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
Home builders nervous about $25,000 hit as government deadline looms
Tom Lowrey ABC (No paywall)Nervous home builders are urging the federal government to tweak rules around its HomeBuilder scheme and spare them a $25,000 hit to their finances. Many who applied for the $25,000 HomeBuilder grant are fearful they will not be able to start work within the six-month construction deadline and will forfeit the grant. The HomeBuilder scheme closed for applications on Wednesday, and under its rules, work has to commence on a project within six months of contracts being signed.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-15/homebuilders-nervous-abou…
# Australia, Federal Government, Home ownership.Everything you need to know about putting a tiny house on your property
Jessica Dale Domain (No paywall)There’s something about being holed up in a space smaller than some garden sheds, disconnected from the humdrum of daily life on an isolated property that appeals to plenty of holiday-makers. The tiny house and eco-tourism movement has grown in popularity in recent years, with businesses like Tiny Stays, Unyoked, Kindled and In2thewild appealing to stressed-out city dwellers looking for an escape and those looking to reduce their environmental footprint.
https://www.domain.com.au/living/all-you-need-to-know-about-host…
# Australia, Affordable housing, Housing market.House prices in WA forecast to increase 15 per cent this year
Tess Ingram The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)House prices in Western Australia are predicted to increase 15 per cent this year after strong demand fuelled greater than expected gains in the three months to March.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/house-prices-i…
# Australia, Housing affordability, Housing market.Six-figure salary needed to afford Sydney mortgage
The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Home buyers now need to be making a six-figure salary to afford the mortgage on an average house or apartment in Sydney's red-hot property market, exclusive data has revealed.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/six-figure-salary-needed-to-affo…
# Video NSW, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.Fixed mortgage rates are at record lows, so is it time to consider fixing your home loan? We asked the experts
Michael Janda ABC (No paywall)Fixed home loan rates have never been cheaper in this country, but could they go even lower or is this as cheap as a mortgage will ever get?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-14/fixed-interest-rates-are-…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.It’s Time for #RentControlsNow!
(No paywall)From New Zealand ... Rents are out of control, and they have been for some time. We’re calling on the government to make changes to the way rent prices are set for a fairer Aotearoa. (Renters United)
https://www.rentersunited.org.nz/rentcontrolsnow/?link_id=3&can_…
# International, Rent, Campaigns and law reform.Details of new evictions mediation service revealed
Dominic Brady Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government yesterday published guidance linked to its housing possession mediation pilot introduced in February 2021. The pilot, which aims to sustain tenancies and manage court capacity after the nationwide eviction ban comes to an end in England, is free to use for landlords and tenants. Before housing possession cases are taken to court, tenants and landlords will have the chance to reach an agreement at a review stage. If an agreement is not reached, the case is deemed suitable for mediation and will be looked at by the Society of Mediators within 10 days of referral. If both parties cannot agree to a solution at mediation, the case will continue to a full hearing. But if mediation is a success the parties involved will sign an agreement, which will be put in front of a judge for approval. Either party can apply to the court to enforce the agreement if it is broken by the other party.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/details-of-new-evictions-me…
# Hot topic International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.Two states divided by opposite attitudes to tenants
Jimmy Thomson (Paywall)This is a good time for Victorian tenants. Not only are rents dropping by as much as 15 per cent, they no longer have the threat of “no reason” evictions hanging over them. Efforts to similarly protect NSW renters, however, have been characterised as “dumping on landlords” by the state government. (The Australian Financial Review)
https://www.afr.com/wealth/personal-finance/two-states-divided-b…
# Australia, Eviction, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents, No-grounds evictions, Short-term holiday letting.