THE REST of the world looks upon Australia with envy. And you only need to scan these graphs to understand why.
It all comes down to a feeling of comparative well-being.
Australians have had it so good, for so long … that the current slower pace somehow makes us feel gloomy — because it's simply "not normal".
Meanwhile, most other countries just wish they were in our position. [Read more...]
UNFORTUNATELY, you simply can't avoid experiencing some pain … whenever structural changes occur within the economy.
However, these changes also provide considerable opportunities for the shrewd Commercial property investor. But more on that later. [Read more...]
AND THE ANSWER? Yes, but probably less than previously — due to both the State and the Federal austerity measures, currently being implemented.
Some of the recently-announced public service layoffs will remove the "automatic" component of government take-up, from the CBD Office demand equation. But that's not altogether a bad thing. [Read more...]
ACCORDING to a recent report by Property Watch, overseas investors appear to be strongly buying Office buildings, within Docklands and the CBD of Melbourne.
Currently, these Office purchases account for around 36% of all very major deals being transacted — and they seem to be driven by Melbourne having the 2nd lowest vacancy rate, after Perth. [Read more...]
NOT 
EVERYONE was expecting the RBA to further ease the cash rate, when its Board met this week.
Some felt the Board would simply "keep its power dry", and just wait to see how the outcome of the 17 June election in Greece unfolded.
Some economists like Saul Eslake (of Merrill Lynch) felt that the $2.5 billion of cash payments by way of government compensation for the carbon tax, would serve as "enough stimulus" for now.
But maybe, such thinking took too simplistic a view of things. [Read more...]
FOR SOME time now, the RBA has been as assuring us of the flow-on benefits soon to reach the non-mining states of Victoria and New South Wales.
However, these benefits may not be very easy to recognise. And so, let's attempt to make things a little clearer. [Read more...]
EVERYONE seems to be talking about how people are flocking to the mining states … but does that really give a true reflection of what is occurring?
If you take a close look at the statistics, Melbourne is actually leading the country in increased population numbers.
In fact, it has added some 67,000 people during the 12 months to June last year. And Wyndham to the south-west (which includes Werribee) now holds the crown for Australia's fastest-growing municipality, for the 2nd year running. [Read more...]
IN CASE you missed the lead story in last Friday's Financial Review … the Treasury secretary (Martin Parkinson) was outspokenly critical of the government's recent handouts to the car industry.
And more particularly, given the recent strong growth in the unemployment figures.
In his view, taxpayers ought not be subsidising so-called "strategic industries" — when these represent inevitable structural changes, which need to occur in order to make Australia more productive in the long-term. [Read more...]
All the talk about the RBA needing to slash interest rates seems to be emerging from a relatively small section of our community.
Retailers and manufacturers probably feel they are going through a recession; and housing is currently moving sideways.
However, you need to look a little deeper than this — because these three sectors account for only 20% of the economy. [Read more...]
Wherever you live, you tend to believe (and will happily tell people) that it is undoubtedly the best place to live.
Really, it's just human nature.
But when it comes to investing your hard-earned dollars into Commercial property … your decisions should be governed by something more than a warm and fuzzy feeling.
For the past four or five years, Victoria has led the nation in economic growth; and it is one of the few enjoying a net growth in migration from other states.
Furthermore, the latest ABS figures now confirm Victoria's continued growth and job creation — leading all-comers over the past 12 months.
And you'll also notice most of the various service sectors are currently outstripping the mining sector, as far as employment numbers are concerned. [Read more...]
"From a very early age ... Chris Lang has always sought to discover what the RULES were for each new challenge — so he could finally master them. And then go on to succeed, at whatever he undertook". More ...
