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
Rental vacancy rates fall again in October as economic and health conditions improve: Domain data
Tawar Razaghi Domain (No paywall)The improving economic and health outlook has prompted a rush of tenants to lease vacant rental properties, new data shows, as east coast states emerge from lockdown with high vaccination rates and more certainty. Rents will likely continue to rise and vacancy rates will fall further once international borders reopen but the rental market will not see the same boom as the sales market due to the glut of apartments, agents said.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/rental-vacancy-rates-fall-again-i…
# Australia, Rent, Housing market.Canberra property price rises push houses out of reach of first-home buyers, despite government loan guarantee
Tahlia Roy and Markus Mannheim ABC (No paywall)Would-be first-home buyer Steph Phillips says the search for an affordable house in Canberra's supercharged market has almost defeated her. ... Canberra property prices are rising faster than those in most Australian cities. Data firm CoreLogic says the value of the median ACT dwelling shot up 22.5 per cent in the year to September. Canberra's house and unit prices are now second only to Sydney's. This boom is also pushing a federal government scheme to help first-time buyers into redundancy — at least for those seeking houses.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-06/canberra-houses-out-of-ea…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership, Housing market.CBA targets the young with ‘monumental’ move into cryptocurrencies
Clancy Yeates The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Commonwealth Bank has played down lingering concerns about the risks associated with digital currencies to the local money laundering compliance regime, as it increases its appeal to younger Australians by allowing customers to trade cryptocurrencies. ... Jefferies analyst Brian Johnson said the crypto foray was a smart move by CBA as it looks to win young customers who will one day take out mortgages and other lucrative products.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/cba-makes-la…
# Australia, Housing market, Young people.The plan to unlock more swimming spots, playgrounds across Sydney
Megan Gorrey The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes says the government wants to see more natural swimming spots established along Sydney Harbour rather than elaborate man-made pools.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-plan-to-unlock-more-swim…
# NSW, Local Government, Planning and development.Rent-Stabiliation Survey Doubted; Manhattan Vacancies Top 10%
Suzannah Cavanaugh (Paywall)Landlord groups say the Housing and Vacancy Survey distorts the vacancy rates in New York City to maintain rent stabilization. (The Real Deal New York)
https://therealdeal.com/2021/08/18/empty-numbers-landlords-say-v…
# International, Rent, Landlords and agents.Risk v reward: Should you dive into the world of property investing?
Sue Williams Domain (No paywall)... But for all investors in residential property, it’s vital that they understand their own risk profile before they make the leap, advises property investment expert Luke Harris, author of the new book Property Fit: Get your Property Portfolio in Shape for Financial Freedom.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/risk-vs-reward-should-you-dive-in…
# Australia, Housing market, Landlords and agents.The challenge of finding a final resting place for old mattresses
Harriet Alexander The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Mattresses are one of the greediest waste items in terms of the landfill space that they occupy. Their high volume to weight ratio makes them expensive to move and, once buried, their low density compromises the civil engineering of the landfill. ... But the bedding industry is attempting to reduce the amount of landfill by creating a circular economy for mattresses, which involves consumers, retailers, manufacturers and importers in appropriately re-using them or recycling their materials.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-challenge-of-finding-a-f…
# NSW, Home.Council of Europe Call for COP26
(No paywall)In view of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow (UK) from October 31 to November 12, 2021 the Committee on Environmental and Health Crisis on behalf of the Conference of INGOs published a call for solidarity and urgent action by States, economic actors, and civil society for the safeguard of the common house. Climate Change and Health: Call for solidarity and urgent action by States, economic actors and civil society for the safeguard of the common house. Check out the link at this media release. (International Union of Tenants News)
https://www.iut.nu/news-events/council-of-europe-call-for-cop26/
# Must read International, Climate change, Health.