Maybe because the houses in Australia are usually of simple timber frame construction yet appear to cost the earth, and (like you say they) have less money brought from the UK.

Add to that, the fact when you get here, all people tell you is there is hardly any land left to build on and there is a severe land shortage - pushing land price up.

Does timber frame make much of a difference? I'm only asking as one of the houses I had in the UK was timber frame construction (possibly because it was situated over the Rotherhithe Tunnel) but was priced the same as the local double brick houses.

I must admit having done some reno works here, there are some advantages to a timber frame building.

Well if it was discussed completely objectively then yes it can of course be useful - like you say it's a bigger financial commitment than anything else. However you only pursue the topic with one point in mind, that there is a housing bubble that is about to burst and your mind is made up.

I've seen other threads where the topic is discussed openly and objectively

It's a bit like the other poster said, that people who haven't bought into the property market yet sometimes appear to be on a mission to sow mass hysteria that might benefit them in the end.

I've been watching the latest 'Wanted Down Under' 2009, on my PC. I'm truly shocked at how 'cheap' UK houses appear to be in the regional areas and the financial situation of the would be migrants. Things HAVE certainly changed from a few years back. I saw the episode where the family from Derby who's lovely 3 bed extended renovated home was valued at £130 -£140K, that's $240K AUD!!!! Unfortunately they had bought it in 2004 for £140K and spent £40K on extensions and renos.

Yeah sure, houses are bigger here and you get 'more' for your money but my expectations ARE different in Australia. If my family were to live in Paris. then my expectations of a family home would be an apartment. In UK, a family home would be a terrace or semi - not a 4 x 2 with double garage, which is the norm here and nothing special.

So what's your stand on this subject, recent homebuyer or investor by any chance?

If not, then why so passionate about mine and others point of views if you don't give a damn.

Mass hysteria - moi ???!!! Have you actually read the Australian newspapers? The most biased reporting in the world where any negativeity is buried or not reported. It's 'bread and circuses'. Take when Australia lost the Ashes to the UK, it was hardly menitoned on TV or reported but you can you bottom dollar it would of been splashed around the media day and night if they had won.

As I said before, I don't read or post in the 'Where can I buy Marmite' threads - because I don't care.

I guess it depends on the timber, but generally the construction materials for timber framed homes are lighter, therefore foundations don't have to be as deep. Overall construction costs are usually cheaper.

Remember this.... IKEA Flat-packed homes

Yes, my mind is made up, you are absolutely right there.

Actually, my decision has done me quite well. The suburbs I've been looking at in Perth have fallen around 15% over the last 18 months, saving me around $75 - $90K off the purchase price. I have also earned good interest on my savings approx $30K. So all in over $100K up and a $100K less mortgage when I finally decide to buy - whoo hooo!!!

We are openly debating if there is a bubble, and if there is such a bubble how big it is, how much bigger it can get, and when and if it will burst or shrink.

The actual issue is 'is a bubble about to burst'? Which we can only make an educated guess at. The stability of the housing market is the only thing we can review, by comparing it to historical data and data from other countries.

First time I've seen that

I remember seeing something earlier (pre2004) which was like homes in something like a shipping container (but not actually a shipping container) that they could stack on top of each other.

Your shout for the beers then?

An article which sums it all up nicely:

http://bubblepedia.net.au/tiki-index.php

And another:

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=9913

Well I'll throw my two pence worth in. The bubble is not about to burst, as long as people can afford to continue making repayments.

Lets imagine that variable interest rates reach 10%+ for any significant time e.g. 12months plus. This would be a disaster for the economy in many ways. One of the side effects would be plummeting house prices, perhaps 30% or so in a very short space of time, as homeowners and investors would no longer be able to pay off large loans.

The government does not want a high interest rate environment, for many reasons. I think that it is highly unlikely that rates will go over 10%, and as such I think that the "bursting housing bubble" is highly unlikely.

What is much more likely is a slow decline in prices over a number of years, or a stagnation in prices.....As wages climb, housing gradually becomes more affordable.

There are lots of discussion forums on the web predicting e.g. huge crashes in house prices. Sadly there appears to be a lot of people clinging to the hope that this might happen. In reality, the chances of it happening are very slim - and even in those places where it has happened, do you see people rushing out to buy houses now that they are cheap?

Just had a quick read through that article. If you read between the lines, it seems that the author is also trying to convince himself.

I bought awhile ago - I'm not directly affected by which way the market goes so I'm not biased on the subject. Your remark about the Australian media not mentioning the Ashes loss is so far off the mark. There were repeated articles in the paper and on the net (which can still be found) that focussed on the event and even castigated the Australian side. You see what you want to see.

It's just so plainly obvious though when you get incessant one-eyed opinions trying to force an idea in a certain direction.

All I can say is thank goodness for ABCDiamond who does a sterling effort in maintaining some perspective.