Where are tradies most in demand at the moment?

Keen to tackle a renovation project in 2022? You might have noticed that tradies are hard to pin down at the moment. So if you live in one of the suburbs in this week’s article, you might want to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later…

If you’ve ever watched The Block, you’ll know that a good team of reliable tradies can be the difference between a home reno project running smoothly, and everything going to hell in a handbasket.

But where in the world are all the good tradies right now?

If you’ve tried to source one recently for your own reno project, you might’ve noticed that quotes are up, calls are going unanswered and unreturned, and wait times are through the (unfinished) roof.

Well, it turns out Australians have been spending record amounts on renovations, which in turn has led to a surge in tradie demand.

“Home renovations have boomed nationwide as more time spent at home combined with ultra-low loan rates, government grants and improved household savings became the perfect combination of factors to drive heightened demand for renovations,” explains PropTrack senior economist Eleanor Creagh.

So which Aussie suburbs have the highest demand for tradies?

Like most things in the world of property and finance, some areas are busier than others.

Below are the top ten most in-demand suburbs in each state, according to online tradie directory hipages, as well as the most in-demand suburbs across the country.

National: Point Cook (Vic), Berwick (Vic), Craigieburn (Vic), Frankston (Vic), Kellyville (NSW), Werribee (Vic), Tarneit (Vic), Blacktown (NSW), Baulkham Hills (NSW), Castle Hill (NSW).

NSW: Kellyville, Blacktown, Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Quakers Hill, Campbelltown, Sydney, Penrith, Schofields, Maroubra.

VIC: Point Cook, Berwick, Craigieburn, Frankston, Werribee, Tarneit, Melbourne, Truganina, Pakenham, Hoppers Crossing.

QLD: Buderim, Southport, Upper Coomera, Surfers Paradise, Robina, Coomera, Forest Lake, Brisbane, Helensvale, Springfield Lakes.

WA: Canning Vale, Baldivis, Mandurah, Dianella, Scarborough, Thornlie, Willetton, Perth, Morley, Armadale.

SA: Adelaide, Morphett Vale, Hallett Cove, Mount Barker, Paralowie, Golden Grove, Aberfoyle Park, Parafield Gardens, Prospect, Mawson Lakes.

ACT: Kambah, Canberra, Ngunnawal, Belconnen, Amaroo, Gordon, Wanniassa, Gungahlin, Banks, Casey.

TAS: Hobart, Devonport, Launceston, Glenorchy, Sandy Bay, Kingston, Howrah, Lenah Valley, Claremont, Bellerive.

NT: Alawa, Darwin, Anula, Archer, Bakewell, Bagot, Alice Springs, Darwin City, Palmerston, Durack.

Need reliable finance for your reno project?

With wait times for reliable tradies blowing out, and supply chain issues when it comes to materials like timber also causing disruptions, the last thing you need is more delays to your reno project due to finance complications.

And that’s where we come in.

Not only can we help you secure funding at a great rate, but we can also help you select a loan that allows flexibility for any unforeseen contingencies along the way.

So if you’d like to explore your reno finance options, get in touch today – we’d love to help you turn your 2022 reno dreams into a reality.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Fixed rates on the rise, as CommBank tips a June cash rate hike

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Hold onto your hats, things are about to get a little bumpy. Economists from Australia’s biggest bank are predicting the Reserve Bank will raise the official cash rate as early as June – and we’re already seeing fixed interest rates increase significantly.

Commonwealth Bank (CBA) economists have brought forward their forecasted Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cash rate hike from August to June, making it the earliest prediction amongst the big four banks.

We’ll go into more detail on why CBA has brought forward their prediction below, but first something a little more concrete: we’ve definitely noticed fixed rates trending up in recent months.

Fixed rate hikes

For example, back in November, for a $700,000 loan at 80% loan-to-value ratio, a two-year fixed rate with one particular lender was 1.84%.

That rate has since gone up to 3.04% – a staggering increase.

While not every lender has increased fixed rates so significantly, we are seeing them go up across the board.

So if you have been umming and ahhing about fixing your rate lately, you’ll want to get in touch with us sooner rather than later.

Because while most lenders have recently reduced their variable rates to compensate a little, with news now that the cash rate is being tipped to increase mid-year, you can expect variable rates to increase with the cash rate.

So why has CBA brought forward their forecast to June?

Ok, so back to CBA’s June cash-rate hike prediction and why they’ve brought it forward from August.

In a nutshell, CBA senior economist Gareth Aird is anticipating inflation to be a lot stronger than the RBA is forecasting.

As a result, Mr Aird believes this will lead to a rise in the cash rate to 0.25% at the June board meeting (currently it’s at a record-low 0.1%).

“We are very comfortable with our expectation that the quarter-one 2022 underlying inflation data will be a lot stronger than the RBA’s forecast,” explains Mr Aird.

And here’s the thing: it’s not the only cash rate hike CBA is predicting the RBA will make over the next 12 months.

Mr Aird is expecting a further three rate increases over 2022 to take the cash rate to 1%, with another move to 1.25% in early 2023.

That’s five cash rate hikes over 12 months!

Get in touch today to explore your options

Believe it or not, there are more than 1 million mortgage holders out there who have never experienced a rate rise (the last RBA cash rate hike was in November 2010).

And if the CBA’s prediction of five rate hikes over the next 12 months proves right, then some households will be in for a bumpy ride as they face hundreds of dollars in extra mortgage repayments each month.

So if you’re keen to act before the RBA increases the official cash rate, get in touch with us today. We’d love to sit down with you and help you work through your options in advance.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Flexibility emerges as a key priority for small business loans

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What’s most important to you when selecting a lender to provide finance for your small business right now? Well, Australian small business owners have put ‘flexibility’ when it comes to loan repayments right up there on their priority list.

And that should come as no surprise given the disruptive nature of the economy that most businesses have had to endure over the past two years.

In fact, research conducted by RFi Group, commissioned by small business lender Prospa, found one-third of SMEs (33%) would more likely choose a lender with more flexible repayment options when applying for funds over the next 12 months.

So what are flexible repayments?

Well, when respondents were given the opportunity to define flexible repayments, one key theme was prevalent: flexible timeframes.

Many SMEs associated flexible loan repayments with the ability to repay loans earlier, extend repayment periods, or make no repayments for a given time (ie. up to 8 weeks).

“Small businesses were required to adapt, shift, or pivot over the past two years,” explains Prospa national sales manager Roberto Sanz.

“Therefore, it is understandable that business owners are looking for flexibility to work through changing market conditions and make necessary adjustments to keep their business moving.”

Prospa’s research is in line with that of SME non-bank lender ScotPac, which found that cash flow was a top-three concern for business owners right now, with 81.5% of SMEs admitting it had them worried.

Want to explore your flexible finance options in 2022?

The SME lending space is an evolving one, with a surge of new lenders and products recently hitting the market.

And one key emerging trend is, yep, you guessed it: flexibility.

So if you’re an SME owner who might be in need of flexible funding, get in touch today. We’d love to help your business explore its options.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Why are houses becoming so much more expensive to build?

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Construction costs just rose at the fastest annual pace since 2005. So why is it getting so expensive to build your own home? Today we’ll look at the materials that are becoming more expensive and why all homeowners should take note – not just renovators and builders.

“Your grandpa built this place with his own two hands”, or so your dad used to boast.

So if Pop could do it with his trusty hammer, some nails, and a bit of hard yakka, why is it so expensive to build a home of your own these days? (Your own handiwork inadequacies aside…)

Well, for starters, national construction costs increased 7.3% in the 2021 calendar year alone, which was the highest annual growth rate since March 2005.

And the not-so-great news is that property market data company CoreLogic is expecting growth in residential construction costs to remain above average over the coming quarter as supply chain disruptions persist.

“There is a significant amount of residential construction work in the pipeline that has been approved but not yet completed,” explains CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless.

So what materials are getting more expensive and harder to source?

Data shows that cost increases are being driven primarily by timber (mostly structural timber).

In fact, in the final quarter of 2021, the value of select wood imports reached their highest level on record, says Housing Industry Association (HIA) economist Thomas Devitt.

“Timber is predominantly produced domestically but excess demand, such as in a boom year like 2022, is largely sourced from overseas markets,” says Mr Devitt.

Other segments of the market also remain volatile, with increasing pressure currently on metal costs.

“With some materials such as timber and metal products reportedly remaining in short supply, there is the possibility some residential projects will be delayed or run over budget,” adds Mr Lawless.

And with building approvals for detached housing recording their strongest year on record in 2021 (with 150,000 approvals), demand isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon.

“This boom is set to keep builders busy this year and into 2023,” adds Mr Devitt.

Mr Lawless says: “With such a large rise in construction costs over the year, we could see this translating into more expensive new homes and bigger renovation costs, ultimately placing additional upwards pressure on inflation.”

Why current homeowners should also take note

Higher construction costs are likely to add to affordability challenges in the established housing market, making it harder for homeowners to upgrade.

And CoreLogic Head of Insurance Solutions Matthew Walker warns that higher building costs mean homeowners and property investors should also review their insurance cover.

“In these times of rapidly rising home and construction costs, under insurance can quickly become a real threat to what is a most valuable asset,” says Mr Walker.

“It’s important that homeowners keep track of their sum insured and annually check that it is sufficient should the worst occur by using their insurer’s rebuild calculator or giving them a call.”

How to get the right kind of finance for a construction project

Finding the right kind of finance for a construction project can be tricky at the best of times – let alone when building supplies are becoming more expensive and wait times are blowing out due to supply constraints.

That’s why it’s important to team up with a professional like us when looking for a construction loan.

Not only can we help you secure a great rate, but we can also help you select a loan that allows flexibility for any unforeseen contingencies.

So if you’d like to explore your options for your next building or reno project, then get in touch today – we’d love to help you map out a plan for your 2022 building and property goals.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.

Which cities are expected to have the biggest price growth in 2022?

National property prices are predicted to rise by up to 9% in 2022, according to REA Group, but which cities are tipped to lead the way in price growth this year? Let’s take a look.

National housing values grew a whopping 22.1% in 2021, and while things are expected to slow down throughout 2022, the fun ain’t over yet.

Especially so if you’re a homeowner in Hobart (9% to 12% predicted growth), Brisbane (8% to 11%), Adelaide (6% to 9%) and Canberra (6% to 9%).

“Brisbane and Hobart have the strongest price growth forecasts among the capital cities thanks to their low supply of stock for sale, heightened demand and relatively lower prices compared to Sydney and Melbourne,” explains Cameron Kusher, REA Group’s executive manager of economic research.

Meanwhile, property prices in Perth (3% to 6%), Sydney (4% to 7%), Melbourne (4% to 7%) and Darwin (5% to 8%) are still expected to grow – just not as much.

“Perth has shown a stronger slowdown in price growth already relative to other capital cities, while the more expensive property prices in Sydney and Melbourne may increasingly see demand shift to more affordable housing markets,” adds Mr Kusher.

2022 dwelling price forecasts

Here’s the predicted price growth for 2022 for each capital city, broken down for you in a nice and easy format:

Sydney: 4% to 7%
Melbourne: 4% to 7%
Brisbane: 8% to 11%
Adelaide: 6% to 9%
Perth: 3% to 6%
Hobart: 9% to 12%
Darwin: 5% to 8%
Canberra: 6% to 9%
All capital cities combined: 6% to 9%

So why are property prices expected to slow down throughout 2022?

For starters, it’s because buyers can expect more choice in 2022.

Buyer demand peaked in August 2021, according to REA Group’s PropTrack data, and a more balanced market is expected in 2022.

For vendors, this means that they may have to lower their price expectations, warns Mr Kusher, and the increase in housing stock, should it continue, will likely contribute to a slowing of price growth in 2022.

“The recent lift in new listings should go some way to allow more buyers to find a home,” adds Mr Kusher.

“After that, the question will be … How large is the next wave of buyers? We believe this next wave is likely to be big, but not as large as the current one, so that should result in a better supply and demand balance.”

“We expect a smaller wave of buyers because prices have increased, rapidly pricing some buyers out.”

Need help to finance your 2022 purchase?

As property prices are tipped to continue rising throughout 2022, it’s never been more important to have a broker like us in your corner when it comes to securing your next property purchase – be that your dream home or adding to your investment portfolio.

In the current market, it’s also important to know your borrowing capacity before you start house hunting so you don’t stretch yourself beyond your limits.

If you’d like to find out what you can borrow – get in touch today. We’d love to sit down with you and help you map out a plan for your 2022 finance and property goals.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice. This content is protected by copyright laws and various other intellectual property laws. It is not to be modified, reproduced or republished without prior written consent.