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Click here to download the RPData Quarterly Property Report released November 2011. (22 pages as PDF)

By the end of this article, you will discover I have made a prediction which is the exact opposite of what most people believe. You’ll also discover why I am happy to put my prediction in writing so that you can verify my claim in the future.

Let’s check out what determines property price movements. From my observations:

• Short term property price movements (within 1-3 years) are usually determined by human emotion (also known as human insanity ?).
• Medium to long term ...

I’m going to start with a bold statement: “our property markets are guaranteed to recover” and by the time you finish reading this article you will understand why.

But before I explain, I’d like to comment on the debate about Australia’s population growth and our nation’s capacity to house the growing number of new residents arriving on our shores. Some say we should limit immigration, while others argue that we need more skilled workers to boost our economy.

Although immigration has slowed ...

01.The big sell

Real estate sections in newspapers seem to be getting bigger, despite the fact that print media advertising revenues are steadily declining, along with circulation figures.

Through this investigation, CHOICE has found the distinction between advertising and editorial in the real estate press is largely absent. The industry has argued that the property section is commercial, but this distinction may not always be clear to consumers.

• Vested interests: CHOICE has found examples of real-estate industry professionals portrayed as ‘everyday’ men and women in ...

Whilst eluding to the significant Gold Coast price corrections, Andrew Harvey, a senior economist at HIA Economics Group, makes the case that with Australian housing underpinned by very strong fundamentals, expecting further falls may not be your wisest move:

The property doomsayers are back. Not that they ever truly left – in fact they’ve now been around for years in Australia. The predictions remain dire and keep on getting wheeled out, all the while regularly scaring the living daylights ...

The dramatic downturn in new property developments on the Gold Coast could be placing a latent premium on existing stock, according to one of the city’s largest developers.

Nifsan CEO Sean Wardrop said while most developers were discounting or offering incentives on remaining stock, there was an inherent premium built into them as they would be the last available for some time.

“It’s ironic developers, including ourselves, are offering discounts and inducements to clear what’s on our books, but in reality they ...

Homes under $600,000 are showing the most improvement on the Gold Coast in a difficult market, according to the latest statistics from RP Data.

Data to the end of July shows a quarterly rise in median price of 21 per cent for apartments in the Main Beach area, at an average sale price of $600,000.

Units were easily the best sellers, with Benowa coming in next at 18.8 per cent with an average price of $461,000, followed by Casuarina at 13.5 per ...

BIS Schrapnel are predicting a median price to boom in the next three years–on the back of the housing crisis.

The report, prepared by BIS Shrapnel, says the underlying strength of the Australian economy, stable interest rates in the short term, high immigration and a dire shortage of houses in certain areas, will be the main drivers of this growth.

It forecasts the Sydney median house will lift by 19 per cent to $770,000 over the three years to June 2014.

The rise ...

Queensland Economic Update

Business investment in Queensland (non-dwelling construction, machinery and equipment purchases, and engineering construction) grew faster, in aggregate, than any other state in the year to March 2011.

The rise in mining related investment is expected to continue in late 2011 and into 2012, particularly in LNG and CSG (coal seam gas) projects, including associated rail and loading facilities such as Abbot Point and Gladstone.

Despite the growth in business investment, the Gross State Product (GSP) fell by 5% over the ...

How to find out what Gold Coast property prices are worth today.

Good article courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald:

There are plenty of research resources to help work out how much a house is worth.

The latest property values in Australian capital cities make headlines that are discussed around dinner tables and barbecues around the nation.

But the average price of a house in Melbourne or Sydney may be a poor guide to the market value of that little terrace you’ve got your ...