Dear Client
PROPOSED TENANCY REFORMS
The SA Government has officially launched an extensive review of the Residential Tenancies Act with the release of a discussion paper on 15 November entitled “Modernising SA’s Renting Laws”.
The issues dealt with in the discussion paper include renting with pets, shared housing, and the practice of rent bidding. Standardised application forms, setting maximum bond amounts and extending the notice required for not renewing a tenancy agreement will also be on the table for review.
Other changes up for discussion are housing standards, tenants making safety modifications and minor changes, support for renters experiencing domestic violence, water bills and payment requirements and contaminated properties due to illegal drug activity.
With the consultation set to end on 16 December, the government called on involved stakeholders to make their voices heard and ensure “a fair and equitable system that benefits everyone”.
If you wish to find out more and provide feedback to the SA Government, you can do so via https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/renting-law-reform
CLEARANCE RATES FALL DESPITE ACTIVITY RISE
Australia’s preliminary clearance rates fell from a six-month high last week, despite volume increasing.
According to CoreLogic, auction activity increased 13 per cent to 2,159 total auctions for the week ending 13 November compared to the previous week.
Yet over the same period, preliminary clearance rates Australia-wide declined from 63.7 per cent for the week ending 6 November — the highest since late May when the cash rate was just 0.35 per cent — to 60.1 per cent in the latest round of results.
Melbourne remained the busiest capital city, hosting 920 auctions across the seven-day period as the city’s preliminary clearance rate (60.1 per cent) from 787 currently collected results held above 60 per cent for the 16th consecutive week.
Having registered a 75.3 per cent success rate from 106 total auctions, the Victorian capital’s inner east was its most successful subregion this week. By contrast, its north-west — which returned a preliminary clearance rate of 51.8 per cent from 99 auctions — was its worst performer.
In Sydney, 786 homes went under the hammer across the week, marking the busiest week since the end of September. The harbour city was unable to replicate the success experienced in the previous week — when it recorded its greatest preliminary clearance rate (69.7 per cent) since mid-April — as that figure collapsed 8.8 percentage points to 60.9 per cent.
CoreLogic explained declining preliminary clearance rates in the NSW capital are attributable to uptake in the number of withdrawn auctions, which climbed to 24.4 per cent.
With 75.9 per cent of its 66 auctions returning a positive result, Sydney’s inner west was its strongest-performing subregion, while Sutherland was the weakest performer, mustering a preliminary clearance rate of 41 per cent from 41 auctions.
Across the smaller capitals, an activity increase of 31.5 per cent spurred Brisbane to be the busiest, with 171 homes auctioned off across the week. The Queensland capital registered a preliminary clearance rate of 41.8 per cent.
Adelaide hosted 149 auctions despite a 5.1 per cent activity decrease, while remaining the most successful capital city after 68.6 per cent of its auctions returned a positive result.
Canberra’s volume levels remained consistent with the week prior. The Australian capital hosted 112 auctions with a preliminary clearance rate of 59.7 per cent registered.
Just three of Perth’s 12 auctions returned a successful result, while just one of Tasmania’s three auctions found a buyer
RENTAL SUPPLY SINKS TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE MID-2003: REPORT
A new report showed rental supply across the country has fallen to its lowest level in almost two decades, as the reopening of borders put added demand pressure on the already struggling market.
PropTrack’s Rental Report for September 2022 showed that the total number of rental properties listed on realestate.com.au declined 20.5 per cent in the past 12 months, taking supply to its lowest level since mid-2003.
The decline in total stock comes as data showed that the number of new listings declined 10.4 per cent on a monthly basis to be 7.1 per cent lower compared to the same period last year.
With stocks so restricted, PropTrack noted that tenants are battling it out for every vacancy. Data showed that demand for rental listings has surged by 18.8 per cent over the last year.
The low number of available rental listings across the country has also caused low levels of rental vacancy, which was seen at a historic low of 1.6 per cent in September.
Proptrack noted that the downward trend in supply is also driving rental properties to be snapped up quicker than ever before. In September, the median number of days a property was listed for rent on realestate.com.au was 19 days.
PropTrack director of economic research Cameron Kusher, said the rental market continues to tighten as the Federal Government ramps up immigration.
“Australia’s rental market remains extremely tight, with vacancy rates and supply reducing further over the September 2022 quarter,” Mr Kusher said.
As the screws continue to tighten on supply and demand continues to kick into high gear, rental rates across the country have surged.
Data showed that rents grew by 4.3 per cent during the three-month period to September — the fastest quarterly gain on record.
The expert cited data showing new mortgage lending is trending lower, with investor lending observed to be charting the same downward course — resulting in fewer investment properties being purchased and exacerbating supply challenges.
In August 2022, new lending to investors was $8.9 billion, the lowest value since June 2021 and 23.9 percent below its recent peak.
The share of overall lending to investors remains below its long-term average, as it has consistently since mid-2017.
“With fewer investors purchasing homes to rent out, the limited supply of stock, coupled with strong demand, is leading to heightened increases in advertised rental prices,” he said.
Mr Kushner said that as people move back to the major capital cities as the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic recedes into the background, increased pressure on rentals will also continue.
“The growth and tightness in the rental market appears to be shifting from regional areas back to the capital cities. This is being driven by the return of many people who migrated regionally during the pandemic back to capital cities and the lift in overseas migration,” he commented.
According to Mr Kushner, the pressure from increased migration is particularly prevalent in Sydney and Melbourne.
“Most overseas migrants to Australia settle in these cities with few purchasing a property before arrival, which is likely to keep demand for rentals heightened as supply of rentals is expected to continue to recede, pushing prices higher,” the expert explained.
Across the combined capital cities, rents increased by 3.2 per cent over the quarter, while rents were unchanged in regional areas.
On the supply side, Sydney (-24.2 per cent), Melbourne (-32.8 per cent) and Brisbane (-22.7 per cent) saw the biggest year-on-year declines in total listings.
In terms of demand, Melbourne (45.8 per cent), Sydney (26.8 per cent) and Brisbane (25.9 per cent) also recorded the strongest increases in demand per listing year-on-year.
While there are ways to alleviate the issue, Mr Kushner professed that there doesn’t appear to be a “quick fix” to the current situation.
“The solution to the current tight rental market is either more rental supply or less rental demand, or a combination of both,” he commented.
And despite supply flowing from build-to-rent developments, Mr Kusher predicts that any stock additions will be outstripped by the increase in demand stemming from the re-opening of international borders and the ongoing decline in purchasing by first home buyers.
“These demand and supply issues can be addressed but none of these factors appear set to change in the near-term, which means a further tightening of rental supply and increases in rental costs seems likely over the coming year,” he added.
Rental supply sinks to lowest level since mid-2003: report – Real Estate Business
Thank you for your ongoing support!
Regards David, Benjamin & the Team at DB Philpott Real Estate
