Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
The looming risk that could leave first-home buyers $20,000 out of pocket
Elizabeth Redman Domain (No paywall)First-home buyers who purchase with a small deposit risk owing thousands of dollars more on their home loan than their house is worth if property prices fall, new modelling shows. First-time buyers can consider a bigger budget after the federal government lifted its price caps for the Home Guarantee Scheme this week, allowing a purchase with a 5 per cent deposit without paying lenders’ mortgage insurance.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/the-looming-risk-that-could…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.The great toilet roll count: how Airbnbs have changed over time
Amelia Lester The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Nothing says hospitality like counting toilet rolls. That’s exactly what my Airbnb hosts did before I took a midweek getaway to their property. A welcome email listed how many toilet rolls would be allocated per bathroom (two) – along with the number of paper towels (“1 for properties 3 bedrooms or less, 2 for greater than 3 bedrooms”) and the promise of a single sponge.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-great-toilet-roll-count-how-…
# Australia, Short-term holiday letting.Three regional property hotspots investors need to watch
Sue Williams Domain (No paywall)Houses in regional Australia have experienced outstanding capital growth, and there’s no end yet in sight. There’s also a well-documented shortage of property to lease in many of the areas, with rents on a similarly steep upward trajectory.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/three-regional-property-hot…
# Australia, Rent, Housing market, Landlords and agents, Regional NSW.The premium suburbs now in reach of first home buyers
John Collett The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Sydney lifestyle hotspots, including Cronulla, Dee Why and Surry Hills, plus dozens of additional suburbs in Melbourne, will qualify for the first home buyers’ low-deposit scheme when the purchase price caps increase on July 1.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/the-premium-suburbs-now-i…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing market.Is this the world’s loneliest house?
Sonia Taylor The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A one-bedroom cabin with its own island has hit the market for $US339,000 ($458,000), or the price of a run-down Sydney shoebox. Located in Wohoa Bay in Washington County, Maine, the property affords uninterrupted 360-degree views of the bay and surrounding Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/is-this-the-world-s-lonelie…
# International, Housing market.April 2022 News
Shelter NSW (No paywall)In this month's edition:
Federal Budget 2022/23 – a missed opportunity to invest in the security of low-income Australians
Minister reneges on innovative approach to planning
What’s happening in Western Sydney
Members' Meetings - recap and next meeting
Battle for Waterloo
600 Elizabeth St Redfern – not too late for the Government to get this right
Student Placement Program - Thank you Hussain!
https://mailchi.mp/shelternsw/shelter-nsw-april-2022-ebulletin?e…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Campaigns and law reform, Estate renewal, Federal Government, Planning and development, State Government.Cashed-up Sydney tree-changers send regional rents to record highs
Kate Burke and Melissa Heagney Domain (No paywall)Local tenants are being priced out of some regional NSW communities, with rents soaring by more than 20 per cent over the year in some areas. Steep rental hikes, which began in holiday hotspots and lifestyle locations, have spread across the state, as increased demand from sea and tree changers outstrips housing supply. ... Tenants Union of NSW chief executive Leo Patterson Ross said rapid rent rises were forcing tenants to compromise on the safety and quality of their homes, and pricing locals out of communities. Support services were being inundated with calls for assistance, with 50 per cent of case work now dealing with evictions, particularly no grounds evictions, and many impacted tenants finding they had nowhere they could afford to go in their community. ... More social and affordable rental housing was urgently needed to support those on low incomes being left behind by the private rental market.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/cashed-up-sydney-tree-chang…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Public and community housing, Rent, Affordable housing, Housing market, Regional NSW.More than $3bn of social housing sold by NSW government since Coalition took power
Michael McGowan The Guardian (No paywall)The New South Wales government has sold off $3bn worth of social housing during its decade in power, while failing to meet its own targets for new properties. New figures released through parliament this week show that since it was first elected in 2011, the Coalition has sold off 4,205 social housing properties across the state. The sales have added about $3.5bn to the government’s coffers over the same period.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/16/more-than…
# NSW, Public and community housing, Estate renewal, State Government.