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Property & Mortgage News
Homebuyers have spring in their step
MORE than 100,000 people are ready for a home-buying spree experts predict will jump-start Sydney's property market.
Follow Yellow Brick Road to buy a home
FIRM gives first home buyers a boost by removing lending requirement for proof of savings.
Downsizing your home? Prepare yourself
EMPTY-nesters and families downsizing homes facing stiff competition in the mid-price range.
Downsizing your home? Prepare yourself
EMPTY-nesters and families downsizing homes facing stiff competition in the mid-price range.
Banks deny homeowners cash to upgrade
EXPERTS say lenders are taking a hardline stance and are increasingly blocking homeowners from bridging finance.
Auction spike signals fear of spring slump
PROPERTY markets are maintaining their steam, but analysts warn of harder times in spring.
Auction spike signals fear of spring slump
PROPERTY markets are maintaining their steam, but analysts warn of harder times in spring.
Investors jump in as properties increase
INVESTORS targeting off-the-plan apartments hoping for short-term gain will be "disappointed".
Sydney backwaters become very desirable
REAL estate shock as waterside suburbs increase in value faster than the rest of Sydney.
Island holiday homes beckon for Aussies
AUSSIES are taking advantage of the strong Aussie dollar and budget flights to buy holiday homes overseas.
Facebook, not BBQs, the new hot property
REAL estate agents replace traditional sausage sizzles with gimmicks and gadgetry to lure buyers.
Sydney backwaters desirable and expensive
REAL estate shock as waterside suburbs increase in value faster than the rest of Sydney.
Landlords count cost of tenants from hell
MORE landlords forced to claim insurance as number of thefts and value of stolen property rises, an insurer says.
City of houses out of reach in affordability
HOUSING affordability plunges to near-record lows, with aspiring home buyers feeling worst of it.
'Ponzi borrowers' at risk of property crash
LOCAL property investors in too much debt with housing bubble at risk of bursting, analyst says.
'Ponzi borrowers' at risk of property crash
LOCAL property investors in too much debt with housing bubble at risk of bursting, analyst says.
Home buyers 'should wait until spring'
PROPERTY prices are set for a major tumble in spring after a winter plateau, expert predicts.
Australia's two-speed property market
Demand for property in Melbourne and Sydney is strong but there's uncertainty everywhere else, Ray White says.
Choosing a Home Loan
If you thought that finding the right property was difficult, you haven't seen anything yet. Choosing the right home loan to suit your needs can be a minefield! There are so many options - how can you work out the right one for you? Well, here are a few steps to make it a little bit easier.
First Home Buyers
Home ownership is the Great Australian Dream and buying your first home is very exciting! There are a range of government benefits available to help you make your goal a little bit more affordable.
Saving money by going green at home
Government green schemes are on hold but there are still many ways to save by going green around the house.
Saving money by going green
Government green schemes have been on hold but there are still many ways to save.
Super rich on mansion bargain hunt
WEALTHY buyers have shrugged off interest rate rises and a falling share market to splurge on prestige homes.
Questions mortgage-shoppers should ask
IT pays to ask yourself some hard questions about your future life plans and investments when you're looking for a home loan.
Home loans fall as interest rates bite
HOME loan commitments fell to a nine year low in June as the housing market continued to deteriorate, economists say.
'Mormonville' scam preyed on pensioners
WOMAN accused of $4 million scam involving a bogus land development for church members.
Hawkins to build oceanfront 'dream home'
JENNIFER Hawkins has expanded her property portfolio with the purchase of an oceanfront block of land.
City houses cost 18pc more in 2010
HOUSE prices in major capital cities jumped by almost 20 per cent in the past year, according to the latest ABS figures.
Housing sales continue to fall - in QLD
LACK of land and high infrastructure charges blamed for fifth consecutive drop in new home sales.
How to renovate your property for a profit
BILLIONS are spent renovating every year, from humble suburban shacks to blue-ribbon mansions.
Housing shortage hits critical levels
THE dream of home ownership is slipping further out of reach of ordinary Australians as the nation faces its worst-ever housing shortage.
Property prices post largest fall since 2008
AVERAGE house prices fall for first time in 17 months as rate hikes and affordability start to bite.
House prices post first fall since April 2008
AVERAGE house prices fall for first time in 17 months as rate hikes and affordability start to bite.
Mortgage applications on the rise
MORTGAGE applications rose in the June quarter, but credit card applications fell, credit agency says.
Cheaper suburbs push house prices up
LESS affluent suburbs performed better in the past three months than the luxury market, data shows.
First home loan applications on the rise
MORE first home buyers applied for a mortgage in the June quarter, but demand for credit cards fell.
Fraudsters target migrants, the elderly
CRIMINALS are stealing the identities of migrants and the elderly to apply for fake mortgages.
Fees create confusion for homebuyers
SELLING a home can be an expensive exercise and different fees from state to state can confuse some buyers.
James Packer set to expand sprawling pad
JAMES Packer submits plans to redevelop properties into $43 million compound.
Couple pay $14m for homes - to demolish
PROPERTY guru will spend millions more converting waterfront sites into mansion.
Why homes are worth more in a street
ADDRESSES containing the word "street" are worth $100,000 more than those ending in "road."
First home saver accounts 'unpopular'
DEMAND for the much-vaunted first home accounts has been much less than expected, PM Gillard says.
Watchdog bans failed property spruiker
HENRY Kaye, whose companies collapsed in 2003, has been banned from managing companies for 5 years.
'We won't take brothel owner's millions'
OWNERS of medieval castle, once a family attraction, to reject offer of $10 million to turn it into a brothel.
'Don't save burning mansion, I'm insured'
A MAN allegedly told his neighbours not to try to save his luxury home from burning.
Agents must disclose murder houses
REAL estate agents must tell prospective home buyers about a home's history or face fines of up to $1.1 million under new laws.
Thousands rort first home-owners grant
MORE than 3000 have been caught rorting first-homebuyer concessions to the tune of $7.5m.
Inside Australia's most expensive home
AGENTS considering sub-dividing fallen tycoon's estate to help repay some of the $1bn he owes.
Mining towns fuelling property market
EXPERTS predict industry towns will be the place to buy as tax truce sparks demand for homes.
Aussie property 'world's most overpriced'
EXPERT casts doubt on claim that Australia has the world's most overpriced property market.
Minister 'annoyed' over eviction leak
GOVERNMENT defends $12 billion plan that will see residents evicted to make way for rail tracks.
Housing plan to build more liveable future
NEW building code for industry set to improve standards for families, the elderly and disabled.
Sour outlook for soaring house prices
INVESTORS are the main source of growth in the market as demand from owner-occupiers slows down.
MP 'annoyed' at eviction leak
GOVERNMENT defends $12 billion plan that will see residents evicted to make way for rail tracks.
Home loans on the rise after eight months
THE number of home loans for owner occupied housing rose for the first time in eight months in May, official figures show.
Market cools as auction rates hit year low
CLEARANCE rates in major cities continue to worsen with house sales dropping across the nation.
Young give up on dream of suburbia
YOUNG buyers priced out of the property market turning to small inner-city apartments instead.
How long will it take you to buy a house?
AND what do you do in the meantime?
Buying your first home? Keep saving then
SOARING prices means it now takes about 4.5 years to save for a deposit to buy a first home.
Council protest puts squeeze on housing
HOUSING grinds to a halt across NSW as more than a dozen councils refuse new developments.
Why freezing Canberra is hot property
NATIONAL capital overtakes Sydney and Melbourne as the country's hottest housing market.
Why freezing Canberra is hot property
NATIONAL capital overtakes Sydney and Melbourne as the country's hottest housing market.
New home sales drop to three-month low
INTEREST rates continue to dampen demand for housing, a residential building body says.
Average home value growth cools in May
HOUSE prices in capital cities recorded their second straight month of single digit growth in May.
Australia world-beaters in property ranks
AUSTRALIAN property makes headlines as strong prices attract attention of international investors.
Borrowers face tougher mortgage test
LENDERS tighten the screws by lifting the size of rate rises customers must show they can handle.
Housing market cools after fever pitch
REAL estate prices across Australia finally begin to steady after record sales earlier this year.
Million dollar homes 'sell like hotcakes'
MILLION-dollar homes are selling at a rate of one every two hours, latest figures reveal.
Million dollar homes 'sell like hotcakes'
MILLION-dollar homes are selling at a rate of one every two hours, latest figures reveal.
Mum lives with two kids in car
DESPERATE working mum stuck in home nightmare because landlords keep knocking her back.
Estate agents use hypnosis to seal deals
JUST when you thought you knew their every trick, estate agents turn on your subconscious.
Revealed: Worst place to buy new home
BUYERS warned that Byron Bay, Australia's playground of the rich, is "real estate poison".
Property market out of range for singles
MOST Sydney properties too pricey singled as homes go for tens of thousands of dollars more than the asking price.
Model brains behind $5m property empire
JENNIFER Hawkins has the looks and money; boyfriend Jake Wall has the brawn and building skills.
And the biggest loser is ...Sydney
OUR largest city lags behind other capitals in housing affordability, infrastructure and congestion.
Rush to sell as property market cools
RECORD number of homes set to go under the hammer in one state as clearance rates plummet.
House price growth 'set to slow on rates'
RISING rates and less first-timers entering the market will cool house prices, forecaster says.
Housing bubble not real, says RBA
THE Reserve Bank of Australia has downplayed concerns over a house price bubble in Australia, but painted a bleak picture for heavily indebted governments.
Australian housing market 'a time bomb'
THE Australian housing market will need to fall 42 per cent to return to normal, a US expert says.
House price growth slowing at last - data
AFTER a year of surging prices, pace of growth eases with country's median house price up 3pc.
Housing shortfall locking out thousands
AUSTRALIA has 178,000 more potential home buyers than available properties, report says.
Westpac CEO Gail Kelly buys $9m mansion
WESTPAC boss Gail Kelly sells her home for $1.73m after already moving into a new $8.95m estate.
Rising interest rates to hit renters hard
INTEREST rate rises over the next two years is going to hit tenants hard as the cost of escalating mortgage payments is passed on.
Give homes back, foreigners told on exit
FOREIGN students and temporary residents are set to face tough new rules when buying a house.
Crackdown to help first-home buyers
KEVIN Rudd says new laws will make it easier for Australians to get into real estate market.
House auction halted by sacred site claim
"RIDICULOUS" bids and buyers "scared off" after Aboriginal group uses suburban house auction to claim sacred site.
How to make $500,000 in just 24 hours
REAL estate agent's wife allegedly made a huge profit on units she sold to the government.
Fix your finances to land a loan
Give yourself the best chance of getting the right loan by putting your finances in shape first.
First home buyers 'being priced out'
FIRST home buyers struggling as cashed up investors snap up properties amid a housing shortage.
Foreign men of property move in
ANECDOTES abound about cashed-up Chinese investors raiding the housing market, but firm data is hard to come by.
Home loan demand falls for fifth month
DEMAND for home loans continued to wane in February, even before the two latest interest rate increases.
Sydney suburbs ready to go boom
SOME Sydney suburbs will have their populations double or even quadruple in just 25 years, official Government documents reveal, as the city hurtles towards a population of six million people by 2036.
Supply shortage fuelling house prices
THE release of the ABS December quarter dwelling commencement figures confirms that supply shortage has been the prime factor driving price growth and represents the biggest threat to affordability over the next five years.
Housing recovery to trigger rate rise
UNEXPECTED property recovery has fuelled speculation of more rate pain to come this year.
Baton change of houses to hit $40bn
OLDER generation to hand over as much as $400bn in property to their children, report says.
Melbourne house price jump leads nation
MELBOURNE'S house prices have outperformed every city in Australia, new benchmark real estate figures show.
Nicole Kidman eyes $12m Sydney mansion
NICOLE Kidman has checked out a five-bedroom mansion in Sydney in a bid to add to her bursting property portfolio.
Boom at the top as villa offers hit $30m
AUSTRALIA'S most expensive house sale so far this year is to be struck for about $30 million.
Property market may be overheated - RBA
THE nation's top central banker says property is not a "riskless" path to riches, and warns against borrowing too much.
Nation's housing squeeze set to tighten
AUSTRALIA'S population growth will continue to outstrip its housing supply, a forecast has revealed.
Sales going, going gone for a record
The residential property market shot up like a rocket over the weekend with record auction sales.
Home sales dip 5pc in February
NEW home sales fell in February, raising concerns about the sustainability of the housing recovery.
Housing shortage set to get worse
FORECASTS show that the country's population growth will continue to outstrip its housing supply.
Chinese buyers fire up housing
OFFSHORE buyers are boosting the country's housing markets, with capital-city sales doubling.
Families camping out for new 'town'
CROWDS of people have been living in tents to nab the block of their dreams in a land release.
Beach shacks net huge profits
BEACH shacks are facing demolition as a wave of owners who have lived in them for decades retire or pass away.
Your home set to double in price
PROPERTY boom makes homeowners millionaires but many could be locked out of the market.
House surge leads to mortgage stress
THE resurgent property market is putting financial strain on buyers, even if they are employed.
Jennifer Hawkins eyes a love nest
TOP model Jennifer Hawkins and her long-term beau Jake Wall are buying a home together.
Watch on rate rises as building picks up
RISING rates may slow a recovery in the home building sector, which posted a big jump yesterday.
More on struggle street as rates rise
THE average size of a home loan has risen by 40pc since 2005, leaving many Australians struggling to meet their repayments.
Wealthy buyers push prestige prices up
AUSTRALIA'S most expensive homes to rise by 10-15pc as wealthy locals and overseas buyers hunt for prestigious addresses.
Demand for home loans slumps in January
DEMAND for new home loans dropped nearly 8pc in January, the fourth consecutive monthly decline.
Lack of housing will 'challenge recovery'
AUSTRALIA'S under-supply of housing isn't meeting needs of the population, Reserve Bank says.
Triple whammy hits potential home buyers
MANY would-be home buyers have given up the dream of ownership thanks to rising rates and tougher lending conditions.
Couples work twice as long for a house
AUSTRALIANS work three times harder to pay off the family home than they did 50 years ago.
First home buyers give up the dream
RISING interest rates are causing Australians to reconsider their property plans, survey finds.
House prices soar in city's hot suburbs
SOME of Melbourne's hottest suburbs have seen average house prices skyrocket by more than $500,000 in a year.
Billionaire loses $60m house deposit
RUSSIA'S richest man has lost the $60 million deposit he paid to buy a sprawling mansion on the French Riviera.
Boom city hits $1 billion property mark
RECORD weekend for auction prices and strong private sales reflects "surging confidence".
Healthy start for housing market
HOUSE prices have made a strong start this year, defying the threat of rising interest rates.
First-home boost hiked prices - lender
LAST-MINUTE frenzy for boost saw some first-time buyers overpay by up to $50,000, lender claims.
Homeowners 'overpaid' for houses
A QUARTER of homeowners who bought and sold their property in the past five years have lost more than $54,000 on average.
Co-owners pool money to buy a home
WITH the dream of owning your own home out of reach for many people, one solution is co-ownership.
Deceased estate makes a real killing
A COUPLE selling their home were shocked to see the house listed as a deceased estate.
Home ownership even more out of reach
SOARING prices and rising rates led to an affordability nose-dive, with more pain to come.
House price surge heralds big crash
OUTER Melbourne's surging house prices are at risk of a correction, mirroring the scenario that hit Sydney in 2005.
Housing debt in overdrive
INVESTORS and homebuyers have shrugged off tougher lending rules almost doubling borrowings in the past five years.
First-home buyers set record
FIRST-HOME buyers hit highest level on record with 191,000 stepping on to the property ladder.
Mortgages growing faster than income
GROWTH in mortgage sizes has dramatically outstripped property price rises and wage increases.
Investors gear up for rent rises
DEMAND for rental properties set to soar this year as investors hurry to get in now before prices rise.
Housing finance fell in December
HOME loan approvals fell again after a reduction in government subsidies and interest rates rose.
Homes to be forced into energy audits
ALL homes to undergo a mandatory energy-efficiency test costing up to $1500 per property.
Fixed ideas are in a spin
THE RBA's decision to leave the official cash rate on hold puts a new spin on the "fixed or variable'' debate.
It's all in the name for selling
HIGH-BROW sounding suburbs can add thousands to the value of a property, sales figures reveal.
Building a home becoming dearer
THE dream of building a home has become dearer as land prices have risen to a new high, a survey says.
Aussies struggle to foot mortgage bill
ALMOST half the first-home buyers lured by government grants are struggling to meet repayments.
Living the dream as a landlord
BECOMING a landlord is the aim of many, but you need to know what you're doing.
Rising rates hit new home sales
RISING rates and the cut to the first home owners grant means fewer new homes sold in December.
'Upgraders' push house prices higher
THE biggest jump in house prices in seven years makes buying a home more expensive than ever.
Melbourne house prices set new record
THE cost of buying a home in Melbourne has shot up over $75,000 in three months to reach another record high.
Bank raises deposits for first-home loans
NEW first-home buyers with Westpac forced to fork out extra $12,500 as bank tightens lending.
Westpac cuts brokers from RAMS loans
AUSTRALIA'S largest mortgage broker claims Westpac has all but withdrawn from the home loan market.
Thousands of homes selling in secret
MORE homes are selling without marketing, online advertising or even a 'for sale' sign out front.
Cover your bet on the house
WITH three interest rate rises behind us and more forecast this year, more homeowners are considering insurance for mortgage payments.
Homes selling in secret
THOUSANDS of homes are selling without marketing, online advertising or even a 'for sale' sign popping up on the front lawn.
Wealthy migrants price out Aussie families
FAMILIES priced out of the property market by highly paid overseas workers willing to pay more.
Double home owners' grant - industry
THE real estate industry has called on Victoria's Government to double its first home buyers' grant.
Holiday over for tenants as rents head up
THE market is slow, but stagnant rents across Australia will give way to hefty rises later in 2010.
$100 a week for $1 billion paradise
$100 A WEEK for a large part of a tropical island paradise sounds like the deal of the century.
Property sales hit by interest rate rises
THREE rate rises and the winding down of the first-home buyers' grant "a cold bath" for home sales.
Mortgage fatigue can prove costly
Mortgage rates have started to vary widely, which means now is not a time to leave your home loan in the too-hard basket.
Paid $6.8m for mansion, then wrecked it
Why did the new owners bulldoze this mansion shortly after buying the property for $6.8 million?
Great Aussie dream alive and lively
AUSTRALIA'S housing market has ended a difficult year well, posting double-digit growth.
Rates to mix up housing market
HOUSE prices are heading for a mixed year, with some capital cities set for healthy growth while others will struggle to see any rise at all.
Stamp duty cut extended in NSW
HALF-price stamp duty on some new NSW homes has been extended for another six months, but the state government cannot show the program is a success.
Rates prompt borrowers to refinance
RISING interest rates in 2010 are likely to force some borrowers to refinance, non-bank lender Resi Mortgage Corporation says.
First home buyers downsizing the dream
MCMANSIONS are being shunned as first home buyers think small, while renters still feel stuck.
Gen Y locked out of home ownership
THE tendency of Gen Ys to hop from job to job is locking them out of the mortgage market.
No home loans for Generation Y
THE tendency of Gen Y to hop from job to job is keeping them from home ownership.
Home building sector rebounds
THE home building sector appears to have made a turn for the better, after building starts rose for the first time in five quarters.
Home lending set to plummet in months
DEMAND for home loans set to decline as interest rates rise and investors stay on the sidelines.
Demand for mortgages eases slightly
DEMAND for home loans eased slightly after the first of three interest rate hikes imposed by the RBA.
Aussie mansion sells for record $57.5m
MINING heiress Angela Bennett has sold her Perth waterfront mansion for an Australian record price of $57.5 million.
Yuletide rush on homes
HOMEBUYERS are shrugging off interest rate pain in a race to secure houses before Christmas.
Investors hit with listed property pain
INVESTORS in listed property companies saw their investment shredded by an average 55 per cent in 2008-09.
Landlords 'to pocket $1.9bn in extra rent'
STRONG demand for housing and low levels of construction will push rents higher next year, a research group says.
Australians have the biggest homes
AUSTRALIANS have the world's largest houses, beating traditional champion the US, however the cost of renting is similarly expanding.
Third of Aussies plan to buy property
MORE than one third of Australians plan to buy a property in the next two years despite concerns over higher living costs and rising interest rates, a survey shows.
'Bogey mansion' bought for $10m discount
Man buys tycoon's mansion at $10m discount Home still $500K from completion Tzvetkoff: Tycoon now living with parents
Gen Y buyers facing first home blockade
BABY Boomers and Gen Xers are opting to stay put in their homes rather than sell, making it hard for young people to enter the market.
Forking out to live with rich and famous
RENTERS are forking out more than $1000 a month above what they did a year ago to live in houses among Melbourne's rich and famous.
The 'shed' that comes with $5m views
IT'S the most expensive 100sqm property in the country with uninterrupted water views.
Housing stress getting worse - experts
AUSTRALIA'S already serious shortage of affordable housing is being made worse by finance bottlenecks for property developers.
Home buyers must be prudent - Rudd
FISCAL and monetary policy can only do so much to assist home buyers who, in the end, must make their own prudent decisions, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.
Buyer's $24m cash splash on island homes
CASHED-UP buyer splurges on properties in a $555m residential island community.
First time buyers in rush for loans
DEMAND for home loans grew by more than 5 per cent in September in what appears to have been a last minute rush by first home buyers to secure the full benefit of a more generous housing grant.
A beginner's guide to commercial property
COMMERCIAL property investment is not just about investors with deep pockets and buying tall buildings.
Borrowers warned not to expect relief
ECONOMISTS are predicting interest rates are likely to be 1.5 per cent higher in less than twelve months.
Murdoch beats Rusty to $23m mansion
LACHLAN Murdoch outbids Russell Crowe to buy French Government's former consulate.
House prices rise faster than expected
AUSTRALIAN house prices rose 4.2 per cent in the September quarter, latest government data shows.
First home buyers to face price caps
FIRST time buyers will be forced to keep within a limit if they're to receive the first home owners grant from 2010 onwards.
A slice of heaven for those with spare $20m
SUPER-RICH Australian and overseas house hunters have been flocking to inspect one of Victoria's most renowned country estates.
Market returns for million-dollar mansions
A YEAR ago, prestige homes in some of the country's best suburbs were close to unsellable.
Rising prices hit housing affordability
RISING prices are making it harder to buy a home, with the recovery locking many first home buyers out of the market.
First-home buyers urged to beat rate rise
BANKS are urging first-home buyers to lodge mortgage applications ahead of the next rate rise so they qualify for the biggest possible loans.
To rent or to buy: weighing up the options
CRUNCHING the numbers can produce almost any answer you like, depending on interest rates, house prices and rental costs.
Australia's best property bargains named
HERE are the cheapest suburbs tipped for the strongest capital growth over the next year.
Dream downsized as GFC hits beachfront
A MODEST beach shack between lavish mansions could be the shape of things to come on millionaire's row.
News supplied by News Limited