Victorian tree-change towns where property prices are getting cheaper
There are more opportunities for buyers now than a few years ago in an end to the boom that had pushed prices to unaffordable levels.
- by Jim Malo
Latest
‘Buyers are much more cautious’: Melbourne house prices in surprise fall
A few years ago, buyers were snapping up properties sight unseen, but Melbourne’s market has since faced a string of hurdles.
- by Jim Malo
Should you wait for interest rate cuts to buy a house?
Once interest rates fall, property prices would likely go up, but buyers could borrow more money, and new analysis shows whether it would be enough.
- by Jim Malo
Exclusive
Property market
Homes billed as seven-star comfort turn out to be ‘closer to a tent’
A seven-star energy-efficient home built today might look like a high-quality home, but turn out to be as comfortable as a tent, a new report warns.
- by Tawar Razaghi and Jim Malo
How Marija went from being homeless at 15 to a homeowner at 22
The dream of stable housing is growing further out of reach for many, but Marija’s dream last year became a reality.
- by Jim Malo
‘People are being made homeless’: Melbourne rents soar to record high
Tenants report being evicted with nowhere else to go as Melbourne’s rental crisis deepens and queues form for available properties.
- by Jim Malo and Tawar Razaghi
Analysis
Renting
Victoria’s new tax is driving landlords out. But is that a bad thing?
It has become easy for landlords and real estate agents to point to the recently expanded land tax as a reason for spiking rents. But it’s more complicated.
- by Jim Malo
Why half the homes in this sleepy seaside Victorian town are bought with cash
Asset-rich buyers who don’t need a mortgage are arriving in droves, while others struggle against high interest rates and the cost of living.
- by Jim Malo
Air-con is now polarising as people forced to choose between comfort and cost
Two in three Queenslanders who have an air-conditioner say concerns about the cost of running it prevent them turning it on.
- by Jim Malo and Courtney Kruk
Natasha’s hot home is bad for her health. So is the cost of living
Many Australians report feeling unwell on hot days or in heatwaves, but not everyone has the same capacity to manage.
- by Jim Malo
‘Our secret’: What life is like in Melbourne’s best value suburb
There’s space to relax, you can hear the parrots singing and friendly locals are always open to stop for a chat.
- by Jim Malo