This week, some housing markets moved up strongly, while others slowed down or even dropped a little. Let’s look at the three main markets that showed the biggest changes and why they shifted.
1. Australia – Prices Going Up
- Home prices are rising quickly.
- NAB’s Property Index reached the highest level in a year, showing strong buyer confidence.
- First-home buyers are very active, making up about 40% of sales.
- Since January, prices have increased by about 3% (around $86,000 more in value).
- Government support programs and lower rates are helping the market grow.
2. United Kingdom – Prices Cooling Down
- House prices in the UK fell 0.1% this month and 0.4% during summer.
- The fall is linked to uncertain tax changes, like:
- Capital Gains Tax on main homes
- Extra tax on rental income
- Replacing stamp duty with a yearly property tax
- Because of this, many buyers and sellers are waiting for more clarity.
3. Sydney, Australia – Central Coast Dropped
- In Sydney overall, prices went up by 0.7% in August and 1.5% in the last three months.
- But the Central Coast area fell by 0.38%, the only Sydney region that did not grow.
- The drop was mostly due to lower investor demand in that region.
Quick Summary Table
MarketChangeReasonAustraliaPrices rising (+3%)Govt support + strong demandUnited KingdomPrices falling (-0.1%)Tax policy uncertaintySydney – Central CoastPrices falling (-0.38%)Lower investor demand
Outlook (What’s Next?)
- Australia: Prices may keep rising as spring brings more buyers.
- UK: Market will likely stay slow until tax rules are clearer.
- Sydney – Central Coast: Could recover if overall Sydney demand keeps growing.