Fastest improvement in affordability in six years
“The HIA Affordability Index rose by 2.2 per cent in the March 2019 quarter to post the most significant improvement in affordability since September 2013,” said Tim Reardon, HIA Chief Economist.
Tag: housing
Intervention to encourage housing investment necessary
“Lending for the purchase or construction of a new home has fallen to its lowest level since September 2013,” stated HIA’s Chief Economist, Tim Reardon.
First Home Buyers continue to drive Australia’s housing market
“The importance of the First Home Buyer (FHB) segment of the market has grown again, with newly released figures for March (2019) showing that their share of the market is at its largest in nearly 7 years,” Shane Garrett, Chief Economist said.
Metricon welcomes proposed $500 million deposit guarantee for first home buyers in NSW
Bipartisan support for a First Home Loan Deposit Scheme couldn’t come at a better time for first home buyers in Sydney and across NSW, according to one of the largest home builders in the state, Metricon.
Rate cut not the only way to curb housing downturn
“The contraction in the housing market over the past six months has occurred faster and is larger in scale than the contraction experienced after the GFC,” said Geordan Murray, HIA Senior Economist.
Australian PCI®: Construction falls at steeper rate in April 2019
The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) dropped a further 3.0 points to 42.6 in April 2019, with a return to growth in engineering construction failing to offset continued declines in housing activity, commercial construction and apartment building work…
March 2019 house approvals at five year low
“March (2019) building approvals marked the weakest month for detached house approvals since 2013,” said HIA’s Senior Economist Geordan Murray.
First home buyers and construction sector win in housing stimulus
The WA Government will provide further economic support and introduce a targeted housing stimulus, to assist the local housing market and construction sector in Western Australia.
New home sales show signs of stabilising
“After falling by 8.5 per cent in 2018 new home sales appear to have stabilised in the first quarter of 2019,” stated Geordan Murray, HIA Senior Economist.
Skilled migration crucial to housing
“Recent proposals to make changes to the ‘457’ skilled working visa will not address the bigger problem of how to fill the shortage of skilled trades people available to build new homes and apartments,” said HIA Managing Director, Graham Wolfe.
Property tax revenues highlight need for reform
The latest ABS data on Australian taxation revenues reinforces the need for comprehensive reform of our federal, state and local tax systems when it comes to property.
Report finds “chronic housing shortages” in western Sydney
Western Sydney Community Forum and Wentworth Community Housing have launched the Home in Western Sydney report at Western Sydney University, to highlight the alarming levels of housing stress experienced in the region.