Investors Rank Property Over Shares
With the gloomy outlook and weakening investor confidence in the volatile share market, a recent study has revealed that a majority of Australian investors now believe investment property and not shares is the better choice for their investment dollars. In this article, we look at how the volatility in the share market is unlikely to abate in the near future and why investors are valuing residential property above all other investment types.
Survey Shows Investors Rank Property Over Shares
The research organisation CoreData in its Investor Sentiment Research Report found that 73.5 per cent of the Australian investors surveyed expect residential property investment holdings to outperform share portfolios. This leaves only around a quarter (26.5 per cent) of investors who expect their share portfolios to perform better.
Residential Housing Leads the Way for NSW Construction
Residential housing is expected to lead the way for the NSW (and ACT) construction industry in the coming year. In this article we look at some of the trends for the NSW construction industry and how they are expected to play out in the short, medium, and longer term, with implications for property investment.
In the Past Year
Although total building and construction work done was slightly down during the second quarter of the 2010/11 financial year compared with the same quarter in the 2009/10 year.
Victoria Opening Up New Era of Inner City Living
With a new master plan for the Docklands, soaring building permits, and intensifying demand for inner city rental properties, Melbourne and Victoria are presenting new possibilities for inner city living as well as property investment. We take a closer look at the latest exciting property trends in Melbourne.
Dockland’s $700m Master Plan
Melbourne’s Docklands will see a further expansion plan which will bring in five new buildings, new retail spaces, and public spaces such as a major public park. The plan also incorporates residential living spaces and a large hotel. The development will take place on the ING Waterfront city land that sits between Docklands Drive and Victoria Harbour.
Brisbane’s Bowen Hills a Top Property Performer
Queensland has more than bounced back from the 2010/2011 floods, with Brisbane set for a period of intense urban renewal and development. Over the coming years, the Sunshine State’s capital city will see a series of major projects ranging from infrastructure to commercial and residential development. These projects will provide attractive opportunities for property investment, particularly in ‘up-and-coming’ suburbs such as Bowen Hills.
A Quick Look at Brisbane’s Unit Market
Brisbane’s unit property market is robust, with a strong spring season projected for apartments.
- 15 per cent rise in preliminary sales;
- Median apartment sale prices in the inner city increased by 1.3 per cent in the year to June 2011; and
- Around 1,400 transactions on new apartments in inner Brisbane in the March 2011 quarter.
Perth as the Next Property Investment Hotspot
Perth is emerging as one of the most exciting contenders for Australia’s property investment hotspots. Major inner city development projects combined with critical housing shortages and a mining boom that’s set to accelerate are expected to lead to burgeoning opportunities for property investors. In this article, we take a closer look at some of the ways Australia’s fourth largest city is set to further grow as an attractive destination for property investors.
Perth: a Quick Snapshot
Adelaide to Undergo $1.9 Billion New Makeover
The South Australian capital will play host to some exciting upgrades and redevelopments over the next several decades. The city of churches is currently Australia’s fifth largest city, with a population of 1.28 million. A great location for investment property, Adelaide was ranked an equal eighth with Perth in the Economic Intelligence Unit’s (‘EIU’) World Liveability Index in 2011. In this article, we take a closer look at some of Adelaide’s most exciting new development projects.
Projects
Some of the projects that have been ‘green-lighted’ include upgrades to the Riverbank Precinct, Rundle Mall, and private developments in the CBD. In total, the projects will amount to a minimum of $1.9 billion being injected into the state’s economy, creating jobs and providing opportunities for astute long-term property investment.
Melbourne Tops 2011 World Liveability Study
Melbourne has once again been crowned the World’s Most Liveable City by the Economic Intelligence Unit (‘EIU’). In its 2011 Global Liveability Survey, the EIU gave the Victorian Capital an impressive score of 97.5 per cent. Factors such as infrastructure, low crime rate, and culture were taken into consideration. Melbourne’s high position in liveability rankings has cemented its status as one of the most popular destinations for interstate and international immigrants, making it a great location for long-term property investment.
Criteria for Assessment
Skyrocketing Rents in Australia’s Capital Cities
Australia’s inner city suburbs have experienced very high rental growth over the past year. Inner city suburbs provide the best combination of capital growth potential and growth in rental yields for investors and property investment. In this article, we look at some of the top performing suburbs for various capital cities.
Top Performing Suburbs
The latest data from the property group RUN show that Sydney experienced some of the highest growth in rental yields over the last year. The average weekly rent across the city is $534.
Property Investors See Value in Small Homes
It’s official – Australians build some of the largest residential dwellings in the world. however, while the size of Australian homes have consistently topped world rankings for size, new data shows that this trend is likely to be reversed. With a growing preference for smaller properties in Australia, investors have realised the value in a smaller, more efficient investment property.
Growth of Smaller Dwellings
According to Stockland, one of the country’s largest developers, affordability issues mean the size of homes in Australia has peaked, with a trend away from ‘McMansions’ toward smaller more efficient homes. They have seen a growth in smaller three-bedroom and two-bathroom homes, coupled with a decline in demand for five-bedroom residences.
High Speed Rail Boom for Property Investors
The federal government is currently researching a proposal for a $100 billion high speed rail link to be built along Australia’s eastern seaboard. The project, linking Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, will offer very fast travel between the three eastern capital cities and various regional centres. Phase one of the report details options for station locations. These transport hubs are likely to have a direct impact on local property demand, with a potentially positive impact on investment property.
The High Speed Rail Report
Phase one of the High Speed Rail Study was released in July 2011, with Phase two of the study to be released in mid-2012. The report is generally considered an implementation study rather than a feasibility study and the project has the support of both the Greens and the opposition. As such, it’s very likely that the high speed rail will go ahead.
