Property

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.

Projects funded through the federal government's stimulus packages will be able to sidestep the state's planning approvals process so entitlements will not be lost, Planning Minister John Day says.

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.

The state government has raised $11 million from the auction of 10 government houses in affluent suburbs over the past three months.

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.

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.

The state government has released proposed new housing codes for higher density areas for public comment today.

The impact of the federal government's roll back of the first home owners boost has affected Western Australia the most, where mortgage volumes slumped 35.5 per cent in October, new figures show.

An increased flow of credit into the housing sector, apparently due to a last minute rush by first home buyers to secure the full benefit of a more generous housing grant, looks likely to generate a boost to the economy.

The state's median land price has surged 11 per cent in the September quarter, while house prices rose 2.2 per cent to a median of $460,000, new final figures from the Real Estate Institute of WA show.

Cedar Woods Properties says it will restart its interim dividend next year after it tipped a $12.5 million full year profit for 2009/10 on the back of a strengthening residential property market.

PERTH architect Peter Hunt has won numerous awards over the years, but his latest was perhaps the most surprising.

THE owners of two Perth office buildings have been awarded grants under the federal government's Green Building Fund for upgrades to make them more environmentally efficient.

CONTRADICTORY recent indices measuring home values have somewhat muddied the price direction of Perth’s residential property market.

Building approvals in Western Australia climbed 5.9 per cent during September as national figures were higher than forecast, new data shows.

The latest capital raising for Peet's residential land syndicate, the Peet Point Cook Kingsford Syndicate has closed oversubscribed with investors applying for more than 22 million units.

Satterley Property Group has secured a $36 million contract from the state government to build 231 affordable new homes as part of the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Package.

The direction of Perth's property market may not be quite so clear cut with latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics over house prices putting it at odds with figures released last week.

Shares in property developer Port Bouvard have been placed in a trading halt on a request from the company in order to complete the refinancing of its existing loan facilitites with St George bank.

Home values in Perth have bucked the national growth trend, falling more than 1 per cent in the September quarter, according to data released today which counter other reports' suggestions that median home values in Perth have increased in recent months.

The number of new home sales in Western Australia fell by 11.1 per cent in September, the country's second biggest drop and nearly three times national decline, following a strong surge in August, according to a Housing Industry Association (HIA) survey.

THE City of Bunbury has called for a more detailed planning strategy for the region after the release of a broad planning framework for the South West.

Perth’s industrial land values have reached a low point and are tipped to rise as the economy recovers.

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.

Perth real estate developer Port Bouvard has called for the trading of its shares to be halted ahead of a critical refinancing deadline on Sunday night.

Treasurer Troy Buswell says the state government will partner with the private sector to develop new subdivision opportunities to avoid a second big spike in Perth land prices.

The median land price in Perth has risen 4.8 per cent in the June quarter as the land price in the South West was among the 10 most expensive areas in the country, a new report shows.

The retail property space in Perth city is tightening up with vacancies in the CBD malls falling by more than 7 per cent while rents are pushed to an all-time high of close to $5,000 per square metres, a new report shows.

Property funds manager Aspen Group has started the first stage of construction at its 900-lot St Leonard's Estate in the Swan Valley, as it halves its debt following the completion of a recapitalisation process.

THE developers planning to turn land around Jandakot Airport into a major commercial and industrial precinct have shifted their focus to industrial tenants as the project nears a final environmental approval decision.