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Market
Retrofit rewards ushers in era of fire-safe homes
The promise of lower insurance premiums in return for ember screens and other bushfire-safe upgrades has more households retrofitting for the future climate.
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Economy
Dreary consumer sentiment set to be put to the test
A fresh look at consumer and business sentiment this week will provide key insights as Australia battles still-elevated core inflation.
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Market
We can’t beat the heat with air-con alone
Mechanical cooling should be treated as the last line of defence against climate change, not the first, says an urban heat expert following European heatwaves.
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Market
Heat-safe rentals pushed to protect from quiet killer
Heat stress is already weighing on health and productivity despite being largely preventable, informing a push to reform housing and work safety policy.
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Market
It may be small but it’s home to one very big idea
Sustainable homes allow for greater efficiency in the carbon footprint across all levels of construction.
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Economy
Liberals pin hopes on housing to turn fortunes around
Angus Taylor has put housing front and centre of his priorities as the newest leader of the federal Liberal Party.
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Market
Biggest Aussie cities to host eight million by 2050s
The popularity of urban living is expected to flourish in Australia in the coming decades, with growth concentrated in the country’s two largest capital cities.
Market
‘Smash-hit’ battery scheme topped up, subsidies trimmed
Government backing for home batteries will be dialled back for larger systems in a move intended to make the scheme sustainable and open to more households.
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Market
Urban sprawl fuels deadly fire risks on city outskirts
Modern houses are being built to better withstand fires, but an urban planner warns missteps are still being made in street and city design.
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Technology
Flood risk already raining on Australian home prices
One type of natural disaster has depressed the value of more than two-thirds of Australian homes that sit in the firing line, new analysis finds.
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Market
Property markets yet to twig to looming disaster losses
Hundreds of billions of dollars could disappear from property values due to climate change but it’s taking time for the worsening threat to influence buyers.
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Economy
‘Confronting’ climate risk report goes under microscope
The prime minister describes a climate risk report as a wake-up call, as one coalition frontbencher threatens to quit or be dumped over greenhouse gas targets.
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Economy
Red tape ‘hairballs’ to be coughed up onto roundtable
Australia must cut unnecessary red tape and boost business investment if young people are to be better off than their parents, the productivity tsar says.
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Market
Climate ratings could spare buyers from risky homes
Star ratings for resilience and winding back electric car incentives have been flagged by the Productivity Commission in its pursuit of climate cost savings.
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Economy
Disappointment as Reserve Bank leaves rates on hold
Australia’s central bank has left indebted households and businesses waiting longer for much-needed relief with its decision to keep the cash rate unchanged.
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Market
PM to reveal fresh leadership team for second term
The prime minister is poised to reveal his senior leadership team for Labor’s second term and the “mandate to build more housing”.
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Market
Politicians housing plans will send prices through roof
Fresh housing policies from both the major parties may end up pushing up house prices, economists are warning.
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Market
Home building to pick up in 2025, but only modestly
Housing construction is expected to ramp up this year but labour shortages, builder insolvencies and higher global inflation pose headwinds.
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Economy
Rates stay on hold but RBA inflates hopes of relief
The wait goes on for homeowners sweating on an interest rate cut but the Reserve Bank hints long-awaited mortgage relief is getting closer.
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Market
Rental housing supply boost promised under tax tweaks
Tens of thousands of extra rental properties will be added to the housing stock under altered tax settings that have passed parliament.
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Economy
Top bank chief reveals why rates are still on hold
RBA governor Michele Bullock spells out why Australia’s central bank is yet to cut interest rates despite easing starting other peer economies.
Economy
Christmas rate cut hopes slayed as inflation holds firm
Inflation rate held for a second month at 2.1 per cent in October, coming in a little below expectations – but the RBA is unlikely to cut before 2025.
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Market
Housing a growing home for Future Fund investment
Investments that help boost housing supply will be prioritised under a revamped mandate for Australia’s $230 billion sovereign wealth fund.
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Economy
Annual wage growth for workers drops to 3.5 per cent
Pay packets have been expanding strongly as demand for workers remains high but slower growth is expected as the economy weakens and the labour market slackens.
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Economy
‘Gone backwards’: Hopes fund can revive home-building
Cutting red tape standing in the way of modular home construction will be rewarded by the federal government via a new fund aimed at spurring states and territories towards a suite of productivity-enhancing reforms.
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Economy
Rates on hold with more mortgage pain for households
Interest rates have been left on hold at 4.35 per cent – as they have been for 12 months – with the Reserve Bank remaining committed to its inflation fight.
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Economy
Household spending ‘surprisingly soft’ despite tax cuts
More spent on essentials such as groceries and healthcare last month, with overall spending down in a sign of a still-cautious consumer.
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Market
Sydney home prices edge lower as slowdown expands
A dip in Sydney property prices will be welcomed by prospective homebuyers, with the city tipped to mimic Melbourne’s shallow downturn.
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Economy
Everything points to a slowdown as property loses heat
House and unit prices may have found new record highs but interest rate cautiousness has tempered the pace of growth.
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Economy
Stronger-than-expected jobs data suggests a 2024 rate cut is off the cards
Economists say resilient labour market figures will mean the cash rate is likely to stay at 4.35 per cent until next year.
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Economy
RBA continues pushback against rate cut calls
High inflation “hurts everyone” but especially those on low and fixed incomes, RBA governor Michele Bullock stressed following a sluggish economic growth report.
Economy
Economy growing at slowest pace since 1990s recession
Apart from COVID, economic growth is at its the slowest since 1991/92 when Australia was gradually recovering from the 1991 recession.
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Market
Australia’s most desirable suburbs revealed
Suburbs where homeowners hang on to their properties for an average of more than two decades have been listed as Australia’s most desirable.
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Economy
Energy rebates mask sticky inflation
Economists say the slowdown was largely expected and won’t persuade the RBA to cut interest rates any time soon.
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Market
Prefabs can be answer to housing shortage
The answer to Australia’s housing crisis could come in the form of prefab homes, with a growing number of industry bodies and thinktanks giving their support to the radical solution.
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Market
Wages growth falls for a third consecutive quarter
Workers in the private sector are still clocking robust pay growth but the pace has been gradually slowing over the past year, reflecting a softening jobs market, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.
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Market
It’s a slow build as Australian home approval sluggish
Interest rates, labour shortages and investor confidence are contributing to weak building approvals, but there are signs of recovery in detached homes.
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Market
Home building to gather steam but undershoot 1.2m goal
A recovery in home building is coming but will take time and is still expected to fall short of the 1.2 million national target.
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Market
Renter relief hits with more cooling in sight
Clouds are finally starting to part for Australian tenants, with rents in most major cities either falling, stalling or growing at a slower pace. Low vacancy rates have pushed advertised rents higher for several months running but the latest report from real estate platform Domain shows conditions are improving for ren
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Market
Home lending slips but still well ahead over the year
New home lending remains far ahead of where it was a year ago despite a minor dip in May for property investors and owner-occupiers. Over the month, the Australian Bureau of Statistics logged a 1.7 per cent fall in all new housing loans, to $28.8 billion, with first-home buyer loans down the most, sinking 2.9 per cent.