A weblog to publish views and articles on the housing affordability crisis, particularly as it is occurring in Australia, exacerbated by free market real estate salespeople and lobby groups, and indifferent governments who are either laissez faire or actively providing inappropriate tax breaks and clearly inflationary, irresponsible grants like the FHOG and FHOB.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
The Daily Telegraph | Suburbs' rent chaos
In some areas of Sydney desperate renters are panic bidding and offering to sign 18-month leases in an attempt to secure a home.
Other exasperated homehunters are so frustrated they have given up and turned to living in share accommodation with strangers instead."
The Daily Telegraph | Land sale cover-up
Do you think there was going to be any allowance for mandated affordable housing in this land sale to developers? Given that the NSW Labor government has no policy on this.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Aussies sinking deeper into money crisis
Aussies sinking deeper into money crisis"Australians are sinking deeper into financial crisis, with petrol prices soaring and higher interest rates making it more difficult for consumers to pay off their debts.
And financial counselling services across Australia are finding it difficult to cope with the growing number of people needing their help.
Mike Young, a financial counsellor with Lifeline Western Sydney, said debt crisis was not unique to low income earners.
But the effect of this month's interest rate rise on Australians was yet to be seen, he added. Other factors were also hurting household budgets, Mr Young said. "We are seeing the start of the effect of the new industrial relations laws," he said. And recent changes to debt recovery laws were not helping, Mr Young said."