The Speculative Vacancies report was born in 2007 when Karl Fitzgerald noticed a disparity between media headlines decrying a ‘record low land supply’ and the dozens of vacant homes he passed on his daily bicycle commute. Since then, Prosper Australia has investigated the role of vacant land and housing on housing affordability in Melbourne. Water usage data provided by Melbourne’s water authorities is measured as a proxy for vacancy. Speculative Vacancies are determined when sites are found to have abnormally low water consumption over a full twelve-month period.
- Speculative Vacancies 11: A Window into the Economics of Waiting (2019-2023 data, released 2024) (by Tim Helm)
- Speculative Vacancies 10: A Persistent Puzzle (2019 data, released 2020) (by Karl Fitzgerald)
- Speculative Vacancies 9: Impeding the Market (2017 data, released in 2019) (by Karl Fitzgerald)
- Speculative Vacancies 8: The Empty Properties Ignored by Statistics (2014 data, released in 2015) (by Catherine Cashmore)
- Speculative Vacancies 7: Empty Investment Homes Ignored (2013 data, released in 2014) (by Catherine Cashmore)
- Speculative Vacancies 6: Speculative Vacancies in Melbourne 2013 (2012 data, released in 2013)(by Phil Soos & Paul Egan)
- Speculative Vacancies in Melbourne (2010 data, released in 2011) (Tom Curtis)
- I want to Live Here Report 2009 (2009 data, released in 2009) Andrew Sadauskas
- I want to live here Report 2008 (2008 data, released in 2008) Andrew Sadauskas
- I want to live here Report 2007 (Karl Fitzgerald)