CALL it drive, call it determination or call it girl power.

In what has been deemed an Australian first, south-east Queensland’s finest female construction workers have come together to build one of the nation’s most unique display homes.

The Women into Building Housing Showcase is the brainchild of multi-award winning Sunshine Coast builder Sam Sheppard, who is known for passionately championing and mentoring women.

In June, she began working with a number of industry stakeholders to roll out a concept which will raise the profile of women in construction on a national level. Read more…

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HIA, Australia’s biggest residential building association, believes that a dismally weak units market is holding up a recovery in new housing across the nation and provides the Reserve Bank reason to pause on any upward movement on interest rates.

HIA’s Senior Economist, Mr Ben Phillips said that according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released today, housing starts fell by 3.7 per cent in the June quarter for 2009 taking starts to 130,642 for the financial year, 17.7 per cent lower than an already weak 2007/08.

Detached house starts grew by 4.2 per cent to 22,808 in the June 2009 quarter. Multi-unit starts dropped by 21.5 per cent to 7,603. Read more…

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Australia’s housing industry is set to recover according to the Housing Industry Association, Australia’s largest building industry organisation.

Commenting on its latest National Outlook report, HIA’s Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale said that the number of new home starts in Australia would increase by more than 20 per cent over the next two years.

“The reasons for the recovery are well known — low interest rates, first home incentives, and a massive boost for social housing. And with consumers feeling more confident about job security and the general economy, new home building and renovation activity will benefit.

“There are early signs of trade-up buyers returning to the market. But to date, investors have tended to do more selling than buying. Read more…

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The level of new home lending remained very healthy in July 2009 said the Housing Industry Association, Australia’s largest building industry organisation.

HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale, said that the number of loans for construction eased slightly in July after eight straight months of growth.

“Construction lending increased by 15 per cent over the three months to July 2009 and is up by 41 per cent over the year to date, clearly signalling the potential for a strong recovery in new home building,” said Harley Dale.

“The concern is that the recovery is getting bogged down in the approvals process. Between November 2008 and July this year the number of loans for construction has jumped by 61 per cent but detached house approvals are only up by 20 per cent. This suggests that a decent pace of recovery in new home starts may be slow to materialise,” Harley Dale said. Read more…

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The decision by the Reserve Bank to once again leave the official cash rate steady at 3 per cent is the right decision given uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of near-term recovery in the Australian economy said the Housing Industry Association, Australia’s largest building industry organisation.

“It will be important to keep interest rates stable in coming months to bolster activity and confidence amidst intensifying speculation regarding retail banks acting off their own bat to raise mortgage rates,” said HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale. Read more…

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Located just 25kms from the CBD and offering access to countless local established and proposed amenities and services, it came as no surprise that new home buyers flooded in to the registration seminar for the house and land ballot system at Woollahra Estate.

With Porter Davis secured as one of only two builders for the estate, the registration seminar took place in their function centre iCube, at Port Melbourne on the 26 August.

On 29 August 2009, would be home owners eagerly awaited a random ballot draw system starting at 930am onsite at Woollahra Estate, Taylor’s Hill. Read more…

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New home buyers looking at purchasing a home are wisely researching all their options, according to leading builder, Porter Davis Homes.

Porter Davis Director Paul Wolff said there has been a notable rise in foot traffic through their Prestige range homes.

“We have definitely seen more visitors in all our displays from the stimulus package boosts but we are now seeing a lot more traffic through our Lifestyle and Prestige ranges,” he said. Read more…

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An Australian Owned Company (Compare Quotes) Provides Convenient Solutions for Sought-after Logistical Needs when moving house!

Compare Quotes believe that consumers should have a smooth & stress-free house moving experience by providing only & the best removalists in Australia Read more…

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The number of new homes sold moved sideways in June, but were still up by 13 per cent for the first half of the year, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), Australia’s largest building industry organisation.

Commenting on the HIA’s latest survey of Australia’s largest builders, HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale said that while the modest June monthly result was weighed down by softer sales results in New South Wales and Queensland, the first half of 2009 clearly marked a healthy turnaround from the weak back half of 2008. Read more…

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Date: 17 June 2009

The defeat of the Australian Business Investment Partnership (ABIP)
legislation by the Senate is a major blow to the Australia’s
development and construction industry, and is likely to put thousands
of jobs at risk. Read more…

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