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Western Australia (WA)Perth

The Economy

The Perth million dollar suburbs that have become more affordable

Now is the time to trade up in Perth.

Queensland (Qld)Brisbane

Construction

$18 billion worth of infrastructure investment for Brisbane

Infrastructure investment in the Queensland capital is becoming an increasingly key focus for international buyers.

Tasmania (Tas.)

Featured Property

Appin Hall: French provincial style in the spectacular Tasmanian wilderness

Appin Hall lies in Tasmania's pristine Cradle Mountain wilderness region, and is for sale by Dominic Romeo of Unique Estates Australia.

National New South Wales (NSW)Sydney Queensland (Qld)Brisbane Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

The Economy

Melbourne family homes have the fastest growing prices in the country

New data from the REIV shows three and four-bedroom homes in middle-ring suburbs are the fastest growing property type in Melbourne, which itself is the fastest growing market in the country.

New South Wales (NSW)Sydney

People

Rose Bay waterfront trophy home hits the market

With views spanning Vaucluse bushland to the Harbour Bridge, impeccable design, the finest fixtures and fittings, a gym, parking for eight cars, and immaculate gardens, this home holds huge appeal for the growing numbers of high-net-worth buyers - both local and from overseas - who are looking to invest in Australia.

International

Design

Ray White chosen to be agents for The Block NZ

Four elite agents will appear in the latest series of The Block NZ: Winnie Leung (Ray White Forrest Hill), Richard Kang (Ray White Pinehill), Glenn Carpenter (Ray White Beach Haven/Glenfield), and Lewis Guy (Ray White Takapuna).

Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

Featured Property

French doors, parquetry floors, soaring ceilings: inner-city Melbourne meets Paris in this 2br apartment

A two-bedroom apartment in the classic George's building with parquetry floors, a gas fireplace, French doors, and a stone kitchen is for sale by expression of interest through Gina Donazzan and Sam Fenna of hockingstuart Melbourne.

National New South Wales (NSW)Sydney Queensland (Qld)Brisbane Victoria (Vic.)Melbourne

The Economy

Cannon Hill Queenslander smashes suburb record on the weekend

The five-bedroom, 2003-built Queenslander sold through Meagan Muir of Place Bulimba for a Cannon Hill record of $1.32 million on the weekend.

New South Wales (NSW)Sydney

Politics

Sydney Council to sell underutilised property for affordable housing

The City of Sydney council is considering recommendations to sell some property for affordable housing, and to lease other property on Oxford Street with the aim of invigorating the area.

Western Australia (WA)Perth

Politics

Bring back FHB grant for established homes: REIWA

The REIWA is proposing the WA state government reintroduce a $3,000 first-home owners grant for purchases of established homes, says Hayden Groves, president of the REIWA.

Pages

News Roundup

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/nyregion/robert-durst-subject-of-hbo-documentary-on-unsolved-killings-is-arrested.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

New York real estate scion arrested

The eccentric and estranged son of one of New York’s most prominent real estate dynasties, Robert Durst, was arrested on a charge of murder at a New Orleans hotel on the weekend. The arrest follows the airing of a six-part HBO documentary about him and the deaths of three people over the course of three decades.

The New York Times

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/barangaroo-sydney-harbour-views-to-come-with-50m-price-tag/story-fn9656lz-1227259094883

Barangaroo: Sydney Harbour views to come with $50m price tag

Lend Lease is set to slap a $50 million-plus price tag on penthouses in the Renzo Piano-designed One Sydney Harbour complex at Barangaroo South, making them the most expensive apartments to be marketed in Australia. The group is yet to finalise its internal designs for the three apartment towers, but sources said the company would probably market “more than one” apartment in the complex for more than $50m.

The Australian

http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/move-to-this-australian-capital-city-if-you-want-a-beautiful-home-and-cash-to-spare/story-e6frflo9-1227258803657

Move to Canberra

It's the Australian city where homeowners have the biggest disposable income. But most people wouldn’t think that moving here would help them have a life. This is Canberra, the capital notorious for being the county’s most boring metropolis.

news.com.au

http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2015/03/crime-commission-targets-foreign-property-buyers/

ACC questions real estate agents

The noose is tightening on foreigners laundering money into Australian property, with the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) questioning real estate agents in expensive Melbourne eastern suburb locations, which are known to be hotspots for overseas buyers.

Macro Business

http://www.yourmortgage.com.au/article/research-finds-more-first-homebuyer-activity-in-queensland-wa-197903.aspx

Research finds more first homebuyer activity in Queensland, WA

New research has revealed dramatically varied levels of first home buyer activity across Australia’s states, where New South Wales emerged to have the smallest percentage of first home buyers entering the market. Mortgage Choice’s new data found NSW’s first home buyers accounted for less than one in every 20 loans written.

Your Mortgage

http://www.afr.com/p/business/property/property_boom_home_owner_dream_in_wIAnZ6MvqHU82AZ2bvlx2J

Property boom a $55M home owner's dream in St Leonards

Nine home owners in St Leonards on Sydney's lower north shore have grouped together to create a development lot that could yield more than 200 apartments and a multi-million dollar pay day. Residents on Holdsworth Avenue and Canberra Street have appointed JLL agents Sam Brewer and Ben Hunter to market their nine homes in one line, spanning a total of more than 5700 square metres. Some estimates suggest that the properties could fetch a combined price of up to $55 million.

The Australian Financial Review

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carlapassino/2015/03/05/german-real-estate-why-investors-are-buying-it-now/

German Real Estate: Why Investors Are Buying It Now

Germany may soon compete with London on the international real estate arena. Ultra-high-net-worth investors are increasingly interested in cities such as Berlin and Munich, which have seen a marked increase in activity in the last year.

Forbes

http://blogs.wsj.com/expat/2015/03/05/top-20-most-affordable-latin-american-cities-for-real-estate-which-is-no-1/

Top 20 Most Affordable Latin American Cities for Real Estate

The survey of 20 top property markets in Central and South America conducted by Live and Invest Overseas over the past three months identifies Cali, Colombia, as the most affordable on a per-square-meter basis. The survey considered the cost of two-bedroom apartments of 75 to 100 square meters in each market.

The Wall Street Journal