REAL ESTATE

Cost of Living in Manila for Expatriates

The cost of living in Manila makes the city one of the cheaper major cities of the world to live in for expatriates. In fact, most international cost of living surveys rank Manila in the middle of the pack globally and much lower than other major Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.

Realcommercial.com.au Faces Tough Competition

Realcommercial.com.au has long been the dominant commercial real estate portal in Australia. However, this position is under threat, as they face increased competition from new entrants, the ending of guaranteed revenue agreements and improvements to competing portals.
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Resources Boom Makes Gladstone the No.1 Property Hotspot

Queensland’s city of Gladstone is now number one among Australia’s property hotspots, thanks to the resources boom. The regional city was chosen for Australian Property Investor magazine’s annual Hot 100 this year, which lists 100 locations around Australia where property prices are expected to rise.

What Not to Do when Refinancing your Loan

With fixed rate loans dropping to levels below or equal to variable rate loans, there's never been a better time to shop around for a new mortgage. When it comes to changing your mortgage, however, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it.

Rental growth stalls across Australia

Rental growth across Australia's capital cities stalled in the June quarter, according to reports from the country's largest property data providers.

Facebook, Twitter and Blogging Do’s and Dont's for the Real Estate Agent!

Over the past year or so we have seen the rise of Real Estate Agents using Facebook to promote their business or personal profile. The best of you continually add informative and fun content to your page and have seen a steady rise in fans. But there is a disturbing trend to this and this shows complete mis-understanding of how to market yourself online.

Housing sentiment picks up

Confidence in housing picked up by 3.3% with the Index now at its highest level since January 2010, as a result of modest recent falls in house prices improving affordability. The uptick comes as overall consumer sentiment in Australia plummets to its lowest level in two years.

Hottest properties mostly in NSW

Property price growth in Australia may have stalled over the past year or so, but experts say there are still plenty of areas around Australia where property prices are continuing to rise and countless locations where values are expected to rise in the near future.

Project Rebellion: RPData in the Firing Line

As a followup to recent articles relating to the industry revolt and ACCC investigation into RealEstate.com.au, Australian Financial Review journalist Ben Hurley has released another article that takes aim at RPData and their valuation strategy.

Brokers count the costs of consolidation

Compliance costs and lenders’ volume targets are pushing many broker groups into each other’s arms. MPA investigates the do and don’ts of consolidation.

From broker to boss

PLAN CEO Trevor Scott is a passionate supporter of the broker industry and a big believer that brighter days are ahead for brokers.

Comprehensive credit reporting

Australia is on the cusp of making major changes to its credit reporting regime, but whether the new system will be better for brokers’ clients is still up for debate.

FHBs inching back to market

The protracted pause on interest rates by the RBA is bringing first home buyers back to the market, Loan Market has claimed.

More homeowners seek re-financing

Home owners are still refinancing their mortgages, even as the property market remains flat, the latest Bankwest/MFAA* Home Finance Index has shown. The Home Finance Index, which surveyed more than 1,139 respondents, revealed that one in four (24.7%) had refinanced their loan in the past two years and 14.2 per cent had refinanced in the previous year, an increase on the previous HFI.

Fixed vs. variable: Which home loan to choose?

Amid the cash rate calm and the now little cost difference between the average fixed term home loan interest rate and the average variable interest rate, deciding which type of loan to choose is even more difficult.

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