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National

Hobart's vacancy rate at record lows: SQM

Hobart's vacancy rate fell to a record low of 0.3 per cent in October, according to new data from SQM Research.

Victoria (Vic.)

Featured Property

'The Empyre' started life in 1860 as Castlemaine's Albion Hotel

Originally built in 1860 as the Albion Hotel, 'The Empyre' is an impeccibly restored and imposing building in the central Victorian township of Castlemaine. For sale with endless possibilities.

Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

Politics

Victorian first-home buyers' 2018 shared-equity scheme open for registrations

Victorian first-home buyers can express their interest in HomesVic — a shared equity scheme that will see the state government provide up to 25 per cent of the initial price of a buyer’s first home.

Sydney's first apartment building for sale through Savills, Sotheby's

Property NSW is selling Sydney’s first apartment building, 'Stevens Buildings'.

International

The Economy

Wealthy residents put Monaco in top spot: Knight Frank

At $81,000 (€53,000) per square metre, Monaco's residential real estate is the most expensive in the world according to Knight Frank.

Western Australia (WA)Perth

Featured Property

Cottesloe beach summer breezes and views

Perfectly suited to its glamorous Cottesloe address, this architect-designed residence makes a bold statement in coastal living. For sale by Space Real Estate Cottesloe.

National Australian Capital Territory (ACT)Canberra New South Wales (NSW)Sydney South Australia (SA)Adelaide Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

The Economy

Canberra records nation's highest auction clearance rate

Canberra recorded a clearance rate of 72.9 per cent last week, the highest clearance rate in the country, according to CoreLogic.

Western Australia (WA)Perth

People

Get to know Simon McGrath of Abel McGrath, Perth: "I go to bed at the end of the day feeling great about what I do"

Simon McGrath was helping out in a mate's plumbing business when a casual conversation with a customer triggered the realisation that real estate was a career he could excel in.

Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

The Economy

Buyers can save up to six figures by buying the next suburb on the train line in Melbourne: REIV

Melbournites can save up to six figures by buying a home in the next suburb down the train line, according to new data from the REIV.

New South Wales (NSW)Sydney

Featured Property

An immaculately restored sandstone terrace in Sydney's inner-city Darlinghurst is for sale

A sandstone terrace, originally built for the warder of Darlinghurst Gaol, is for sale with Fraser Turvey and Chris Chung of McGrath Edgecliff.

Pages

News Roundup

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/budget-2015/budget-2015-are-you-a-lost-liberal-then-this-ones-for-you/story-fntfa2d0-1227352659813

Are you a lost Liberal? Then this one’s for you

Working parents, tradies, small business people, self-funded retirees, landlords and farmers are all winners out of last night’s budget. Tax-dodging multi-nationals, backpackers and foreign investors are all slugged by the taxman.

The Australian

http://www.afr.com/news/policy/budget/federal-budget--2015-hockey-banks-on-a-spectacular-return-to-growth-20150512-ggvoai

Hockey banks on a spectacular return to growth

Joe Hockey's second budget is built on a risky forecast that Australia will roar through an unprecedented three decades of continuous economic growth, raising questions about why the government has opted to slow the pace of budget repair.

The Australian Financial Review

http://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/federal-budget-2015-how-do-i-claim-this-20000-tax-break-20150512-1mzgpb.html

How do I claim this $20,000 tax break?

Businesses can buy any machinery or equipment related to their business if each item is valued at less than $20,000. You can claim the full amount from your income to reduce your tax bill. There is no limit on the number of items a business can claim.

Sydney Morning Herald

http://www.couriermail.com.au/realestate/news/live-like-steph-rice-in-her-own-home-for-just-over-1k-a-week/story-fnihpu6h-1227352154495?from=public_rss

Live like Steph Rice – in her own home – for just over $1K a week

Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice has put her Brisbane home on the rental market, but has a very clear idea of who she does not want to live there – pets.

Courier Mail

http://www.inman.com/2015/05/12/should-real-estate-agents-drive-fancy-cars/

Should real estate agents drive fancy cars?

Real estate agents put in a lot of miles on the road, and the car they emerge from to shake hands with new prospects or use to ferry buyers from listing to listing may influence how they are perceived by potential clients.

Inman

http://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/real-estate-expert-andrew-winter-says-before-buying-or-selling-find-out-what-stage-of-the-cycle-your-market-is-at/story-fncq3era-1227350208366

Before buying or selling find out what stage of the cycle your market is at

So, whichever category your property market is in right now (booming, improving or I’ll call it dooming) we all need to be aware that the property cycle is a never-ending spinning wheel that believe it or not hits the top and bottom at the same time, just in different places.

The Daily Telegraph

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/mexican-billionaire-carlos-slim-80m-mansion-article-1.2211586

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim wants $80M for his massive Manhattan townhouse

Carlos Slim, formerly the world's richest man, wants $80 million for the Manhattan mansion, at at 1009 Fifth Ave., which he bought for just $44 million five years ago.

New York Daily News

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tpg-backed-dtz-to-acquire-cushman-wakefield-2015-05-11-04851145

$2 billion sale of Cushman & Wakefield

DTZ, a rapidly growing commercial-real-estate-services firm backed by private-equity giant TPG, has cut a deal to buy Cushman & Wakefield Inc. for $2 billion. The deal will alter the global commercial-real-estate-services landscape by creating a clear challenger to the two firms that have been dominating the business until now, CBRE Group Inc. and JLL. Numerous firms had been vying for the No. 3 spot but none have come close to CBRE with $9 billion in 2014 revenue and JLL with $5.4 billion.

MarketWatch