Category: News

Market continues recovery despite rates rises

Australia’s housing market has not been short of the occasional twist or turn in 2023, and many owners sat on the sidelines to watch how it would play out. In the past four months we’ve seen it turn from decline to a far more positive sentiment. But we got a final twist with the Melbourne…
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How rate rises affect pre-approvals

Whether you want to upgrade your home or you’re a first-time buyer, the recent interest rate rise imposed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Melbourne Cup day will be of more than passing interest. Families, couples and singles in the throes of buying their next or first property will want to know the…
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New push for greener homes

Demand for more sustainable residential buildings isn’t going away, and both the federal government and many local councils appear on course for adjusting building regulations during the next few years. The real estate industry is increasingly discussing the impact of a draft Federal Government and CSIRO rating system that would influence home valuations and insurance…
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Gas stoves ban start of more green rules

The momentum for Australia to reduce carbon emissions from residential buildings is growing stronger, with the nation’s largest city councils pledging to phase out gas stoves. The City of Sydney and the City of Melbourne have joined the Global Cooksafe Coalition, which is seen as a prelude to banning gas stoves following similar moves by…
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Can granny flats solve our housing crisis?

Property researcher CoreLogic has released a heroic set of numbers that reveal granny flats could solve our residential accommodation problems. The study claimed to have found 655,000 sites across Australia that could accommodate a granny flat, regardless of whether your grandmother was interested in being an occupier. More than a third would be within 2km…
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Good summer vibes to attract buyers

The strong performance of the housing market, despite the recent interest rate hike on Melbourne Cup day, should give heart to homeowners who are looking to either upgrade or downsize this summer. The most recent Home Value Index from industry researcher CoreLogic shows property has edged up again in October, registering 0.9% value growth on…
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Winners and losers as market swings back

It may be early days in the recovery of New Zealand’s property market, but new research has shown an almost nationwide resurgence in confidence. With 566 suburbs recording value growth in the past three months, it’s worth studying the national picture so you get a sense of how this might affect your own strategy for…
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Maximising the property market turnaround

For the first time in more than a year, New Zealand’s property prices have started to edge higher after a long period of interest rate rises. The average price of a home has been benchmarked at $952,000 in the latest House Price Report for October released by the OneRoof website and industry researcher Velocity. Auckland…
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Data shows buyer confidence building

If you’re saving for a first property or your next dream home, it pays to carefully watch market indicators that offer a strong sense of where the property scene is heading. Why is this important?  Fundamentally, because you need to be ahead of the curve. You want to avoid being caught up in the surge…
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Changes may affect your investment strategy

Investors with national property portfolios need to understand the recent housing policy released in Victoria. State-based changes always have a fundamental impact on investors’ thinking. Most recently, we have seen concerns with Queensland policy proposals that its state government eventually stepped away from.  However, that reversal didn’t happen before many landlords started putting their Queensland…
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