This Month
Housing crisis the biggest challenge for conservatives, says Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson speaks with Jennifer Hewett at The Australian Financial Review Business Person of the Year dinner on December 14, 2023.
- Updated
Stockland says it can develop 12 sites more profitably than Lendlease
The deal involving two of Australia’s largest property developers and investors boosts Stockland’s land bank and will help Lendlease focus on investment.
- Michael Bleby
Homebuilders worry about costlier kitchens after benchtop ban
Builders and materials suppliers say there’s no clarity on alternative products for the to-be-banned material, and no supply chain to meet demand, either.
- Michael Bleby
Engineered stone ban must focus on silica levels: producers
The country’s largest supplier of the potentially lethal product is pushing for a solution that would allow its low-silica alternative.
- Michael Bleby
Home builders will compete for business in 2024
Profit margins are already weakening for many of Australia’s home builders and greater competition will make that worse.
- Michael Bleby
Engineered stone ban leaves builders, customers in disarray
A ban on the artificial product was expected, but there was little detail on the immediate practical implications in a government agreement announced Wednesday.
- Michael Bleby
- Exclusive
- Jacinta Allan
Victoria failing its housing target, property groups warn
Property groups will warn a Victorian housing summit on Thursday that the state government’s ambitious plan to build 80,000 new homes a year is not on track.
- Patrick Durkin
No visa fast track for foreign tradies despite housing shortage
Business groups, the property industry and housing advocates are warning the carve out will undermine the government’s target of building 1.2 million homes.
- Michael Read
House price growth to soften as listings rise faster than demand
Market conditions are now in favour of buyers as higher stock levels provide more choice, less urgency and greater opportunities to negotiate.
- Nila Sweeney
‘Populist’ property tax changes won’t boost rental stock: experts
Higher charges for offshore buyers and a cut in application fees for build-to-rent projects aren’t the main measures Australia’s troubled rental market needs.
- Michael Bleby
- Exclusive
- Construction
Meet the builder aiming for a 5pc profit margin
The global average EBIDTA margin for builders is 1.8pc, but Hickory boss Michael Argyrou says it’s time for developers to take on more risk.
- Michael Bleby
- Exclusive
- Property investment
Trilogy $700m fund races to restart work on Gosford apartment project
The Trilogy Monthly Income Trust says it will finish the 35-unit NSW project despite a three-month delay caused by liquidation of its contractor.
- Michael Bleby
- Exclusive
- Commercial real estate
Australia’s first venue for exclusive London wine club’s about to open
Developer Ross Pelligra is counting on the country’s inaugural 67 Pall Mall to invigorate his closed 85 Spring Street office building in Melbourne’s CBD.
- Michael Bleby
Plenary Group seeks new backer; valuation up to $1b
Street Talk understands the public infrastructure developer and fund manager is seeking a new long-term investor to inject capital into its balance sheet.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Rates high, steady in 2024, but supply will soften housing: economists
Don’t expect big change in demand for housing next year due to lending costs, but more properties coming on to the market will trigger weakness.
- Michael Bleby
November
Housing approvals have bottomed and migrants mean growth: JPMorgan
Australia’s housing shortage isn’t just about demand – interest rates must fall to make purchasing affordable for buyers.
- Michael Bleby
House prices set for a bumpy ride in 2024 but upswing still possible
Worsening affordability, rising unemployment and high inflation could weaken house prices next year, but a rate cut would reignite buying, Domain says.
- Nila Sweeney
Australia’s $21b home building surge hides slump to come
Weather delays, labour and capacity constraints have kept residential construction ticking over. But there’s a big drop in new work to come.
- Updated
- Michael Bleby
- Opinion
- Opinion
Victoria’s big tax stick isn’t going to prod more housing supply
Increasing taxes on developers is not going to bring down the price of housing. But states are climbing on the bandwagon.
- Kristina Popova and Aathees Paransothy
Victoria to triple vacant home tax after Greens win tweaks
The tax on the median-price unused home could increase from $9340 to more than $28,000 a year.
- Gus McCubbing
