News Archive
08 March 2008
Dont panic, investors told
Property investors should stick to their long-term plans and avoid panic selling in the current environment of rising interest rates, property research firm Braxton Chase says. The Reserve Bank lifted Australia’s official cash rate to 7.25 per cent this week, the highest it’s been in almost 12 years. “Residential property investors are too often spooked by stories of doom a... read news item »
08 March 2008
Top 10 tips for property research
The Property School has released 10 tips for finding the right information to assist with making investment decisions. The Property School’s tips are: 1. Know your goals Before you start on any research you need to be clear on what your goals are. A set of clearly written out goals will help you proceed through the research process. 2. Sales history of the area Once you know th... read news item »
04 March 2008
Property watch
How can you tell if properties in a suburb represent good value or are overpriced? Decisions to purchase property were once bombproof. For instance, how could you possibly go wrong buying Sydney property 20 years ago? Buyers of property these days are more highly geared, which means there is higher risk. Investors and home buyers alike have to apply a little more science and a little less gue... read news item »
29 February 2008
House prices to fall as interest rates rise
BIG city house prices will fall if interest rates continue to climb, Australia's peak real estate body says. The prediction comes despite the group's own data showing double-digit house price growth in five capital cities in the past year. Economists expect the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to lift rates next week to a fresh 11-year high to curb inflation. Real Estate Institute of Austral... read news item »
29 February 2008
Rental plan to ease mortgage pain
A SCHEME to subsidise the construction of 50,000 rental properties during the next four years will improve housing affordability, federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek says. Ms Plibersek said, however, the scheme would start slowly because of concerns that heated construction activity could drive up inflation. Today data was released showing the proportion of family income required to meet... read news item »
29 February 2008
Does deposit size matter?
For first time property buyers, a deposit is often a major hurdle. The size of the hurdle, of course, depends on the size of the deposit . It&rs... read news item »
19 February 2008
Sydney regains its title as Australias property capital
Residential property vendors are awakening from their slumber. Sydney has regained its mantle as the country's busiest capital city property market. There were 94,500 house and unit sales across Sydney in 2007 narrowly bettering Melbourne's 93,000 sales. During 2005 and 2006, Melbourne recorded more transactions than Sydney. But Sydney's sale volume is well below the 2002 peak when 132,000 s... read news item »
12 February 2008
Hit back with a bunch of fives
Are you feeling punch drunk with all the official and unofficial interest rate rises? Between the Reserve Bank and your own lender, it's been an assault so sustained that Rocky Balboa would be reeling. But if your finances are on the ropes, don't throw in the towel - hit back. Here's my five-step plan of attack. 1. Ask for a discount If you are paying the advertised standard variable rat... read news item »
05 February 2008
Tax breaks for first home buyers
FIRST home buyers are being offered tax breaks to help them into the property market amid unprecedented concern about housing affordability. Treasurer Wayne Swan yesterday unveiled details of the Government's plans to establish first home saver accounts to help young people save for a deposit. People who deposit money into the home saver accounts will receive a 15 per cent tax break on that... read news item »
01 February 2008
Strong 2008 tipped for most markets
The Australian property market should see strong demand and increasing returns in some sectors during 2008, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia. The institute’s 2008 Real Estate Market Outlook says 2007 was a vintage year for homeowners, with prices climbing in most parts of Australia. Investors also benefited from improving yields thanks to tight rental markets, the re... read news item »