Property Buzz: Banking shake-up, refinancing surge, and trust tax turmoil

Borrowers are switching lenders in search of better deals while proposed trust tax changes could force investors to rethink how they structure their property wealth. On Property Buzz, Phil Tarrant is joined by Julian Barnes to break down the biggest developments across banking, mortgage lending, and property finance. The pair look at AI's growing role in banking and what it could mean for mortgage brokers, despite brokers now accounting for 81.6 per cent of the home loan market. They also discuss the surge in refinancing, with 1,800 borrowers switching lenders each day. The conversation then turns to proposed trust tax reforms, including a 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trusts and changes planned for 2028, which have left advisers working through the potential impact. With inflation, unemployment, and interest rate uncertainty adding to the pressure, the pair consider what these changes mean for borrowers and property investors.