Australia’s housing market is showing signs of stabilising after home values rose 0.2 per cent in March. Not only has the market remained unchanged for the quarter ending 31 March 2012, it is also level with the 31 November 2011 home values across the combined capital cities. The flat result over the quarter is the strongest result since March 2011 when values increased by 0.7 per cent.

According to the managing director of Rismark International, Ben Skilbeck, “While the housing market remains soft, the zero per cent change over the first quarter of 2012 demonstrates that it is consolidating its position following the decline seen in calendar year 2011. This month it was the resource rich states which delivered the strongest gains with Perth, Darwin and Brisbane up 1.4 per cent, 1.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively”.

Yields are also showing modest improvements. According to Mr Skilbeck, “rental yields for houses across the combined capital cities have moved from just 3.6 per cent eighteen months ago to 4.1 per cent and gross yields on unit dwellings have improved from a recent low of 4.4 per cent to 4.8 per cent. The most significant rental yield improvements have been recorded in Darwin, Perth and Brisbane where yields have increased by 22 per cent, 21 per cent and 18 per cent respectively from their recent lows.”

Extract from RP Data website