Search Results for: negative gearing

Our cities will stop working without a decent national housing policy

From The Conversation. We have to move the housing conversation beyond a game of political football about negative-gearing winners and losers. Australia needs a bipartisan, long-term, housing policy. Why? Because we have a slow-burn, deepening crisis that is affecting Australians who are already highly vulnerable and disadvantaged. They include: 206,000 households on the waiting lists … Continue reading “Our cities will stop working without a decent national housing policy”

Household Financial Security Index Rises, Significantly

The latest edition of the Digital Finance Analytics Household Financial Security Confidence Index (FCI) is released today, to end May 2016. It shows a significant rise in overall confidence levels, up from 89.2, to 94.7 although this is still below the neutral score of 100, which we fell below in 2014. A number of elements … Continue reading “Household Financial Security Index Rises, Significantly”

Westpac Turns The Property Investment Lending Tap On

Westpac has lifted the maximum LVR for investment loans to 90%, up from 80% (which was below many other lenders). With the largest share of investment loans they trimmed back their lending to the sector last year in order to get under the regulators 10% speed limit. Now the brakes are off, and with refinance … Continue reading “Westpac Turns The Property Investment Lending Tap On”

First Time Buyers Continue To Be Squeezed But Still Want Property

Rounding out our survey findings, we look briefly at the first time buyer market segment.  We noted in the summary that there was still demand – and we see this translated into both owner occupied and investment property purchases. The “Bank of Mum and Dad” is becoming an important factor, with more than half of … Continue reading “First Time Buyers Continue To Be Squeezed But Still Want Property”

Demand For Property Roars Back To Life

The results from the just updated Digital Finance Analytics Household Surveys shows that after a few wobbly months, demand for property has strengthened. The latest results supplement those found in the Property Imperative Report, which is still available on request. According to the results, lower interest rates, the removal of the negative gearing “risk”, no … Continue reading “Demand For Property Roars Back To Life”

Cutting through political spin requires a new approach to financial literacy

From The Conversation. When Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attempted to defend negative gearing by explaining that it had allowed a baby to enter the housing market, he triggered a debate still raging on the facts of the issue. The minutiae of negative gearing, once largely confined to discussion among policy experts, became mainstream news. The … Continue reading “Cutting through political spin requires a new approach to financial literacy”

The herd driven housing bubble that could trigger an apartment bust

From The Conversation. The price gap between houses and apartments in many Australian cities is closing as property investors exhibit a significant degree of herding behaviour, according to new research. The research comes amid speculation that Australia is in a housing bubble. Herding behaviour is leading to excessive borrowing, further fuelling apartment prices, particularly in … Continue reading “The herd driven housing bubble that could trigger an apartment bust”

Property Investor Confidence Lifts

The latest edition of the Digital Finance Analytics Household Finance Security Index, to end April, released today, shows a lift from 88.14 to 89.20. This is still below the long term neutral score of 100, but is the highest score so far this year. Of note is the significant spike from 89.67 to 92.45 in … Continue reading “Property Investor Confidence Lifts”

Has housing in-affordability in Australia’s capitals peaked?

From Business Insider. Australian housing affordability deteriorated over the past 12 months, but the worst may now be over. That’s the view of Natsumi Matsuda, an analyst at Moody’s Investor Services, who notes that Australian two-income households spent an average 27.6% of their monthly income on mortgage repayments in the 12 months to March, up … Continue reading “Has housing in-affordability in Australia’s capitals peaked?”

Super and personal tax tweaks will drive more people into the property market

From The Conversation. Australia’s federal government clearly sees its program of annual reductions in the company tax rate as the core element in its plan for “jobs and growth”. There is now a large – though by no means uncontested – body of evidence to support the contention that reductions in company tax rates can … Continue reading “Super and personal tax tweaks will drive more people into the property market”