The significant 0.5% reduction in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) last month is now expected to spur on the New Zealand property market as buyers continue their cautious approach. The rate is now just 2.5%, down from 5.5% in July of 2024. And this stimulus is expected to fuel not just the property sector but…
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If you’re a first homebuyer, scouring the spring market seeking a mix of value and investment, you might be wondering whether the Government has done you a favour by offering to underwrite up to 15% of your home loan. The seemingly generous scheme, called the Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS), allows first-time buyers to purchase with…
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First homebuyers have added impetus to make a deal before the end of the year with new data showing that rents are on the rise again. The average rent is now $702 a week in Australia’s capital cities, which is 25% above the five-year average. Regional rents, while less expensive, are still not cheap. The…
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When preparing your home for sale, there’s probably no more important focal point than the bathrooms and the kitchen. Sometimes, a little regrouting around the taps works wonders from an aesthetic perspective. Clear and white silicone will often turn black with continued exposure to water. If you attempt to do the job yourself, don’t neglect…
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What do buyers really want? It’s a question that’s asked continually both those about to put their homes on the market. The answer can never be constant. Society, technology and the economy shape and change our lives in ways we might not have desired or intended. As the Australian market begins to see a peak…
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Debate about whether it’s better to buy a new home or an established property is as old as the real estate sector itself. New homes have an inherent value because they should have fewer maintenance costs and challenges, although that’s not always the case. They should also benefit from modern design and convenience. With older…
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If you’re an Eastern states investor, you’d be forgiven for thinking most properties are sold at auction. Yet, that’s far from the truth. Two of the nation’s fastest growing markets – Adelaide and Perth – don’t “do” auctions. In the last week of September, for example, there were just three auctions in the whole of…
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With the latest property data showing values have increased 2.2% in the 12 weeks to the end of September, many buyers will realise the tight supply of homes for sale has injected some real heat into the market. This time last year, buyers had the momentum with the cash rate at 4.35% and retail mortgages…
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The rental shortage that caused such an outcry in the aftermath of Covid is back with the national vacancy rate at just 1.47%. Scarcity of rental properties is forcing many Australians to look for new, longer term leases for fear they are going to have their current ones terminated by landlords seeking higher rents. A…
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In a new landmark survey, industry leaders and investors have raised significant concern about the burden of real estate tax increases being imposed by state governments and local councils. A third of all members of the Property Council of Australia (32%) put taxes and charges at the top of their concerns in the sixth annual…
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