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NSW government to review practices for managing contaminated land

The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed that the locations of contaminated sites in NSW may have been kept hidden in order to protect property prices.

Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

The Economy

Young Melbourne buyer turns 'property hound' to keep dream alive

Samantha McCarthy of hockingstuart Werribee says she can hear the stress in people's voices as they inspect properties they fear may have drifted out of their price range.

Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

Featured Property

A beautiful home built around a serene pool and garden is for sale

A luxurious sanctuary in Toorak is for sale by Marcus Chiminello and Nicole French of Marshall White.

Western Australia (WA)

Politics

‘Long overdue’ WA strata title reform welcomed by industry leaders

Leading industry bodies, including the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia, have welcomed the Western Australian State Cabinet's decision to continue with strata title reforms.

National

The Economy

CoreLogic numbers dispel smashed avo theory

The 20% deposit and stamp duty required to buy a house in Sydney is $158,933, based on new CoreLogic data. That's equivalent to 20 years' worth of smashed avo.

International

People

Robert Downey Jnr buys historic windmill in the Hamptons

Robert Downey Jnr has bought a 19th-century 'windmill house' in the Hamptons.

Western Australia (WA)Perth

Featured Property

New York-style warehouse apartment in Perth CBD

This historic warehouse conversion, designed by Scanlan Architects, has city views and spans an entire floor on King Street in Perth's CBD. It is for sale by Richard Mathlin and Callum Davidson of Knight Frank.

The Economy

Six common mistakes developers make when securing finance

Dan Holden of HoldenCAPITAL outlines the common mistakes developers make when they are securing construction finance.

New South Wales (NSW)Sydney

The Economy

New home completions beat 1971 record, but will it be enough?

A record number of new homes were built in Sydney in the year to February, but John Cunningham, president of the REINSW, says more needs to happen in NSW to alleviate affordability pressures.

Victoria (Vic.)

The Economy

Regional Victoria offering higher returns than Melbourne

Rental returns in regional Victoria are higher than in Melbourne. We take a look at the best yielding towns in regional Victoria.

Pages

News Roundup

http://www.theage.com.au/business/prices-picked-to-rise-amid-demand-in-melbourne-greenfield-suburbs-20150210-13aou1.html

Melbourne greenfield suburbs see more demand

Land sales in Melbourne's greenfield suburbs surged in 2014 and prices are expected to follow as demand increases. Annual sales increased to 12,665 in 2014, up 43 per cent, compared with 2013 when 8838 lots sold. It is slightly lower than the 46 per cent increase in volume recorded in 2013 but that level followed two years of falling sales.

The Age

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/sunshine-pays-46m-to-get-on-hunter-green/story-fnko7zi0-1227215275039

Chinese developer bets on Hunter Valley tourism

Beijing-based Sunshine Insurance Group has spent about $40 million on a Hunter Valley resort with plans to develop a $100m six-star resort and a second championship golf course. The group has acquired the 100-suite Chateau Elan Hotel and The Vintage Golf Club in the Hunter Valley Rothbury area.

The Australian

http://www.nasdaq.com/article/australias-property-boom-spurs-interest-in-granny-flats-20150210-01083

Property boom spurs interest in 'granny flats'

Granny Flats are the latest craze in a housing boom that started in Sydney and has now spread to other parts of the country, putting homeownership out of reach of many Australians.

Dow Jones Newswires

http://www.afr.com/p/business/property/foreign_property_buyers_face_stiff_QDC63U2AWMXznJRYlfwYML

Treasury investigates foreign buyers

Treasury confirmed on Monday that it had conducted 33 investigations into suspected illegal residential property acquisitions in Australia by foreign buyers and found most were compliant. Treasury is still investigating a few more cases.

The Australian Financial Review

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/realestate/news/james-and-tania-hirds-toorak-property-sold-for-42-million/story-fni0ckoj-1227213477347

Bombers coach cleans up on home sale

The Toorak home of AFL coach James Hird and wife Tania sold for $4.2 million last October after being on the market for 8 months. The property last changed hands for $2.763 million in February 2011.

Herald Sun

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2015/2/9/construction-and-engineering/av-jennings-h1-profit-jumps-42

AVJennings profits up

AVJennings has reported a 2014-15 interim net profit of $11.9 million which is 42.1 per cent higher than previously. The residential property developer's revenue of $118.5 million was up 13.7 per cent.

Business Spectator

http://www.afr.com/p/business/property/perth_prestige_home_unalla_hits_yZu0T2mTTgCG3qiHkw7F1J

$15 million Perth listing

Unalla, a five-bedroom mansion in the Perth suburb of Peppermint Grove, has been put on the market with an asking price of $A15m. It is being sold by the family of Bruce Campbell.

The Australian Financial Review

http://www.rebonline.com.au/breaking-news/8667-national-real-estate-group-moves-into-mortgage-broking

Professionals move into mortgage broking

Professionals has launched a finance business after research found that more than half of its clients would consider using an in-house broker.

REB