In Australia right now, there’s a lot of ‘out of area’ buying going on. What I mean is, people are buying property in areas away from where they live and work for retirement, a seachange or investment.  READ MORE

Changing lifestyle has had strong influence on today’s home owner and the importance they place on the ‘flow’ of their property. This is all to do with the floor plan and in my opinion, a good floor plan can add serious value to a property. Decades ago, a typical house comprised a selection READ MORE

I’m noticing how many properties in today’s market have designated, custom-built home offices. I’m not talking about a spare bedroom that has a desk in it, I’m talking about bespoke home offices that are purposely designed to be just that. They usually have custom-made cabinetry and shelvingREAD MORE

A recent survey by Mortgage Choice found that 43% of Gen Ys are intending to buy an investment property ahead of their first home. They’re willing to sacrifice the First Home Owners Grant and stamp duty concessions because they’d rather stay renting where they want to live and suit their lifestyREAD MORE

There’s been a lot of investment activity in the Australian property market this year, and while I recommend investing in markets close to home or work due to familiarity and proximity, there are many aspiring investors considering regional locations these days because they’re so much more afforREAD MORE

We’ve noticed a marked improvement in buyer enthusiasm following the first interest rate cut but it won’t be enough on its own to spark some serious growth. People are looking for more good news to regain their confidence to buy and sell. Interest rates are definitely an important factor in peREAD MORE

I’ve recently spent some time in Melbourne as a judge on reality TV series ‘The Block'.  The premise of the show is around four couples who are given the challenge of renovating an entire house each, with one room delivered per week for judging. Renovating is something Australians love tREAD MORE

For several years in NSW, first home buyers purchasing a property worth $500,000 or less have enjoyed a full stamp duty exemption worth $17,990.  This is a lot of money for a young person and coupled with the Federal Government’s First Home Owners’ Grant of $7,000, young people had a realREAD MORE

Recent economic events have caused a heightened level of uncertainty. This will prove problematic for property at the higher end over the next quarter, however I still believe most markets are at the beginning of a long-term growth cycle. Property remains an excellent asset class for long-termREAD MORE

It’s interesting to see more Australians choosing to sell via the auction method at the moment. I’m sure John and Neisha from Channel Nine’s The Block would be the first to tell you that auctions work after McGrath Chief Auctioneer Scott Kennedy-Green got them $205,000 more than the reserveREAD MORE

With so much minute analysis of the property market these days, it seems many buyers are trying to ‘pick the cycle’ when it comes to buying. I’ve heard of many people, especially young ones, holding off on purchasing because they’ve read somewhere that the market is going to droREAD MORE

It is always darkest before dawn. It seems a lot of people are interested in buying quality property but many are standing on the sidelines looking in. Fear of a second correction has created some hesitation in sections of the market. However this is not representative of the general marketplaREAD MORE