waiting for the perfect time that never arrives.
Jason Bedwell
Macwell Property
Thinking about selling, buying or simply wondering what your property might be worth in today’s market?
We’re always happy to have a genuine conversation about your options, without the pressure.
