REAL ESTATE REPORT

Building approvals bounce
13 Jan 2012 - Western Australia is home to the fastest growing suburb in Australia, but the number of home building approvals in the state slumped to GFC lows in November. Home building approvals across the nation bounced and home sales were up, but apartment sales took a tumble.

Home values rise
06 Jan 2012 - The Reserve Bank's rate cut has triggered the first rise in home values since December 2010. Sydney is expected to be the strongest performer among capital cities this year. And coastal holiday homes are expected to see values weaken further this summer.

Housing shortage worsens
22 Dec 2011 - Australia's housing shortage is getting worse. Overseas investors are taking advantage of the shortage, with foreign developers now owning 30 per cent of Australia's apartments. First home buyers in NSW have entered the market in a last minute rush to take advantage of the state government's stamp duty concessions. There are less Australians defaulting on their mortgage repayments despite the global economic uncertainty. And we take a closer look at the year's most discounted properties.

Property price forecasts for 2012
15 Dec 2011 - Australian Property Monitors has labeled 2012 as a year of recovery for most Australian markets, with national median house prices forecast to rise between 3 and 5 per cent. On the other side of the fence, University of Western Sydney professor Steve Keen says he expects home prices to fall between 5 and 10 per cent nationally next year.

Real estate riskier than shares
08 Dec 2011 - Is real estate riskier than investing in shares? The Reserve Bank Board lowers the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.25 per cent, the second cut in a row. The number of residential properties for sale has increased and it's putting downward pressure on house prices. And dwelling investment made no contribution to economic growth for the September quarter.

Property dangerously overvalued?
01 Dec 2011 - Home values in Australia are overvalued by at least 25 per cent. That's according to The Economist. A difficult spring selling season has come to an end. Capital city house prices dipped and building approvals slumped in October. But some good news, new home sales have made a modest recovery.

Property’s worst year since the GFC
25 Nov 2011 - Could Australia’s residential property market be headed for its worst year since the GFC? The Housing Industry Association says new home building is on a consistent downtrend, with home renovation the shining light. The number of properties available for lease dipped slightly during the month of October. And Sydney rents are increasing faster than inflation.

Real Estate Report - 21/11/11
Popularity is rising for buying units and townhouses close to the city. But it seems we’re still a little hesitant to buy property because of the expectation that house prices are set to fall further. Surging housing costs for mortgage holders over the past decade hasn’t helped. But there’s one group not too worried, Sydney’s Point Piper is officially Australia’s most expensive suburb.

Real Estate Report -14/11/11
The number of new houses to be built in Sydney and Perth is set to jump over the next five years. Almost 90 per cent of homes in Perth are unaffordable for essential workers including teachers, nurses, police officers. And first home buyers are getting back into the housing market.

Real Estate Report - 07/11/11
When Westpac went out on a limb in July predicting an interest rate cut by the end of the year, it was met with disbelief. So when the Reserve Bank Board decided to lower the cash rate on Melbourne Cup Day it was hard to work out who was the biggest winner. Was it Westpac’s chief economist Bill Evans, Dunaden or mortgage holders?