Aug 12, 2026 – 12.00pmWestpac says mortgage applications have fallen 20 per cent. ANZ expects house prices to drop 14.5 per cent. Auction clearance rates have been sliding for week. The Reserve Bank of Australia, having increased interest rates three times this year, is more likely than not to raise again.Sitting pretty through this maelstrom, however, appears to be REA Group, the owner of the country’s biggest property portal: realestate.com.au.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
REA’s Cameron McIntyre is a rare optimist in a gloomy real estate market
It’s been a wild ride for the chief executive of the country’s largest property portal. Even as prices fall, he’s upbeat there’ll always be more to sell.
TL;DRAI
REA Group thrives as Australia's real estate collapses—mortgage applications -20%, house prices forecast -14.5%. Platform dominance builds resilience through network effects; REA's counter-trend strength signals competitive moat and revenue diversification.
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