Your Investment Property explores the pros and cons of buying and selling under the hammer in today’s real estate market and shows you how to come out ahead.

The proportion of first homebuyers entering the property market continued its rapid decline, falling to just 10.4% of the total market during the month of March, a new data from AFG showed. The latest figure is a massive drop from the 28.1% recorded in March 2009 when first homebuyers were at their most active phase.

The outlook for businesses is at its highest level in five years with business owners and senior executives confident of a strong June quarter, a new survey shows.

After seeing their market share collapse under the weight of the global financial crisis during the past 18 months, non bank lenders are finally starting to reclaim their stake in the mortgage market.

More small and medium-sized business owners are optimistic about the outlook for their companies than has been seen since the beginning of the GFC, according to a National Australia Bank survey.

While growth in capital city house rents has been sluggish in the past 12 months, many rural towns have seen strong increases.

The collapse of apartment approvals in January spooked many in the industry and government.

Fewer seachangers and retirees moving into coastal areas has resulted in a generally sluggish market during 2009, but some areas defied the downturn and held up well according to rpdata.com.

Australia is on the verge of the biggest investment boom as a large number of projects await final decision to go ahead according to the latest Access Economics - Arup Investment Monitor.

The economic downturn over the past year is now a distant memory for most Australians, who believe the housing market is set to take off - again.

The cost of residential land continues to rise nationally; with a new report showing the median price of raw land jumped 5.7% to $181,158 in the September 2009 quarter.

The total number of dwelling approvals across Australia jumped by a solid 2.2% in December buoyed by the improving economy and low interest rates according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Prime properties are back in favour with a growing number of buyers snapping up higher priced homes according to rpdata.com.

While rent increases and decreased competition from first home buyers make property more attractive to investors, a few obstacles are blocking their full scale return to the market.

Investors have become the main driving force of the property market following a mass exodus of first homebuyers.

The median house price in Australia climbed to $481,310 in the September quarter - the highest level since the December 2007 quarter according to a report compiled by the Real Estate Institute of Australia and Mortgage Choice.

After dropping for four consecutive quarters, the much needed recovery in housing construction appears to be finally underway, thanks to the federal government's first homebuyer assistance and the decade-low interest rates.

Rising property prices and growing confidence among investors have helped lift mortgage size to a new record according to the latest figures from Australian Finance Group (AFG).

Australia's explosive population growth shows no sign of abating. According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia's population grew by 2.1% or 443,000 during the past 12 months ending June 2009. The growth rate of 2.1% is the highest gain in 40 years.

House prices across Australia rallied to record highs in October following moderate gains in September according to new figures from the RP Data-Rismark Hedonic Index.

Melbourne continued its dominance over other capital cities, racking up the largest growth during the first 10 months of the year a new data has shown

The report The proportion of Australian households currently mortgaged has increased to 35%, up from around 30% a decade ago, a new report from securities firm CommSec has revealed.

The study also showed that the proportion of people owning their homes dropped from 40% to 33% over the decade.

Record immigration can be a major boost for the country’s economy in the coming years but it will put pressure on housing supply, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has said.

Australia’s unemployment rate may have already peaked, securities firm CommSec has claimed.

More than 40,000 jobs were created during September and the unemployment rate fell from 5.8% to 5.7%. CommSec has predicted that unemployment figures set to be released next week will show a continued improvement.

Whether it’s just owning an apartment nearby a university or even investing in contracted student housing, investors can benefit from good yields and steady demand. But there are other factors to consider before you head into this market.

It’s been tempting of late to search for a recession-proof investment to carry one through tough economic times.

South-west Victoria is witnessing an unprecedented decline in available rental properties as supply struggles to keep pace with area's rapidly increasing population.

Investing in bricks and mortar could be the key to a rich retirement, if you have the right advice, says investor Brian Doughan.

Brian Doughan turned to property investment in 2001, at the age of 47. He had been working as a schoolteacher for 20 years, and despite his efforts to build a decent superannuation, he realised that movements in the share market prevented him from building a secure retirement fund.

Bill Zheng reveals smart strategies investors can adopt to stay afloat and succeed in the current downturn.

If you’re confused, uncertain and even frightened about the property market in Australia, you’re not alone. Most investors feel that way. They also feel angry and even betrayed.

The uncertainty involved in auctions is perhaps its greatest draw for investors looking for an unexpected bargain. But it also increases the challenge. With a competitive field around, coming out on top without over paying is a difficult task.

People buying their second or third homes are now emerging as the dominant force in the market as first home buyer activity begins to unwind according to a new data.

The AFG Mortgage Index showed that in the month of August, trade-up buyers accounted for 22.8% of all mortgage sold - this compares to just 14.3% in February this year. The loan to value ratio or the proportion of home loan taken against the property value has also eased slightly to 66.3% from 67%.

Melbourne properties staged a stunning performance during the first seven months of the year with median prices jumping by a whopping 8.5% to $454,524 according to RP Data-Rismark International's Home Value Index.

Twelve months ago, it would have been typical for prospective tenants to spend their weekends bidding at auctions to secure a rental property. While unpleasant for tenants, this intense competition led to significant growth in rental returns over 2008 and provided a healthy backbone for many property investments.

Green shoots or false hopes?

The numbers surely have it: housing values across all capital cities surged during the first five months of the year, defying doomsayers who were predicting catastrophic falls. According to the RP Data-Rismark Hedonic Australian Home Value Index, Australian dwelling prices climbed by 3.9% - translating to a 9.4% annual growth rate. Melbourne led the charge, racking up an impressive 6.1% in capital growth, bringing the median value to $443,811 since the beginning of the year. Darwin continued to outperform the rest of Australian cities with a remarkable 14.3% growth over the past 12 months."The property market's performance has been pretty outstanding, particularly in Melbourne, which is the best performing capital city this year," said Tim Lawless, national research director, RP Data. "The 6.1% growth figure for Melbourne was really strong."

Property values in Melbourne staged a stunning performance surging by 6.1% to $443,811 since the beginning of the year, a new report revealed.

The RP Data Rismark International Home Value Index also found that property values in all capital cities rose over the first five months of the year. Sydney values jumped by 5.2% to $529,785, Darwin rose by 5.5% to $444,846 while Brisbane gained 2.6% to $432,811. Perth continued to lag with values increasing only by 0.5% to $468,052 during the same period.

Queensland's affordable property continued to attract homebuyers and investors during the first quarter of 2009, especially in the southeast corner.

According to the March quarter sales data from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), the south eastern region of the state posted the best results.

REIQ chairman Peter McGrath says the low prices in the Toowoomba LGA helped produce a 6.3% increase in median house prices over the March quarter, which pushed values up to $272,000.

The surge in first homebuyer activity reached a peak in March, declining for two consecutive months, according to the largest mortgage broker in Australia.

Property investors can expect double digit house price growth over the next three years, according to a leading economic forecaster's report this week.

Even as activity by first homebuyers has slowed, the value of new housing loans has increased nationally.

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the overall value of housing finance commitments for all dwellings rose for the fifth month in a row, by 3.6%. That comes on the heels of a 6.7% rise in March and a 1.3% rise in February.

Australian investors are increasingly optimistic that an upswing in property values will occur again in 2010, according to a recent survey by an international real estate company. Your Mortgage magazine reports:

The NSW Budget announced this week includes a 50% reduction in stamp duty for new homes, aimed to fuel more activity in the building sector. Your Mortgage magazine reports:

It's a limited effort, however. New home buyers will be restricted to properties valued at $600,000 or less to qualify for the reduction, and the plan will run out at the end of the year.

With a weak British pound, the Aussie dollar is buying more. Combine that with a bottomed-out property market and there are some great investment opportunities to be had – Your Mortgage magazine reports.

Self-managing your investment property can help you save a pretty penny in management fees -but dealing with tenants, coordinating repairs, conducting property inspections and chasing up rent can cause a few headaches. Sarah Megginson investigates the pros and cons of being a DIY landlord

With hundreds of million of dollars worth of new road infrastructure underway and a finite, land-locked supply of accommodation, the booming Redcliffe peninsula is proving to be a popular investment choice. Sarah Megginson reports

Markets are all about supply and demand, and a property's value is a fixed figure reflecting a balance of both. Right? Well, mostly yes, but there are ways topush your advantage so that you end up paying less than you may have expected and land a great buy that will fill out your portfolio plus provide plenty of opportunities for dinner party gloating at your next social engagement. The key is to get smart, get ready and back your judgment.

The most expensive properties are dropping the most in value lately, and are greatly lacking in demand. To cope, many real estate agents are shifting strategy to fit in with the new buying climate packed with bargain hunters. Kit Kadlec reports

Rents continued to grow solidly across all property types in all capital cities in Australia, a new report shows.

Sydney and Melbourne are defying a slow market with both units and houses taking about 30 days on the market to sell.

Fewer Australians are buying luxury homes in Australia as demand has shifted to the lower end, dominated by first homebuyers.

With fewer buyers interested in higher-priced homes, many vendors are now pulling their properties off the market rather than drop their price.

Investors in WA saw their rental income surge after the median house rent climbed by 6% to $370 in the December quarter, according to the latest report from the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA).

While many experts are predicting property values to remain relatively flat, rental yields are expected to strengthen further during the current housing shortage.

While Florida real estate prices have sloped downwards lately, one particular markdown in November went beyond them all - and the person who sold it raised more than a few eyebrows.

Melbourne property prices fell more slowly than expected in the December quarter, thanks to lower rates and the First Home Owner Grant boost. The latest data from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) showed the median house price falling by 0.9% to $426,000, while units dropped 1.1% to $365,000 in median price.

House prices fell by a modest 0.8% in the December quarter, with those in all capital cities except Adelaide and Darwin lower than a year ago, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.