Hot Property: The biggest property headlines from the week 18-22 January

To compile this list, not only do we consider the week’s most-read stories and the news that matters to you, but we curate it to include stories from our sister brands that also have an impact on the Australian property landscape.

Proposed BID extension delayed

The Treasurer has told The Adviser that government will delay finalising the proposed extension of the best interests duty until after Senate’s inquiry reports back in mid-March.

Brokers report longer turnarounds at the big banks

The major banks suffered from longer turnaround times over December, according to respondents of the latest Broker Pulse, while non-majors continued to improve theirs.

Quiet January period hammers mortgage activity

NSW has led the states in a steep fall in mortgage market activity amid the quiet holiday period, according to figures.

Low rates could see 30% house price rise: RBA

A new FOI document released by the RBA shows that it believes economic risks may increase due to low interest rates, and that house prices could rise substantially if the cash rate is held at record lows.

Magnolia rings in voluntary administrator for The Agency

The Agency v Magnolia saga picked up again this week, with Magnolia expressing an intention to pursue The Agency Group for outstanding debt.

A number of updates have been provided since:

Magnolia backflips on proposed takeover bid

The Agency remains in directors’ hands

Real estate giant scoops top Melbourne agent

After years of servicing Melbourne’s west, Leigh Grixti has been revealed as joining forces with real estate agency Ray White.

Why agents should expect less of their teams

No matter the business, culture is vitally important for leading happy and hard-working teams. But sometimes, less can be more, a director has flagged.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Secrets of the Top 100 Agents podcast, William Chan expressed the belief that no employee will ever work as hard as their business owner — and nor should they be expected to.

LJ Hooker looks beyond 30% market share with merger

In a win for LJ Hooker, agent Adam Gould and his team at Gould Estate Agents have joined Iain Carmichael’s LJ Hooker Property Centre.

10 predictions for Australia’s property market in 2021

Now that the clock has ticked over from 2020 to 2021 and a COVID vaccine is Australia-bound, property investors are looking ahead to see what this year will bring for the property market.

HomeBuilder application soar as first-timers enter the market in record numbers

According to fresh Treasury data, more than 75,000 households have applied for the HomeBuilder grant, with around 80 per cent of these for new constructions, as the stimulus continues to support jobs and drive economic activity.

Double-digit price growth to stick around as ‘property boom’ arrives

According to leading indicators, Australia’s property boom officially began in November, following several slow months on the back of the COVID crisis, with double-digit price growth already logged across Australia.

[Related: Hot Property: The biggest property headlines from the week 11-15 January]