New Zealand’s new coalition government restricts overseas property buyers

New Zealand’s new coalition government has new restrictions on immigration and overseas property buyers. New Zealand prime minister-elect Jacinda Arden made the announcement recently. Under the new rules, foreign buyers will no longer be able to purchase existing houses but can still buy new properties, a policy similar to the one introduced in Australia.

Australia's Ray White Chairman Brian White, says that New Zealand’s recent decision to halt foreign investment in housing could benefit Australia. White said the move could push overseas buyers into Australian property.

Arden was officially sworn in as PM on Thursday and leads a three-party coalition government consisting of Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens.

File Picture: Jacinda Ardern at the University of Auckland

Positive annual growth for houses in Regional NSW

Most of regional NSW areas had positive annual growth for houses in 2017, with an exception in Dubbo and Wingecarribee. In Dubbo and Wingecarribee, prices fell year on year.

Affordable regional NSW centres where first home buyers can get their foot on the property ladder include Albury, Richmond Valley, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo and Tamworth regional. (Data Source: Domain)

$227 million office tower in Parramatta

Developer and investor Coombes Property Group along with partner Drivas Property Group will develop a $227 million office tower in Sydney’s 'second CBD', Parramatta.

Located at 48-50 Macquarie Street and 220-230 Church Street in Parramatta, the companies’ application seeks approval to take the two sites and amalgamate them; redistributing their floor space and creating two brand new building programs.

The development will comprise a low-rise, four-storey commercial office on 220-230 Church Street and a 24-story commercial office tower on 48-50 Macquarie Street, with 39,061 square metres of commercial office floor space across 23 levels.

The Church Street and Macquarie Street buildings will be joined by an arcade designed to provide a connection through activating the adjacent lane ways with alfresco dining and retail opportunities.

Spacious & Well renovated 4 bedroom house for Sale in Greystanes

Open Home on Saturday (16-Sep-2017) at 12:00 ~ 12:30 PM


A beautifully presented residence that welcomes you to a lifestyle home each day at 35 Kiama Street, Greystanes.

Wide 4 car driveway and easy maintenance front lawn area draws you to the elevated and elegant home.

Stunning House for Sale at 35 Kiama St, Greystanes

From the moment you step in, there is so much to take in.
Solid hardwood Blackbutt flooring, soothing colour tones, open space and an abundance of light.

Well appointed and offering all the homely comforts;

-4 Bedrooms with built in wardrobes, all carpeted
-2 beautifully presented bathrooms
-Open space living area, with an enclosed indoor fireplace
-Dedicated well sized dining area
-Bright kitchen with gas cooking, generous centre island, 40mm stone bench tops and room for the largest of fridges.
-Attached front facing storage room
-Beautiful Lighting, Shadow line ceilings, Stylish timber windows, frames and finishes.


The Living and Kitchen adjoin, at the centre of the home and open up via Western Red Cedar bi-fold doors to a family sized rear outdoor patio. A fantastic view out across the patio, to an easy maintenance yard, designed for the friends and family to enjoy. If your an entertainer, this home is a must.

The lush green will always be there thanks to use of quality artificial turf. Who needs a park? You get the weekends back ! The kids even get their own cubby home plus playground. Its no ordinary structure, being crafted by a professional builder. Its a kids dream !


In a private location, close to parks, schools, roads and both Pemulwuy and Greystanes shopping. And its 4 bedrooms !... Your own home, your own land. Move right in, no work needed and easy maintenance.

A must to inspect. We can't wait to show this one off.

Contact Nithin at 0414 828 883 for further information. See more pictures at the URL https://goo.gl/Xe6Dnz

Downsizers seek smaller blocks in Pemulwuy

 The western suburb of Pemulwuy is attracting downsizers and young families as prices jump higher. As per WeeklyTimes report, CoreLogic data shows prices there have jumped 40 per cent in the past three years and more than 60 per cent in five years.

Pemulwuy is named after the Aboriginal man famous for his resistance to European settlement. Real Estate agents comment that it is attracting a younger community who are too busy to cut the grass. A lot of people are downsizing from the larger blocks in places like Greystanes. A 440 sqm block was described as “massive” in one of the recent Real Estate Sales advertisement, since many of the blocks in Pemulwuy are 300 sqm.

Pemulwuy is a suburb located in the Holroyd City Council local government area of Central Western Sydney, New South Wales. Pemulwuy has a population of 3009 residents, with an average income of $1095. The median price for houses is $956,321 and the median price for units is $580,762.


Suburb Statistics for Pemulwuy



$500 billion of ‘liar loans’ in Australia, UBS reports

Half a trillion dollars’ worth of “liar loans” are propping up the Australian banking sector, new research from UBS suggests – as per news from domain.com.au.  

About one-third of Australians were not completely truthful on their home loan application over the past 12 months, marking a significant increase on the previous year, according to a 907-person survey, which UBS presents with a 95 per cent confidence level.

UBS banking analyst Jonathan Mott said 26 years of unbroken GDP growth had led to “a large level of complacency within the economy” and that “more needs to be done” by banks to address the problem. Many mortgagors might have overstated their income and assets, while others might have understated their living expenses and liabilities.

ANZ is named as the bank with the worst record, according to the survey, which showed just 55 per cent of respondents with a mortgage from the bank were completely accurate, which compares with the industry’s official 99 per cent confidence level.

Infrastructure with love: Parramatta Light Rail spot in Westmead

“Infrastructure with love” is how one government minister has described taking a portion of land in Westmead for the Parramatta Light Rail.

Parramatta Mission’s accommodation for families with sick children is located on the corner of Hawkesbury Rd and Hainsworth St, a corner the government needs for the light rail to turn safely when the first trains are operating in 2023.

When light rail construction is complete, the property, minus the section needed for the light rail will be returned to Parramatta Mission to rebuild new apartments on the site. They will double the accommodation they currently have available.

In the meantime, a space at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead will be redeveloped for accommodation.

(Image and news source: Daily Telegraph Website)

Are you ready for the Spring selling season?

Spring is the perfect time to get your house in order. Just like with a spring clean, the warmer weather and lead up to Summer can motivate you to throw open the windows and freshen up your home. If you’re looking to sell, Spring is the perfect time with September–November being a peak selling period in Australia. Buyers are coming out of the woodwork, lured outside by the nicer weather, the attraction of blooming gardens and the desire to find a home before the end of the year.

Spring is the perfect time to sell with Sep–Nov being a peak selling period in Australia

Start preparing your home and finances now. But where to start? A spring clean never goes amiss, especially if you focus on decluttering before tidying up. Potential buyers want to visualise themselves in a home, so ensure that your property looks welcoming while still being a blank canvas. Take down any family photos or souvenirs. You’ll also want a clear layout to the home for inspections, one that flows and is easy for people to follow. Remove any clunky pieces of furniture that inhibit this flow or make it hard to move around.

Pull on a pair of gloves to clean the property, or hire professionals. Paying for professional cleaners can be a wise investment, as not only will they do the grunt work for you, they’ll have a keen eye for things you might miss (such as dirt and dust in high places like the ceiling or the top of window sills). Wash any drapes, blankets and pillow cases, and open up the windows to get rid of any stale or cleaning chemical smells.

Gardens look their best at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need a little help. Mow the lawn, remove any weeds and prune any trees. Again bringing in professionals will save you time and can give you a more satisfactory result. Look at your property from across the street. Could the fence do with a new coat of paint, or perhaps the front door could be painted a brighter colour so it stands out?

To afford these expenses or improvements to your home, research which loans could help you. There are specific renovation loans that can fund bigger changes to your house, whereas a personal loan can provide you with the money to pay cleaners, gardeners, painters, etc.

Another benefit of selling in Spring is the increasing hours of daylight, and this won’t cost you anything. Daylight savings begin in many states around the country in October, so you’ll have more time to make use of natural light for inspections. Observe at what time of the day your property looks its best, and arrange a viewing for then.

While selling in Spring means you’ll be up against more competition, by being prepared you’ll be able to make the best use of this busy season.

How much you can borrow?

Your borrowing power is a critical number to know because it helps you understand how much you can spend on a property.

It's important to shop around – banks and lenders all use different criteria to calculate how much they will lend you. Your borrowing capacity between two banks could be thousands of dollars – the difference between purchasing your dream house or settling for your second favourite.

A Loan Market mortgage broker knows what each lender is looking for and who'll lend you more. The broker talks to over 30 lenders daily and will ask you the right questions to make sure the broker can maximise your borrowing capacity and present the right loan options for you.

I also wish to introduce my business partner Anshu Lukka (Ph: 1300 933 758, Email: anshu.lukka@loanmarket.com.au), if you need some guidance in relation to loans, finances and accounting topics.

Your borrowing power is a critical number

It's Affordable: Five Sydney Central Coast homes that sold for less than $600,000 in August

A fixer-upper at Long Jetty has sold for $580,000. It is the first time in 50 years the two-bedroom house at 58 Anzac Rd has sold.

A four-bedroom house at Tacoma, with uninterrupted river views, has sold for $490,000.
The fixer-upper at 57 Wolseley Ave house has an open-plan living area and a large undercover deck, and is close to the train station, Westfield Tuggerah and the M1.

Peach Street, No 18 in Tumbi Umbi with a neat and tidy three-bedroom house sold for $545,000. The north-facing house at 18 Peach St was advertised as having “loads of extra features not normally seen at this price point”. The house has the low-maintenance garden and it is close to Shelley Beach and Tuggerah station.

A three-bedroom house at San Remo has sold for $530,000. The house, with water views of the lake from nearly every room, has a rear deck, polished hardwood floors, a modern kitchen, reverse cycle air-conditioner, built in wardrobes throughout, a tandem garage, a second bathroom downstairs and a great sunroom. The property, at 7 Kallaroo Rd, was sold tenanted (returning $385 a week).

A five-bedroom home at Canton Beach has sold for $530,000. The cottage-style home is perfect for family living, and even has an in-gound saltwater pool. The house, at 12 Wallis Ave seems to be an ideal spot with only a short stroll to the lake and local shops.