Deakin University’s Philip Soos pulls no punches in his assessment of the Australian real estate industry, describing it as a Ponzi scheme and a bubble waiting to burst, writes Larry Schlesinger.
Property market
Is Australia’s housing bubble finally close to bursting?
One of the world’s last and greatest house price bubbles is finally ending, argues economist Steve Keen.
Truce in Melbourne property ad wars: Fairfax, Catalano deal
A truce has been declared in Melbourne’s real estate advertising wars, with Antony Catalano’s Weekly Review set to merge with Fairfax in a pioneering 50-50 joint venture.
Held up by red tape, developers want ‘super councils’
As new home sales decline and residential construction remains in the doldrums, Australia’s biggest property developers are pointing the finger of blame at councils.
Joye: the great Australian rental inflation
There is a lot of talk about house prices in Australia. We hear much less about rental costs, writes Christopher Joye of Property Observer.
RBA independence on the line in complex Cup Day scenario
After the 0.3% core inflation result yesterday a rate cut next Tuesday should be a done deal. But it remains a complex scenario, says Christopher Joye of Property Observer.
After-effects of GFC disaster continue to emerge
Governments have a habit of meddling with things. This is largely due to the political imperative of being seen to be doing something to fix economic problems.
Should the property market tumble, taxpayers will foot the bill
Let’s say it again … the big four banks did not save Australia from the global financial crisis.
Home buyers should look at the scales: debt and students unbalancing market
Figuring out the intrinsic value of an asset is fraught with many variables. That is largely why most people are unable to correctly value shares and property and why so often asset markets are prone to wild bouts of optimism (booms) and pessimism (busts). The situation is further exacerbated by the use of debt to […]
Get set for another surplus: this time in housing
Combined with increasing interest rates (as the cost of money returns to a more reasonable level), it appears that the market will be belatedly doing its job, proving the adage, the solution to high prices is … high prices.
Houses are just very, very expensive consumer items
We like to claim that property is a productive item, that it fuels our economy and provides our safe nest egg of wealth. But there’s nothing productive for the economy in buying and selling houses, writes Kris Sayce.
Both sides of politics prefer blowing up property bubbles to popping them
Tony Abbott’s position on housing prices is little better than that of property boosting Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, particularly his explicit support for high property prices. What happened to common sense?
Final word: Keen offers no property market alternative
Steve Keen says it is time for him to withdraw from the media and start doing some technical research on the property market. Business Spectator’s Christopher Joye couldn’t agree more.
Residential lending may hurt us in the long run
While politicians and the media laud Australia’s “world-beating” property market, precious capital is being greedily soaked up by an asset class that confers minimal economic benefits.
Housing prices: the bubble just gets bigger
The housing bubble continues to inflate in earnest, as the last major weekend of the auction season delivered a spate of booming prices. Can it continue?
Experts get it very wrong on rentals
The rental market is fairly uncomplicated, but business journalists are commonly thinking of reasons as to why rents go up or down. This is only one reason: the number of vacant rental properties.
When herds collide on the yellow brick road
2010 is shaping as the year that the bulls and bears of the world’s last unpopped asset market bubble — Australia’s property market — will collide head on, writes Steve Keen.
Foreign buyers blow out the housing bubble
The causes of Australia’s ever-inflating housing bubble are many but one hasn’t received a lot of attention: the influence of overseas buyers since the government relaxed its foreign property investment rules.
The ins and outs of underquoting
With residential property real estate bubble appearing to rapidly re-inflate, the focus has once again shifted to allegations of under-quoting.
Crikey cage match: the truth about house prices
The crystal ball gazing over house prices continues to twist and turn with two veterans of the genre going head-to-head. House prices will fall, argues Adam Schwab. Are you kidding me? counters Rismark’s Christopher Joye.
Political snippets: A+ for real estate
Richard Farmer explores how school league tables are affecting property values in the US. How is your local primary school going to affect your housing price? Also, tell us Australia’s best specialist journalists.
Another nail in the property sector coffin
The Australian property sector is suffering even further today with Australand Property Group reporting multi-million dollar losses and big capital fund raising.
A tale of 32 recessions: from the US to Denmark, Ireland to Russia
Wednesday’s National Accounts figures will confirm that Australia, like most developed countries, was led into recession by the excesses of its domestic property market, writes Gavin Putland.
The opportunist’s guide to real estate
With home values are dropping all over the US, ruthless buyers are picking up bargains.
Jigging auction numbers
A Crikey study of the auction clearance rate reveals that the figures claimed by the REIV and reported by The Sunday Age are misleading, writes Adam Schwab.
