About the author

Bernadette is a journalist with years of experience covering topics in macroeconomics, real estate, and lifestyle beats for notable print media organisations. She joined the InfoChoice Group in 2024, bringing her passion for writing stories that help Australians make better decisions about money.


Bernadette's latest articles

Bernadette Lunas

Red-hot rental market: Vacancy in Australia’s capital cities at critical levels in January

As tenants grapple with rising rent prices and a chronic supply shortage, the latest PropTrack report points to no ...

07 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Reserve Bank holds rates steady in February, but future hikes 'cannot be ruled out'

After its inaugural two-day meeting, the Reserve Bank on Tuesday has decided to keep the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% in February.

06 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Property settlements down in 2023, but Q4 sales boom suggests growing momentum

Property sales transactions across five mainland states in 2023 fell 9.1% year-on-year, the latest PEXA Property In...

06 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Two-thirds of Aussies under dire levels of rental stress

Seven out of 10 Australian renters are paying more than 30% of their gross income on rent, with over two-thirds mod...

03 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Banks adjust term deposit rates, largely to the disappointment of savers

During what has been a pretty busy week for depositors, a major Australian bank led other notable players in adjust...

02 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

How to downsize your home as a senior

When the kids move out and you have more space in your home than you need, downsizing to a smaller dwelling is a sensible solution for seniors. However...

01 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Building pipeline shrinks at the end of 2023

New ABS data revealed dwellings approved for construction fell by a seasonally adjusted 9.5% in December, mounting ...

01 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Home values accelerate, marking 12 consecutive months of gains

Australia’s housing market opened the year with another monthly price increase across property types. ...

01 Feb 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Inflation falls faster than expected, RBA rate hike all but ruled out

Quarterly inflation fell faster than expected as prices increased at a slower pace in December, reinforcing market forecasts the RBA will the hold interest r...

31 Jan 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Retail sales tumble in December as Aussies cut back on spending after Black Friday

Retail trade plunged 2.7% in December as spending slowed after a series of Black Friday sales events.

30 Jan 2024
Bernadette Lunas

No reprieve for renters: Rental supply plummets to historic low as demand grows

The number of available properties for rent plunged to a historic low in December, with worsening supply and demand...

30 Jan 2024
Bernadette Lunas

Lenders drop fixed home loan rates

Major mortgage lenders Macquarie Bank, AMP, and Bank of Queensland (BOQ) slashed the fixed interest rates they offer in anticipation of a lower interest rate...

25 Jan 2024