“It is now on the big lenders in particular to restore faith with the Australian public, pass on the rate cut in full, and give our economy the shot in the arm it so desperately needs,” Ms Bennett said.

If the 50 basis points cut announced today is passed on by the banks, it will save $91 per month off the average mortgage and will make home loans around 4.3% more affordable for Australian families.

Ms Bennett says while this cut is long overdue, it is most certainly a welcome step in the right direction to stimulate the lower end of the market and to make buying a home more affordable for young Australians.

“First home buyers are starting to return to the property market but the level of activity is still only about half of what it was in 2009 and affordability has plateaued,” Ms Bennett said.

“We desperately needed this cut and we’re pleased the RBA has finally decided to respond appropriately. Of course, it will count for little if we don’t now see corresponding action from the major lenders,“ Ms Bennett concluded.

The REIA’s measure of affordability, the Home Loan Affordability Indicator (HLAI), is the ratio of median family income to average loan repayments. Figures produced for the December 2011 quarter indicate that 32.9% of the family income is required to meet loan payments producing an HLAI score of 30.4. If today’s cut in interest rates is passed on in full the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments falls to 31.5% resulting in an HLAI of 31.7 or a 4.3% improvement in affordability.

Source: The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) is the national professional association for real estate agents in Australia.

“A rate cut would have assisted those who are struggling with a mortgage and would have been the catalyst needed to encourage more first home buyers into the market,” said Ms Bennett.

The REIA is due to release the Deposit Power Housing Affordability Report tomorrow which is unlikely to show a considerable improvement in the level of housing affordability in Australia.

“We have seen a number of reports released this year which show an improvement in housing affordability but the change is not significant,” Ms Bennett continued.

We know that first home buyers are starting to return to the property market as active buyers but the level of activity is still only about half of what it was in 2009.

“A further reduction in interest rates would have assisted in stimulating the lower end of the market and would have made buying a home a more affordable option for young Australians,” said Ms Bennett.

“Although just one component of the solution to housing affordability, lower interest rates are needed to reduce the proportion of income that Australians are spending on loan repayments in an effort to improve the worsening affordability situation,” Ms Bennett concluded.

Source: Real Estate Institute of Australia

www.claremont-launceston.com

Checklist
1) Establish the date you need to move and then go backwards in time to set yourself milestones.

2) With your milestones, think in terms of eight weeks until the move, six weeks until the move, four weeks until the move, three weeks until the move, two weeks until the move, one week until the move and finally, moving day.

3) At the eight weeks until the move mark, you should:

• set the actual date of your move.
• decide whether you will use professional movers, or do the move yourself – remember this could still be costly (eg, hiring trucks) and will definitely take more time than you initially think.
• obtain quotes from at least three removal companies.
• think about the floorplan of the place you’re moving to and start allocating your furniture.
• start thinking about placing food in freezers etc for your move.

4) The six weeks mark should see you thinking about:

• discussing the moving details with the moving company.
• creating an inventory of your possessions – this will help for insurance purposes.
• notifying others – especially the Post Office – about your upcoming move.

5) With four weeks to go:

• arrange for the telephone to be working at your new and old residence – to allow for communications if things go wrong.
• contact other utilities such as gas and electricity to ensure they’re connected at the right time.

6) At the three weeks mark, arrange the nitty gritty things. These include (among other things):

• packaging materials.
• string.
• tape.
• labels.
• boxes.

7) Further practical things must be considered at the two weeks point. How about:

• changing your bank account details to new branches.
• storing valuable stuff like jewellery and legal documents at the bank while you move.
• contacting your new council about practical things like rubbish collection days and other regulations.

8.) With one week to go:

• defrost the freezer at your current residence.
• finalise all the packing.
• pack bags of clothing and toiletries to take with you rather than send with the mover.
• think about steam cleaning your carpet.

9) On the moving day itself:

• turn off all services, including the mains switch and taps.
• double check each room in the house before you leave.
• ensure all utilities and appliances are working at your new home.
• check off each box as it comes off the moving truck.

Source:  Real Estate.com.au

by Geoffrey Lush
There are many factors to consider when buying or renting a property. The obvious ones include price, location, public transport links, schools and community spirit. However buying or renting can be a particularly stressful time and often important factors are overlooked, such as child safety.

Each year approximately 241 Australian children (aged 0-14 years) are killed and 59,000 hospitalised by unintentional injuries and poisonings*. Alarmingly, studies have shown that over 67% of these injuries occur in one’s own home. Many of these injuries are easily prevented by simple means.

Ensuring your home, or future home, is safe will go a long way to ensuring any child who passes through your home will be protected from harm.

If you have children and are viewing a property to buy or rent for the first time, consider Kidsafe’s Top Five Tips:

1. Driveway safety

Before entering the home, take note of the property’s surroundings. Is the house in close proximity to a busy road? Is the driveway gated or does it have restricted access to the road? Children, particularly those 4 years of age and under, are naturally inquisitive and like to explore. Consider where your car will be parked also – small children can often not be seen when reversing a car. Restricted access to roads and driveways can help prevent major injuries from occurring.

2. Fittings

Take note of the fittings within the house. Slippery floor surfaces, electric safety switches, curtain and blind cords, types of window settings and smoke alarms are all important elements. Are door handles positioned out of reach of young children? By actively inspecting fittings during your first viewing of the property, you can ensure you are fully aware of what needs to be fixed or attended to if/when you move in.

3. Home Layout

There are different hazards to look out for depending on the layout of a property. Is the house single or double storey? Are there any split levels or stairs, inside or outside the property? If a property has stairs, ensure there are adequate balustrades that meet Australian Standards and check to see if gates can be installed. Are children’s bedrooms adjoining or easily accessed from the master bedroom? Is the laundry located away or restricted from living and play areas? Taking note of the layout of a property early on will help you plan out and eliminate future problems.

4. Outdoors

Inspecting the outside area of a property is just as crucial as inspecting the inside. Is there a pool? If so, ensure it meets Australian regulations with a fully enclosed fence and self closing, self latching gate. Check that access from the front to the backyard is restricted. Are there are any other exits i.e. side lanes or gates? Is there a garage or shed to store tools, chemicals etc away from children? Many injuries occur outdoors while children play, so spotting hazards early on is crucial.

If you are serious about the property, note down hazards as you see them and decide how to fix them. If you do purchase or rent the property, fix them as a priority.

5. Take the Kidsafe Home Safety Checklist with you to house inspections.

Kidsafe’s Home Safety Checklist and Online Safety Demonstration House are great tools to ensure your future home is child safe.

Other useful resources available from your local Kidsafe Office include:

A Parent’s Guide to Kidsafe Homes
Safer Homes for Children – Design & Construction Guidelines
Fact Sheets on a variety of topics including Backyard Safety – check State and Territory Kidsafe websites.
Kidsafe is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the prevention of unintentional death and injury to Australian children. It was founded in Australia in 1979. Visit http://www.kidsafe.com.au for access to information and links in your state.

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2009. A Picture of Australia’s Children 2009. The Australian Government, Canberra.

“A second rate cut will assist those who are struggling with a mortgage but may also be the catalyst needed to encourage first home buyers to return to the market in the new year,” said REIA President Ms Bennett.

The REIA is due to release the Deposit Power Housing Affordability Report tomorrow which is unlikely to show a great deal of improvement in the level of housing affordability in Australia.

We know that first home buyers are starting to return to the property market as active buyers but the number level of activity to still only about half of what it was in 2009.

“A further reduction in interest rates will assist in stimulating the lower end of the market and will make buying a home a more affordable option for young Australians,” said Ms Bennett.

“Although just one component of the solution to housing affordability, lower interest rates are needed to reduce the proportion of income that Australians are spending on loan repayments in an effort to improve the worsening affordability situation,” Ms Bennett concluded.

Source: The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) is the national professional association for real estate agents in Australia.

The September Westpac Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment is now at its highest level in two years. The survey that tracks responses on ‘whether now is a good time to buy a dwelling’ jumped a healthy 15.1% in September, following a gain of 8.1% from August to September.

Anxious households clearly drew comfort from the concrete evidence of an improved outlook for interest rates when major banks lowered fixed-rate mortgage rates in August. Strong recovery in economic growth in the June quarter attracted wide media coverage and this is likely to have also boosted spirits.

First Home Buyers expected to make a return

FHBs are expected to re-appear towards the end of this year, led by buyers in NSW trying to beat the December 31 deadline for the end of Stamp Duty concessions. One mortgage originator says loan enquiries from FHBs are up 15% nationwide and 30% in NSW last month, on the back of interest rate stability for the past 10 months.

Buyers market? Yes, no, maybe…

Buyers’ agents nationwide report a property market ripe for the picking. However, that’s not consistently true.
In Sydney, good value remains as elusive as always while in Melbourne, investors have the run of the market.

A fundamental supply shortage exists in key areas of Sydney and this is exerting underlying pressure on prices. However, properties that would previously have attracted five to eight bidders are today attracting less than four. Still, First National’s auction clearance rate has lifted in recent weeks, according to Corporate Auctioneer, Michael McCaffery.

Melbourne’s lackluster performance is allowing investors to pick the eyes out of the market. Three and four bedroom houses in Flemington, Carlton North and other inner suburbs are showing very good value. One bedroom apartments in Coburg, Clifton Hill and West Brunswick are, in some cases, $50,000 cheaper than they were last year.

South Australia is particularly price sensitive after a 12 year Bull Run has come to an abrupt end. Properties in the $500,000 to $1,200,000 are considered to have the potential to fall between 10% and 15% from the boom values of October 2010, but owners are holding despite considerable ‘mortgage stress’.

Perth has yet to reach the bottom of its adjustment and recovery is anticipated in 2012. There are between 16,000 and 17,000 properties on the market, well over the equilibrium figure of 13,000. Long-term strong performing suburbs like Leederville and Subiaco may see a 5% to 10% correction. Opportunities are tipped in suburbs a kilometer from Perth’s CBD where re-zoning is about to unlock re-development opportunities. Suburbs such as Padbury, Craigie, Heathridge, Joondalup and Greenwood offer good value buying and renting.

Tasmanian prices have fallen, but only in the media, and the REIT has taken the Hobart Mercury to task over the publication of out of date ‘mainland’ data, and, the Southern Cross TV network over predictions of a return to 2001 values. Institute figures show a 7% rise in the median price over the past 2 years and, in recent weeks, an increase in the number of sales and quality properties being listed. With one in seven property purchases being made by mainland or overseas buyers, demonstrable interest remains in Tasmanian property investment.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute is indicating highly favourable buying conditions in Queensland – prices in key investment areas have fallen 7% to 10% on last year’s prices. Predictions of a 35% fall in the values of Brisbane properties haven’t materialised but there are 18% more properties on the market than in the same quarter last year. The biggest drop in values has been seen in outer Brisbane suburbs such as Caboolture, Ipswich and Beenleigh – 15%. The Gold Coast has suffered more than other areas and is being targeted by bargain hunters. ABS figures show a rise of 16% in financing of investment dwellings for the June quarter, but active buyers are still well below long-term averages in Queensland.

Tight rental markets are serving to keep pressure on weekly rents, as well as house prices, making it even more difficult for the first home buyer looking to enter the property market. But, with the right advice and some careful planning, they could be staking out their own patch of turf sooner than they thought possible.

The first step for the first home buyer is to get together their deposit, which is not as difficult as people think. It’s amazing how simple it can be to cut back on what we call luxury items and the difference this can make to savings. Cook more meals at home and take lunch to work, rather than eating out, where meals can cost at least twice as much. Doing that five days a week, will really get the piggy bank started.

Cutting back on other socialising activities so that a night out is enjoyed once a fortnight, instead of weekly or more frequently can also save money. These are just two small changes, but the impact on savings can be quite dramatic.

With both established homes and properties in new suburbs on the city fringes becoming out of reach, first home buyers need to start being a bit more strategic in their thinking and look at things in a different light.

Consider staying at home longer, where things are much more affordable. The rate of increasing weekly rentals is making renting an unaffordable option for many. So, living with parents where you can pay rent at much reduced prices can be a solution and parents might even consider saving the rent to help get a deposit together. In addition, everyone will have the benefits of shared accommodation, where parents and children can share the living costs.

The best thing to do is to seek the services of a financial planner and adviser as they have the expertise and knowledge to assist with your financial needs in the way that best suits the income and lifestyle of the individual.

Financial planners and advisers are an excellent means of making savings start to work for you. They can offer advice on how best to turn those hard-earned dollars into interest-earning capital.

First home buyers are an important segment of the Australian property market and it is incumbent upon governments and the industry to ensure there are affordable housing options for all sectors.