The Elephant in the Room
The property podcast for the thinking person.

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Episode 342: The Next Decade in Property Demographics: Simon Kuestenmacher Explains

Are you curious about how demographic changes will shape the property market in the coming decade?  In this episode, we chat with Simon Kuestenmacher from The Demographic Group to dive into the evolving trends in wealth transfer and their impact on housing.

Simon gives us some great insights into the demographic factors affecting today’s wealth transfer, exploring how predictable these shifts are and how major events like COVID-19 change market dynamics. We talk about how baby boomers handle inheritance differently based on their experiences and how this intergenerational wealth transfer impacts the property market over the next decade.

We also touch on the broader economic effects of demographic trends, like their impact on interest rates and wage demands in a tight labor market. Simon shares his take on the government’s ambitious goal of creating 1.2 million dwellings in five years and how that’s going. Plus, we explore how elderly home preferences influence property challenges and the ongoing debate about different work arrangements in Australia.

Join us for this engaging chat that unpacks the future of property demographics and gives you a solid understanding of the factors that shape the market in the years to come.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction

01:10 - Who is Simon Kuestenmacher?

02:09 - What are the demographic insights on today's wealth transfer and its predictability?

03:55 - Are demographic trends and major events like COVID-19 influencing market dynamics?

06:12 - Have baby boomers started giving inheritance sooner due to their own experiences?

15:45 - The impact of demographic trends on interest rates in Australia

18:32 - How does inflation influence wage demands when labor is scarce?

21:41 - How intergenerational wealth transfer is likely to impact the property market

26:40 - Current state & future trajectory of the debate surrounding different work arrangements

31:52 - How can Australia address the workforce shortage linked to its aging demographic?

39:31 - Simon's stand on the bold policies being implemented in New South Wales

46:10 - How is the government’s target of 1.2 million dwellings in 5 years tracking?

53:04 - What impact does elderly home preference have on property challenges?

About Our Guest:

Simon Kuestenmacher is a Co-Founder of The Demographics Group together with Bernard Salt. The group provides specialist advice on demographic, consumer, and social trends. 

Simon writes a weekly column for The New Daily and a monthly column for The Australian newspaper. He is a thought after media commentator on demographic matters. 

In his spare time Simon has authored three books on maps and runs what is by now the world’s largest Twitter account dedicated to maps and data. His social media posts reach over 25 million people every month. Simon ranks as one of the world’s top 10 influencers in data. 

Connect with Simon Kuestenmacher:

Resources:

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Chris Bates