REAL ESTATE

Buyers wanting to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the New National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) investment properties can now look at units available in Western Australia specifically, Gosnells, a suburb in southwest Perth.

The government has confirmed that NBN Co. will be responsible for connecting new homes to the national broadband network to developments with more than 100 premises and not property developers.

The Brisbane City Council went ahead and approved a 12-storey building despite state orders to cut down building density in its West End area.

Environmentally friendly buildings tend to be rated highly but fail to deliver promised results according to a British building consultant.

The rate of housing finance commitments for owner occupied homes increased by only 0.9 percent in October as opposed to a 1 percent increase in September according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Housing affordability in the country dropped to a new low, the largest annual decrease in a decade according to the Deposit Power Housing Affordability Report released by the Real Estate Institute of Australia.

Development company, Stockland, has formalized plans to build one of the country's largest suburbs located at Melbourne's outer north at Kalkallo with a populations of 30,000.

Two major developments slated for Melbourne's north and western suburbs will expand the city's scope and increase population by 37,000.

Despite housing loan rates showing signs of improvement, economists predict that numbers will again slow down in the coming months as mortgage interest rate rise.

The Green Building Council of Australia's (GBCA) has made changes to its Green Star building rating tool by revising two credits into the system to measure storm water and commuting mass transport.

Southeast Queensland residential market prices are expected to stay steady at least in the short-term says a CB Richard Ellis report.

Australia's overall construction sector prices were considered inconsistent this year although Melbourne's performance outshone the rest based on a survey conducted by real estate consultant Davis Langdon.

Housing affordability in Australia posted the largest annual decease since the beginning of the decade, a new report shows.

The Australian retail market faces challenging times ahead as rising interest rates, utility bills and rents strain sales.

Buyers are expected to flock the sale of mixed-use waterfront site at the Promenade located in the Kingston Foreshore development.

The prime retail building located on 136 Bourke Street in Melbourne sold for US$2,478,000 and attracted seven serious bidders to the auction.

The New South Wales housing code has widened the conditions for its 10-day approval process leading to more money and time saved for homeowners.

THE Property Council of Australia, Tasmanian Division and the Master Builders Association Tasmania (MBT) have joined forces to push the Tasmanian government to action to make the necessary changes to their planning agenda and implement a single residential planning development code.

Owners of mixed-use buildings will no longer be required to disclose their NABERS energy rating .

Real estate sales are forecast to wind down this month as sellers temporarily shelve properties and come back to the market with readjusted prices next year.

Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) declared support for revisions of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) made by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Brisbane City Council has approved the demolition of a 150 year old building on Albert Street for a proposed 13 storey office block.

Self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) investors are looking into opportunities in real estate to make use of the advantages of investing in such a fund.

Self-managed super funds are fueling demand for small offices that can be purchased using the fund structure.

As the year draws in to a close, property auctions are still steady despite more properties being offered for sale.

One of the largest bed linen and product wholesaler in the country, Bianca Enterprises bought an office/warehouse site in the northern suburbs of Melbourne for US$2.1 million.

The Melbourne apartment construction boom continues as more monthly building approvals for units have been registered started June, almost double the number for the same period in 2009 reported the Bureau of Statistics.

New laws were proposed in parliament to allow the Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act 2000 to cater to industry needs better.

Brisbane City Council's proposed plan to develop South Brisbane that includes allowing buildings 12 storeys high was welcomed by the Property Council of Australia.