Housing affordability improves as rates, prices fall

Simon Johanson Homes across Australia are now at their most affordable in two years thanks to falling interest rates and a slide in house prices, a study finds.

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Credit Suisse report plays down risk of mortgage crisis

Simon Johanson Australia's high house prices look more likely to slow lending growth than cause a mortgage crisis in the medium term, a Credit Suisse report suggests.

Activities areas miss mark

Simon Johanson More must be done to encourage high-density projects in target areas.

Smart meter complainant outsmarted

Simon Johanson A Coburg man has failed in a bid to stop one being installed at his home.

Sky is no limit in rooftop unit rise

Simon Johanson Dozens of apartments about to be built on roof of a commercial office under city's 'air rights'.

No room for a view

Simon Johanson and Miki Perkins As Melbourne grows taller and increasingly dense, more residents are losing their view and even access to light and fresh air.

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Radical reforms considered to help fund public housing

Simon Johanson Public housing may soon be financed by securities, bonds or private public partnerships.

Home price fall adds to RBA focus

Simon Johanson Australian home values fell last month, adding to pressure on the Reserve Bank to slash interest rates to rekindle demand in the sector.

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New home sales plummet to 17-year low

Simon Johanson In the latest sign Australia's housing sector is struggling, sales of new homes have sunk.

Fitzroy's iconic Rose Hotel to remain a pub

Simon Johanson The new owner of one of Melbourne's iconic inner "footy pubs", sold under auction today, says it will remain a watering hole.

House price lift brings glimmer of hope

Simon Johanson House prices rose over the March quarter, bringing positive news for the housing market.

Alarm as taxman takes interest

Simon Johanson Some of Australia's 1.5 million property investors may lose thousands of dollars in tax breaks.

Add a car and that's your lot

Simon Johanson Free electricity, a Range Rover, travel vouchers or paying your building deposit are some of the incentives offered to home buyers as sales slump in outer-urban housing estates.

Tax take defies property slump

Simon Johanson Revenue from property-related taxes rose 4.6 per cent last financial year to $33 billion.

Property tax intake hits record despite housing slump

Simon Johanson Government revenue from property-related taxes rises to a whopping $33b, despite a slump in the residential housing market.

Developer awarded $2.2m damages in shonky building dispute

Simon Johanson A property developer wins more than $2 million in damages for shoddy construction work after a long battle.

Tall and thin the new fashion for city developers

Simon Johanson A sculpted glass skyscraper planned for the corner of Queen and Bourke Streets will be Melbourne's second tallest residential tower once it is built.

HIA warns of crisis in housing

Simon Johanson Number of new homes being built will plummet below levels seen during 2008 GFC if current building approval trends persist, housing body forecasts.

Worse to come on home building front, HIA says

Simon Johanson The number of new homes being built will plummet below levels seen during the GFC if current building approval trends persist, the housing body warns.

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Nation of hoarders creates havoc for house and contents

Simon Johanson Thrift is the new normal. Pummelled by insecurity over Europe's near meltdown and falling house prices, Australians are paying down their mortgages at record rates.