Regional variations emerge in Australian property market

Regional differences are emerging in the Australian housing market, with some regions reporting price rises and others seeing values decline.
Sydney and Canberra are seeing real estate values continue to climb, but those in Perth and Brisbane falling, according to the latest house market index.
In addition, the figures show that cheaper properties are selling better than the luxury end of the market, with interest rates and natural disasters such as the floods in January taking their toll.
According to Tim Lawless, RP Data’s research director, expensive suburbs have helped drag the overall market down.
Indeed, over the year to end April, properties in the most expensive suburbs fell 5.4 per cent. This compares to declines of 0.9 per cent and 0.5 per cent in the middle priced suburbs and cheapest suburbs respectively.
"The luxury end of the housing market is also showing its volatility. During the growth phase of the cycle the most expensive homes realised the highest capital gains," he said.
"Yet as the market cools premium home values seem to be losing steam the fastest."

Spanish property market ‘looks bright’

Despite a number of indices suggesting that prices are falling and oversupply is having a negative impact on the sector, one firm has offered a positive outlook for the Spanish property market.
"In Spain things are looking very bright," Dr Dennis Coote, founder of The Hampshire & Home Counties Property Networking Club, said.
"Prices are not going up very fast, but there’s a very lively atmosphere. I don’t see any evidence of people being hard up here, honestly. It’s very much [a vibrant market]," he explained.
His comments follow the publication of new research by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors into distressed property listings.
According to its Global Distressed Property Monitor, Spain has seen one of the largest increases in foreclosed property anywhere in the world, with the firm only expecting the number to increase.
Indeed, in the coming three months, Ireland, Spain, Hungary and Italy expect the highest numbers of distressed properties to come to market, while Russia, China, South Africa and Poland expect the lowest.