Property investment has entered dangerous new territory. What used to be about building long-term wealth has become clouded by hype, shortcuts, and unqualified advice. Investors are being drawn into speculative schemes disguised as strategy.
In this episode, Veronica and Chris sit down with Ben Kingsley, Founding Managing Director of Empower Wealth and Chair of the Property Investors Council of Australia (PICA), to unpack the alarming resurgence of speculative, misleading, and unlicensed property advice spreading across Australia.
Ben recently authored an open letter to industry associations, warning of “get-rich-quick” operators, social media influencers, and unqualified advisors encouraging investors to buy properties through risky trust structures and self-managed super funds. He reveals how these practices are distorting regional markets, luring naive investors, and potentially triggering a regulatory backlash that could reshape the entire property sector.
From “pump and dump” tactics to trust lending loopholes and the rise of volume-driven buyer’s agents buying sight unseen, this conversation exposes the systemic risks emerging from the unregulated fringes of the industry. Ben, Veronica, and Chris also explore how social media hype, FOMO marketing, and easy credit are fueling another wave of short-term speculation that could end in disaster.
If you care about the future of Australia’s property market—or just want to protect yourself from being swept up in the next boom-and-bust cycle—this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.
Episode Highlights
00:00 — Why Risky Property Advice Is Back on the Rise
01:36 — Speculative Behaviour: The Return of Fast-Money Mindsets
02:25 — How Speculation Threatens Consumers and Market Stability
03:59 — Unlicensed Advisors and the Power of Social Media Influence
06:14 — Regional Market Distortions: When Buyer’s Agents Go Rogue
08:21 — Will ASIC Step In? The Push for Property Regulation
10:16 — The Role (and Responsibility) of Brokers and Buyer’s Agents
13:01 — What Happens Next: Ben’s Call for Industry Reform
32:06 — Rising Prices, Rising Pressure: The Human Cost of Property
33:51 — Regional Boom or Bubble? Understanding the Market Risks
36:41 — Property Prices vs. Fundamentals: When Growth Defies Logic
39:47 — Speculation vs. Strategy: The Long-Term Investment Divide
42:14 — Economic Viability: The Missing Piece in Modern Investing
49:00 — Building a Sustainable Property Business, Not a Hype Machine
52:41 — Owning Mistakes and the Power of Industry Accountability
54:26 — Final Thoughts: Restoring Trust in Property Advice
Links
About the Guest
Ben Kingsley is the Founding and Managing Director of Empower Wealth and the inaugural Chair of the Property Investors Council of Australia (PICA). A Qualified Property Investment Advisor (QPIA) and one of Australia’s most respected voices in property, finance, and money management, Ben has spent over two decades advocating for professional standards and consumer protection in the property investment sector.
A multi-award-winning advisor and frequent media commentator, Ben co-authored two bestselling books — The Armchair Guide to Property Investing and Make Money Simple Again — and co-hosts The Property Couch, Australia’s #1 property, finance, and money management podcast. Through Empower Wealth, Ben leads an integrated team of experts providing holistic financial advice across property, finance, tax, and wealth management.
Driven by his belief that “anyone can improve their financial outcomes, regardless of their starting point,” Ben continues to challenge industry complacency and push for responsible, transparent, and ethical property investment practices across Australia.
Connect with Ben
Resources
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See you on the inside,
Veronica & Chris
