24
Mar
Fresh financial hit for first-home buyers with upcoming changes from APRA
The banking regulator, APRA, is proposing to raise “risk weights” for high loan-to-valuation (LVR) loans from 1 January 2023. This change will probably make it more expensive to take out a mortgage at a high loan-to-valuation (LVR) ratio. First-home buyers will be more affected by this than other borrowers, as they typically have higher LVRs……
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17
Mar
Two years on: Six ways COVID-19 has shaped the housing market
The global pandemic has catalysed remarkable shifts in the Australian housing market. From the temporary shutdown of cities, to an unprecedented monetary policy strategy, a new-found popularity of regional and low-density housing preferences and the introduction of various government home buying incentives, the COVID-period has had distinct impacts on the composition of buyers and the…..
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16
Mar
The property buying process explained: Your step-by-step guide to finding, inspecting and purchasing a home
Whether you’re buying your first home, upgrading or downsizing, this guide will walk you through the buying process, from research to settlement. This guide is broken into five segments, and if you’re at the later stages of the buying process, you may want to skip ahead: Preparation Finding a property Property inspections Due diligence The…..
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02
Mar
RBA reveals March cash rate decision
The RBA has maintained the cash rate at its record-low level of 0.1 per cent. According to PropTrack senior economist Eleanor Creagh, the decision was to be expected. Acknowledging that many have brought forward their expectations for the timing of the first cash rate hike, Ms Creagh highlighted that many people are pointing to the…..
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17
Feb
Major banks predict 14% drop in house prices. Are they wrong?
In the past week or so, three of our four major banks have changed their outlook for house prices and are now predicting the biggest housing crash in decades. Will they be right? Economists at Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank are forecasting house prices to fall by 10 per cent next year and Westpac…..
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13
Jan
5 reasons Queensland first home buyers should consider building
The market may appear daunting, but there are plenty of reasons to get amongst it — not least impressive incentives and the chance to have everything sparkling new. It might seem like it’s a tough time to be a first home buyer in Queensland, with the state of sun and surf proving more popular than…..
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