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 five capital cities set for double-digit house price growth in 2021. Melbourne not so much
Euan Black The New Daily (No paywall)Five of Australia’s eight capital cities are on course to experience double-digit house price growth in 2021, according to Propertyology. The national buyer’s agency and property research firm believes record-low interest rates and limited supply will outweigh the negative effects of weak population growth and cause another housing boom.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2021/01/01/house-pri…
# Australia, Housing market.The ultimate guide to ...
Daniel Butkovich Domain (Paywall)Real Estate Tips & Advice 3
# Australia, Rent, Home ownership, Housing market, Landlords and agents.Green buildings can bring fresh air to design, but they can also bring pests
Norman Day The Conversation (No paywall)Throughout the world architects are designing green buildings, whether it’s in their sustainable construction, environmentally friendly operation or actually green by style. It’s broadly titled biophilia, connecting people with nature, and it can lead to some creative and innovative designs. But now we are finding that literally greening the world — by covering building walls and roofs with vegetation — can also come with some unexpected problems.
https://theconversation.com/green-buildings-can-bring-fresh-air-…
# Australia, Planning and development.Blackstone CEO Celebrates “Huge Increases in Rents” as Millions Face Eviction
David Sirota and Andrew Perez (No paywall)From the United States, billionaire Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman bragged that his firm “was a huge winner coming out of the global financial crisis” in 2008. Today, he’s boasting about his firm’s big earnings off high rents, even as millions of tenants face eviction. Read more ... (Jacobin)
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/12/blackstone-rent-stephen-schwa…
# International, Eviction, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Landlords and agents.Buyer's luck
Peter Mares (No paywall)Carolyn rented, Peter purchased, and then the market (and bad government policy) took over. Read the full story ... (Inside Story)
# Must read Australia, Rent, Home ownership, Housing market.The new laws that take effect in Victoria and across Australia in 2021
Michael Fowler and Tara Hayes The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The start of 2021 will bring some welcome news for many Victorians, with many set to benefit from the introduction of new laws and regulations across the state. Some renters will gain more security from laws that offer additional protections ...
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/the-new-laws-that-take-…
# Australia, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.NSW population slowdown no excuse to stop building homes, says Stokes
Matt O'Sullivan The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)NSW needs to keep constructing homes to reduce a structural shortage of dwellings despite a slump in migration slowing growth in the state's population, Planning Minister Rob Stokes says. ... [But Bill Randolph, the City Futures Research Centre director at the University of NSW, said:] "There really is a question as to whether the state government will be committing to affordable homes, as opposed to the homes that the market wants to build". ... "A lot of people can't afford to buy or rent."
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-population-slowdown-no-e…
# NSW, Affordable housing, Housing market, Planning and development.Super release slows but almost 3 million Australians have sucked billions from retirement savings
Stephanie Borys and jack Snape ABC (No paywall)The controversial coronavirus measure allowing Australians affected by the pandemic to tap into their retirement savings will close from New Year's Day. But not before nearly 3 million people have taken a total of $36 billion out of their super accounts, according to figures provided by the ATO. ... Liberal MP Tim Wilson attracted criticism earlier this week for encouraging people to withdraw their super in order to fund a home purchase. Read more ...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-30/super-early-release-withd…
# Australia, Home ownership.