40 Results

Crikey readers have their say on the issues of the day.

Mortgage debt is by far the largest component of debt in Australia today – government debt, which is the focus of political debate, is trivial by comparison, writes Steve Keen.

Negative gearing is a poorly thought out policy which benefits a wealthy minority and penalizes the majority of Australians, both young and old.

Another year, another massive increase in house prices and more excuses proffered by the real estate industry as to why Australia’s houses are among the most expensive in the world.

The stressed recent first-home buyers are likely to be the first front in any housing collapse.

Clearance rates are falling, stocks dwindling and even some real estate agents are expressing concerns about the prospects for the property market.

While the federal government does its best to quell the booming mining sector, the other boom area, residential housing, appears to be finally losing its froth.

A very sharp slump in building approvals will keep the Reserve Bank’s hands from the interest rate lever later today and for several more months as the size of the fall has come as a surprise.

House prices is an election changing issue and not because homeowners are crowing about profits. Houses are too expensive, interest rates are rising and voters are getting resentful, writes Charles Purcell.

A very clever interactive calculator by the NY Times showing exactly when is the best time to make the switch over from renting to buying a property. It’s aimed at the US market, but it’s fun to play with anyway.

Fairfax’s real estate advertising business in Victoria has been gouged to the tune of $10 million by a former employee. And it seems senior management has been asleep at the wheel.

The iconic Hollywood sign is at risk of being surrounded by new developments and a star studded cast are attempting a US$12.5 million public buyout. But will a mega-graphic ad company beat them to it?

Homeowners might be counting their riches as house prices rise, but it’s screwing young Australians financially. Those who are down-grading win but the rest of society suffers, writes Tim Colebatch.

Property is a slowly moving beast, but as Japanese and American home owners found it, is can be quite a terrifying one as well.

Even the White House is not immune to falling US property prices: real estate bloggers Zillow say the building is now worth $292.5 million — $15.6 million less than when Obama took office a year ago.

Assets prices inflated by excessive leverage are not sustainable, leading to a gross misallocation of scarce resources. It is a lesson that Australian property buyers appear slow to learn.

The rise of buyer’s advocates has coincided with the continued inflation of Australia’s residential housing bubble. Why is this happening?