Australia reached a major milestone this year when our population reached 25 million. Natural population growth and international migration combined to achieve this milestone quicker than most forecasters predicted. And, of course, everybody needs somewhere to live. Welcome to the QBE Australian Housing Outlook 2018-2021. This is the 17th year we’ve partnered with BIS Oxford Economics on a deep analysis of Australia’s residential housing market and its three-year outlook. Don

It’s all too easy to rack up debt – credit cards, HECS, car loans – and may seem all too hard to pay it off. Debt can also have a big impact on how much money you can borrow for a home loan, so reducing your debt is essential when you set out to buy your first home. Here are seven steps you can take towards minimising your debt and moving into the property market. 1. Work out how much you’re spending Create a spreadsheet and track your expenses for a month – record everythin

When you’re selling your house, the key to a successful open for inspection is to make potential buyers feel comfortable. You want to show your property’s best side, and allow people to see themselves living in their new home. We’ve put together some handy tips to help increase your property’s attractiveness on inspection day. Put on a good face Potential buyers will be inspecting your house from the moment it’s listed. They’ll drive by to check out the neighbourhood and se

It's been a compelling year in our property markets to date, and as we head into warmer months, many owners will be considering ways to improve the value of their home or investment. High levels of renovation and new-build activity in established suburbs can provide an excellent gauge of markets on the grow. This month, Herron Todd White have asked their residential team to discuss which well-populated Australian localities are seeing a flurry of construction activity. T

At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent. The global economic expansion is continuing. A number of advanced economies are growing at an above-trend rate and unemployment rates are low. Growth in China has slowed a little, with the authorities easing policy while continuing to pay close attention to the risks in the financial sector. Globally, inflation remains low, although it has increased due to both higher oil prices and s