Australian Property

Via the AFR: Borrowers with hundreds of billions of dollars in low cost interest-only loans could be facing a “double whammy” as reset of their loans coincides with expected interest rate rises, analysis reveals.

APRA is out with January lending numbers and specufestors continue to take it on the chin.

CoreLogic’s Cameron Kusher has penned another interesting blog post examining the various housing growth cycles over the past 20-years: Over the past two decades, dwelling values have increased by 231% nationally with increases of 252% across the combined capital cities and 167% across the combined regional markets.

CoreLogic’s Cameron Kusher has penned another illuminating article on the extreme housing valuation gap in Sydney compared to the other capital cities: Although dwelling values have started falling in Sydney, the city remains substantially more expensive than the other capital cities.

By Martin North: There is a rising chorus demanding that APRA loosen their rules for mortgage lending in the face of slipping home prices.

Never trust real estate agent (or a media company).

Great stuff from Clive Hamilton again: In August 2002 the media jubilantly reported that an Australia-based consortium had just won, against fierce competition, a contract to supply natural gas to Guangdong province.

Via the AFR: …Big monthly repayment hikes are forcing many investors to extend their interest-free terms, or find other ways of boosting cash flow, such as increase rent, or selling.

Fro Westpac’s latest Housing Pulse note: Well..thank god for Hobart.

It’s not just interest-only.

CoreLogic released its auction report yesterday, which reported another increase in the preliminary national auction clearance rate to 70.5% from 69.1% last week.

By Brendan Coates and Trent Wiltshire The conventional wisdom among many affordable housing advocates is that boosting the supply of market-rent housing won’t help low-income earners.