Wealth as safe as houses in Australia
Despite falling values over the past year, housing is still the backbone of national wealth
Despite falling values over the past year, housing is still the backbone of national wealth
Residential real estate is the foundation of Australia’s wealth, new data released by CoreLogic reveals.
The Monthly Housing Chart Pack shows residential real estate in Australia is far and away the main source of wealth, worth $9.4 trillion. This compares with $3.4 trillion for superannuation, $2.8 trillion for Australian listed stocks and $1.3 trillion for commercial real estate.
The results show that despite a recent downturn in national dwelling values over the past 12 months with a fall of -8.0 percent, housing still represents the most valuable source of wealth.
While the decline in values represents the greatest fall on record, there are signs that values are once again on the increase. CoreLogic reports that national values rose by 0.9 percent over the 28 days to April 6, driven by a lack of advertised stock, a tight rental market and demand from overseas migration.
Sydney experienced the greatest decline over 2022, with a drop in values of -12.1 percent, following a record high in January 2022. It is also leading the recovery, up 1.4 percent in March. This is followed by Melbourne and Brisbane, who have seen modest but steady improvements in values over March. Adelaide and Perth have proven to be less volatile markets, with Adelaide values -2.4 percent their record high in July 2022 and Perth -0.4 percent lower off their peak, also in July last year.
Consumers are going to gravitate toward applications powered by the buzzy new technology, analyst Michael Wolf predicts
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
Prepare yourself for the year of the peach
Pantone has released its 2024 Colour of the Year — and it’s warm and fuzzy.
Peach Fuzz has been named as the colour to sum up the year ahead, chosen to imbue a sense of “kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration” said vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, Laurie Pressman.
“A warm and cosy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others or for enjoying a moment of stillness and the feeling of sanctuary this creates, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz presents a fresh approach to a new softness,” she said.
The choice of a soft pastel will come as little surprise to those who follow the Pantone releases, which are often a reflection of world affairs and community mood. Typically, when economies are buoyant and international security is assured, colours tend to the bolder spectrum. Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Israeli-Gaza conflict and talk of recession in many countries, the choice of a softer, more reassuring colour is predictable.
“At a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy and compassion grows ever stronger as does our imaginings of a more peaceful future,” she said. “We are reminded that a vital part of living a full life is having the good health, stamina, and strength to enjoy it.”
The colour also reflects a desire to turn inward and exercise self care in an increasingly frenetic world.
“As we navigate the present and build toward a new world, we are reevaluating what is important,” she said. “Reframing how we want to live, we are expressing ourselves with greater intentionality and consideration.
“Recalibrating our priorities to align with our internal values, we are focusing on health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, and cherishing what’s special — the warmth and comfort of spending time with friends and family, or simply taking a moment of time to ourselves.”
Each year since 2000, Pantone has released a colour of the year as a trendsetting tool for marketers and branding agents. It is widely taken up in the fashion and interior design industries, influencing collections across the spectrum.
Consumers are going to gravitate toward applications powered by the buzzy new technology, analyst Michael Wolf predicts
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’