Category: First Home Buyers
SA Government establishes urban development authority to oversee projects
Given the ongoing demand for residential property that Australia will likely face over coming years, it is excellent to see the progress being made in some areas of the country towards achieving not just the construction of new projects, but the redevelopment of otherwise unutilised residential space. Promise for such progress was seen in South Australia recently, where the state’s Premier, Jay Weatherill, announced the establishment of a new urban development...Read complete post
To renovate or buy?
There are usually a couple of different camps when it comes to deciding whether to renovate or relocate to a more suitable property when the needs of the occupants change, for example, when more space is needed to accommodate growing families. While some people like to be able to design and construct a property to their exact specifications, others prefer to move to a different home that is already suitable, with no, or minimal improvements needed. ...Read complete post
Buyer activity stimulated
In some positive news for the property market, recent reports are suggesting that buyers may be responding to the fact that interest rates have now been kept on hold for seven consecutive months, with a lack of immediate indication that rates will rise – for the next month at least. A recent article by Ruth Liew in the Weekend Australian Financial Review entitled ‘Rate freeze gets cheaper houses moving’ (June 11 – 12), quoted CENTURY 21 Chairman and Owner,...Read complete post
It’s a Good Time for Buyers
I think it’s fair to say that the past six to 12 months have been a trying time for the residential property market. After several years of prosperity, the conditions we are currently seeing such as rising interest rates and issues with housing supply and affordability, seem to have somewhat instilled a sense of trepidation in people when it comes to entering the housing market. The interesting thing about this situation is that the current state of the...Read complete post
Getting back to basics - simple things to consider when buying a property
Over the years that I’ve been writing this blog, I have tried to make the issues and topics covered as diverse and interesting as possible, so as to be informative to all members of the property market – whether residential buyers, prospective purchasers or investors. As I was reading the Daily Telegraph a couple of weeks ago, I came across an article that contained a very simple checklist for buying a property. It occurred to me that in my pursuit to...Read complete post
A good time for buyers in the housing market
The residential property market can sometimes be a confusing space to navigate, especially with the media attention it often generates and receives. The views of property commentators, as well as the constant flow of data released, often appear to be conflicting, with the media conveying sometimes contradictory signals to buy, sell, or hold. I consider myself fortunate to be in the position I am, as I have access to our internal company data as well as the...Read complete post
Should you buy a house or an apartment?
It seems to be a very common question when it comes to buying real estate, particularly for first and second-time buyers – will it be better decision to purchase a house or an apartment? As a starting point, the factors that go into making this decision are mostly personal preferences. These include whether the property is an investment or to be your residence, the location that you’d like to live in, how many people will be living in the property, what types...Read complete post
There are good opportunities for first home buyers available in the market
The presence of first home buyers in the residential property market has done somewhat of a back flip over the past couple of years. In 2009 we saw a peak in first home buyer activity – according to RPData first home buyers made up 28.5 per cent of all owner occupier finance in May of that year. This was a period where the effects of the Global Financial Crisis could still be seen in lowered interest rates and government stimulus efforts. 2010...Read complete post
Why it is important to attend an open house before buying a property
Although they can sometimes be a great deal of work, the open house is one of my favourite aspects of the real estate selling process. In most cases, much preparation will have gone in to ensuring that the property shines on the day, and owners are proud of what they are offering to the public. With property being one of the largest purchases that the average person will make over a lifetime, I am usually quite surprised to hear of situations where...Read complete post