Here’s how much income you need to buy your dream home

If you’re wondering how much money you need to earn to purchase property, new modelling has found the answer. The following calculations are based on the median house price and assuming the buyer has a 20% deposit. Buyers in Sydney would need a gross annual income of $192,400 per year to purchase a two-bedroom house, based on … Read more

Economic growth, inflation and wages all trending down

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has upwardly revised its forecasts for economic growth and inflation, with both proving to be more resilient than expected. The economy, which is currently growing at an annualised rate of 2.1% according to the latest data, is now expected to grow 1.5% in 2023 (compared to a July forecast … Read more

EV battle heats up as govt moves forward on fuel-efficiency rules

For the past few years, Tesla has been synonymous with electric vehicles (EV) in both Australia and other markets outside China. But that may be changing. In the December 2023 quarter, Chinese manufacturer BYD sold more EVs throughout the world than Tesla, while in January BYD outsold Tesla in Australia, according to the Australian Financial Review. … Read more

New research takes aim at stamp duty

Stamp duty is both an increasingly expensive tax and a highly inefficient one, according to joint research by the e61 Institute and PropTrack. Four decades ago, the average buyer in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide needed to work for about one month to afford to pay stamp duty, based on comparing the average post-tax income … Read more

ANZ takeover of Suncorp: what happens if your bank merges?

Australia’s fourth-largest mortgage lender, ANZ, is one step closer to acquiring the country’s ninth-largest, Suncorp Bank, after winning an appeal against an earlier rejection of the deal. ANZ and Suncorp agreed the deal in July 2022, but the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) decided, in August 2023, not to authorise the takeover because it … Read more

Rents grow 11.5% over year, 1.8% over quarter

There’s been a noticeable slowdown in rental growth, although it’s not yet clear whether this is an out-of-the-ordinary result or sign of a trend. Across Australia, the median rent in the December 2023 quarter experienced 11.5% year-on-year growth but only 1.8% quarter-on-quarter growth, according to PropTrack. PropTrack Senior Economist Angus Moore said the rental market … Read more

What to expect from property in 2024

One of Australia’s leading property economists, Ray White Group Chief Economist Nerida Conisbee, has given 10 insights about what to expect from the property market this year. Price growth will continue. Market forces will lead to further price growth in 2024, according to Ms Conisbee. “At this point, housing supply remains extremely low and many people … Read more

Top 10 car brands revealed

Toyota was the clear market leader in 2023, in what was a record-breaking year for new vehicle purchases. Motorists bought 1,216,780 new vehicles last year, which was a 2.3% increase on the previous record, set in 2017, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. More than one in six of those buyers, or 17.7%, … Read more

A straight-talking guide to investment property costs

Investing in property can increase your wealth by generating a rental yield and capital growth. But you’ll also have some expenses and costs that you’ll need to take into account when determining whether your investment will be viable or unprofitable. Your property investment costs include one-off and ongoing costs, so let’s take a look at … Read more