Owner-occupier and investor demand: what each means for your jobs
Owner-occupiers buy to live in a house and investors buy to earn from one. That difference changes the brief, the finance, the tolerance for delay and the variations that follow.
11 min read
Blog
Housing and Market
The numbers behind the pipeline: approvals, commencements, costs, rates and the housing targets governments have set, and what they mean for builders.
Owner-occupier and investor demand: what each means for your jobs
Owner-occupiers buy to live in a house and investors buy to earn from one. That difference changes the brief, the finance, the tolerance for delay and the variations that follow.
11 min read
Renovation demand when new-build activity slows: what holds up and why
When new-build starts ease, owners keep renovating for reasons that have little to do with interest rates or approvals. Knowing those reasons shows a builder where the work will come from.
12 min read
Knock-down rebuilds: why the economics differ from a new house on a vacant block
A knock-down rebuild carries costs that a vacant-block build does not, and most of them arrive before the new slab is poured. This article covers the demolition, clearing, services and finance timing that shape the job.
10 min read
Master Builders says Housing Accord is 88,800 homes behind as new modelling points to 10,700 fewer homes
Master Builders Australia says the 1.2 million homes target is already 88,800 homes behind, and that updated modelling now shows Budget housing policies cutting supply by 10,700 homes over four years after the deal restricting SMSF investment.
5 min read
Why building a house costs so much in 2026: construction costs explained
House construction costs are more than half as high again as before the pandemic, and the fuel shock of 2026 pushed them up again. Here is what drives the cost of building a home, where costs are heading, and how builders can protect their margins.
7 min read
The National Housing Accord explained: the 1.2 million homes target and what it means for builders
The National Housing Accord commits governments to 1.2 million new homes in five years from mid-2024. Two years in, the target is behind schedule. Here is how it works, where it stands, and what it means for builders.
8 min read
GDP grows 0.4% as dwelling investment rises and fuel costs push up construction prices
The June quarter national accounts show the economy growing slowly, dwelling investment picking up, and construction among the industries hit hardest by higher fuel and input costs from the Middle East conflict.
6 min read
Approvals fall 3.6% in July, with house approvals down in every state
Australia approved 17,687 new dwellings in July, down 3.6% on June. Private house approvals fell in every state for which data was published, and NSW total approvals dropped 8.1%. Annual growth remains positive.
6 min read
Weather and seasonal impacts on residential building schedules
Seasonal weather is not a variation. It is a known condition of the site, and the programme either accounts for it or the builder absorbs the cost of pretending it does not exist.
12 min read
Construction work done: home building rises 1.7% as engineering falls 6%
The latest ABS figures show building activity still growing, led by residential work, while engineering construction dropped sharply. Here is what the June quarter numbers mean for home builders.
6 min read
Negative gearing and CGT changes: why new builds are about to become the investor product
The negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms announced in the May Budget are now law and start on 1 July 2027. They favour new builds over established homes. Here is what changes and what builders should expect.
7 min read
How the residential construction industry is structured, and where your business sits in it
The residential construction industry is not one market. It is a stack of tiers with different customers, different cash cycles and different failure modes. Knowing which tier you sit in, and which one you are actually competing against, decides where your margin comes from.
12 min read