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Melbourne City, and Regional Cities such as Geelong and Ballarat are recovering. Clearance rates at auction have improved significantly, and this has occurred without any external interference. The reasons are summarised below – Return of the incumbent Government has created stability and much needed confidence Lending restrictions have eased Unprecedented population growth Low interest rates Bipartisan approach to implement the greatest transport infrastructure program in Victoria’s history The removal of stamp duty savings buying off the plan for investment, the “prohibition” approach of foreign investment in Australia by Chinese nationals, and higher interest rates for investment have cruelled the building industry. This has led to a dramatic fall in new building approvals and experts are now predicting a shortage of new apartment accommodation in the future. Here is my snapshot – Based on all of the above, my expectation is there will be robust capital growth across most housing categories, and higher yields. This a growth area for negative gearing but stay away from buying apartments off the plan. Without government support, 1st home buyers will continue to struggle, and will need to become more proactive approach to saving at a much earlier age or rely on parental support. This is a social challenge for the Government for which there are no short term answers. Unless the Government is willing to continue subsidising home ownership, like many other of the best cities in the world, home ownership will continue to become more difficult. Regional areas of Melbourne will benefit most from the Governments transport infrastructure program. The end of the line cities such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and even suburbs such as Frankston will have the most to gain compared to the areas in between. This is an ideal entry level opportunity for 1st home buyers which is being supported by a government funded regional home buyers grant. This massive infrastructure spend will have little impact on Melbourne’s Inner City property values which are scarce by definition and not transport dependent. As a consequence, inner city real estate will continue to escalate in value. In summary, Melbourne continues to be a robust place for investment, lifestyle and opportunity. It will remain one of the best cities in the world for many years to come, and I see no reason why real estate should not continue to be a key driver of wealth creation for home owners and investment. Other Articles: https://www.robmillar.com.au/robs-blog/ Author: Rob Millar

Entering the property market can be quite a daunting experience for all purchasers and especially first time purchasers. What to do and what not to do? So much jargon, what does it all mean? Who can you trust? Who do I need to help? What should I do to help put myself in the best position to get a loan?