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Hot Property: Biggest headlines from the week that was
With Australia on track for a recession despite the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, the Prime Minister has dropped yet another stimulus package: Here’s the biggest stories from this week.
Hot Property: Biggest headlines from the week that was
With Australia on track for a recession despite the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, the Prime Minister has dropped yet another stimulus package: Here’s the biggest stories from this week.

Welcome to nestegg’s weekly round-up of the bricks-and-mortar stories that we think will be most relevant to you, whether as a first home buyer, a seasoned investor or anyone in between!
To compile this list, not only are we taking a look at the week’s most-read stories and the news that matters, but we are also curating it to include stories from our sister platforms that could have an impact on your buying, selling or investment journey, no matter where you find yourself on the property ladder.
The Reserve Bank of Australia announced its decision on the June cash rate, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put pressure on the Australian economy.
The government has unveiled the HomeBuilder scheme, which will see eligible owner-occupiers who are either building or undertaking a substantial renovation given $25,000 for doing so. But who will actually benefit from the stimulus?

OPINION: Serviceability is arguably the most important factor when building your investment portfolio because it can limit your ability to achieve your financial freedom goals, writes Lloyd Edge.
Industry experts have applauded the announcement of a “tradie rescue package” but do not believe that the government’s plan goes far enough. Builders are already noting up to a 40 per cent decrease in work in the pipeline.
RPM Real Estate Group has released research that pinpoints the moment COVID-19 put the brakes on the Victorian property market mid-March.
A period of bleakness following the pandemic being declared. However, signs of buyer activity in April and May are promising, “pointing to a potentially earlier than expected recovery”.
RE/MAX Australia has today revealed a changed leadership structure that will see managing director Michael Davoren take up the role of chairman on the company board in a company refresh.
A property promoted on Openn Negotiation has gone for $150,000 over reserve after being listed for just 13 days.
Selling agent Michael Tomadakis of Biggin & Scott Inner North said, “The bids came in quickly and it all happened so fast. Three minutes had passed and the property had reached the price $1,080,000.”
ANZ has bolstered its assessment team and will prioritise “sensitive” loan applications to address a continued blowout in turnaround times.
According to a communication sent by ANZ to its broker partners on Tuesday (2 June), the bank’s turnaround times have now increased to an average of 35 business days for refinance applications and an average of 15 business days for property purchases.
The Commonwealth Bank has followed Westpac in offering customers a new form of financial assistance during the pandemic.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has confirmed that Australia is set to fall into recession for the first time in 29 years.
In a speech to the media, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg explained that the economy contracted by 0.3 per cent over the March quarter, ahead of the collapse in June when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns kick in.
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Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more

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First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more

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Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more

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GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more

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Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more

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Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more

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Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more

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