The growing pains of living on the urban fringe

The voice of residents needs to be included in the planning of our conurbations as they grow, as well as the metrics of how successful we are in delivering equitable cities that foster healthy, affordable and prosperous lives for all.

The rise of room sharing in Australia’s crowded cities

With affordable rental housing in short supply in Australia’s major cities, shared room accommodation is likely to increase with profound implications for residents of these rooms, local housing markets and government agencies.

Lovability versus liveability: what big data tells us about our neighbourhoods

Good communities need the right mix of public and private spaces, events, social diversity, leadership and investment to build the relationships which people need to be happy.

Introducing land rent, the ACT’s excellent idea for making houses cheaper

What if there was a way, right now, to offer a form of secure long-term home ownership to renters while saving them about half their housing costs?

Weak protections leave more renters exposed

The rising number of people using rental housing need improved protection as the market diversifies into niche services, says a new UNSW study based on data over the last decade.

Is rent-for-life becoming the new norm for families?

Young couples planning a family have traditionally been the group most likely to buy their first home. But high house prices and uncertain employment mean many more young families are staying in rental properties, and experts say regulations need to be kinder to these rent-for-lifers.

New report casts doubt on Sydney’s affordable housing policy

Affordable rental options for low-income households in Sydney need to be drastically improved according to the City Futures Research Centre.

Tackling Melbourne’s homeless crisis

As Melbourne faces a growing housing crisis, pockets of innovation are offering some people who’ve become homeless a leg up out of social housing and into home ownership.

Many millennials are priced out of the suburbs they grew up in

Remaining close to family and friends matters to millennials, but few can afford to buy their own home in the neighbourhoods that mean the most to them.

Paying the right price for energy efficient homes

New research finds that people are willing to pay more for energy efficient housing, strengthening the case for a mandatory national rating system for existing homes.

Australia’s foreign real estate investment boom looks to be over. Here are five things we learned

Domestic and foreign real estate investment have long been connected to the financial services industries, and the built environment is central to creating and storing surplus capital. Australian cities continue to be heavily influenced by global money despite the recent slowdown in foreign purchases.

New report settles the score on Perth’s ‘liveability’

A new report assessing Perth’s ‘liveability’ finds that despite the city’s improvements, it still struggles to meet its targets for infrastructure and policy implementation.