The Perfect Storm for Borrowers and Property Investors
| |

The Perfect Storm for Borrowers and Property Investors

It appears as though the Government and the RBA are pulling out all stops in a bid to get people to borrow, invest and spend money to stimulate the economy and create employment. The latest decision by the RBA to slash interest rates to a record low 0.1 per cent and embark on a range of QE…

House Prices Continue to Defy the Critics
| | | | | | |

House Prices Continue to Defy the Critics

The latest house price data from CoreLogic has been released and it’s showing what many in the real estate industry have known for some time, that house prices are starting to climb in six out of eight of our capital cities and across many non-metro markets. Earlier in the year, when COVID was just starting…

Moving From Responsible to Sensible & Responsible Lending
| | | |

Moving From Responsible to Sensible & Responsible Lending

On Friday, the Federal Government announced the biggest change to lending standards we’ve seen since the GFC and it could make finance a lot easier to obtain for property investors. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is poised to put some of the responsibility back on the borrower and away from the lender in a move that aims…

It’s Not All Doom and Gloom for Property Markets
| |

It’s Not All Doom and Gloom for Property Markets

Despite the ongoing media speculation about large 30% plus falls in house prices, there are still plenty of strong residential property markets across the country. Of the nation’s 15 market jurisdictions (8 capital cities and 7 regional markets), 11 have house prices higher than they were at the start of the year Interestingly, some of the…

Are the Numbers Telling Us the Whole Story?
| |

Are the Numbers Telling Us the Whole Story?

As Melbourne heads back into lockdown, the headlines are still painting a very negative picture for the Australian property market as a whole. The latest data from CoreLogic is suggesting that house values have fallen modestly over the past two months and now with limited auction activity in Melbourne for the foreseeable future that could…

Buying Off-the-Plan or Building a New Home in Today’s Market
| |

Buying Off-the-Plan or Building a New Home in Today’s Market

With the announcement of the HomeBuilder package from the Federal Government and a host of other incentives being offered by various State Governments, building a new home or buying off the plan has just become a lot more popular. However, when looking to buy off the plan Brisbane or building a new dwelling, there are…

How to Make the Most of the Home Builder Grant
|

How to Make the Most of the Home Builder Grant

All the talk recently has been surrounding the Federal Government’s latest incentive for the real estate sector, known as HomeBuilder, which is a $25,000 grant to encourage homeowners to build and renovate. The package has not been without its critics as the criteria to qualify is relatively restrictive. You need to firstly be earning less…

Property Prices Holding Up Well During May
|

Property Prices Holding Up Well During May

It was very likely that when the latest CoreLogic data was released on house prices, there were a number of doomsayers who were a little disappointed. While prices across the major capital cities did decline by -0.5 per cent, this is a long way from the 30 per cent falls that some were suggesting. Overall, while there…

The Property Price Surge Continues but the RBA are Watching
| |

The Property Price Surge Continues but the RBA are Watching

Property prices have started the year in the same fashion they ended 2019, but the RBA is starting to take note. The latest data from CoreLogic has shown that over the January period, house prices in both Melbourne and Sydney have continued to push higher and there appear to be more increases in store for…

Tax Changes Hit Expats Main Residence CGT Exemption
| |

Tax Changes Hit Expats Main Residence CGT Exemption

I have always struggled to comprehend how this legislation is going to actually reduce the pressure on housing affordability as the ultimate outcome will probably be that fewer homes will be listed for sale as owners choose not to sell their main residence to avoid incurring any capital gains tax as a result of a…

Melbourne & Sydney Benefiting from the RBA’s Cut

Melbourne & Sydney Benefiting from the RBA’s Cut

There is growing speculation that the RBA is rapidly running out of bullets to fire after the latest rate cut saw the official cash rate fall to a record-low 0.75%. But that hasn’t dented the sharp rebound in property prices with prices jumping by record levels during September. The move by Governor Lowe and the…

The Spring Selling Season is Getting Set to Heat Up
|

The Spring Selling Season is Getting Set to Heat Up

The early indicators are starting to look good for property prices as buyers are starting to show their hands ahead of the Spring selling season. Across the board, the indicators are starting to suggest that the recent weakness in property markets in many states is starting to scream opportunity for savvy buyers. The most obvious…

The Pro’s and Con’s of AirBnB in Australia
| | |

The Pro’s and Con’s of AirBnB in Australia

The share economy has changed the way many of us operate from how we get around (Uber), to how we get our food delivered (Deliveroo) and even where we choose to stay when we travel (AirBnB). For investment purposes, using a platform like AirBnB can also be an excellent way to boost the yield on…