Invest
Hot Property: Biggest headlines from the week that was
The Morrison government’s HomeBuilder scheme has garnered mixed reviews in the property industry as Australia moves closer to the end of the 2019-20 financial year: Here are the biggest stories impacting the property sector this week.
Hot Property: Biggest headlines from the week that was
The Morrison government’s HomeBuilder scheme has garnered mixed reviews in the property industry as Australia moves closer to the end of the 2019-20 financial year: Here are the biggest stories impacting the property sector 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 REIA said the HomeBuilder package will go a long way in supporting the residential building sector by providing assistance to owner-occupiers to build new homes and renovate existing ones.
“The REIA believes [it] will be a massive boost to the employment of home builders and tradesmen at a time when a major driver of economic activity was stalling,” president Adrian Kelly said.

There are plenty of options available for savvy owner-occupiers to receive terrific “bang for their HomeBuilder grant buck” and add value to their home, a buyer’s agent has flagged.
Western Australia has been declared the most affordable state for buyers and tenants for the 11th consecutive quarter.
According to REINZ’s new Residential Confidence Report to understand the impact COVID-19 has had on the housing market and track recovery, the COVID-19 pandemic is entirely unprecedented, with little to compare with, therefore its impact can’t be immediately understood.
“Naturally, some of the indicators became quite marked during April, including a dramatic drop in sales volumes and the percentage of auctions held – although this isn’t entirely surprising given the lockdown. Additionally, median days to sell and listings increased and there was a slight falling in the sales price to valuation ratio,” Bindi Norwell, chief executive at REINZ, said.
A new earning scheme will see @realty agents given the ability to earn 100 per cent commission on their property sales.
The scheme will see agents who have paid $20,000 in service fees through their standard commission become eligible to retain 100 per cent of the commission earned on any further deals.
With a tight time frame and the restrictive eligibility criteria, there could be more losers than winners from the Morrison government’s HomeBuilder scheme.
The federal Treasurer has extended the $150,000 instant asset write-off scheme by six months to help businesses buy new and second-hand assets and help improve cash flow.
The federal government first increased the instant asset write-off threshold from $30,000 to $150,000 and expanded access to include businesses with aggregated annual turnover of less than $500 million (up from $50 million) until 30 June 2020 – as part of the government’s first “targeted” $17.6-billion stimulus package in response to COVID-19.
A spike in processing times for mortgage applications has contributed to a decline in the share of broker-originated loans.
The latest data commissioned by the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia has revealed that brokers originated $49 billion in loans in the three months to 31 March 2020, up 20 per cent from $40.8 billion in the previous corresponding period – a record high for the March quarter.
The federal government’s new housing stimulus could have an adverse impact on residential property prices and produce a “negative wealth effect” despite the assistance it will provide the residential construction sector, according to AMP chief economist Shane Oliver.
- Quantum to pay $700k for misleading property investors
Quantum Housing has been ordered to pay $700,000 in penalties after the Federal Court found that it made false or misleading representations relating to the National Rental Affordability Scheme.
The group failed to tell investors that it had commercial links with the property managers it recommended and told some investors that their existing property manager “had not properly managed their property’s compliance with the NRAS, when this was not true”, according to a statement provided by the ACCC.
About the author

About the author


Property
North platform adds household reporting feature to boost adviser efficiency
AMP's North platform has launched consolidated household reporting across multiple client accounts, helping financial advisers streamline their client review processes. Read more

Property
What Adds The Most Value To Properties?
Wondering how to up the value of your property? Properties are worth a lot of money in general, but there’s always a way to maximise value. The good news is that most of the things you can do to ...Read more

Property
Centuria reports strong growth in alternative real estate sectors for FY24
Centuria Capital Group has reported significant growth in alternative real estate sectors for the 2024 financial year, driving stable performance and increased guidance for FY25. Read more

Property
How to leverage equity in your home for investment or renovation
Home equity, the value of your property minus any debts owed, is a powerful financial resource many homeowners in Australia can utilize to further their financial goals. Whether you're looking to ...Read more

Property
Exploring REITs: Real estate investment without buying property
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) offer a compelling investment alternative for those interested in the real estate market but may not want to endure the complexities and capital requirements of ...Read more

Property
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has recommended that retirement communities should be considered a vital part in the Australian Government's initiative to fulfill the Housing Australia Future Fund ...Read more

Property
Australians adjust financial strategies amid changing property market dynamics
The 2023 calendar year saw Australian borrowers acquiring a total of $300.9 billion in new loans for property purchases, marking a 12.7% decrease from the previous year. Read more

Property
Split home loans unlocking doors for Aussie buyers
Australians are teaming up to dive into the real estate market and seize the advantages of home ownership, with the trend of split home loans surging as family and friends unite to buy properties ...Read more

Property
North platform adds household reporting feature to boost adviser efficiency
AMP's North platform has launched consolidated household reporting across multiple client accounts, helping financial advisers streamline their client review processes. Read more

Property
What Adds The Most Value To Properties?
Wondering how to up the value of your property? Properties are worth a lot of money in general, but there’s always a way to maximise value. The good news is that most of the things you can do to ...Read more

Property
Centuria reports strong growth in alternative real estate sectors for FY24
Centuria Capital Group has reported significant growth in alternative real estate sectors for the 2024 financial year, driving stable performance and increased guidance for FY25. Read more

Property
How to leverage equity in your home for investment or renovation
Home equity, the value of your property minus any debts owed, is a powerful financial resource many homeowners in Australia can utilize to further their financial goals. Whether you're looking to ...Read more

Property
Exploring REITs: Real estate investment without buying property
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) offer a compelling investment alternative for those interested in the real estate market but may not want to endure the complexities and capital requirements of ...Read more

Property
Retirement communities: a pivotal element in meeting Australia's housing targets
The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has recommended that retirement communities should be considered a vital part in the Australian Government's initiative to fulfill the Housing Australia Future Fund ...Read more

Property
Australians adjust financial strategies amid changing property market dynamics
The 2023 calendar year saw Australian borrowers acquiring a total of $300.9 billion in new loans for property purchases, marking a 12.7% decrease from the previous year. Read more

Property
Split home loans unlocking doors for Aussie buyers
Australians are teaming up to dive into the real estate market and seize the advantages of home ownership, with the trend of split home loans surging as family and friends unite to buy properties ...Read more