Timing the Property Market: How To Know When To Sell

The market of Inner West Sydney fluctuates a lot and you, at the other hand, want to sell your property. The question arises, is this the right time?

It’s very important to analyze the situation of the market and see if it has reached its peak potential or not as this can directly influence how successfully you can sell your property and how much you are going to gain from it.

In this article, we will be looking at the observations that we have obtained by analyzing the recent changes in the market.

When the demand opposes the supply

What will happen if the demand of a certain property is high but its supply is low? This can actually play in favor of you as this is one of the most efficient ways of finding out the probability of an increase or decrease in a property’s price. According to our observations, the year of 2016 witnessed a depreciated value of supply in Sydney’s Inner West. The 2017, on the other hand, is looking to be in a good shape as sellers have started to take an action and the overall supply has increased throughout Sydney.

Moreover, it is also important to keep a regular eye on the auction clearance rates to determine the possible fluctuations in supply and demand. The higher the auction clearance rate, the more the competition as buyers will be looking forward to take hold of their favorite properties.

The role of interest rate in affecting the market

The recent announcement shows that the interest rate has risen to 3.5 per cent cash rate. With this friendly figure, the supply is very likely to be boosted just like we witnessed a similar market change during the GFC in 2008. For properties that exceed the benchmark of three million dollars, some observations like lower clearance rate, prices having a downward pressure and more days in the market might be witnessed.

The expected projection of clearance rates in summer

The pattern in the last two decades of Sydney’s properties shows that even if the interest rates are not considered in mind, the clearance rates of the auctions are still decreasing during summer in comparison with its peak potential in spring. The people who are wishing to sell their property during these times should come up with a strategy in terms of right pricing, timing and advertisement.

Even if you are hoping to sell in the off-seasons, you do not need to become over-worried because the Inner West side of Sydney is the most sought-after side in terms of ideal properties. So, what matters mostly is how you strategize your plan in accordance with the trends in the market. For example, it will be unwise to sell your property when other owners are also selling a similar property as it will give them a bargaining advantage over you.

All markets have fixed price ranges? Think twice!

The Inner West side of Sydney is popular for containing literally heterogeneous markets. That is, that almost every market has its own price range. If we look back at the 2017, we will find out that the properties that crossed the benchmark of $3 million were not dependent on interest rate for market changes but rather on wealthy buyers from overseas and those people who are independent from mortgages.

Similarly, the properties which were priced below $2.5 million were more vulnerable to interest rate to affect them. For example, a higher interest rate may attract buyers from this category to put a downward pressure on the overall prices of the properties.

Selling By Auction: What You Need To Know

Selling and buying a property in an auction can be stressful for both, the buyer and the seller. However, auctions still have a lot of promises to offer which make them intriguing and fascinating for both the parties. The chance of earning a profit way above the sale price can encourage the sellers to participate in the auctions at the cost of sacrificing their property as it may no longer be theirs. The opportunity to get their dream property may motivate the buyers to go at extreme lengths in the bidding wars to obtain what they desire.

So let’s look at what has made auctions a regular “culture” amongst the people in the Inner West side of Sydney and how auctions may be advantageous for you.

The ideal markets for auction sales

Choosing the best market can be tricky if you do not have enough knowledge of the market trends and what’s in demand. Generally, auction sales are good for those markets that have a good buyer activity (determined by auction attendance and inspection numbers), low supply of property (the more competitive it becomes, the more motivated the buyers will become to keep bidding) and a desirable location (make sure the property is located at a good spot, near the required area and at the right address).

Can a ‘for sale’ sign discourage the buyers?

For some, a ‘for sale’ sign in the Inner West of Sydney may just be another sign for a failed auction. How so? Well, this part of Sydney contains all the required ideal markets. So, buyers usually misinterpret private sales when they see a ‘for sale’ sign. This further leads to the creation of offers which are way below the asking price and may devalue the property even if it is exceptionally good. However, we used the word “usually” above because this does not happen every time. Some private sales are excessively successful and quicker to bring results so, this is just a factor worth keeping in mind before deciding whether going to an auction would be the right choice or not.

Is an auction better or a private sale?

An auction or a private sale, both of these come with their own advantages and it is up to the seller to select the right choice according to his/her preferences. The best part about an auction is undoubtedly the transparency of everything. Unlike a private sale, the real estate agent will not be making any kind of negotiations behind the curtains but instead everything will be heard by everyone; the bids, the negotiations, the terms of the sale etc. In addition, the auction also provides the seller a greater control over the overall process because not only do they have the ability to negotiate with the buyer before the bidding starts but they can also make negotiations regarding pre-auction sales.

Inner West Suburbs Property: Where Are The Buyers Coming From?

Wouldn’t it be interesting to go behind the curtains and see what exactly the buyers are doing in the Inner West Sydney and what are they aiming to buy? Buckle up because that is what we are going to do for you by analyzing the data which we have collected.

Inner West Suburb Buyers are Local

In accordance with our research that we recently concluded, the experience says that most of the buyers who are looking to buy a property in the Inner West Sydney are none other than those who are already living there. This means that most of the buyers making a move in this side of Sydney are around 80% local rather than being elsewhere from Sydney.

In addition, we have also noted that entry-level homes act like a magnet towards first or second-time buyers. This is probably because they like the area too much or are happy with the familiarization of their surroundings.

When some properties become a magnet as well

Any property can become a magnet for both, the locals and the non-locals. However, what makes a property so special? One of the obvious reasons would be an exceptional beauty but mellow and snuggly places with a large space allowing the individual or a family to have a lot of freedom inside the house is also something to be considered.

In addition, buyers who are interested in houses near commercial areas, or educational facilities will also be more willing to make a strong move from anywhere around the city to the Inner West.

It’s all about the individual preferences.

Where do the non-locals come from?

To be super honest, there is no definite rule that a buyer will come from the outside of Inner West or even outside of Australia.

A property may meet the requirements of someone living in the North Shore while it may be a complete deal breaker for someone living in Newtown or Ashfield (some neighbors of the Inner West Sydney). In addition, someone, for example an international student might be willing to cross every border all the way from the United Kingdom to move to the Inner West of Sydney.

Anyone who is willing enough to completely settle down in this area will also be willing to leave behind everything where they are currently residing, whether it’s Melbourne, Sydney or any other place.

Hence, it’s not about where the buyers are coming from but rather whether their requirements are being met and once they are met, any obstacle can be overcome.

What about the local ones?

Each of the suburbs in the Inner West has its own advantages and disadvantages. People from the Strathfield South are more likely to move to another suburb such as the Balmain East because of its uncongested roads, easily-accessible transport (bus stops everywhere) and spectacular views. However, the Balmain East is not a much commercialized area when compared with the Birchgrove or Glebe.

So what does this prove? It simply reiterates the fact that it all depends on the personal preferences of the buyers. According to some popular real estate websites like domain.com.au, Birchgrove and Glebe are the top most favorite and livable suburbs of the Inner West whereas others like Strathfield South, Wareemba and Wentworth Point are not the best preferences for someone who is looking to live in a peaceful area as these mentioned suburbs, especially Strathfield South is very noisy because of 24/7 congested roads.

So, what’s in it for you?

The point is, different properties tend to attract people from different geographical areas. It is a wise choice to get the help of a real estate agent as they will be able to tell you what and who your property is most likely to attract.

How Calendar Dates Can Affect The Property Market

Calendar dates dictate the market trends

Would you ever prefer going on a house hunting program on Christmas holidays? No? What about New Year holidays? Still no? Well, then what about school, Easter and other public holidays of the similar nature? Obviously no!

The point is that, calendar dates can make a major impact on the actions of the buyers and the sellers. Being aware of the public holidays can play a part in favor of you.

New Year brings new mindsets

Everybody loves making a New Year resolution and buyers are no different humans. With the New Year’s resolution comes a new encouraged mindset for those people who want to make a move once and for all, they’ll be excited and very motivated to step into the property market. Moreover, the property stocks usually become very low by the end of the year so buyers are interested to come back after the holidays to find new properties.

On the other hand, some buyers will ease off from the tension of the property world. They would rather prefer to clear their mind and go on a long vacation with their family. This mostly impacts the activity of the auctions because if there are no buyers, there will be no auctions so most of the sellers tend to stay quiet during the public holidays.

The effect of the Australia Day

The Australia Day falls every year on the 26th of January. With January ending with the Australia Day and followed by a holiday (28th January for 2019), the month of February will see an instant boost of auction sales. It also means that the competition will be extremely high because all the gates will be opened and auctions will be everywhere and clearance rate will be touching the skies in a matter of time.

Timing of the Easter holidays

This year, in 2018, the Easter is falling on the 1st of April which happens to be a Sunday. The holidays will last until the 15th as 16th is the first weekday. No auctions should be expected during the holidays as Easter is also one of those opportunities for the families where they want to go out and have some fun with their children. It is basically the enjoying time for the kids and the parents.

However, we may expect some quick stock clearance of properties by the end of March. Some people may set up private sales to quickly attract the buyers before the end of March. Sellers may even be thinking that a good enough sale may encourage a buyer to celebrate their Easter in their new home which, in a way, is pretty much possible if the property happens to meet the client’s requirements.

When the winter strikes

Winter falls in Australia from June to August and winter happens to be one of those seasons here in which the number of property listings fall. The sellers are well aware that the buyers are hesitant to travel in the winter days and hence the winter is a put off sign for them.

Nevertheless, the very encouraged buyers will still be making a move whether it is winter or not. The day and night does not matter for them nor does the change of seasons. So, the winter days can actually become a great time to attract some genuinely interested buyers.

The best-selling time of the year

In Australia, spring and autumn are the traditional months of listing properties. In spring, especially, everything is looking clean and green so this is a psychological factor which encourages even uninterested buyers to make a move during this time. So, with the increased number of listings come an increased number of buyers which can further mean an increased number of auctions. Everything is increased!

So, what does it mean for the seller? Well, with pages full of listings, you are going to have a hard-time displaying your proposed property. Thus, you should be putting your best forward so it can quickly attract the attention it deserves.

And, what does it mean for the buyers? The competition is extremely high. Everyone wants to grab their dream property. It is as if everyone has a pledge to shift to their new house by Christmas. Therefore, plan out and strategize your thinking. You have to be ready to outsmart other buyers at every single move so that nobody gets that dream house except for you!

The end of the year

You know, the word “December” alone pictures in our mind the picture of a holiday. The last biggest auction of the year is most probably to always occur in the first week of the December. And then, buyers will disappear. Not literally but they will no longer be interested to present themselves in the auctions because of the approaching holidays and so many upcoming events. Hence, it’s not usually recommended to start an auction campaign at the end of the year.

If you still want to sell your property, doing it through a private sale/off-market way would be a better approach as some serious buyers will still not back off from their dreams.

We bet you didn’t imagine the calendar dates to be impacting this much on the real estate business, or did you? Anyway, this article should help you in planning out your primary moves and backup plans for throughout the year.

6 Mistakes People Make When Selling In Sydney’s Inner West Suburbs

Within all the excitement and intrigue to sell their property, people often make six deal-breaking mistakes while selling their property in Sydney’s Inner West.

Giving less importance to the buyer

This is one of the most common mistakes, sellers forget the buyers. However, it’s not just about giving importance to the buyer; it’s also about how willing you really are to sell your property. Have you been doing everything you can to highlight the features of your home? What about the presentation? How well have you presented your property in the advertising campaign?

If you want to successfully sell a property in the Inner West, you must think from the buyer’s perspective and give importance to their view point. Think about what a buyer would be looking at first when he/she enters your home. Nobody likes to see a property which is full of unnecessary items so, de-cluttering your home is crucial to allow your buyer to check each and everything in your house.

Furthermore, find out different ways you can reach your ideal buyer. Why not consider making a Facebook campaign if you are looking for professional buyers? Try to do something different, people are tired of the usual approaches.

Imbalanced expenditures on renovation

Sometimes sellers extravagantly renovate their property and then expect for a higher sale price. It just won’t happen because all you have done is renovated optional things which don’t even matter!

On the other hand, some sellers completely ignore renovation as they think it’s not even important or they are scared of spending more money than they are expected to gain. The point is, as long as you are renovating the right parts of the house, it’s going to play a huge role in maximization of profit. People simply love when a property consists of all the latest facilities, qualitatively charming design and attractive fittings.

Spend wisely and it may turn the tables upside down, spend unwisely and you may be making it harder for yourself.

Having too much confidence

Some sellers become overconfident about the worth of their property and expect to receive a huge profit out of it. That is not possible. Your property will be worth what it deserves to be paid for. If you have a decades old property in top condition, it won’t matter. Time has changed. People are looking to adjust according to the new fashions and new facilities, your 1980’s renovations won’t do you any good.

So what to do? Get a trustworthy agent and ask him questions about your property. Make full use of him/her and find out what your house is worth and how can you further improve its worth, if it’s possible

Ignoring what the market says.

The real estate markets, whether it’s in the Inner West or even outside of Australia, are dictated by the laws of supply and demand. This is exactly why a lot of emphasis is placed on market research before stepping inside an auction or putting a ‘for sale’ sign on your property.

If your property has recently failed to sell, listen to what the market is saying. That does not mean that the market was actually speaking and you failed to hear its words but rather it’s a metaphorical way of suggesting that look again at the market trends. Have you overpriced your property? Did you bring it to the market through the wrong means? Are you even advertising at the right market?

All of these factors are dictated by the market trends and until and unless you are aware of what’s going on in the market, you will not be able to find out how to properly display your property when selling it.

Auctions are not everything

Auctions have started to become a literal culture in Australia, especially in the Inner West. People forget to check the market conditions before starting an auction campaign. What if there is already a high level of similar property stock available to the buyers? Do you think they will come to your auction? Absolutely not! It is very important to know that auctions are only effective when the stock is low and the buyer activity is high, not the other way around.

We personally believe that off-market properties tend to have better chances of getting sold than through any other method. However, this is not to discourage you. If you think auction is the right choice for your property, go ahead. But make sure it really is the right choice.

Lack of belief in the real estate agents

If you have already hired a real estate agent, which you should if you haven’t yet, then why not put your trust in him/her? If you are not completely happy about your agent’s choices, then not only are you wasting your hard-earned money but you are also wasting the agent’s time.

Real estate agents, the trustworthy and professional ones, can positively turn the tables upside down when it comes to successfully selling your property. They can help you in getting the best price for your property and the overall desired results. So, if you have hired an agent, trust them!

Buyer’s Checklist for Purchasing Property in Sydney’s Inner West

Looking for an ideal house can be exhausting

Throughout an entire suburb, what should you do to find your ideal house quickly? Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to find anything instantly but, there is a way to ease the journey of your dream house hunting. Since every suburb and every house has its own pros and cons, what you should be doing is making a checklist for what are you looking for inside your desired property.

What type of property are you looking for?

Even before you find out your optimum budget level, you should know what exactly you are looking for. Are you a newly-wed couple thinking about moving in a tiny, cozy, easily-manageable house? Are you someone who is just entering the real estate world? Or, are you just a one man band trying to save their costs and expenses by desiring a small, one-room apartment? Whatever it is, you should have the exact idea of who you are and what should you be looking for. This will make your journey extremely easy as anything that sets you off in a property according to your checklist will be marked with a big “No!” and will allow you to instantly move forward.

What type of area suits you the best?

We see very often that buyers star t “drooling” when they see some of Sydney Inner West’s irresistibly seductive areas. Do not let the beauty fool you, you are not here to look for attractiveness but rather for what suits you the best. Before buying a property, it is of utmost importance to consider whether you want it away or near a commercial area. If you are a student, is your university going to require a long, frustrating walk every single day? What if you run out of bread & butter, will you have to fetch a taxi every single time or are you fine with walking a mile or two? It all depends on your preferences. You must have a crystal clear picture of the things you want near your property and the things that you don’t want near your property such as you might want to leave away in peace.

Does it just look good or is it actually?

Many times new buyers, out of uncontrollable excitement, buy their desired property at an optimum budget level only to find out at the end that the property is full of faults which require repairs that are worth beyond your financial condition.

For some, home is probably the biggest investment you will make and an investment that can either be for you or against you since it’s definitely not going to be easy to buy a new property and do all the shifting process again. Therefore, it’s crucial to do all the required inspections of the house and see if everything is working fine. If something is wrong, get it written in the contract that it has to be fixed before you buy the property. In addition, make sure to get your contract checked by a solicitor if you are choosing to buy a property at an auction.

Do not ignore these factors

Can you imagine getting disturbed several times every night by a frustratingly loud noise? You absolutely cannot! So what if your property resided under a flight path or near a busy road? What if the neighborhood was generally a noisy area? What if you lived in front of a crazy park where children would constantly shout? What if your property cannot get enough of sunshine to light it up?

These are some of the factors which should be deal breakers for you. Do not compromise when it comes to your comfort level. As we mentioned above, for some, getting a property is the biggest investment.

How much is fair?

The first and foremost part is to make and write down all the preferences we have mentioned above. Secondly, compile all your preferences and start your house hunting. It may be that you find a perfect property that meets all your requirements but its price is way above your budget or it may even be the opposite in case of hidden faults in the house.

The point is, do not stop looking for similar properties until you think you have found the one which is as closest to your preferences as possible.

What to do if you keep failing?

DO NOT GIVE UP. This is what you should do. Buyers become discouraged when they are unable to find their desired property. Just keep looking and never settle down.

If you want to make it easier for yourself, get the help of a trusted agent as they are also aware of off-market sales by sellers who are just looking to quietly get done with everything.

Selling Property In 2018: What You Need To Know

It’s a big decision

Selling any kind of property is pretty much of an intense decision. This decision can either be against you or for you in terms of profit or loss. So, doing your market research before taking an action is crucial to a successful sale.

Look at the market broad-mindedly

Sometimes you need to look in a broad way to be able to see the complete picture. Newspapers love to create unnecessary hype which can confuse you; don’t let it confuse you! Do your own market research for everything but confirm thrice before sticking to a single fact.

The good news is that, the Sydney real estate market has seen a lot of positive improvements in terms of stabilization since the year 2017. However, we always emphasize on the fact that different markets have different traits. Focus on the micro factors which are related to your property and not the whole of Sydney’s property as the Inner West is a completely distinct area in terms of real estate.

What will be your first move?

Are you going to sell first or buy first? If you are planning to sell first, are the benefits going to be more than the ones gained by buying first? In either way, which step will you be standing on the property ladder?

Try to find out the value of your existing property. If that is good enough, you should go ahead with buying another property. However, if your current property is not standing a at good valuable position, it’s risky to move ahead for another one. Also, make sure to check your current circumstances and your financial condition to ensure that whatever decision you make is only going to move you forward and not backward or sideways. So, once again, your research is going to play a big role in this.

Don’t be hasty when it comes to the local agents

Local agents are going to make a huge impact on the success of your sale. They are the people whose job is to be completely immersed in the real estate market. They know each and every inch of it so using their years of experience, negotiation skills and working strategy can help you get your desired results.

If you are unsure about which agent is the right one for you, try to interview several local ones by asking them some common questions which you may have in your mind e.g. how much does my property worth? What can I do to improve the value of my property?

Don’t forget the buyer agents

If, by any chance, you choose to sell first and then buy another property, make sure you take full advantage of the buyer agents. Get one whom you think is experienced enough as the more experienced they are, the more aware they will be aware of the off-market opportunities and you will have a better chance of getting your next desired property at the right budget.

Has Technology Made The Traditional Real Estate Agent Obsolete?

It is true that technology has started to advance much more regularly than in the previous decades. However, there are some things that just cannot be replaced by the technology. Saying that technology can replace a traditional real estate agent is as irrational as saying that robotic females can replace human wives in the future. Yes, the robots can help you in doing the daily chores but they do not have a heart to process feelings and this is the exact point which we want to relate here.

Why technology cannot replace the real estate agents

Buying and selling real estate is much more than numbers and dreamy houses. It’s more about understanding the needs, feelings and emotions of a person to get them what they want. There are certain things that just cannot be replaced by the technology no matter how much it advances. Things which are depicted by past experiences, feelings or vibes of a particular place can only be comprehended by a human.

In addition, technology cannot point out to you the minute differences between one property and another. Think about sunshine trying to reach your room but getting blocked by a big building in between. Can technology understand why this is a deal-breaker? If you try to modify your search, you will just end up getting results of houses that have more artificial lights in them.

The point is, nature plays a great role in determining our mood and interest towards a particular place. Since this is only understood by humans, technology can never replace what one feels about something.

The bonding matters

The relationship between a real estate agent and a client is just like a close bond. Both of them are trying their utmost to make the other understand what they want. The deeper and better the bond is between two people, the easier it is for each other to comprehend the needs of one another. Hence, human relationships are one of the most important factors in almost any area of life and this is something which robots cannot replace. This is exactly why we mentioned at the start of this article that technology may make connectivity and communication easier but there’s no way technology can compete with a human relationship. It’s just like saying that money can buy love, it just cannot.

Advertising is only part of the selling process

Many people think that advertising their property is all that they need to do to get their property sold. This is not entirely true because advertising is just one of the steps that you need to make and there are several other steps that need to be taken to ensure a successful sale. Advertising does play a role as it’s crucial to allow your property to reach its potential buyers but just because you have access to technology, it does not mean that advertising is the only step you need to take or that it is the only move that needs to be made in the entire selling process.

As much as we emphasize on the role of agents is less. Let’s reiterate the fact that real estate agents are those people who know the property markets inside out. They’ve seen hundreds of thousands of sales and they’ve met countless buyers of distinct nature and preferences. So, a real estate agent is someone who is extremely experienced in his work. He knows what he’s doing and he’s only there to help you sell your property. In addition, technology cannot help you negotiate with your client but an agent certainly can and that also in a very impressive and skillful way.

Technology can make a real estate agent even stronger

Whether technology can replace real estate agents or not is one way to look at the argument but what if technology itself is used in order to strengthen the way the agents work?

It’s true that technology alone is also powerful, no doubt. The ability to instantly update your social media status, add messages on your Facebook campaigns with a single click, talking to people for free via chat, finding out useful data and extracting out the trends – it can’t get easier than that!

However, you still need real estate agents to walk the streets, connect with the people, get to know what they are looking for and work in your favor. With technology available at hand, real estate agents can also carry out all types of communications with an internet which can save up a great ton of time and speed up the process.

Capital Gains And The Housing Market’s Effect On Wealth

The strong capital gains evident across the Sydney and Melbourne housing market have created a significant boost in wealth for home owners who were fortunate enough to own a property through the latest growth cycles.

However, CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless said the rate of capital gain has been remarkably lower across other markets with home owners outside of Sydney and Melbourne now seeing far less accrued equity from their housing assets.

“On the flipside, there are also those housing markets where dwelling values have fallen, particularly in areas associated with the mining sector where a larger proportion of properties in these regions are now worth less than their original purchase price,” he said.

When CoreLogic measured the wealth effect, their analysis measured two aspects of wealth accumulation via the housing sector: What proportion of dwellings are now worth double their purchase price and what proportion are worth at least 10% less than their purchase price.

Nationally, the proportion of dwellings where the value of the property was at least double the purchase price has slipped over the past decade falling from 45.4% of dwellings in 2007 to 39.1% in 2017. The slump was evident across regions outside of Sydney and Melbourne where capital gain conditions have been much softer over the past decade.

The proportion was highest in Sydney, where 48.1% of dwellings are now worth at least double what their owners paid for them; ten years ago the proportion was much lower at 37.2% Melbourne follows close behind with 47.3% of dwellings worth at least twice what their owners paid (up from 38.1% ten years ago).

The remaining capital cities show a much lower proportion of dwellings that are worth at least double their purchase price, ranging from 25.9% of dwellings in Darwin to 37.4% in Hobart. Across the broad ‘rest of state’ markets outside of the capitals, regional Victoria stands out as showing the highest proportion of properties worth at least double the purchase price at 40.8%, followed by regional Western Australia at 34.8%.

The high proportion of properties worth at least double their purchase price across regional WA may come as a surprise, given the weak performance of the housing market across this region over the past five years, however a decade ago the proportion was substantially higher at 60.8%.

Over the past decade, the proportion of properties valued at less than 10% of their purchase price has risen slightly from 3.2% to 3.4% between 2007 and 2017. The national figures hide a significant difference between the major regions of the country.

The highest proportion of dwellings worth at least 10% less than their purchase price can be found in regional Western Australia, at 17.8%. Darwin (15.1%), Perth (11.1%) and regional Queensland (11.0%) have also recorded a significant proportion of dwellings where values have slipped more than 10% below the purchase price.

Ten years ago only, while the mining boom was in its early stages, regional Western Australia and Perth were recording the lowest proportion of dwellings where the value was more than 10% lower than the purchase price. In 2007 only 1.1% of Perth properties and 2.3% of regional Western Australian properties fit this profile.

The lowest proportion of dwellings with a valuation more than 10% lower than the purchase price can be found in Sydney (0.7%) and Melbourne (2.1%). Ten years ago, 7.1% of Sydney dwellings recorded a valuation that was more than 10% less than the purchase price, highlighting the effect of strong capital gains post GFC.

The Bowen Basin town of Dysart topped the list with 65.7% of dwellings showing a valuation that is at least 10% lower than the purchase price. Queensland’s Gladstone Central was close behind at 64.2% followed by South Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia at 64.0%.

“The good news for many mining regions is that housing market conditions seem to be moving through the bottom of their cycle,” Lawless said.

“Transaction numbers are generally rising and advertised stock levels are reducing which should help to promote some value recovery in these regions.

“As growth eases across Sydney and, to a lesser extent Melbourne, we may start to see a slow reversal of these trends.”

Originally published in www.theurbandeveloper.com dated October 2, 2017. Here’s the full text. 

Sydney property prices slide for first time in 17 months while Melbourne rises

Sydney house prices have declined for the first time in 17 months, the latest CoreLogic data reveals.

 

Home prices across Australia’s major cities inched higher in September, with Sydney’s rare dip weighing on the national index and offering more evidence that tighter lending rules were working to head off a debt-driven bubble in the sector.

 

Prices in Sydney eased 0.1 per cent in September, dragging the annual pace back to 10.5 per cent from 13 per cent in August.

 

Melbourne fared much better, however, with prices rising 0.9 per cent for September and 12.1 per cent on the year.

 

“This slowing in the combined capitals growth trend is heavily influenced by conditions across the Sydney market where capital gains have stalled,” said CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless.

 

Property consultant CoreLogic said its index of home prices for the combined capital cities rose just 0.3 per cent in September, from August when they edged up 0.1 per cent.

 

A slowdown is much desired by Australia’s main bank watchdog APRA which has tightened standards on investment and interest-only loans, leading banks to raise rates on some mortgage products.

 

The Reserve Bank of Australia has also been concerned that debt-fuelled speculation in property could ultimately hurt both consumers and banks.

 

“The stronger housing market conditions in Melbourne are supported by auction clearance rates which have consistently remained above 70 percent,” said Lawless.

 

“Additionally, advertised stock levels remain remarkably low and private treaty sales continue to sell rapidly, averaging 30 days on market.”

 

Conditions varied widely across other cities, with Hobart rising 14 per cent on the year while prices in Perth fell 2.9 per cent.

 

Outside the cities, prices edged up 0.1 per cent in September to be 5.6 per cent higher for the year.

 

The RBA holds its October policy meeting on Tuesday and is considered certain to keep rates steady again, in part because any further easing might only encourage more borrowing by already heavily indebted households.

 

The inexorable price rise in the major cities has taken homes out of the reach of many first-time buyers and become a political hot potato.

 

The conservative government of Malcolm Turnbull has blamed a lack of supply for the problem, while the opposition Labor Party has pointed the finger at favourable tax treatment for property investment.

 

This article was first published in The Sydney Morning Herald www.smh.com.au last October 2, 2017. Here’s the full text.