Buyer's Tools

For much of this year auction clearance rates for Sydney have consistently hit above 60 per cent.

The market conditions for cashed-up real estate investors started to improve last year.

There has been much debate about house prices this year, particularly as the country’s three primary data sources have all reported different outcomes.

Signs of a pick-up in the Australian housing industry started to show in February and March.

When the boost to the existing grant doubled to $14,000 for existing homes and tripled to $21,000 for new homes there was much discussed as to whether it would be enough to attract buyers.

The latest REIA figures, released this month, show in the last three months of 2008 affordability improved more than in any quarter for almost 15 years.

Foreign Investment Review Board legislative changes, due in March, are expected to help underpin the softening prestige market, while adding another floor to the already buoyant affordable markets according to agents and developers.