Asian buyers have for some time been putting pressure on Vancouver’s stock of detached homes. Now China’s development industry is showing interest in the region’s commercial properties.

Land tax, broadened to include a far wider range of owners, and without the plethora of current exemptions, looms as a possible outcome of national tax reform. The Australian government's Tax Discussion Paper, released Monday, found that taxes on property – stamp duty and land tax – contribute 9 per cent net of the total tax base which is far more than the OECD average of around 5 per cent.

The number of mobile workers is soaring - research company IDC predicts an extra 300-million people will embrace the practice between 2010 and this year, bringing the global total to 1.3 billion. While co-working hubs are not new - names like Fishburners, Hub Sydney, Hub Melbourne and LaunchPad are well-known and different sites already target different market niches - but the growth also gives anyone with a real estate footprint the chance to cater to the market. For banks, it is a win-win, as it gives them the opportunity to better utilise their space, make customers more 'sticky' and, of course, convert new ones.