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Featured Property

A $16m French-style chateau on Wallis Lake is for sale

'Chateau Le Marais' is a 257-acre property on the Mid-North Coast of NSW, that has its own sandy 1.5km of beachfront, private jetty, and helicopter pad. The property is for sale through Mark Clarke of Ray White Angell & Clarke Group.

New South Wales (NSW)Sydney

Construction

Loftus Lane development sells out in two hours

Demand for quality Sydney CBD apartments is strong, with all 106 apartments in AMP Capital's Loftus Lane Circular Quay development selling through CBRE within two hours on the weekend.

People

Get to Know Fiona Young, architect of high-rise schools

Fiona Young, Sydney Studio Director for Hayball, spoke to SCHWARTZWILLIAMS about her work designing innovative education spaces.

National

The Economy

Aussies expect mortgage rates will keep rising

Despite most economists predicting the Reserve Bank board will leave rates on hold at today's board meeting, many Australians expect mortgage rates will rise this year, and are considering switching to fixed rate loans.

Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

Featured Property

Historic Hawthorn East estate 'Talana' for sale

The grand, historic manor 'Talana' sits on a 4,198sqm block in Hawthorn East and is for sale through agents Glen Coutinho and Annabelle Feng of RT Edgar Boroondara.

National

The Economy

Revised auction clearance rate one of the lowest this year

But Gil King, the CEO of the REIV, told SCHWARTZWILLIAMS that last week auction volumes and sales in Victoria were ahead of those for the same period last year.

National

Politics

Capital gains withholding tax too low for foreign residents says REIA

The threshold for foreign-resident capital gains tax withholding has been reduced to an unnecessarily low level, subjecting agents and conveyancers to additional red tape and costs for no good reason, says Malcolm Gunning of the REIA.

International

People

Obamas buy their Washington rental

Barack and Michelle Obama have paid US$8.1 million (just over AU$10 million) for the Kalorama, Washington, home they have been living in since January.

Victoria (Vic.)

Featured Property

A Mount Eliza home with private beach access is for sale

Designed by architects Macnaughtan & Lumley, this contemporary home is for sale by Marc Jacob and Janine Lum of Unique Estates Australia.

New South Wales (NSW)

Politics

NSW moves a "great first step" to improve affordability: REINSW

John Cunningham, president of the REINSW, says the state government's moves to help first-home buyers are welcome "first steps" to address housing affordability pressures in NSW.

Pages

News Roundup

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/two-australian-property-groups-are-merging-to-create-a-massive-11-billion-real-estate-investment-trust-2015-2

$11 billion REIT

Two Australian property groups, Novion Property Group and Federation Centres, are merging to create Australia’s third-largest listed real estate investment trust. It would be one of the largest retail landlords in Australia.

Business Insider Australia

http://www.afr.com/p/construction_hiring_survey_builders_LBaXqSXw1UvEF4Op9HR1UL

More buildings and construction jobs

The latest Master Builders of Australia survey for the December 2014 quarter shows builders' hiring expectations rose in December to their highest level in seven years to pre-GFC levels. The construction industry is particularly benefiting from rising demand for housing in New South Wales, with an additional 65,400 jobs created in the state's building and construction sector in the 12 months to November 2014.

The Australian Financial Review

http://qz.com/337973/australias-inflated-housing-market-just-got-a-extra-burst-of-hot-air/

Oz housing market 'too hot'

Australia’s booming housing market is exhibiting some classic signs of a real estate bubble, says a Deakin University researcher.

Quartz

http://www.mortgagebusiness.com.au/breaking-news/8131-asic-targets-first-lender-in-mortgage-market-probe?utm_source=MB&utm_campaign=MBNewsflash03_02_2015&utm_medium=email

ASIC targets QLD lender

A Queensland-based lender, Wide Bay Australia Limited (Wide Bay), will improve its responsible lending practices following ASIC concerns with the way the group was assessing its customers’ suitability for home loans. The firm has been targeted as part of ASIC's wider focus on the lending industry’s compliance with responsible lending laws.

Mortgage Business

http://www.mortgagebusiness.com.au/breaking-news/8126-rba-losing-interest-in-house-prices-deloitte?utm_source=Mortgage%20Business&utm_campaign=Mortgage_Business_Newsletter03_02_2015&utm_medium=email

RBA not worried about housing, says Deloitte

In a business outlook note released yesterday, Deloitte Access Economics claimed that housing prices are becoming less of a concern for the Reserve Bank because of below-trend growth and larger forces at play in the global economy. The group is confident interest rates will remain on hold today.

Mortgage Business

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/property-powerhouses-sydney-and-melbourne-set-pace-on-price-rises/story-fniz9vg9-1227205558531

Sydney and Melbourne prices soar

The gap in Australia’s housing market widened in January with Melbourne and Sydney fuelling a 1.3 per cent rise in capital city prices while values fell in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The Australian

http://www.afr.com/p/national/labor_pose_risk_to_real_estate_development_8t3S9vBUlRqSiWpZs1ZVnO

Property industry worried about Queensland

A Labor-led minority government in Queensland could spell trouble for property development in the state, warns Stephen Conry, CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle. “The lack of result and the potential for a minority government is disappointing,” said Conry. “Lack of clarity brings lack of business confidence.”

The Australian Financial Review

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/frank-gehrys-most-beautiful-squashed-brown-paper-bag-opens/story-e6frgcjx-1227205620191

Gehry's first Oz building opens

The first Australian building designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, a $180 million business school at the University of Technology, Sydney, was officially opened on Monday.

The Australian