Property

The first phase of the state and federal governments' plan to boost social housing stock in WA is set to start with 286 houses, valued at $70 million, to be built by mid next year.

LandCorp and Stockland have together received a national award for the South Beach Estate, the only Western Australian winner at the Urban Development Institute of Australia Awards.

The state government has appointed Gary Prattley as the new chair of the Western Australian Planning Commission.

A shortage of industrial land throughout Perth has both national and international companies considering a relocation to Balcatta as an industrial site is sold for more than $7 million.

The state government has claimed Cabinet confidentiality in its refusal to release the State Infrastructure Strategy despite the opposition's claims it will cause business confidence to continue to drop.

Less than a week after securing a deal to build the largest catamaran ferry in the company's history, Austal has secured a second ferry contract valued at $106 million.

A PROPOSAL by the City of Wanneroo could provide a solution to the growing concerns of developers over requirements to preserve habitats of the endangered Carnaby's Black Cockatoo.

Perth property values have bucked the slight upward national trend, with the median value of houses dipping 1 per cent in the three months to the end of February.

Four Western Australian housing providers have gained approval to build more than 400 new affordable rental homes for low and middle income families under the first round of the National Affordable Rental Scheme.

The occupancy rate in Perth's major hotels reached 82.4 per cent during 2008, ranking Perth at the top of a global survey of hotel occupancy rates.

HOPES of Perth throwing off its Dullsville tag once and for all have been dashed with the government's belt-tightening and its shift in priorities for key infrastructure projects.

SPECULATION over the status of Finbar's mixed-use development on the former Fairlanes Bowling site has been put to rest after the developer this week launched an off-the-plan sales campaign for the residential component.

THE Royalties for Regions scheme couldn't have come at a better time for the state's rural areas, with the list of infrastructure projects being developed helping cushion the regions from the worst of the economic downturn.

INCREASING demand for student housing has prompted a number of Perth universities to commit to expanding their on-campus accommodation.

The Subiaco Redevelopment Authority is free to develop the north-eastern corner of Subi Centro into a mixed use residentital and commercial space following approval from Planning Minister John Day.

TWO real estate agency acquisitions in recent weeks could be a sign of increased activity in the sector, as business looks to rationalise their operations and gain economies of scale during the down cycle.

SMALL to medium-sized enterprises are frustrated that interest rates for business loans remain higher than loans in the residential sector.

Architect-design firm shows the value of a well-planned restoration in the heart of the city.

Perth firm Christensen Vaughan will merge with the Perth operations of national legal firm Gadens Lawyers to form an expanded commercial legal practice in Western Australia.

Perth remains among the most expensive in the world for office accommodation, however, a new research report released by DTZ has forecast a decline in occupancy costs in the year ahead.

Belmont-based property developer Diploma Group has booked an interim net profit of $941,000, a dramatic fall from the previous corresponding period's profit of $4.8 million.

There’s unlikely to be a return to record low CBD vacancy rates any time soon.

THE long-awaited opening of the new Bishops See office building at 235 St Georges Terrace could set the tone for the move towards greener, more sustainable office buildings in Perth.

NEW research by the Urban Development Institute of Australia WA suggests the federal government's first home owner grant (FHOG) needs to remain in place for 18 months in order to effectively stimulate the market for the long term.

The state government will create a new director position to oversee the expansion of the Ord River irrigation scheme and associated community and social infrastructure in the east Kimberley.

The unwinding of the commodity and mining investment boom will take the lustre out of the Western Australian, Northern Territory and Queensland economies over the next few years, according to Access Economics, as the nation's economic backdrop continues t

Navitas has formed a new partnership with software companies Oracle and Delexian to implement applications for its financial services platform across the entire group.

South Hedland is set for a revamp after the government announced it has allocated $23 million from the royalties for regions fund for a redevelopment plan.

A new expert group has been established by the state government to guide the future expansion of Fremantle Port.

Building approvals in Western Australia have nearly halved over the past year as the latest January figures solidifies the property slump in the state.

This current down cycle is different from the others in terms of its speed and widespread impact.

Sales activity in the Perth CBD commercial market is gathering pace, as some real estate investment trusts look to sell assets and private investors scour for bargains.