NEWS & VIEWS

Vehicle theft more common than you think

Did you know a vehicle is stolen every eight minutes somewhere in Australia? And between January and September 2010, 33,482 cars were stolen across the country. That's the frightening statistic in a recent report from car insurer Budget Direct.

Can another stimulus package boost new housing affordability?

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) wants the federal government to introduce further stimulus measures to boost new housing starts so they don't fall back to 2009 global financial crisis levels.

Is population capping the way to lower house prices?

It’s not just interest rates that can hurt your bottom dollar. Fees and establishment costs can make a big difference to the amount you pay for your mortgage.

Interest rate hikes predicted for second half of 2011

With interest rates at a record low, is now the time to look at fixing your mortgage?

South Australia top state for car owners

South Australia is arguably Australia's friendliest state for drivers. The Virgin Car Insurance study, which compared the costs of car insurance, petrol, parking and tolls as well as theft, revealed Adelaide as the most driver-friendly city in Australia

Market recovery More home buyers hitting the market

Mortgage applications in Australia may have hit their lowest point in eight years, but there are some indications a slow, upward climb has begun. Veda Advantage's quarterly Consumer Credit Demand Index found mortgage enquiries during the October to December 2010 quarter were up 3.4 percent compared with the September quarter.

Australians look toward first home buyers for growth

January Demand for newly built property has been leading the growth of home loans at the end of 2010, echoing the initial damage of the Brisbane floods. But with interest rates expected to climb this year, there are high hopes first home buyers will boost the market back into more lively days.

Property market predictions for 2011

Despite rising interest rates in late 2010, the new year may be a great time to buy a home, according to some mortgage experts. After a turbulent year, Australian Property Monitors is predicting the property market for 2011 to be slightly quieter and buyers are expected to take their time considering their housing and mortgage options.

Australia v the world How do our property prices rate?

When it comes to buying property in Australia, just how expensive is it compared to the rest of the world. Out of 90 cities worldwide, Sydney was 19 on the list of the world's most expensive cities to buy property per square metre according to Global Property Guide.

More properties on the market but auctions not popular choice

As more home owners place their properties on the market, many are diverting away from putting them under the hammer. According to new research from RP Data, there has been an increase in the number of properties for sale through professional listings during the second week of November.

Treasury proposes credit card regulations

As Australia's level of credit card debt gets out of control, the federal Treasury has released a green paper to help protect consumers from overspending on credit cards. The green paper refers to Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) data that shows Australians accumulated a total credit card debt worth $4.8 billion as at September, an increase of $143 million from August.

Spendthrift? Australians rack up record debt

Credit card users have broken an all-time record in the Christmas season, dismissing predictions that Australians would be spending conservatively in the wake of the financial crisis.

Silver lining for borrowers as new home sales fall

New home sales are suffering while the economy recovers, according to leading industry bodies. This has caused concerns over the future of housing sales in Australia and home loan prospects, due in part to the increasing trend of interest rates.