http://www.paulcastran.net Paul Castran, CEO of Castran Gilbert, speaks about the Australian real estate marketplace Wed, 15 Sep 2010 04:36:18 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Melbourne property continues to steam ahead after agents sold an enormous $341.9 million worth of property on Saturday, with a clearence rate of 70% of the 658 properties sold according to the REIV. Melbournes most expensive property on Saturday was a four bedroom, 3040sq m property at Ivanhoe, which sold for ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2010/09/341m-of-property-sold-over-the-weekend/ While the property witnesses an explosive growth with property prices, BIS Shrapnel, an economic forecaster recently stated that weak first home buyer activity and increasing interest rates is expected to result in slower growth of housing prices during the year 2010. However, BIS Shrapnel asserts in its Residential Property Prospects, 2010 ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2010/06/housing-sector-to-witness-slow-growth-in-prices-during-2010/   My brother John Castran has had a lucky escape over the weekend, after being buried under over 1m of snow in an avalanche in New Zealand. John escaped after his son Angus located him using a tracking beacon, then dug him out. Here is an extract from ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/07/paul-castran-how-my-brother-escaped-deadly-icy-tomb-in-new-zealand/   The weekend Auction Clearance rate rose to a healthy 85% on increased volume, up from 84% last week. http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/07/auction-clearance-rates-18th-19th-july/ With affordability at its lowest level on record, first-home buyers are thinking outside the square.  And by outside the square, we’re talking inside the family! The home-ownership dream rarely used to feature a sibling in your bathtub and a parent on your certificate of title. These days though, first-home buyers are ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/06/families-pooling-funds-and-buying-together-more-common-than-ever/ INVESTORS own around two million homes in Australia and every year thousands claim deductions they’re not entitled to and fall foul of the Australian Taxation Office. The result can be a kind warning or a significant fine and large interest bill. The tax office says investors’ should be responsible in getting ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/06/tax-hurdles-catching-out-property-investors/ CASHED-UP Melburnians keen to snatch beachfront holiday homes from struggling vendors could be in for a big surprise! Plunging average prices for regional seaside homes don't tell the full story. Valuer-General Victoria sales figures released this month by Land Victoria show median house prices rose in a third of seaside towns! ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/05/beach-bargains-a-fairy-story/ In today's low-interest-rate environment one of the common questions property investors ask is, "What happens if we buy now and interest rates skyrocket, like back in the 1980’s?" An understandable concern and today's historically low interest rates can't be sustained forever because at some point the economy will begin recovering, ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/05/high-interest-rates-actually-a-benefit-for-investors/ MELBOURNE's auction market had its highest clearance rate over the weekend since the end of the property boom in December 2007. Of 452 properties up for auction, 83 per cent sold and 77 properties passed in! However, the number of properties for auction was 126 fewer than at the same time ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/05/a-great-weekend-for-the-melbourne-auction-market/ Melbourne's outer suburb vacancy rates have improved from 0.7 per cent to 1.8 per cent in the past six months, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria's April vacancy rates. Vacancy rates across Melbourne are reasonably steady having been between one and 1.4% for 12 months. However it‘s ... http://www.paulcastran.net/2009/05/first-homebuyers-improve-rental-vacancies/