Zoning scorecard reveals most housing-friendly city

16 July

Millions of new homes could be built in Australia’s capital cities if “restrictive” zoning laws are loosened, a landmark planning analysis claims. An online atlas of nationwide zoning laws has been compiled by YIMBY Melbourne, an organisation...[Read More]

Energy rollercoaster: Australian bills to fall and rise

16 July

Solar panels, wind farms and cheaper batteries will help to cut Australian electricity bills in the coming years, even as the artificial intelligence boom pushes up the price of gas technology. But energy prices will rise after 2030, a study has...[Read More]

Retrofit rewards to usher in new era of fire-safe homes

16 July

Fire-resistant home upgrades have rocketed to the top of the to-do list for Jem Gay. Summer bushfires that tore through more than 4000 hectares and destroyed 50 buildings in Harcourt in central Victoria were too-close-for-comfort for the residents...[Read More]

How to save money around the home amidst the rising interest rates

9 July

With interest rates rising almost everywhere, including Australia, people have begun tightening their purse strings as best they can.   However, decreasing spending to ensure your expenses match your reduced budget could mean barely any savings or...[Read More]

Inflation-fuelling supply shocks under RBA microscope

9 July

Expect to hear more from the Reserve Bank as it grapples with how to navigate a world punctuated by more frequent supply shocks due to heightened geopolitical tensions and climate change. With shocks like the Middle East oil crisis and Donald...[Read More]

Family affair: investor tax changes spawn new tactics

9 July

A 1950s red brick walk-up in southwest Brisbane is a window into how the federal budget is reshaping the property market. Marketed as “the ultimate set-up for multi-generational living”, the three-unit apartment block in Oxley has bucked the...[Read More]

Longest stretch of weak growth since 1990s forecast

9 July

Australia’s economy is set to grow below two per cent for the longest period since the early 1990s, exposing a malaise long masked by population growth, a report has warned. Rarely has the economics advisory group adopted such a downbeat...[Read More]

Weak housing market could imperil Australia’s economy

2 July

The Reserve Bank is worried Australia’s economy could be weakened by a housing market slowdown accelerated by the federal budget, a readout of its last interest rates meeting shows. The central bank’s monetary policy board voted unanimously to...[Read More]

Freefall: home prices notch biggest drop in years

2 July

Home prices have recorded the biggest monthly fall in almost four years as tax changes accelerate Australia’s housing downturn. Sydney’s median home price fell 1.2 per cent to $1,265,608 in June, leading a nationwide decline of 0.4 per cent,...[Read More]

What blackout? More Aussies are disaster-proofing homes

2 July

More Australians are upgrading the tech in their homes to not just to keep the lights on but make sure they stay connected during natural disasters. From solar panels and batteries to electric cars and better broadband, experts say at-risk...[Read More]

City to take mantle of nation’s most expensive units

2 July

A new capital city is emerging as the most expensive place in the country for units as Sydney’s strongly held prices begin to slip. Brisbane median unit values are forecast to rise by up to nine per cent to $893,000 in 2027, Domain predictions for...[Read More]

Treasurer responds after budget attack by ex-RBA head

1 July

The treasurer has hit back at attacks to budget tax changes from a former Reserve Bank governor after the contentious laws passed parliament. Ex-RBA governor Philip Lowe said changes limiting negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount would...[Read More]

Pledge to fix ‘widow’s tax’ on investment properties

1 July

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has promised to fix laws imposing a so-called “widow’s tax” on investment properties, without providing details on how he will close the loophole. The issue, which relates to investors with jointly owned properties...[Read More]

Inflation lying in wait to strike another rate blow

25 June

Australia’s inflation pulse is strengthening despite easing prices at the fuel bowser, potentially adding to the case for another interest rate hike. A mixed consumer price report, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday, was...[Read More]

Home owners told to ‘take a deep breath’ on tax reforms

25 June

Plunging auction clearance rates are not cause for concern, top government ministers are insisting, with one urging anxious home owners to “take a deep breath”. An overhaul of negative gearing and capital gains tax is expected to pass federal...[Read More]