photo credit: atomicshark“The devil is in the details.” German Proverb A fascinating paper on Manhattan real estate in the 1920-39 era shows why property went down, stayed down and didn’t recover in real terms until 1960. ‘Real Estate Prices During the Roaring...
BLOG: Commentary
Take your positions, please
A debate is a chance to crunch opposing views. Strong ideas advance and poor ones are discarded. Good. But when participants and audience have already made up their minds, fresh argument goes nowhere. The Money Institute’s big debate in Sydney on Tuesday asked – Will...
Hit over the head with a plasma screen
Have you noticed? Owning a modern flat screen television proves you are not saving every day in every way - the sacrifice essential for home ownership. This theme is raised again and again by the shills and trolls pouring venom into the debates on the blogs and...
Don’t be surprised if the GDP is shocking
photo credit: Jasmic Gavin R. Putland in today's Crikey Enewsletter: Without the benefit of reading today's balance-of-payments figures from the ABS, I'm expecting tomorrow's GDP figure for the March quarter to be worse than the median forecast of mainstream...
Can You Smell the Fear?
On Tuesday, SQM Research released their forecast for house price movements this year. Louis Christopher is as dour as a maiden aunt.
Australia’s fatal flaw: Negative Gearing
“You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” - Warren Buffett, Chairman's letter 2001. Negatively geared property investors are exposing themselves, the banks and every Australian citizen to capital destruction, a highly infectious disease that...
Tinkering on the Edge
photo credit: flatworldsedge Economic Answers Way off the Mark by Karl Williams Another neoclassical excuse-maker has just hit the airwaves, claiming to identify the causes of the GFC and even hailing Alan Greenspan as the prophet who was ignored as the GFC loomed!...
Speculative Vacancies Twist the Supply and Demand Pretzel
Australians debate property prices without end. Fortunes and future happiness pivot on the balance of supply and demand. Yet good statistics about this crucial matter are rare. There are many heavily geared investors in residential real estate cozying up alongside the...
Ghosting Fiscal Conservatism
Housing auction clearance rates are being over stated to protect ‘the market’. Why has our financial data been distorted to suit those ‘in the know’?
Supporting the Have Not’s
Supporting the Have Not’s – Why the Home Buyer’s Strike must continue.