Invest
Stronger housing market extends ‘wealth effect’
The strong upward trend in home-buying intentions is translating into higher motor vehicle spending intentions, according to new CBA research.
Stronger housing market extends ‘wealth effect’
The strong upward trend in home-buying intentions is translating into higher motor vehicle spending intentions, according to new CBA research.
The latest data from the Household Spending Intentions Report released by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has shown that sustained and solid upward trend in home-buying intentions is leading to higher motor vehicle spending intentions for the second consecutive month.
According to research from the Reserve Bank of Australia, motor vehicle spending is the form of spending most sensitive to changes in consumer wealth.
The CBA report used its own spending data with Google Trends to provide a view on the changing spending behaviours of Australians and the potential implications for the economy.
The results highlighted that home-buying intentions eased back a little in January, but the strong upward trends remain intact.
Readings in the report remain at levels that indicate further gains in dwelling prices are in the offing, as well as a turn in the residential construction cycle and a positive wealth effect that should help consumer activity.
Buying intentions for motor vehicles have turned decisively higher, according to the report, albeit from a low base.
The improving trend is all the more significant because of RBA’s research, which has revealed that spending patterns on motor vehicles are most sensitive to changes in wealth.
Commenting on the report, CBA chief economist Michael Blythe said trends in the remaining HIS measures are mixed but on the soft side overall, citing the Australian bushfires and coronavirus as having a potential negative impact.
“There are clear signs of a turndown in education-spending intentions and, especially, travel-spending intentions,” Mr Blythe said.
“These sectors have likely been impacted by the combination of the devastating summer bushfires in Australia and the policy response to the coronavirus. Retail, health and fitness, and entertainment-spending intentions all look to be tending sideways.”
“The drag from falling construction activity on consumer spending and the broader economy could be over by mid-year.”
Mr Blythe added, however, that a positive wealth effect that has led to stronger motor vehicle spending intentions could extend to other parts of consumer spending.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
-
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
-
From intuition to instrumentation: How a "two-stakeholder" sales playbook lifted close rates and cut cycle times
Property
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
NSW’s latest enforcement action on real estate trust accounts isn’t a one-off embarrassment; it’s a stress test of sector governance. With licences suspended and penalties applied, the message is ...Read more
Property
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
After a blistering run, Australia’s rental market is loosening at the edges. Vacancy is edging up off historic lows, rent inflation is set to moderate into 2026, yet underlying demand remains ...Read more
Property
From intuition to instrumentation: How a "two-stakeholder" sales playbook lifted close rates and cut cycle times
High-stakes consumer purchases are increasingly joint decisions. When one partner is under-served, deals stall. This case study follows an Australian real estate group that rebuilt its sales motion ...Read more
Property
Selling in 2025: How to spot bad agents fast—and build an ROI-first vendor playbook
In Australia’s property market, choosing the wrong listing agent isn’t just inconvenient—it’s a textbook principal–agent failure that can wipe tens of thousands off your sale outcomeRead more
Property
Selling in 2026: How to de‑risk your agent choice and protect tens of thousands at settlement
Choosing the wrong selling agent isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a balance‑sheet risk. In a market where digital discovery is concentrated and AI is recasting how listings are priced and promoted, ...Read more
Property
Rate resilience in Australian housing: why scarce supply is overpowering monetary tightening
Australia’s housing market is defying higher borrowing costs because the binding constraint isn’t demand—it’s supply. Brokers report persistent buyer competition and investor repositioning, while ...Read more
Property
Victoria’s $100m renter support push: what it means for landlords, proptech and the housing economy
Victoria has unveiled a new suite of rental support services, including a dedicated helpline for renters aged 55+, underpinned by a funding package widely reported at around $100 millionRead more
Property
The multigenerational home moves mainstream: where the next margin lives in Australian real estate
Multigenerational living is shifting from edge case to core demand driver in Australia’s housing market. For agents, developers and lenders, the commercial upside lies in rethinking product design, ...Read more
Property
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
NSW’s latest enforcement action on real estate trust accounts isn’t a one-off embarrassment; it’s a stress test of sector governance. With licences suspended and penalties applied, the message is ...Read more
Property
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
After a blistering run, Australia’s rental market is loosening at the edges. Vacancy is edging up off historic lows, rent inflation is set to moderate into 2026, yet underlying demand remains ...Read more
Property
From intuition to instrumentation: How a "two-stakeholder" sales playbook lifted close rates and cut cycle times
High-stakes consumer purchases are increasingly joint decisions. When one partner is under-served, deals stall. This case study follows an Australian real estate group that rebuilt its sales motion ...Read more
Property
Selling in 2025: How to spot bad agents fast—and build an ROI-first vendor playbook
In Australia’s property market, choosing the wrong listing agent isn’t just inconvenient—it’s a textbook principal–agent failure that can wipe tens of thousands off your sale outcomeRead more
Property
Selling in 2026: How to de‑risk your agent choice and protect tens of thousands at settlement
Choosing the wrong selling agent isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a balance‑sheet risk. In a market where digital discovery is concentrated and AI is recasting how listings are priced and promoted, ...Read more
Property
Rate resilience in Australian housing: why scarce supply is overpowering monetary tightening
Australia’s housing market is defying higher borrowing costs because the binding constraint isn’t demand—it’s supply. Brokers report persistent buyer competition and investor repositioning, while ...Read more
Property
Victoria’s $100m renter support push: what it means for landlords, proptech and the housing economy
Victoria has unveiled a new suite of rental support services, including a dedicated helpline for renters aged 55+, underpinned by a funding package widely reported at around $100 millionRead more
Property
The multigenerational home moves mainstream: where the next margin lives in Australian real estate
Multigenerational living is shifting from edge case to core demand driver in Australia’s housing market. For agents, developers and lenders, the commercial upside lies in rethinking product design, ...Read more
