In the words of Housing Minister Clare O’Neil: “We’re not trying to bring down house prices…That may be the view of young people, [but] it’s not the view of our government.”

Likewise, Anthony Albanese made clear that because of his new housing policy called the First Home Guarantee that: “There will be a slight increase in prices”.

Indeed, during the last election, both the PM and then-Opposition Leader Peter Dutton clarified that they wanted house prices to keep rising, with the former Leader of the Liberal Party saying he wanted house prices to “increase steadily.”

To be clear, neither the banks, the property speculators nor the Albanese Government want house prices or rents to fall.

When we talk about a ‘housing crisis’ in Australia, we need to be clear that Australia does not have a ‘shortage of housing’ crisis, but an ‘access to housing’ crisis.

#AusPol #Housing
thepoint.com.au/opinions/26031…

The fake gas and housing shortage is Australia’s real crisis

Australia doesn’t have a shortage of houses, a shortage of gas, or a shortage of bullshit about housing and gas supply. Australia is one of the world’s largest exporters of gas, but we’re often told we don’t have enough gas.

^{thepoint.com.au}

Higher #MortgageRates could widen that gap even further, making it harder for many households; wealthier buyers & investors are more likely to pay in cash.

The geopolitical tensions driving #energy prices higher are also complicating the outlook for #InterestRates. Expectations that the #FederalReserve might begin cutting rates have faded as #markets worry #inflation could stay higher for longer than anticipated.

#WealthDivide #inequity #economy #affordability #CostOfLiving #housing #Trump

“Investors” accounted for 30.2% of home purchases in 2025, nearly double their share at the start of the #pandemic, according to data from Cotality. A report from Realtor.com found the change wasn’t because of a surge of investor activity, but rather a pullback from traditional buyers who could no longer afford today’s prices.

#WealthDivide #inequity #economy #affordability #CostOfLiving #housing #Trump #trumpcession #recession

The strain in the #housing market has become a key political issue, & #Trump has raised a number of [impractical] ideas for how to address the costs — like introducing 50-year mortgages, barring Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes & directing Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed bonds. His admin has yet to follow through on most of them.

#economy #affordability #CostOfLiving #trumpcession #recession

The #housing #market has been stuck since the #pandemic. Record-low #InterestRates during that period kicked off a buying frenzy that sent home prices soaring. Millions of homeowners refinanced #mortgages at those low rates—many below 4 or 5%—leaving them reluctant to sell & take on a new mortgage when rates rose.

A recent NYT/Siena poll found that a majority of Americans feel homeownership is out of reach. As a result, about 1 in 4 Americans are delaying major purchases like buying a home….

Brothers win approval to expand 2-family house into 8 condos on Adams Street in Dorchester
universalhub.com/2026/brothers…

#Boston #housing #zoning

"People are leaving or avoiding living in states with abortion bans, a new paper shows — resulting in lower rental prices and higher vacancies than in states that protect reproductive rights."

19thnews.org/2026/03/abortion-…

#PublicHealth #housing #rental #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #abortion #economics

In post-Dobbs era, abortion bans reshape the rental market

New research found that abortion bans resulted in lower rental prices and higher vacancies.

^{Shefali Luthra (19th News)}