Dan Wilkie

COMMON perceptions of the housing market have been challenged by a new report that says Australian houses are not overly expensive, with the median price at $371,000.

For Paul Bitdorf providing affordable housing is more than a job, he says he’s living the dream.

A ROAD extension project considered vital for the development of the Rockingham/Kwinana industrial area has been indefinitely delayed due to health and environmental concerns.

THE release of long-awaited plans for the Northbridge Link may have grabbed the headlines, but the organisation responsible for delivering the project has unfinished business to attend to elsewhere in the city

THE CBD office leasing market is in a far healthier position than it was heading into the last boom, according to the latest market research from Colliers International.

PROPERTY investment group SAS Global's Forrestdale Business Park development has run into more problems after prospective land purchasers defaulted on nearly half of the pre-sales commitments.

PLANNING Minister John Day has released a new industrial lands strategy with a focus on general and light industry needs for the next 20 years.

BELMONT-BASED construction firm Pindan has responded to a spike in demand for transportable housing by creating a new transportable housing company, Formas Australia.

THE state government will defer a mandatory introduction of six-star green-star energy efficiency requirements to new residential building projects for 12 months, following a five-year campaign against the proposed amendments by the Master Builders Associ

Minister for Science and Innovation Troy Buswell has announced Perth investor and entrepreneur Charles Morgan will be the inaugural chair of the Council for Science and Innovation.

HOUSING groups may differ on when the recovery in housing starts will take effect in Western Australia, but they seem to agree that supply side constraints will continue to present problems for the industry.

A PERTH-BASED insurance broking firm is looking to rebrand itself to create distance between it and embattled West Perth-based property investment group, SAS Global.

THE Master Builders Association has forecast a major downturn in commercial building, with little new private sector work being undertaken, according to its survey of building industry conditions.

THE shift towards sustainable building design in Perth gained further traction this month when a local office building received national recognition.

NEW developments along the northern metropolitan coast have passed some significant milestones, with the official launch of property developer Peet's residential project, Shorehaven, and the passage through parliament of the Jindee Metropolitan Region Sch

THE City of Perth has approved a final concept plan for a revamp of St Georges Terrace between William and Barrack streets that focuses on pedestrian traffic rather than vehicles.

THE City of Cockburn's planning division has won three awards in three categories at the Planning Institute of Australia's Western Australian awards for planning excellence.

Another entity of expansive West Perth-based property investment group SAS Global is under extreme financial pressure, following the collapse of five investment companies under the SAS Global umbrella last week.

OSBORNE Park-based not-for-profit employment agency, Intework, has established a new employment model aimed at integrating people with disabilities into the mainstream workforce.

EAST Perth's status as a prime high-density residential precinct has been further enhanced with the opening of two large apartment complexes on Adelaide Terrace.

The Housing Industry Association has forecast that a significant recovery in housing starts in Western Australia is not expected until financial year 2010/2011.

The expansive property investment group built up by West Perth-based SAS Global has collapsed, with four more entities being placed in administration this week following the recent failure of SAS Global Baldivis.

INVESTORS in the SAS Global group’s property companies face a dire outlook after at least one company was placed in administration last week and two others were forced to cancel restructuring plans.

HERITAGE-LISTED residential properties have proved to be just as valuable as an asset as similar non-listed properties, according to new research undertaken by the Australian Property Institute.

A NEW home building service has been established to assist clients find the builder most suited to their needs.

THE local bulky goods business is entering a consolidation phase after a three-year period of sustained growth, according to industry analysts.

The local retail market is emerging from the economic downturn in good shape.

BIG box liquor stores have been threatening to overwhelm the traditional players for a decade, much as their hardware counterparts have become dominant in that market.

LIKE Perth's CBD, the suburban shopping centre landscape has been defined in 2009 by an abundance of new retail space becoming available to the market.

DEVELOPERS and shopping centre owners are making significant investments to capitalise on the state government’s Activity Centres planning policy.

LIMITED opportunities at Perth's premier strip shopping locations will keep rental values at current levels, as existing retailers hang onto their leases and rarely choose to exit the coveted locations.

SOUTH Hedland is set to get a major revamp, with approval for the development of a new town centre and plans for new worker accommodation that breaks with the Pilbara’s traditional approach.