HIA predicts housing resurrection from mid-2009
May 28, 2009
The Housing Industry Association’s latest National Outlook outlines a likely recovery path for the housing industry to tread over 2009/10. HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale, said that stimulus packages and sliding interest rates will lead to new home building... Read more »
MFAA gets approval from ACCC to discipline members
May 28, 2009
The Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) has been granted conditional authorisation to continue to give effect to its Disciplinary Rules, ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, has reported. The MFAA has approximately 13,000 members Australia wide including... Read more »
House sale prices failing to reach list price
May 27, 2009
New data has shown that property prices in capital cities are struggling to maintain previous levels, particularly in and around the CBD and in expensive suburbs. A report by property information provider RP Data found vendors are being forced to reduce the original... Read more »
First-home buyers content to pay more
May 27, 2009
The average loan size for first-home buyers has risen by just over $50,000 - or 23 per cent - in the past two years amid concerns that the First Home Owners Boost could be artificially inflating the market. A report commissioned by market research firm Brandmanagement... Read more »
Minor mortgage players feel the squeeze
May 26, 2009
The banking sector’s so-called ‘Big Four’ is possibly morphing into a Big Two, while regional banks and non-banks continue to be squeezed - according to new research that has the ACCC concerned. A banking industry review by Brandmanagement found... Read more »
First home buyers flooding Victorian market
May 26, 2009
Victoria is in the midst of a first home buyer boom with more Victorians purchasing first homes last month than at any other time for the past seven years. Releasing the new statistics last week, Federal Minister for Housing Tanya Plibersek said efforts to stimulate... Read more »
Small business tax break gets a lift
May 21, 2009
The Federal Government has provided another boost to its Small Business and General Business Tax Break, with firms now able to claim a bonus tax deduction of 50 per cent - up from 30 per cent previously of the cost of eligible assets acquired between 13 December... Read more »
RBA flags end to interest rate easing by year’s end
May 21, 2009
The minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s May Board Meeting were released on Tuesday, with indications that the central bank was seeing green shoots for the economy that could reduce the chances of further easing of monetary policy. The RBA has cut... Read more »
Home building recovery underway
May 21, 2009
Interest rate cuts and the First Home Buyer Boost Scheme are contributing to a rebound in housing demand, according to leading industry analyst and economic forecaster, BIS Shrapnel. The company has forecast a 10 per cent lift in dwelling approvals during the June... Read more »
First Home Owner’s Boost Extended
May 21, 2009
The Federal Government has announced a six month extension to the First Home Owners Boost (FHOB). The decision was reported at last week’s Budget, with a phasing out strategy to be implemented in two stages. The first stage will see a halving of the Boost... Read more »