Media
Where journalists have come to us for a read on the South Coast and Illawarra market.
Quoted since 2015
Matt Knight has been a working buyer’s agent on the South Coast for fifteen years, and a Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia member for twelve of them, four on its executive as the national regional representative.
Journalists ring when they need someone who actually transacts in these markets rather than someone reading the same data everyone else has. Every link below is live and has been checked.
2026
The Illawarra suburbs where home buyers can negotiate the biggest discounts
On whether headline discounts are real, and an off-market Coledale negotiation that came down from about $4m to $3.6m.
Also ran in South Coast Register
Window of opportunity for regional buyers as investors pull back post-budget
On the short buying window that opened for regional first home buyers when investors stepped back after the Budget.
What property prices are forecast to do in the Illawarra
One of five experts asked where prices go for the rest of 2026.
Why a young regional property investor is rethinking her strategy
On the negative gearing and capital gains changes, why rents rise, and what happened last time in 1985.
Also ran in Milton Ulladulla Times, The Canberra Times and Mandurah Mail
Champagne locations, beer budget: how to buy in the Illawarra's prime spots
Worst house, best street, and how to get into a blue-chip suburb without a blue-chip budget.
South Coast property: expert reveals 'great value buying' after market drop
South Coast values sitting below the 2022 peak, and holiday-home demand returning to normal.
Also ran on view.com.au
2025
'A year like no other': what's next for Illawarra buyers and sellers in 2025
2024 as an arm-wrestle between buyers and sellers, and why waiting for rate cuts was the wrong plan.
2024
'More of a buyer's market': Illawarra spring real estate forecast
On the spring listings run and where the deals were likely to sit.
2022
REBAA 2023 property outlook: bear market buyers hibernate for the summer
The national association's year-ahead outlook, with Matt giving the regional read.
The Illawarra locations where homes are taking longest to sell
Days on market blowing out, and the northern Illawarra $2m-plus market pausing after the COVID surge.
Also ran in South Coast Register
2021
Ex-pats buy $3.5m Jamberoo acreage after video inspections
Clients in Abu Dhabi bought a Jamberoo property sight unseen, on the strength of walk-through video and a lot of phone calls.
Also ran in South Coast Register
REBAA announces its 2021-2022 executive committee
Re-elected as the national regional representative.
'It's all about confidence': a professional bidder on how to succeed at auctions
A full article of auction bidding tactics, which then ran nationally.
Also ran in The Canberra Times, South Coast Register and Western Advocate
2020
REBAA announces its 2020-2021 executive committee
Elected the association's national regional representative.
Scheme for first home buyers will increase demand, not supply
On why the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme was a drop in the ocean against the actual problem.
REBAA reveals its 2020 spring property predictions
On first home buyers leaving the capitals for the regions.
How the pandemic helped make this Sydney couple's Wollongong dream a reality
"Suddenly being one, two or three hours from a capital city's no longer a problem."
Where buyers can capitalise on property opportunities in Australia's regional locations
On Wollongong and South Coast prices holding firm while the capitals wobbled.
Buyers keen to 'seize the day' in regional locations
On the wave of sea-changers who moved the moment travel bans made city life negotiable.
2019
Head vs heart: the psychology of buying real estate
On the fears that drive buyer behaviour, and how they cost people money.
Summarised by My Sydney Broker
Dream or nightmare? The 21 most common property buyer mistakes
A long-form feature on the mistakes that derail buyers, and how to avoid each one.
Buyers warned not to 'panic buy' this spring
On vacancy rates under two per cent, and buying on quality rather than on price alone.
2018
Pins in strawberries, and fear in real estate
On media-driven fear, the APRA lending crackdown, and where the opportunity sat outside Sydney and Melbourne.
'Ripple effect' sees wave of buyers ditching Sydney for coastal boom towns
On the ripple out of Sydney into the Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay, Mollymook and Ulladulla, alongside Domain's own chief economist.
Also ran in Illawarra Mercury, Newcastle Herald and Blue Mountains Gazette
2016 and earlier
The Your Investment Property pieces carry no publication date on the page. They date from around 2015 to 2016 and are listed oldest first.
Why home buyers are leaving Sydney for the NSW coast
An early read on the coastal ripple effect, well before it became the accepted story.
Illawarra revealed as Australia's strongest regional market
On what put the Illawarra at the top of the national regional table.
As Sydney slows, does regional NSW hold any value for investors?
On where value remained once the Sydney run ran out of room.
Infrastructure and affordability drive interest in the NSW South Coast
On the road and hospital spending that changed what the South Coast could support.
For journalists
Matt is available for comment on the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay, Eurobodalla and Coastal WA markets, on auction strategy and bidding, and on how buyers actually behave rather than how the data says they should.
Call +61 2 4404 3500 or use the contact form. Interviews and podcast appearances are on the videos page.