The Blog

A new analysis of home values shows potential buyers the cheapest and priciest areas in every Australian suburb. The analysis of SA1 regions by PropTrack, reveals in an interactive map the most affordable to the most expensive areas in each suburb. A street map is overlaid with different coloured areas indicating, by the key, the […]

Following a series of natural disasters across Queensland, the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) fears insurance premiums will become unaffordable for more Queensland homeowners. The REIQ is calling on the two tiers of government to introduce programs that will ensure insurance premiums are manageable for all Queenslanders. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said the cyclone […]

Mackay has topped the list of Australian postcodes for first-home buyers using the Home Guarantee Scheme. The Home Guarantee Scheme is a federal government initiative to help first-home buyers get onto the property ladder by purchasing a property with as little as a five per cent deposit and without Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). Through the […]

Legislation for the Federal Government’s proposed Help to Buy Scheme, supporting up to 40,000 low and middle-income families to purchase a home of their own, is reported to be introduced into Parliament this week.  The aim of the shared equity scheme is to “bring home ownership back into reach for thousands of Australians who have […]

While consecutive lifts in Queensland’s quarterly residential vacancy rates are a promising sign that rental conditions are improving says REIQ, Mackay has remained in “tight territory”. According to the REIQ Residential Vacancy Rate Report for the June 2023 Quarter, released earlier this month, the vacancy rate remains ‘tight’ (0 – 2.5 per cent) across the […]

Housing affordability across Australia has continued to decline as interest rates continue to rise, says Australia’s peak housing industry association. Housing Industry Association (HIA) released its HIA Affordability Index in June. Calculated on a quarterly basis for each of Australia’s eight capital cities and regional areas, the index considers the latest dwelling prices, mortgage interest […]

The Federal Government announced the 2023‑24 Budget on Tuesday 9 May, which focuses on delivering cost-of-living relief, including measures to create more affordable housing and help more Australians into home ownership. Treasurer of Australia Dr Jim Chalmers MP said the centrepiece of the Albanese Labor Government’s second Budget is a $14.6 billion cost‑of‑living package over […]

The State Government has passed legislation to limit rent increases to once a year. Amendments to the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, through the Local Government Electoral and Other Legislation (Expenditure Caps) Amendment Bill 2022, will limit the frequency of rent increases from every six months to once a year for residential tenancies […]

Land values have risen across Queensland after the property market boom. Strong demand and confidence in the property sector and low-interest rates have all contributed to higher land values across Queensland, according to the Queensland Government. Queensland’s Valuer-General Wally Kearnan said the real estate market has seen significant increases in various sectors across Queensland and […]

The Queensland government has lifted a requirement for local government planning approval under certain conditions to make providing rooming accommodation easier. By removing the requirement for local government planning approval, providing other requirements are met, the state government can accelerate the development of rooming accommodation in areas where residential development is expected. >> READ MORE: […]

The annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) movement last year was the highest since 1990, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The latest figures released by the ABS show over the 12 months to the December 2022 quarter, the CPI rose to 7.8 per cent. This figure is close to the forecast for headline inflation […]

After a year of no changes to interest rates in 2021, borrowers have been walloped by eight increases to the cash rate in 2022. In May this year, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) began increasing the cash rate, raising it by three per cent per annum, in a bid to tackle high inflation. Governor […]

Owner-occupier housing loans fell 9.3 per cent in September, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ABS Finance and Wealth spokesperson Katherine Keenan said the value of new owner-occupier loan commitments fell by 9.3 per cent in September, while the value of new investor loan commitments fell 6.0 per cent. “Although housing lending has fallen […]

The Queensland Government has shelved its new land tax regime, a move congratulated by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella welcomed the announcement that the government had decided to scrap land tax reforms that could have damaged property investor confidence at a time of the tightest vacancy rates in history. […]

HOMEOWNERS will be encouraged to rent out granny flats on their properties after the Queensland Government made emergency planning changes to remove restrictions on people who can live in secondary dwellings. For the next three years, homeowners will be able to rent secondary dwellings to non-family members. Deputy Premier and Minister for Planning Steven Miles […]

HOUSE prices in Queensland are continuing to rise albeit at a slower pace, according to REIQ. In the June 2022 quarter, Queensland’s median house prices rose by 3.61 per cent and median unit prices increased by 1.59 per cent. In Mackay, quarterly median house prices rose to $436k. >> READ MORE: QUEENSLAND REAL ESTATE AGENTS […]

A CAMPAIGN to encourage Queensland property owners to release their vacant, short-term or holiday let properties onto the long-term rental market has been launched. The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) and Q Shelter have joined forces for the campaign in a bid to alleviate the rental supply issues currently crippling Queensland. >> READ MORE: […]

QUEENSLAND real estate agents have bucked a national trend with a new survey finding Queenslanders view the state’s real estate agents favourably. The survey, commissioned by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) to better understand and address Queensland’s sentiment towards the industry, found 74 per cent of the general public described real estate agents […]

MACKAY’S vacancy rates are “tight”, according to new data from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ). The REIQ’s Residential Vacancy Report released this month revealed Queensland is experiencing record low vacancy rates, with most regions remaining tighter than what the REIQ classifies as “healthy”, in 2021. >> READ MORE: ALL PROPERTIES SOLD IN 2022 […]

FROM 1 January 2022, all residential properties sold must meet new strict smoke alarm legislation requirements. The new legislation, passed by the Queensland Government in 2016, adds several new requirements to current legislation. >> READ MORE: LANDLORDS RISK RENTAL INCOME IF THEY MISS SMOKE ALARM DEADLINE From 2022, all smoke alarms in a property for […]