A great way to take the temperature of Australia’s property market is to watch the auction results come in. The numbers vary from week to week, but the trend rarely deviates substantially in terms of providing a sense of the market sentiment. A clearance rate of more than 70% is an indicator of a strong…
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Continual media coverage of property prices and interest rates reflects the importance of our homes as a cornerstone for building personal wealth. It often feels as if every ebb and flow is highlighted, often leaving us confused about the true investment value of property. New data reminds us why the majority of us firmly believe…
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With the latest 0.5% cut in interest rates, New Zealand buyers must start to think strategically about the best time to jump into the market. Now the Reserve Bank of New Zealand has trimmed rate by a full 1% in the last few months, you have precious few moments to consider your strategy before prices…
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Premium brands always do well in market downturns – and that’s true for the “dress circle” properties in the Queenstown area. The value growth down south has been stellar while other areas of New Zealand – most noticeably Auckland and Wellington – continue to feel the impact of high mortgage costs. The announcement of a…
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As millions of Americans prepare to cast their vote, it’s interesting to note how housing policies have played a larger role than historically normal in the race for the White House. Housing is always an important topic, but the recent challenges with inflation and higher interest rates, which has led to rising rents and stagnant…
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New loan rules to expand insurance mortgages from 25 to 30 years are set to take effect next month to help first homebuyers into the market. By increasing the repayment period five years, first-time buyers will face lower monthly mortgage bills. However, if the loan were to go to full-term, they would pay more in…
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Forget wedding bells, young Canadians are more interested in being a homeowner. Some 40% of under-30s say buying a property is critical to their five-year plan, signalling a preference over travel (30%) and marriage (24%). The survey conducted by the Royal Bank of Canada comes as interest rates have dropped a further 0.5% to 3.75%,…
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The dial is starting to move as more Canadians enter the real estate market. Sales activity was 1.9% higher for September compared with August, which is the last month of the traditionally popular selling season. It’s the third successive month that an increase in transactions has been recorded by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).…
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A significant change has been made to the home appraisal process, which will affect both first homebuyers and upgraders. Lenders will now be required to implement a borrower-driven process for requesting a Reconsideration of Value (ROV). Essentially, owners of homes can now contact their lender and ask for their home to be revalued so that…
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Signs of an immediate uplift in the momentum of the New Zealand property market have emerged following the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s decision to cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 0.25%. Taking the OCR to 5.25%, the mid-August move by the Reserve Bank was the first rate cut in more than four years.…
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