Australian Property News
Dwelling quality takes priority over quantity
Posted on Wednesday, March 10 2010 at 5:19 PM.Australians are choosing quality over quantity when it comes to the construction of new houses, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) assistant governor Philip Lowe says. Read more
RBA official identifies housing shortage as key challenge
Posted on Wednesday, March 10 2010 at 5:15 PM.Tackling Australia's housing shortage is one the biggest challenges facing the economy, according to Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) assistant governor Philip Lowe. Read more
Home lending drops
Posted on Wednesday, March 10 2010 at 5:09 PM.The number of loans taken out by owner-occupiers in January this year fell by 7.9 per cent, seasonally adjusted, compared to the previous month according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures. Read more
Fixed rate loans gain market share
Posted on Wednesday, March 10 2010 at 11:45 AM.New mortgagees have recently doubled the Australian market share of fixed rate loans from just below one per cent in January to more than two per cent in February, according to Mortgage Choice home loan February data. Read more
Interest rate rise prediction
Posted on Tuesday, March 09 2010 at 5:08 PM.The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could increase the official cash rate from its current four per cent to six per cent or 6.5 per cent by the end of next year, according to a Macquarie Research Strategist. Read more
Ruling gives guidance on the meaning of ‘rent reserved’
Posted on Tuesday, March 09 2010 at 5:04 PM.A recent ruling by the State Revenue Office (SRO) Victoria has provided guidance on the meaning of the term 'rent reserved' in lease provisions. In 2009, Section 7(1)(b)(v) of the Duties Act 2000 (the Act) was amended to make sure that certain lease arrangements aren’t used as a mechanism for avoiding duty. Read more
Queensland agrees to fresh look at valuations
Posted on Tuesday, March 09 2010 at 4:28 PM.The Queensland Government has agreed to revamp its controversial changes to the state's system for land valuation, in the wake of concerted lobbying from the property industry. Read more
Some fundamentals of property
Posted on Monday, March 08 2010 at 4:57 PM.Land, building or capital improvements and market conditions are some of the fundamentals of property, according to Direct Negotiations buyers advocate Chris Nicolas. Read more
Rates to affect first homebuyer plans
Posted on Friday, March 05 2010 at 12:58 PM.Future interest rate rises could scare first homebuyers off entering the property market, according to a Mortgage Choice survey. Read more
Vacancy rates the key to rental growth
Posted on Thursday, March 04 2010 at 5:51 PM.The idea that higher interest rates lead to rising rents is a myth, property researcher Michael Matusik says. Read more
Defaults can kill home purchase plans
Posted on Wednesday, March 03 2010 at 5:40 PM.Young Australians put their dreams of buying property at risk if they skip payments on telecommunications and utilities bills, according to Mortgage Choice chief executive Michael Russell says. Read more
Rates rise to 4 per cent
Posted on Tuesday, March 02 2010 at 3:35 PM.The Reserve Bank has lifted official interest rates 0.25 of a per cent to four per cent and has hinted at further rises to come. Read more
Why predicting the market can be tricky
Posted on Tuesday, March 02 2010 at 10:59 AM.Making short-term and long-term predictions about the property market can be reasonably easy but it's a different story with what happens in the middle, according to Metropole Property Investment Strategists director Michael Yardney. Read more
Developers’ rights reinstated over covenants
Posted on Friday, February 26 2010 at 3:49 PM.The Queensland Government is revising legislation designed to ensure property covenants didn't prevent people from installing energy efficient measures in their homes. Read more
Auditor General investigates green loans
Posted on Friday, February 26 2010 at 9:41 AM.The Green Loans Scheme will be audited, following issues arising from what started as an excellent initiative, said Australian Greens Deputy Leader Christine Milne. Read more
Gold Coast market sees strong growth
Posted on Friday, February 26 2010 at 9:34 AM.The Gold Coast property market has generally had strong and consistent median house price growth over the past 30 years, according to PRDnationwide research. Read more
Government plans new green rebate scheme
Posted on Friday, February 26 2010 at 9:27 AM.The Federal Government has vowed to introduce new rebates for ceiling insulation and solar hot water systems within months, after suddenly scrapping its previous program in the wake of allegations of rorts and poor safety standards. Read more
Green loans scaled back further
Posted on Friday, February 26 2010 at 9:19 AM.Green loans will be scaled back as the government has announced a reduction in residential energy assessments to a maximum of five per week, according to smartcompany.com.au. Read more
Regional Victoria rents tighter than Melbourne
Posted on Wednesday, February 24 2010 at 4:59 PM.In January 2010 Melbourne's rental vacancy rate slid to 1.5 per cent, marking the fifth year since the rental market was in balance, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV). Read more
Holding costs vital to developers’ due diligence
Posted on Wednesday, February 24 2010 at 4:55 PM.Small property developers need to include realistic council approval times in their planning or face their projects blowing out in cost due to extra holding costs, according to Intrapac chief executive Shelley Smulevich. Read more
Keep an eye on interest rates
Posted on Tuesday, February 23 2010 at 4:11 PM.Australians are being warned to be ready for interest rate increases despite the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to keep the cash rate at 3.75 per cent this month. Read more
New dispute in commercial valuation saga
Posted on Tuesday, February 23 2010 at 11:38 AM.The Queensland Government has failed to adequately explain what planned changes to how commercial land is valued will mean for property owners, the Urban Development Institute of Australia says. Read more
Housing affordability window closes
Posted on Tuesday, February 23 2010 at 9:02 AM.The collision of higher house prices, increased rates and the end of the first homebuyer boost caused housing affordability to fall in the December 2009 quarter, according to the latest HIA-CBA First Home Buyer Affordability Report. Read more
Growth to continue in Melbourne
Posted on Tuesday, February 23 2010 at 9:00 AM.The Melbourne property market outperformed all Australian capital cities in 2009, according to WBP Property Group chief executive officer Greville Pabst. Read more
Melbourne and Perth top property hit list
Posted on Friday, February 19 2010 at 5:26 PM.Melbourne and Perth provide the most compelling property investment prospects in 2010, a Wakelin Property Advisory report says. Read more
Avoid overcapitalising when you renovate
Posted on Friday, February 19 2010 at 8:36 AM.Renovated properties may sell faster but not necessarily at a much higher price, according to a recent PRDnationwide agent poll. Read more
First homebuyer retreat to bump up rents
Posted on Thursday, February 18 2010 at 12:05 PM.First homebuyers helped ease rental pressure in 2009, according to RP Data research analyst Cameron Kusher. Read more
Queenslanders told to check new valuations
Posted on Thursday, February 18 2010 at 12:00 PM.Queensland landowners are due to receive new property valuations from the State Government in coming weeks, and Gadens Lawyers partner Stafford Hopewell warns they should immediately check the notice for accuracy. Read more
Rentals pose unique environmental challenge
Posted on Thursday, February 18 2010 at 11:52 AM.The nature of the relationship between landlords and tenants poses a "unique policy challenge" for Australian governments seeking to improve the sustainability of private rental housing, a research report suggests. Read more
Beware extreme house price claims
Posted on Tuesday, February 16 2010 at 4:29 PM.Australians should be wary of those with the most extreme views on the outlook for house prices, according to Macquarie Bank economist Rory Robertson, who won a well-known bet on house prices in the midst of the global financial crisis. Read more
Property investor numbers to double
Posted on Tuesday, February 16 2010 at 4:25 PM.The number of Australians intending to invest in property has almost doubled in the past year, according to new research from Resi Mortgage Corporation. Read more
Capital growth the key
Posted on Tuesday, February 16 2010 at 4:22 PM.Investors should look to buy properties with a strong propensity for capital growth rather than good rental returns, according to Monique Wakelin of Wakelin Property Advisory. Read more
Brokers’ trailing commissions under threat
Posted on Friday, February 12 2010 at 3:32 PM.Trailing commissions that lenders pay to brokers could be on the way out, Finance Brokers Association of Australia president Peter White. Read more
Housing finance drops
Posted on Thursday, February 11 2010 at 2:07 PM.Home loan approvals fell in December last year, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Read more
Contact with bank managers quite rare
Posted on Thursday, February 11 2010 at 2:02 PM.Most borrowers don't have much contact with their bank manager, if the results of a recent survey are anything to go by. Read more
NSW tenancy changes under attack
Posted on Thursday, February 11 2010 at 9:40 AM.The New South Wales Shadow Minister for Fair Trading, Greg Aplin, has called for the State Government to go back to the drawing board on its planned changes to residential tenancy laws. Read more
Showing 1 - 36 of 487 Articles | Page 1 of 14
