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Housing Boom: House Prices Rebound to New Records Across Most Australian Cities

  • National house prices back at peak levels, rebounding after a period of decline. Tight rental markets and housing shortage driving growth.

  • Buyer and seller confidence rising with increased choice in major cities, pushing prices higher.

  • Sydney prices grew 0.48% in September, now over $1 million median. Demand strong near CBD and north of bridge.

  • Brisbane prices hit new record, up 0.39% in September. Limited choice creating strong competition.

  • Darwin only major city with price decline of 0.01% in September, attributed to smaller downturn compared to other cities.

sbs.com.au
Relevant topic timeline:
Canada's housing market is seeing a surge in new listings, with a 5.6% increase in July, indicating a possible shift in sentiment among homeowners, while home sales have declined due to higher mortgage costs and interest rates. However, prices continue to rise, although at a slower pace.
China's property market is seeing strong sales and rising rents, indicating a continuing demand for housing that pessimists are missing, according to veteran economist Hong Hao.
US home prices are rising again after five months of declines, reaching a record high for the month of July, due to low inventory and homeowners refusing to sell amidst high mortgage rates.
The surge in mortgage rates has caused housing affordability to reach the lowest level since 2000, leading to a slow fall in the housing market and a potential dip in home prices, although the current market differs from the conditions that preceded the 2008 crash, with low housing inventory and a lack of risky mortgage products, making mortgage rates the key lever to improve affordability.
The strong job market and rising wages are creating eager buyers in the housing market, making it a great time to sell your house.
Mortgage rates have reached a 22-year high and are expected to continue rising, which will further challenge affordability and slow home sales. Additionally, the high rates are increasing the number of all-cash buyers in the housing market. On the other hand, rents have decreased for a third consecutive month, providing some relief for renters.
Home prices in the U.S. rose for the fifth consecutive month in June, despite high mortgage rates, with national prices increasing by 0.9% and only down 0.02% from their peak in June 2022, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index. However, there were significant regional differences, with cities on the West Coast experiencing some of the biggest declines. The housing market continues to face challenges due to low inventory and slow new construction.
Home prices in the US have continued to rise for the fifth consecutive month, reaching near all-time highs, although high mortgage rates could impact further price gains for the rest of the year. Cities in the Midwest and New England saw the most notable price acceleration, while cities in the West experienced year-over-year price drops. Low inventory remains a challenge, with few homeowners wanting to sell, leading to higher prices and increased competition for available homes. In contrast, the rental market is offering more affordability as rental inventory increases.
The recent downturn in global property prices is ending as average home prices are expected to fall less than anticipated and rise into 2024, according to a Reuters poll, due to factors such as high savings, limited supply, and rising immigration. However, this poses challenges for first-time homebuyers and rental affordability is expected to worsen.
Rapidly falling house prices have caused a "cost of owning crisis," with tens of thousands of homeowners falling into negative equity over the past year, making it difficult to sell or remortgage properties. Experts predict that more households will face difficulties as house prices continue to decline, with the Government's tax and spending watchdog expecting a 10% fall in prices. However, there are expectations of a rebound in house prices in the future, particularly for those intending to live in their homes for several years.
UK house prices have experienced their largest decline in 14 years, but despite fears of an impending crash, experts believe that the drop is unlikely to reach the levels seen during the global financial crisis in 2008 due to a more stable financial system, although prices may continue to slowly decline or stagnate and be eroded by inflation.
The housing market has experienced significant changes, with high mortgage rates and low inventory leading to slower sales and longer time on the market, but experts predict that mortgage rates will eventually decrease and home prices will continue to appreciate, with no imminent crash expected; the market is expected to shift towards a more balanced state in the next five years, and the suburban market is predicted to remain strong, particularly in areas with rising populations.
The current housing market has defied expectations of a downturn in real estate prices caused by surging mortgage rates, with prices and demand remaining strong due to increasing household formation among baby boomers, according to a Wall Street economist.
Miami and South Florida have experienced the highest increase in consumer prices among large U.S. urban areas, driven largely by the housing market, with home rents increasing by 15.3% and the cost of buying a home rising by 14.3%.
Home prices in California reached a 15-month high in August 2023, attributed to rising mortgage rates and a shortage of homes on the market, but the market is expected to improve in the last quarter of the year as interest rates ease, according to the California Association of Realtors.
U.S. home price growth increased to 2.5% year-over-year in July, with Miami, St. Louis, and Detroit driving the growth, while 11 states saw annual home price declines, according to CoreLogic's latest home price index data. Rising mortgage rates and a lack of inventory are putting pressure on potential homebuyers, and pending home sales have seen slight upticks, particularly in the West and South regions.
Despite a recent slump, research firms including Freddie Mac, Zillow, and the National Association of Realtors predict that home prices will continue to rise in 2024 due to a shortage of housing inventory and strong demand, with NAR forecasting a 2.6% increase. However, Moody's Analytics and Morgan Stanley expect home prices to slightly decrease in 2024 due to declining affordability and increased housing supply.
The United States housing market has seen a 21 percent decline in previously occupied home sales over the past year, continuing the slowdown caused by rising interest rates, while prices continue to rise despite the decrease in sales, leading to a shortage of affordable homes and worsening home affordability for the foreseeable future.
The rise in housing prices over the past three years can be attributed to a shortage of supply, low volume in the market, and the introduction of mortgage rate buydowns; however, there is now a risk of too much inventory being introduced into the market, and a potential decline in mortgage rates could lead to a large amount of existing homes being sold and a subsequent oversupply.
Home prices have decreased in several major cities, but many remain overvalued and at risk of entering a housing bubble, according to a UBS report, with Zurich and Tokyo being identified as the most overvalued markets. UBS defines a bubble as a sustained mispricing of an asset, and factors such as price-to-income and price-to-rent ratios were used to determine the rankings. While some cities have seen a drop in prices, a housing shortage could lead to a renewed boom if interest rates fall.
Despite predictions of falling prices and mortgage rates, the housing market continues to defy logic with rising prices and high rates due to factors such as limited supply, increased demand, and uncertainties in the economy and secondary mortgage market.
Home prices are estimated to have risen in July, despite higher mortgage rates.
US home prices reach a record high as the market rebounds, with prices increasing for a sixth consecutive month and offsetting last year's decline, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller data.
Home prices rose nationwide, reaching a new high in July, despite affordability challenges, with gains in some cities, such as Phoenix, Arizona, slowing down, according to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices report.
Home prices in Metro Phoenix are recovering, with a 1% increase from June to July, following a previous decline.
Experts are divided on the future of US home prices, with some predicting a surge and others expecting a decline, as homeowners are reluctant to sell their homes with cheap mortgages and buyers are hesitant to overpay. Jeremy Grantham believes prices will come down by 30%, while Barbara Corcoran predicts a surge of 15% to 20% once interest rates decrease. David Rosenberg forecasts a recession and a potential 25% plunge in house prices, while Glenn Kelman believes the housing market has hit rock bottom. Vincent Deluard expects prices to drop when homeowners eventually sell.
The US housing market is showing signs of hope for homebuyers as inventory increases and more sellers are lowering their asking prices, but high mortgage rates and rising prices are still impacting affordability.
UK house prices are dropping at the fastest rate since 2009, driven by higher mortgage rates and affordability constraints, but buyer demand and consumer confidence are showing signs of improvement. Lowering mortgage rates could be key to revitalizing the housing market, which is expected to end the year with prices 2-3% lower than at the beginning of the year.
As the US housing market starts to cool down, homebuyers are being presented with a good opportunity as more homes see price reductions, according to Zillow, with 9.2% of listings having a price cut in the week ending September 16, a higher rate than in 2019.
Home prices in the U.S. rose by 3.7% in August, with New England states experiencing the largest growth, while Western states saw declines in home prices; California had the highest median sales price, and CoreLogic predicts a 3.4% annual home-price growth by August 2024.
The US housing market is showing similarities to the 1980s, characterized by high inflation, surging mortgage rates, and pent-up demand, which could result in prices stabilizing or slightly falling, but not to the extent of the 2008 housing crash, according to Bank of America.
Rising mortgage rates are deterring buyers, but an increase in housing inventory could attract some back into the market, according to market reports.
Certain housing markets, including Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton in Pennsylvania, have experienced significant price growth over the past four years, raising potential risks for buyers. Other markets such as Knoxville, Tennessee, Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Florida, Boise City, Idaho, and Portland and South Portland, Maine, have also seen substantial price increases driven by remote work during the pandemic. While it may not be a bad idea to buy in these areas, potential buyers should not expect significant price appreciation driving equity growth in the future.
The housing market is currently considered overvalued, with homes selling above their long-term prices in most major markets, but experts disagree on whether this indicates a housing bubble or if high prices are justified due to the housing shortage and strong demand. The fear of buying at the peak of the market and concerns about rising mortgage rates are factors influencing buyer decisions, but if rates come down, it could lead to an increase in prices. While there is a possibility of a price correction, most experts do not expect another housing crash like the one experienced during the Great Recession.
The housing market is experiencing an unsustainable bubble with surging home prices and a shortage of supply, raising concerns about a potential crash, according to Sheila Bair, former federal regulator during the subprime mortgage crisis. While some experts believe housing prices will continue to rise, others, including Bair and investor Jeremy Grantham, warn of a significant downturn in the market. However, stricter lending standards and homeowners with more equity make a repeat of the subprime crisis less likely.
The housing market is currently experiencing high mortgage rates and rising home prices, making affordability worse than in 2008, according to Goldman Sachs analysis. Despite stronger consumer fundamentals, housing affordability has deteriorated beyond 2006 levels, and without an increase in home supply, unemployment, or a drop in mortgage rates, home prices are expected to continue climbing.
Home prices rising alongside high mortgage rates have made the housing market the least affordable it has been since the early 2000s, with sellers reluctant to sell and buyers struggling with high spending on housing, leading to low existing-home sales volumes and a "lock-in" effect.
The property market is experiencing a prolonged freeze, with home sales expected to reach their lowest levels since the global financial crisis due to high mortgage rates deterring buyers.
The housing market is expected to experience a downturn in the near future due to factors such as high mortgage rates, high home prices, and limited supply, making it increasingly difficult for homebuyers to afford a home.
The current housing market is resembling that of the 1980s, with high inflation, rising interest rates, and a boom of homebuyers coming of age, potentially leading to a similar "housing recession" where home sales stay low and prices stagnate; however, demographic changes, such as millennials reaching prime homebuying age, could support home prices despite rising mortgage rates.
The housing market is facing significant challenges, with a 15% drop in home sales leading to a 13-year low, and economists predicting a "deep freeze" reminiscent of the Great Recession of 2010 or the housing recession of the 1980s, while Zillow has revised its forecast for home price growth downward due to higher mortgage rates.