Some of the tactics of estate agents in the UK have been totally shameless. I know these guys are losing their jobs, but that doesn't justify tricking someone into buying a ticking house price-bomb about to blow 30% off your equity and ruin you for 15 years, etc.

yep

good point

There are a number of cases in western sydney of estate agents colluding with mortgage brokers and developers to sell new 400,000 properties to refugees off the boat who are living off centrelink payments. The properties were only worth 300k back then and probably less now. No one has been prosecuted.

The worst cases are when they target the elderly and vulnerable and get them to sell for much less than the market value to an associate. There has been one guilty verdict so far.

And they probably wonder why we do not hold them with such high esteem.

Rob"prices can only go up"Druitt reminds me of Kirsty and Phil (location location location ) in the uk.Rob seems the kind of bloke to look you in the eye and tell you a lie.I wonder how kirsty and phil are going on.

Up here in QLD, we have one Government body that looks after Real Estate agents and Car Dealers.

I wonder why they lump those two together ?

Or how about Property Ladder where they buy a house, spend double the money that they originally budgeted to fix it up, and despite Sarah Beeny's dire warnings, they still manage to sell it for a huge profit just because it's taken them 12 months to do it and property prices virtually doubled in that time?

I want to watch one of those programs now!

I watched one last night. The woman made quite a good job of the place though actually. It was a detached 1970s place with 5 beds in the end, IIRC, and it was valued at just under £800,000. Of course, that was THEN and this is NOW.

Probably a statistical glitch but who knows. Auction clearance rates were well up in Melbourne this weekend the 20th December. 71pct houses sold at Auction and 77pct Flats and Apartments. Around 20 pct higher than the record low of around 54 pct 5 weeks ago.

Not many properties on the market and proximity to Xmas may have brought the serious buyers out.

Still should be interesting to keep an eye on the Market here.

The shortage of really good Apartments and Flats seems to be keeping that end of the market up at least.

Its impossible to predict, we are looking at property around Melbourne at the moment. Agents keep telling us that its is a great time to buy and property in Melbournes so called good suburbs will remain steady. I have this nagging fear though that the market over here could all go belly up.
Stick or twist who knows!!

I think if you see a property that you really like and feels right price wise buy it.
Now is a good time to buy, good bargains to be had.

3 Months in from the date of the poll and ....

Weighted average of eight capital cities: Down 0.8%

Can we set an alarm for 3 months time to recheck ?

anyone checked out a site called globalhousepricecrash.com There is an AUS section and an interesting thread about perth housing

Where - I can't find it.

Think I've got it.

Yes good idea. The only talk of a price crash so here in Melbourne so far is in the more affluent suburbs. Some Burbs have actually increased.