Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Better planning decisions for Aboriginal communities
Media Release (No paywall)Two new groups have been established to speed up assessments, improve outcomes and unlock economic benefits for Aboriginal communities. The Department of Planning and Environment’s Deputy Secretary of NSW Planning, Marcus Ray said a dedicated service had been set up within the Department of Planning and Environment, to help Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) and Native Title Body Corporates navigate the planning system. “This is an important step in returning to a level of ‘self-determination’ for Aboriginal communities, so they can control the destiny of their land,” Mr Ray said. “Ultimately, the new Aboriginal Planning Concierge will help unlock opportunities on Aboriginal-owned land, by reducing backlogs and accelerating the assessment process.'
https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/News/2022/Better-planning-decisi…
# NSW, Planning and development, Race and ethnicity, State Government.Getting told your rental is 'unliveable'
ABC (No paywall)Does your rental need a bit of repair? We hear from renters who filed a maintenance request, and were then chucked out after being their place was "unliveable". So what are your rights in this situation? (ABC triple j)
# Audio Australia, Eviction.Five ways to buy your first home sooner (without skimping on avocado toast)
Dominic Powell and Jessica Irvine The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)It’s no secret that Australia’s housing market is poorly managed, inequitable, and ridiculously expensive, meaning the dream of owning your own home is a long way off for many young and low-to-middle income Australians. ... That’s where we come in. Today, we are celebrating the launch of our new money podcast 'It All Adds Up'.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/five-ways-to-buy-your-fir…
# Audio Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.The Sydney home owners slashing their price expectations to sell
Kate Burke Domain (No paywall)House price discounting in Sydney has reached its highest level in almost three years as sellers are forced to slash prices in the declining property market.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/the-sydney-home-owners-slas…
# NSW, Housing market.What the real focus should be for landlords
Richard Wakelin (Paywall)When assessing potential properties, investors must make the distinction between the percentage yield versus the overall rental dollar value, and favour the latter. While the resurgent rental market offers investors new opportunities, this shouldn’t change the driving force behind asset selection – capital growth remains king. (The Australian Financial Review)
https://www.afr.com/wealth/personal-finance/what-the-real-focus-…
# Australia, Rent, Landlords and agents.The holiday home hotspot where house prices tripled in five years
Kate Burke Domain (No paywall)Sea-change moves and holiday homes have been in hot demand, but nowhere hotter than this: in Sunshine Beach house prices have almost tripled in five years. House prices in the quiet village in the Noosa Shire lifted a whopping 195.5 per cent over the five years to June, the steepest growth for any suburb in the country, making it the first Queensland suburb with a median house price north of $3 million.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/the-holiday-home-hotspot-wh…
# Australia, Housing market.Where house prices have fallen and risen by the most across Australia over the past three months
Sue Williams Domain (No paywall)The Australian property market has become a stomach-churning game of swings and roundabouts that still sees prices soar for homes in some areas – and dropping steeply in others. If you fancy an apartment in the NSW south coast idyll of Coffs Harbour, for instance, you might be in luck, with the median price falling 10.8 per cent over the last quarter. But if your dream escape is to a house in the sleepy Riverina town of Tumut, you’ll have to fork out an extra 15.6 per cent.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/where-house-prices-have-fallen-an…
# Australia, Housing market.Will this property price downturn be different to the last?
Tawar Razaghi Domain (No paywall)Australian property booms last more than three times longer than downswings on average and when prices fall they only lose a fraction of the gains made, new analysis shows. But economists say that trend may have come to an end and the current property downturn could be the steepest and longest since the 1990s as the days of rock bottom rates are over and households are more indebted than ever before.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/will-this-property-price-do…
# Australia, Housing market.