BUBBLE BURSTS ON AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL PROPERTY PRICES
Interest rate increases and the impact of floods on regional centres have taken a toll on once sought-after areas
Interest rate increases and the impact of floods on regional centres have taken a toll on once sought-after areas
As floodwaters inundate regional towns across NSW, Queensland and Victoria, regional real estate markets have recorded the fastest decline in values in the past quarter, CoreLogic reports.
The Regional Market Update, from the property data provider oversees activity in Australia’s 25 largest non capital city regions and has revealed that the COVID-induced boom in property values has ended, with six of the most popular regions recording falls in house values of at least -6 percent. This includes the Richmond-Tweed area at -11.7 percent, the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, -7.1 percent, the Sunshine Coast -7.1 percent, the Gold Coast -6.4 percent, Illawarra -6.1 percent and Newcastle and Lake Macquarie -6.0 percent.
CoreLogic Economist Kaytlin Ezzy said the drop in values was not unexpected.
“It is unsurprising the Richmond-Tweed region recorded the strongest decline in house values,” she said. “Throughout the COVID period, values skyrocketed, rising more than 50 percent and taking the median house value to more than $1.1 million.
“However the impact of this year’s floods, coupled with seven consecutive rate rises, has seen house values fall in the region by nearly -16 percent since April.”
Housing markets also took a hit, with regional NSW recording the worst results. The Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven saw a -27.5 percent downturn in sales volumes while properties in New England and the North West region averaged the longest time on the market at 43 days.
“Sales activity has continued to soften over the quarter, with only a few regions, predominantly in northern Queensland, recording an increase in annual sales volumes,” Ms Ezzy said.
“While down compared to the previous year, it’s important to remember that last year was one of the busiest sales periods on record, and the majority (76 percent) of regional markets analysed are still recording higher annual sales volumes compared to their previous five-year averages.”
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
Excluding the Covid-19 pandemic period, annual growth was the lowest since 1992
Australia’s commodity-rich economy recorded its weakest growth momentum since the early 1990s in the second quarter, as consumers and businesses continued to feel the impact of high interest rates, with little expectation of a reprieve from the Reserve Bank of Australia in the near term.
The economy grew 0.2% in the second quarter from the first, with annual growth running at 1.0%, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday. The results were in line with market expectations.
It was the 11th consecutive quarter of growth, although the economy slowed sharply over the year to June 30, the ABS said.
Excluding the Covid-19 pandemic period, annual growth was the lowest since 1992, the year that included a gradual recovery from a recession in 1991.
The economy remained in a deep per capita recession, with gross domestic product per capita falling 0.4% from the previous quarter, a sixth consecutive quarterly fall, the ABS said.
A big area of weakness in the economy was household spending, which fell 0.2% from the first quarter, detracting 0.1 percentage point from GDP growth.
On a yearly basis, consumption growth came in at just 0.5% in the second quarter, well below the 1.1% figure the RBA had expected, and was broad-based.
The soft growth report comes as the RBA continues to warn that inflation remains stubbornly high, ruling out near-term interest-rate cuts.
RBA Gov. Michele Bullock said last month that near-term rate cuts aren’t being considered.
Money markets have priced in a cut at the end of this year, while most economists expect that the RBA will stand pat until early 2025.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned this week that high interest rates are “smashing the economy.”
Still, with income tax cuts delivered at the start of July, there are some expectations that consumers will be in a better position to spend in the third quarter, reviving the economy to some degree.
“Output has now grown at 0.2% for three consecutive quarters now. That leaves little doubt that the economy is growing well below potential,” said Abhijit Surya, economist at Capital Economics.
“But if activity does continue to disappoint, the RBA could well cut interest rates sooner,” Surya added.
Government spending rose 1.4% over the quarter, due in part to strength in social-benefits programs for health services, the ABS said.
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.