Blog
Expert insights, guides, and market analysis for Australian property investors.
Property Data Granularity: Suburb, Street and Address
Understand what suburb, street and property data can tell you, how ABS boundaries fit together, and where finer detail adds uncertainty.
David Bailey
What Is an MCP Server? How AI Reads Live Australian Property Data
MCP lets an AI assistant query live property data instead of guessing. What a tool list is, why its size matters, and how to connect.
David Bailey
Australian Property AI Chatbot: Ask Microburbs
Ask Microburbs AI Chat about Australian suburbs and properties, with data behind the answers. Free with an account, within usage limits.
David Bailey![Australian Property Data MCP Server: Connect Claude, Free [2026]](/_next/image?url=%2Fimages%2Fblog%2Fblog-ai-tech.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Australian Property Data MCP Server: Connect Claude, Free [2026]
Give Claude live Australian property data: 174 MCP tools for valuations, comps, suburb metrics and risk. Four steps, no code, free sandbox.
David Bailey
Nine Questions to Ask Before You Buy an Australian Property Data API
The questions that change your build or your bill — pricing, grain, empty responses, terms. Answered for ourselves, including the unflattering bits.
David Bailey
Free Australian Property Data API: No Card, No Signup, One Line
The sandbox key is the word "test". Nine suburbs, real endpoints, never billed — plus eight endpoints that cost nothing on any key.
David Bailey![Australian Property Data API: 173 Endpoints, Free to Try [2026]](/_next/image?url=%2Fimages%2Fblog%2Fblog-data-dashboard.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Australian Property Data API: 173 Endpoints, Free to Try [2026]
173 REST endpoints across every Australian address: valuations, sale and rent history, comparables, risk, zoning. Public prices, free sandbox key.
David Bailey
Labor's negative gearing change has an ethnic-vote problem
Labor's proposed changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount are aimed at property investors. The party's electoral strategy assumes the ethnic vote is locked in. The data on who actually researches investment property in Australia says these are the same people.
Luke Metcalfe
The Secret Rhythm of Australian Property: A Cycle-by-Cycle Investor's Almanac
Australian property follows a remarkably predictable boom-bust rhythm that has repeated for over 40 years. Understanding where we sit right now could be the difference between buying at the bottom and the peak.
David Bailey
The Power of Leverage: Why a 20% Deposit Is Property's Secret Weapon (And Its Biggest Risk)
A $100K deposit controlling a $500K asset is the single most powerful feature of property investing — delivering leveraged returns that dwarf unleveraged stock portfolios. But leverage cuts both ways.
David Bailey
Rent vs Buy in Australia 2026: The Cold Hard Maths That Nobody Wants You to See
With mortgage rates back above 5.5% and Sydney medians approaching $1.8 million, the rent-vs-buy equation has shifted dramatically. We run the actual numbers using the 5% rule.
David Bailey
Stocks vs Property in Australia: We Crunched 30 Years of Data and the Winner Might Surprise You
The great Australian dinner party debate -- should you buy shares or bricks and mortar? We dug into three decades of ASX and property data, factoring in leverage, dividends, rent, tax, and volatility.
David Bailey
Interest Rates and Property: What Every Australian Buyer Needs to Know in 2026
The RBA shocked markets with a February 2026 rate hike to 3.85% after three cuts in 2025. Here's what it means for repayments, borrowing power, APRA's new DTI rules, and where KPMG forecasts prices are heading by city.
David Bailey
Why You Should NOT Buy in Suburbs That Have Grown Strongly in the Past 3-10 Years
Throughout Microburbs products, you'll see us gently nudging you towards suburbs and properties that have underperformed in the past 3-10 years. This seems counterintuitive to many—surely suburbs that...
Luke Metcalfe
The Hidden Pattern That Separates Winning Properties From the Rest
Tightly Held Houses Grow Faster Why the number of previous owners matters more than you think. High churn isn’t ‘liquidity’, it’s usually a warning sign. Key Finding: Properties that have sold only on...
Luke Metcalfe
A Leading Indicator: Why Rental Trends Predict Your Next Capital Gain
A Leading Indicator: Why Rental Trends Predict Your Next Capital Gain For decades, property investors have debated what really drives capital growth. Is it infrastructure? Interest rates? Population g...
Luke Metcalfe
Why We Don't Use CoreLogic: How Microburbs Gets Better Data
Microburbs collects its own property data rather than buying from CoreLogic like most platforms. This means street-level insights instead of suburb averages, weekly updates instead of monthly, 6% valuation error rates versus 13%, and growth forecasts backed by 2 billion data points with 85% accuracy over 15 years. The result: you can identify quality pockets within suburbs, catch market moves early, and avoid overpaying.
Luke Metcalfe
Analysing Suburb Pockets
Step 2: Analysing Suburb Pockets How to Answer "Where in This Suburb Is Suitable?" With Pocket-Level Data This is Part 2 of a 4-part series on the data-driven property research workflow. The Hidden Tr...
Luke MetcalfeSuburb Finder (Short List Suburbs)
This post is Part 1 of a 4-part series detailing a data-driven property research workflow. The core problem for new property investors is decision paralysis—Australia's 15,000+ suburbs lead most to rely on flawed methods like hearsay, news headlines, or familiarity. This results in wasted time and poor investment choices. This article introduces the Suburb Finder Approach, which inverts the traditional search. Instead of choosing a suburb first, you define your investment criteria (location, budget, property type) and the system provides a shortlist of matching suburbs. It explains how to use key data metrics—most notably the Growth Forecast (a predictive metric identifying conditions that precede growth) and supply/demand indicators like Vacancy Rate and Stock on Market—to filter your results. The goal of this first step is to create a documented shortlist of 5-10 promising suburbs that align with your criteria, removing the limiting factor of your own existing knowledge. The post concludes by emphasizing that Step 1 is about finding broad potential, and the next step (Step 2: Suburb Reports) is about drilling into pocket-level data to find the specific opportunities within that shortlist.
Luke Metcalfe
The Property 'Goldilocks Zone': Why the Middle Market Wins on Stability
Our analysis of 14 years of market data reveals a clear pattern: the middle band of the property market ($224k–$1.1m) consistently avoids the boom-bust volatility of luxury and budget suburbs. While the cheapest 4% of suburbs deliver the highest raw growth (+2.10%/yr), the lower-middle band offers the best risk-adjusted stability — modest gains without the stomach-churning swings. For long-term investors, boring beats exciting.
Luke Metcalfe
The "Pain Threshold": How Distressed Sales Impact Future Capital Growth
The "Pain Threshold": How Distressed Sales Impact Future Capital Growth Key Insight: Analysis of national housing data reveals a persistent correlation between the prevalence of loss-making sales in a...
Luke Metcalfe
Why Chasing 'Hot Pockets' Could Cost You: Mean Reversion at the Micro Level
Why Chasing 'Hot Pockets' Could Cost You: Mean Reversion at the Micro Level If you've ever looked at a suburb report and thought 'that pocket has grown 15% in two years, I should buy there', you're no...
Luke Metcalfe
Introducing Thresholds: 15 Years of Property Research, Distilled Into One Simple System
We analysed 15 years of Australian property data to answer one question: which metrics actually predict capital growth? The result is Thresholds — a traffic-light system that turns 40+ property metrics into clear green, yellow, and red signals. No more guessing. Every threshold is backed by data, not opinion.
Luke MetcalfeFinding Available Properties
Step 3: Finding Available Properties How to Answer "What Properties Are Available?" With Filtered, Qualified Listings This is Part 3 of a 4-part series on the data-driven property research workflow. T...
Luke MetcalfeProperty Reports (Due Diligence)
Step 4: Property Due Diligence How to Answer "Is This Property Worth Pursuing?" With Comprehensive Analysis This is Part 4 of a 4-part series on the data-driven property research workflow. The Final Q...
Luke Metcalfe
Did you know vacant land supply can quietly destroy your capital growth?
This blog shows how vacant land supply, both within a suburb and in nearby areas, can significantly reduce capital growth, backed by thirty years of national sales data. It explains why the impact varies depending on how close a suburb is to a major city and uses real case studies to illustrate how excess land supply has caused long periods of underperformance. The summary also outlines the practical checks investors can use to avoid these supply risks and protect long term growth.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Understanding Microburbs Growth Indicators: Your New Edge in Property Investment
Microburbs’ new Growth Indicators reveal which metric ranges are historically linked to stronger or weaker capital growth, giving investors a data backed edge. The blog explains how the traffic light system works, and why certain patterns, like vacancy rates or past growth, signal future performance. It shows how Growth Indicators help you make smarter, evidence based property decisions with far more confidence.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Predictive Property Data: Find Growth Before the Boom
Stop Chasing "Hot" Property Markets: Invest Smarter with Predictive Data Many property investors make the costly mistake of buying into "hot" markets after they've already boomed, often influenced by news headlines and lagging data. This "herd mentality" leads to paying inflated prices and missing out on significant growth. To avoid this, smart investors need to shift from reactive, historical data (like 12-month median price changes) to predictive, hyper-local data. Tools that offer a 4-Year Annualized Growth Forecast, analyze down to the pocket and street level, and provide weekly updates are crucial. This allows investors to identify growth potential before it becomes obvious and overcrowded, positioning them to ride the full wave of momentum and achieve superior returns. Don't let familiarity or the fear of missing out cloud your judgment; let objective data lead your investment decisions.
Luke Metcafe
Analyst Developer / Technical Generalist for High Growth Startup (Remote, Part Time)
Apply now to build end-to-end solutionsand work in a fast-paced startup environment.
Luke Metcalfe
From Search to Success - Your 4 Step Process
Microburbs’ data-driven pipeline transforms property investment, slashing research time from hours to minutes with tools like Suburb Finder, Suburb Reports, AI Propert Finder, and Property Reports. This guide walks you through shortlisting high-growth suburbs, ranking listings, and finalising due diligence, ensuring confident, market-beating decisions. Start your free trial to streamline your workflow today.
MicroburbsWe're Hiring for Startup Generalists
Microburbs.com.au is a high-growth business that aims to transform the property market with innovative open-data products. Over the past four months, we’ve achieved 15% month-on-month growth for 15 st...
Luke Metcalfe
What Smart Property Investors Expect of Real Estate Data Part 5: Everything You Need in One Place
At Microburbs, we believe that the best way to improve our services is by listening to our customers. Over the past few months, we’ve conducted interviews with our users to understand their needs, challenges and preferences. From these interviews, we’ve identified the top five things our customers want from a real estate data platform. In this blog series, we’ll explore each of these key areas in detail. From the demand for clear and accurate data to the need for comprehensive property reports and customisable tools, Microburbs has it covered. Join us as we dive into what our customers want and how we’re making it happen.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What Smart Property Investors Expect of Real Estate Data Part 4: Real-Time Data and Updates
At Microburbs, we believe that the best way to improve our services is by listening to our customers. Over the past few months, we’ve conducted interviews with our users to understand their needs, challenges and preferences. From these interviews, we’ve identified the top five things our customers want from a real estate data platform. In this blog series, we’ll explore each of these key areas in detail. From the demand for clear and accurate data to the need for comprehensive property reports and customisable tools, Microburbs has it covered. Join us as we dive into what our customers want and how we’re making it happen.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What Smart Property Investors Expect of Real Estate Data Part 3: Predicting the Future
At Microburbs, we believe that the best way to improve our services is by listening to our customers. Over the past few months, we’ve conducted interviews with our users to understand their needs, challenges and preferences. From these interviews, we’ve identified the top five things our customers want from a real estate data platform. In this blog series, we’ll explore each of these key areas in detail. From the demand for clear and accurate data to the need for comprehensive property reports and customisable tools, Microburbs has it covered. Join us as we dive into what our customers want and how we’re making it happen.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What Smart Property Investors Expect of Real Estate Data Part 2: Going Beyond the Suburb
At Microburbs, we believe that the best way to improve our services is by listening to our customers. Over the past few months, we’ve conducted interviews with our users to understand their needs, challenges and preferences. From these interviews, we’ve identified the top five things our customers want from a real estate data platform. In this blog series, we’ll explore each of these key areas in detail. From the demand for clear and accurate data to the need for comprehensive property reports and customisable tools, Microburbs has it covered. Join us as we dive into what our customers want and how we’re making it happen.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What Smart Property Investors Expect of Real Estate Data Part 1: Transparency
At Microburbs, we believe that the best way to improve our services is by listening to our customers. Over the past few months, we’ve conducted interviews with our users to understand their needs, challenges and preferences. From these interviews, we’ve identified the top five things our customers want from a real estate data platform. In this blog series, we’ll explore each of these key areas in detail. From the demand for clear and accurate data to the need for comprehensive property reports and customisable tools, Microburbs has it covered. Join us as we dive into what our customers want and how we’re making it happen.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
29.5% Public Housing on Highview Avenue: Crime and Public Housing in Greenacre Analysis
Looking for the old Microburbs? Click here Greenacre, a suburb in Sydney's southwest, presents an interesting dynamic when it comes to public housing and safety. The pocket surrounding Highview Avenue...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
33.9% Public Housing on Stud Road: Crime and Public Housing in Dandenong Analysis
Get detailed insight into where to buy, and where to avoid!
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Microburbs Advantage: The Best Property Research Tool for Australia
Microburbs offers unique, independent data, real-time updates, and granular street-level insights, making it the best property research tool in Australia. Trusted by professionals, it uses advanced AI and backtesting methods to deliver accurate, actionable insights. With over 14 years of experience, Microburbs continuously evolves based on customer feedback, providing a competitive edge in real estate.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Invest Confidently with Microburbs: A Real Estate Investor’s Edge
Invest confidently with Microburbs, a data-driven platform that provides street-level insights, growth forecasts, and comprehensive reports to transform real estate investing. Gain clarity, reassurance, and a competitive edge in identifying high-growth areas and making informed decisions. Navigate property investment with ease and maximize returns with Microburbs.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top 10 Property Research Tools for 2024 in Australia
Discover the top 10 property research tools for 2024 in Australia, including Microburbs, CoreLogic, Domain, and Realestate.com.au. These tools provide vital data and insights for homebuyers, investors, and professionals to enhance decision-making in the real estate market.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Economists vs. Algorithms: Why Algorithms Often Outperform Economists in Forecasting
Algorithms outperform economists in forecasting by leveraging large datasets, adaptive learning, and reducing bias. Renaissance Technologies' success highlights their superior accuracy in financial and real estate markets.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Now Hiring Data Scientists
Work for Microburbs: autonomy, growth and excellence.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Join the Team - Now Hiring Marketers
Join a flexible and rewarding work environment that positively impacts the lives of Australian property buyers.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.We're Hiring Developers
Work for Microburbs: autonomy, growth and excellence.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
We're hiring for Startup Generalists
Work for Microburbs: autonomy, growth and excellence.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Navigating Mortgage Stress in Australian Real Estate
Delve into the impact of mortgage stress on Australian real estate, uncover strategies to avoid it, and learn why local-level analysis is crucial.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top Suburbs for Public Housing in Perth
The article delves into Perth's top ten suburbs with the highest concentration of public housing, encompassing Karawara, Willagee, Ashfield, Brentwood, Manning, Mirrabooka, Redcliffe, Koongamia, Koondoola, and Midvale. It explores the distribution of public housing in each suburb, demographic changes, crime rates, and ongoing redevelopment initiatives, offering a comprehensive overview of public housing dynamics in Perth.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top Suburbs for Public Housing in Brisbane
The article explores the top ten suburbs in Brisbane with the highest proportion of public housing, including Acacia Ridge, Dutton Park, Zillmere, Mount Gravatt, Keperra, Holland Park, Stafford, Gaythorne, Carina Heights, and Coopers Plains. Each suburb's public housing landscape, demographic trends, crime rates, and ongoing redevelopment initiatives are discussed.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top Suburbs for Public Housing in Melbourne
The article highlights the top ten suburbs in Melbourne with the highest proportion of public housing, ranging from Heidelberg West with 25.7% to Kensington with 9.8%. It examines each suburb's public housing landscape, demographic trends, crime rates, and government initiatives aimed at redevelopment and social improvement.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top Suburbs for Public Housing in Sydney
The article highlights the top ten suburbs in Sydney with the highest proportion of public housing, ranging from Daceyville with 69% to Sadleir with 29%. Each suburb's public housing landscape, demographic trends, crime rates, and ongoing redevelopment initiatives are examined to provide a comprehensive overview of public housing in Sydney.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Public Housing On The Move in Sydney
We’ve analysed the movements in public and community housing from 2006 and 2021 and found some powerful trends
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Navigating the Landscape: Insights into Newcastle Real Estate with Kent Lardner
Embark on a journey through Newcastle's real estate with expert Kent Lardner. This blog explores the city's architectural evolution, focusing on the rise of knockdown and rebuild projects. Kent's insights touch on development potential, satellite cities, hotspots, and the impact of lockout laws. Discover nuances of safety, market conditions, and the potential of a fast train. The post concludes with Kent's promise of an investor-focused report on Suburb Trends, highlighting Microburbs as a crucial tool. Join us as we decipher signals of change in Newcastle's real estate landscape.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Street-by-Street Analysis - The Benefits of Hyperlocal Data for Investors
Learn how extremely detailed real estate and demographic data can help guide you to buy the right property for you,
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Case Study: Leveraging Geospatial Data for Enhanced Security in Popular Retail Chain Stores
In a rapidly changing retail environment fraught with security challenges, the need to anticipate and mitigate potential threats is paramount. This case study examines how our data augmentation shop leveraged geospatial data to assist a popular retail chain store in identifying risks of theft and violent incidents, aiding in informed security planning and trend anticipation.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Case Study: Enhancing Retail Forecasting through Agent Simulation using Property Data for a Major Australian Supermarket
This case study demonstrates the successful integration of property data and agent simulation, empowering the client with real-time, granular insights. By breaking free from traditional census-based forecasting, the retailer secured a strategic advantage, positioning themselves as industry leaders capable of navigating uncertainties with agility and precision.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Exploring the Phenomenon of Reversion in Real Estate
Reversion in real estate recognizes the cyclical nature of property values, influenced by economic cycles, market trends, location dynamics, and urban development. This concept highlights the natural correction process that brings a property's value back to its intrinsic worth over time, providing a nuanced perspective on long-term valuation trends
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Microburbs: Why Smart Median Sale Prices Are Important for Small Suburbs
What is a smart median sale price, and how can it help you come out on top in small suburb markets?
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Bargain Trap: Unravelling Bottom Segment Properties
Unlock secrets of the Australian property market. Discover the importance of comparing top vs. bottom segments in smart median prices for informed buying decisions.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Invest with Certainty: Unlock Your Competitive Advantage with Quartile Pricing Analysis
Boost your competitive advantage with our guide to quartile pricing analysis in the Australian property market.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Understanding Land-to-Asset Ratio: A Key to Property Investment in Australia
Explore the critical role of land-to-asset ratio in Australian property investment, taxation, and ROI maximisation strategies.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Location, Location, Location: A Key Factor for Property Investing
When it comes to investing in real estate, location is a key factor to consider. After all, the value of a property is often closely tied to its location and the amenities and opportunities available in the surrounding area.As a real estate investor, it’s important to understand the role that location plays in the property market and how it can impact the value of your investment. In this article, we’ll explore the various factors that make a location desirable for property investment and how to use location to your advantage.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Importance of Hyperlocal Data in Making Informed Investment Decisions: A Closer Look at Melbourne and Sydney
Learn about the importance of hyperlocal data analysis with real examples from Melbourne and Sydney
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What is a Suburb in Australia?
A suburb is a smaller, residential area located on the outskirts of a larger city or urban center. Technically, a suburb is defined as a primarily residential area that is either an independent munici...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What is a Garden Suburb?
Garden suburbs, also known as garden cities, are a type of residential community that combines the best of urban and rural living. They are characterized by their green spaces, parks, and gardens, whi...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What are LGAs and Why are They Important?
Local government areas (LGAs) are administrative divisions of a state or territory in Australia that are responsible for providing local government services to their communities. These services can in...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Understanding the Impact of Interest Rates on House Prices in Australia
Learn about the relationship between house prices and interest rates. It's not always straightforward.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
How the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Controls Interest Rates: A Simple Guide
As the central bank of Australia, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) plays a crucial role in the stability and growth of the Australian economy. The RBA is responsible for setting the official cash rate, which is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend money overnight. This interest rate is an important tool that the RBA uses to influence the level of economic activity in the country.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Why Interest Rates Are Raised During Inflationary Periods: A Simple Guide
Why are interest rates raised during inflationary periods? The relationship between rates and inflation.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Real Estate Terminology in Australia: A Beginner’s Guide
Basic guide to Real Estate terminology in Australia.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Understanding the Different Types of Property Titles in Australia
A basic guide to different property titles in Australia
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Renting vs. Owning a Home in Australia: A Comparison
A comparison of Renting vs Owning in Australia
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
How to Spot Emerging Real Estate Markets in Australia
As a real estate investor, it’s always a good idea to stay on the lookout for emerging markets that have the potential for strong returns. But how do you identify these markets, and what factors shoul...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Role of People & Culture Data in Australian Real Estate Investment
When it comes to investing in real estate, it’s important to thoroughly research and understand the local market. One key aspect to consider is people and culture, which can give you a sense of the di...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Houses vs. Apartments: Which is the Best Investment for You?
When it comes to investing in real estate, one common decision investors face is choosing between houses and apartments. Both types of properties offer their own unique set of benefits and drawbacks, ...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Why People Diversify Their Real Estate Portfolio with Different Property Types
When it comes to investing in real estate, one key decision that many investors face is choosing the type of property to invest in. While some investors may choose to focus on a specific type of prope...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
How is the Australian Census Different?
The Australian Census is a very high quality and complete data source. But it also has a few drawbacks.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Advantages and Limitations of Survey Data
Learn about what survey data is and what limitations it has
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
What is Administrative Data and How Does it Benefit Real Estate Investors?
What is administrative data and what are its limitations?
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Role of Zoning in Real Estate Investments and First Home Purchases in Australia
The role and importance of zoning on property
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
How is the Australian Census Used?
What are the direct and indirect uses of the Census
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The Best Thing to do For Your Child is Move
Environment plays a huge role on how much a child will earn when older. This includes the suburb they grow up in.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
RBA Pauses Cash Rate at 4.10% in August Meeting
The RBA's August announcement could have significant impact on your financial situation.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Coalition loses rich, migrants. Labor gains miners. Far right gains Middle Easterners.
A Microburbs analysis: I analysed every polling booth’s vote in yesterday’s federal election to find high resolution insights on where Australian politics is heading.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
COVID 19: Is Australia really different?
Is Australia really different from Italy and Spain? Australia has thus far managed to keep its rate of new infections related to COVID-19 low and its total number of issued tests high relative to othe...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Coronavirus: Early signs point towards a “frozen” economy with some personal services evaporating.
The Australian economy is showing signs of being put on hold today with actually 32% fewer GST cancellations of sole traders in March 2020 vs March 2019. There were also 9% fewer company GST cancellat...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
6 Reasons People Will Own Their Own Self-Driving Cars
Cars for kids, movie-length commutes and mega-garages. What the strange new world of self-driving cars means for you and your property.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
5 Real Estate Euphemisms That Need To Die, Now.
As property investors we all tolerate and enjoy some tired euphemisms. ‘Renovator’s Dream’, ‘Cosy’ and ‘Full of character’ have become old jokes as we wised up to them. At the same time though, we can...
Jeremy Sheppard
Are Tired Misconceptions Blinding You from Sydney’s Next Boom Suburbs?
For most who live within 10 or 20km of the centre of Sydney, the West seems to be considered a sprawling void of fibro shacks and bogans. This ignorance might be funny to those of us enjoying the west...
Faiz Jamdar
Can’t Get A Great Halal Snack Pack? Sell Your House.
The Halal Snack Pack, for those who have somehow missed it, is a kebab store dish on the rise. From the massive online Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society, to TV stunts between politicians, it’s not...
Faiz Jamdar
RBA Cuts to 1.5% – Big 4 Customers Won’t Benefit, But You Can.
This week has seen the Reserve Bank of Australia cut the cash rate to a historic low of 1.5%. The announcement was not a surprise to many, with low inflation data signalling a likely cut in the lead u...
Elden McDonald
8 Real Estate Investment Metrics You Need to Understand
With some analysts predicting that real estate price growth may slow down in Sydney and Melbourne, real estate investing in Australia may no longer be all hot markets and high demand. Understanding wh...
Abbey Morrish
One Migrant Group’s Neighbourhoods Grew 48% … And It’s Not the Chinese
Our analysis reveals how canny new migrants are benefiting from Australia’s property boom, and why Westerners are falling behind. It’s a sensitive subject, but not all ethnic groups are profiting equa...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Property Is Still The Path To Wealth: HILDA data released
Property is still the path to wealth in Australia, and our over 65’s have not forgotten it. This week, the HILDA (Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia) Survey results were released. Thes...
Elden McDonald
Australia’s Hippest Universities Ranked By Their Microburbs
So you’ve decided to go to uni but not sure which uni will have a great student life to accompany your degree. You also want to live in an area that is affordable but isn’t boring. On top of all that,...
Faiz Jamdar
Flight of the Funky – Escaping Sydney to find hip suburbs below the million dollar median
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our analysis of Sydney’s hippest suburbs, it’s that the inner city lifestyle doesn’t come cheap. That’s not the end of the world while you’re renting, but what ...
Elden McDonald
Sydney’s Babycino Belt: Family Friendly Suburbs That Haven’t Lost Their Cool
So you have kids, or are planning some. They need great schools and safe places to play, but you want to keep the vitality of places you’ve lived in your younger, freer days. You’re not ready to...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Punching Above Their Weight: Sydney’s Struggle Street Schools That Perform Really Well
The federal government’s MySchool website is a treasure trove of data about schools and how they perform. Like it or not, it’s a statistical fact that rich suburbs’ schools perform better and that edu...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Artificial Intelligence Identifies Australia’s Hippest Suburbs
Love em, or loathe em, Australia’s hipsters are at the bleeding edge of progressive culture, seeking out the edgiest trends for the rest of us to enjoy. Identifying Australia’s hippest suburbs is not ...
Elden McDonald
Panama Papers Release Reveals Top Tax Avoiding Australian Areas
What do Geraldton, WA and Mackay in Queensland have in common? Well, apart from being remote coastal towns, they also appear surprisingly often in the Panama Papers – the leak of Panamanian firm Mossa...
Elden McDonald
What can the PM afford to buy in Sydney?
Joe Hockey famously advised first home buyers to “get a good job that pays good money”. How about the top job? The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia earns no less than $507,000 a year. T...
Elden McDonald
Microburbs Lifestyle Score – Are you in a hot spot or a dead zone?
Microburbs Lifestyle Score ranks every location in Australia based on lifestyle venues, like cafes, restaurants, bars, beaches and gyms.
Elden McDonald
Analysis Reveals which Australian Chinese Stereotypes are Actually True
With ever increasing amounts of Chinese expats calling Australia home, we look to our extensive suburb and property data for insight. Stereotypes abound, but can you sort the factual from the phoney? ...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Negative Gearing: Be Patient, Don’t Muck With It
What will the impact be on the property market if the proposed changes by Labour go ahead to abolish negative gearing on old properties? What will life be like for investors? How will it affect first home buyers? Jeremy Sheppard from DSR Data walks us through the winners and losers.
Jeremy Sheppard
Mind The Affordability Gap
Come and get taken for a ride on the big city rental markets. This service goes from the city to Whoop Whoop. First stop Exorbitant, then Expensive, Overpriced, and all stations to Whoop Whoop. Please...
Elden McDonald
realAs Review
realAs predicts property prices to beat underquoting and unrealistic guide prices from agents. Backed by a sophisticated algorithm developed at RMIT, realAs predictions are within 5% of the sale...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
How Many Mass Shootings Have There Been In Your Australian Neighbourhood This Year?
Slate has an excellent map of gun deaths in your neighbourhood this year for the United States. We’re all about localities here at Microburbs, so we thought we would do something similar for Australia...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
The 10 Fools of Property Inspections. Are You One?
We’ve all seen the guides on what to remember going to a property inspection. But what about the flipside, how to be a stupid buyer? There’s so much stupidity out there, we’d be remiss in not covering it.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Ghost suburbs: How the elderly are emptying our cities
Empty nests make for empty streets and shopping malls. When children grow up and need to move away, they leave ghost suburbs behind. The retired, and the retiring, are holding on to family homes in spite of the families who desperately need them, and ultimately in spite of themselves.
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
To Nab a Property Bargain, Master the Art of Reverse Feng Shui
We all know the Chinese have a large presence on the Australian property scene today. Chinese buyers snap up nearly 1 in 5 new properties in Sydney , and 1 in 7 in Melbourne , according to research by...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Surprisingly, Real Estate Agents Are Our Friends
I’ve learned a positive thing about humanity doing startups. People aren’t as threatened by your products as you might think. On a previous startup, I published Wikipedia articles with mouseover links...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
We are now Microburbs!
This post is now outdated - but if you're curious, you can see what Microburbs used to look like
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Is the “forever home” a thing of the past? How this new housing trend can hurt you and your community.
Recent research has revealed people are only averaging approximately 8 years living in a house before they move on to the next property purchase. Meaning, while our parents were happy to stay put in t...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top 10 Tips for Researching a Property
Whether you’re buying your first house, investment property or family home, it is essential to research to the best of your ability. Buying property is a huge decision and to be misinformed is to pote...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Does “bargain” = happiness?
So you’ve been searching for the perfect home for months. With every unsuccessful inspection, your heart sinks just a little bit more, and so do your standards. Lofty dreams of walk-in robes, kitchen ...
Caroline Bellinger
Five reasons why it’s racist to blame Chinese investors for Australia’s property bubble
We love Australia’s multi-ethnicity, tolerance and openness to other cultures – it’s the nation’s greatest strength. So alarm bells go off when we see headlines and stories like this in the mainstream...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Chinese nationals aren’t the only foreigners splurging on Australian property
Over the past 12 months there has been much debate regarding the impact of Chinese investment on residential real estate. In one corner we have Simon Henry, CEO of Juwai, the Shanghai -based Chinese p...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Top Ten things you hate about buying property in Sydney
It’s a world of pain out there! We talked to hundreds of home buyers, property investors and some realestate agents too (they also buy property!). These are their top ten hates. Please let us know if ...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Five reasons Sydney Mega Councils might improve your life
With so many councils trying to block the NSW Government’s push for amalgamation and claiming mega councils will be the end of local democracy, we thought we would look at the contrary position....
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.
Sydney’s second airport set to transform the city
After decades of argument, procrastination and deeply democratic consultation, Sydney is finally moving ahead with its urgently needed second airport. Located at Badgery’s Creek in Western...
Luke Metcalfe, Data Scientist and Founder, Microburbs.