Around the beginning of each year, it’s interesting to take stock of where we’ve been and where forecasters predict we might be headed in the sometimes-tempestuous world of Australian residential real estate commentary.

Australia’s property markets have benefited greatly from the record low interest rate environment of the past eighteen months. But the perpetual question property investment pundits are faced with – around this same time each month! – is how long will our environment of ‘cheap’ debt continue?

With property continuing to gain favour as the commodity of choice among Australian investors, an increasing amount of rental stock is coming online. This has seen a notable rise in the number of boutique property management agencies offering their services to property investors, with traditional real estate agency ‘rent rolls’ evolving into businesses whose sole focus is providing property management services.

Success in property investment requires meticulous planning, particularly around your finances and how you sustain your portfolio for the long term.