Property
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Why REA Group remains a stand-out business
Roger Montgomery
July 31, 2017
For some years we‘ve advocated for our investment in Australia’s dominant real estate portal, REA Group. For us, REA ticks all the boxes. It’s a well-run business with high returns on equity and an ability to raise prices in the face of excess supply – without an adverse impact on unit sales volume. continue…
by Roger Montgomery Posted in Property.
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Is negative gearing good for Australia?
Andreas Lundberg
July 12, 2017
The negative gearing debate continues to heat up. And well it might. It’s a classic argument between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’, focusing on one of the things we hold most dear: affordable housing. If we take a dispassionate view, it’s not hard to see which side of the debate has more merit. continue…
by Andreas Lundberg Posted in Property.
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If the bears are right
Roger Montgomery
July 11, 2017
If the bears are right, an Australian property bubble, a recession for retailers and dramatically slowing Chinese growth rates towards the end of the year, combined with record high asset prices — especially assets that produce no income such as art and two-digit licence plates — are a recipe for a meltdown. continue…
by Roger Montgomery Posted in Editor's Pick, Property.
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The smashed avocado index – episode 2
Scott Shuttleworth
July 10, 2017
Last month we created our own smashed avo index as a tongue-in-cheek way of analysing housing price affordability. The reception since then has been more than we anticipated and there’s probably a couple of points to note up-front. continue…
by Scott Shuttleworth Posted in Property.
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Consumer wealth effect – Another nail in the coffin for retail spending.
Andreas Lundberg
June 19, 2017
Consumer spending has risen strongly in the past year, spurred on by property owners feeling richer due to higher house prices. This is called the household wealth effect. But with house prices looking toppy, should retailers – and investors – be concerned about the effects of a property market correction? continue…
by Andreas Lundberg Posted in Consumer discretionary, Property.
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Welcome to NSW, a province of Canada
Roger Montgomery
June 14, 2017
In August 2016, fed up with a glut of apartments sitting vacant because overseas owners weren’t renting them out, the city of Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia, implemented a 15 per cent foreign investor tax rate. The law added almost $300,000 to the price of a $2 million property. Toronto has since also joined Vancouver by imposing a 15 per cent tax on foreign investors.
by Roger Montgomery Posted in Editor's Pick, Property.
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We introduce the ‘smashed avocado’ index
Scott Shuttleworth
June 13, 2017
Last October, demographer and author Bernard Salt wrote that millennial hipsters should spend less on ‘smashed avocado and crumbled feta’ and more on saving for a home deposit. His comment sparked a furious cross-generational debate – the idea that millennials can’t afford to buy a home simply because they spend too much on brekky appeared ludicrous. continue…
by Scott Shuttleworth Posted in Editor's Pick, Property.
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Chinese investment in Australian property takes a dive
Roger Montgomery
May 30, 2017
For some time, property advocates have been arguing that Australian residential real estate prices will remain buoyed by the steady stream of Chinese immigrants buying property at any price. Now, it seems, that stream is turning to a trickle as the impact of tighter credit starts to bite. continue…
by Roger Montgomery Posted in Editor's Pick, Property.
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Why residential real estate is a poor investment right now
Roger Montgomery
May 2, 2017
Have you ever wondered why Australia has no listed residential REITs (real estate investment trusts)? The simple answer is that they would offer poor returns. And, these days, the returns would be worse than ever. But the good news for would-be buyers is that the property price bubble could be about to end. continue…
by Roger Montgomery Posted in Editor's Pick, Property.
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Do our pollies have a vested interest in keeping the property bubble inflating?
Andreas Lundberg
April 21, 2017
In the last month or so, we’ve seen a big surge in news articles and commentary about Sydney and Melbourne’s housing bubbles. But to the consternation of many people, there has been a reluctance by our politicians to introduce meaningful reforms. Could the reason be that they are among the nation’s most aggressive property investors? continue…
by Andreas Lundberg Posted in Property.
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