Posts by Cate Bakos
House rental yields fall as property prices soar across the country: Domain Rent Report
Rental yields are falling in all capitals except Darwin. Photo: iStock Rental yields have dropped in most Australian capitals, new data shows, with booming house prices clipping rent profits and forcing investors to rethink where they will buy. Though many have traditionally looked to invest close to their own capital cities, some are now looking further afield,…
Read MoreVictorian Homebuyer Fund explained: Toorak gets nod, but popular regional spots left out
Elite suburbs like Toorak are eligible for a new state housing affordability initiative, but many popular regional spots are out. Here’s what you need to know about the Victorian Homebuyer Fund. Portland is one of the most affordable coastal spots cleared for the HomeBuyer Fund, meaning eligible buyers could get government support to buy homes…
Read MoreSpooky: A third of homebuyers forgo building and pest inspections
A new survey of house hunters reveals 55% of Aussies spend less than 60 minutes checking out the property before they purchase. Research from ME Bank shows the lack of inspection time led to 61% of Australian home buyers discovering issues with their property after moving in. The survey of 1,000 property owners found around…
Read MoreWhat the MCG Rental Loss Index tells investors
Every few weeks I chat with an industry buddy, quantity surveyor – Mike Mortlock. We enjoy analysing data; and more so, I like distilling the numbers with Mike and shedding light on what’s happening at the coal face to trigger the data that he’s produced. Mike is an industry thought leader who has recently produced…
Read MoreSydney and Melbourne passed-in auctions rise as greedy vendors test the market
On-street auctions are back in Sydney and will be back in Melbourne this weekend. Photo: Peter Rae The number of properties failing to sell at auction is rising in Sydney and Melbourne, new data shows, as “greedy vendors” test out how far they can take the booming property market. The booming market in both capitals, fuelled by…
Read MoreQuite the triumph: Epic renovated Highton home sells $290K over reserve
It was the Highton auction result no-one quite saw coming. Rebecca Thompson October 4, 2021 – 12:00AMGeelong Advertiser 11 Triumph Court, Highton, sold for $1.49 million.More From Real Estate It was the Highton auction result no-one quite saw coming. The fully-renovated family home at 11 Triumph Court, Highton sold for $1.49 million, a whopping $290,000 over expectation.…
Read MoreExtended settlements, leasebacks on the rise as it takes longer to find a home
A growing number of sellers are striking deals to rent back their property or extend settlement periods, fearing they will be unable to find another home in time in the competitive market. Strong demand for the limited supply of properties for sale, combined with delays caused by lockdown restrictions and low rental vacancy rates, have…
Read MoreShould buyers be worried about APRA’s new servicing rules?
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)’s decision to raise the servicing rates would likely have “little impact” on owner-occupiers. Your Mortgage home loan specialist Raj Ladher said the move to increase the interest rate buffer is a “small step” in the right direction. “In my opinion, the increase in the buffer will have little impact to owner-occupiers…
Read MoreOff-market buys: why there are *less* good opportunities Melbourne right now
I’ve written a lot about off-market properties because they are a popular, but often misunderstood concept. Selling agents sometimes mislabel them, a lot of buyer’s agents use them in their advertising spiel, and plenty of buyers fall prey to non-quality or over-priced off-markets. It’s unfair, though to suggest that there aren’t some great off-market opportunities…
Read MoreTempted to buy a regional unit? Read this first
Escalating house prices in the regions and new caps on how buyers can borrow may have some property hunters considering purchasing a unit instead, but experts say there are a number of considerations purchasers need to make before taking this route. Unit values, including townhouses, outpaced houses for price growth in regional Australia during the…
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