Living on a Prayer 01-09-2025

Welcome to the Baseline Business & Finance Wrap!

If you're a business owner in Perth, this is your weekly no-fluff update on the numbers that matter:

📊 Markets – ASX, interest rates & commodity prices

🏡Property – Perth house prices & rental trends,

💰 Business Finance – Lending insights & smart money moves

🤣 Dad Jokes – Because finance shouldn’t be that serious

We’ll keep it short, sharp, and packed with value.

Markets

• The ASX wandered through a sleepy week — up just 0.09% overall — but that didn’t stop a few names from copping haymakers. Miss your earnings forecasts/analyst estimates, and the market makes you pay.

• Gold has put in a steady 5-month performance, a far cry from its rollercoaster past. Hard to believe it’s doubled in under three years. #anotheroneImissed

• Bitcoin, on the other hand, reminded us why no one uses “stability” and “crypto” in the same sentence. A few frowns this week, but give it seven days and we’ll probably be back to champagne popping. #I'llmissthattoo

• Iron Ore is holding the fort — still above USD$100/t — and Copper managed a small rebound. Both keeping WA’s export ticker in the green.

Property

• Danger siren: Perth’s listings are now officially under 3,000 — just 2,981 properties are on the books for sale.

• If you’re dreaming of a Balinese pool retreat with a butler’s pantry - sorry, sold out circa 2019. What’s left? Maybe the only 4x2 in your suburb?

• Median house prices are holding steady at $800k, but units crept up 1% for the week. Pundits reckon units are undervalued compared to replacement cost. That market may yet have its day in the sun.

• Hotspots: Perth, East Perth, Baldivis, and Thornlie.

Rates

• Rates barely twitched this week, with the BBSW hovering around last week’s levels.

• The latest inflation print ticked up slightly, which might make Michele and the RBA crew a little shy about pulling the trigger at the next meeting.

• For now:

🏡 Home loans → mid-5s is your benchmark.

💼 Business loans → 6% or under is where you want to land (depending).

Baseline Success Story of the Week

• Last week we achieved approval to fund the purchase of a mixed use Commercial Property in WA's north. The property is a mix of retail and residential tenancies (so not your average).

• The purchase will coincide with a refinance at better terms for the client. Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner (Couldn't help but google that -> The most popular origin story of the term is that a chicken dinner at a Las Vegas casino used to cost $2, the same amount as a standard bet. So, if you won a bet, you won a chicken dinner. Who knew).

Bad/Dad Jokes of the week

• 5 ants rented an apartment with another 5 ants. Now they're tenants.

• I told my wife "Your underwear is way too tight." She said, "Then wear your own."

• I became violently ill after attending the Margarine and Butter conference. I should have known it would be a super spreader event.

Finally, for this weeks Meme series "If your bank was honest..."

Need Help Navigating Finance? Let’s Chat.

Whether it’s commercial property finance, business lending, or investment strategy, I’m here to help you make the right move.

Let’s have a quick chat — call 08 6108 3925

Email - brad@baselinefin.com.au

Or just reply to this newsletter—I read every message.