If that sounds just a bit too crowded for you, stay away from NSW and Victoria where the state governments have limited the minimum studio apartment size to 35 sq. m and 37 sq. m respectively. These restrictions fly in the face of the "micro apartment" concept that's springing up in cities like New York, [...]
New figures on rental property vacancy rates have shown that Hobart has the tightest rate of all the capitals, with just 0.6% (162) of properties vacant. The analysis from SQM Research shows it's a good market for landlords but anyone looking to rent could be facing stiff competition. There was a slight rise in the [...]
Rising property prices are pushing homeowners to find new ways to achieve their dream home. Unable to afford the upgrade to a larger property, more and more homeowners are instead choosing to renovate their existing property – spending an average of almost $70,000 while they're at it, according to new research. The 'Houzz and Home' [...]
If you're a Gen Y-er struggling to get on the property ladder, we'll pause to let you feel sorry for yourself for a moment. And rightly so – you've landed in a generation where house prices are through the roof, education is no longer free and you'd better not require any healthcare or you'll be [...]
In Australia we like to do things big, and we have wonders such as the Big Pineapple, the Big Prawn and the Big Merino to show for it. Our love of big things even carries through to our homes, and we've built up quite a reputation over the years for having the biggest houses in [...]
If you're on the verge of buying your first home but have been waiting for property prices to stabilise or even fall, it looks like you'll have to hold out for a while longer. After this morning's RBA decision to leave the rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent, it was noted that housing market conditions [...]
Sydney is falling out of favour with property investors. It's becoming too expensive – even for them, say experts, and Queensland is benefitting from their investment dollars instead. A survey of 1000 property investors carried out by the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) found that the years of booming prices have taken their toll and [...]
Is it possible that the Spice Girls, with their constant shrieks of 'Girl Power!' and message of independence, could have had a stronger influence than anyone gave them credit for? New data shows that Generation Y women are storming ahead of their male counterparts in the property market. Mortgage settlement figures from ING Direct show [...]
Anyone who is considering property investment or has already taken the plunge will know that the process is full of potential pitfalls and dodgy characters who will say anything to get you to part with your hard-earned cash. For many buyers, the capital cities have become unaffordable, so the search for a property must begin [...]
Unless you've been living in a cave with no wi-fi for the last few months, you'll have noticed there's a big political battle going on over housing affordability at the moment. The Labor and Liberal parties are both playing the scare game and attacking each other's policies and claims, with talk of plummeting house prices [...]
