Newsletter Archive
30 October 2009November 2009 Newsletter
Going going gone! In the past few weeks there have been plenty of media reports about the strong auction clearance rates and signs that Sydney house prices are set to rise significantly. Clearance rates are up because there is very little for sale (and, for that matter, rent). In my 25 years in real estate, I have never experienced such low stock levels. The lack of supply combine... read more
30 September 2009October 2009 Newsletter
New Surry Hills development ticks the boxes We all know the number one rule in real estate: location, location, location. Well location is what certainly defines a vibrant new development that Charles+Stuart is marketing. The Alta at 200 Goulburn Street in Surry Hills ticks many boxes – location, quality and price point. The apartment building is being ... read more
01 September 2009September 2009 Newsletter
Blowing bubbles Spring has sprung, and the newspapers are full of stories about the state of the market and the ‘first’ auctions of the season. We’ve been heartened by the continued demand from first home buyers, and get the impression that investors are just biding their time waiting to see what happens once the First Home Owners Boost fades out. The Boost starts ... read more
23 July 2009August 2009 Newsletter
The road ahead (and you can forget the GPS!) Personally, I don’t know how anyone can say definitively what the property market is likely to do over the next 12 months. It’s certainly a vastly different market to what I’ve experienced in my two+ decades in real estate, primarily because of the impact of the different stimulation packages introduced by governments. ... read more
30 June 2009July 2009 Newsletter
Budgeting for boosts Well we’ve had a couple of interesting budgets in the past few months – and it was good to see some further incentives to help stimulate the property market. On the Federal front, the First Home Buyers Boost has been extended until September 30. That means first home buyers opting for a newly-built home can claim up to $21,000 in Go... read more
29 May 2009June 2009 Newsletter
Owning a home – there’s more to it than meets the eye! I read a fascinating article in The Economist recently – Shelter, or burden? – which looks at the various social benefits and economic costs of home ownership. The article opens with the author recounting a scene from the film It’s a Wonderful Life, where a happy couple is about to en... read more
29 April 2009May 2009 Newsletter
Like bulls at a gate It’s something we’ve never really experienced before – banks struggling to keep up with the rate of applications from first home buyers! And in the run up to June 30 (when time’s up for the First Home Owner’s Grant boost), we’re likely to see a rush right to the end. The real estate market has certainly experienced ... read more
31 March 2009April 2009 Newsletter
A touch of style at Stamford Cosmopolitan Stunning display apartments completed The much-anticipated Stamford Cosmopolitan display apartments are open for business! Celebrity interior designers Thomas Hamel and Burley Katon Halliday (BKH) have created two individual, lavish display apartments which are designed to give prospective purchasers a sense of how their lifestyle could be trans... read more
28 February 2009March 2009 Newsletter
First home buyers to the rescue Will we have a first home buyer-led recovery? It’s certainly a possibility. The media is awash with reports of strong home buyer activity since the start of the New Year. Low interest rates, the enhanced first home owner’s grant and lower property prices are translating into sales. Charles+Stuart’s sales team experienced enormous response fro... read more
31 January 2009February 2009 Newsletter
Some positivity never hurt anyone! I’m so sick of these harbingers of doom. It seems to be that even a small economic hiccup gets inflated by the media to the extent that it’s a major hernia! By continuing to hype up the downturn, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. I prefer the description of one of the country’s leading business heads: “This is a very strange market... read more