Ray White Now | 20 July 2020 Vol. 10 | Page 10

IF I AM CONSIDERING SELLING, WHY SHOULD I GO TO MARKET NOW? SUMMARY • List now to sell in spring. • Avoid potential risks that may arise in the market. • Home values are protected now. The Australian property market remains resilient. Over the last 30 years we have experienced both economic and political shocks and always come out stronger. We have traded through the Global Financial Crisis, 9/11 and now we are trading through the COVID-19 pandemic. The property market is functioning at a high level with very benign price adjustments if any at all. All eyes will be on Canberra later this week as the Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg unveils his economic update and mini-budget on 23 July, ahead of the full document in October. The government has already announced support packages for the arts and entertainment industries, and more help for the beleaguered tourism and aviation sectors is likely. Despite the ramping debts and deficits, global ratings agency Moody’s reaffirmed Australia’s AAA credit rating last week, and maintained its “stable” outlook for the country. Also this week, the International Monetary Fund said Australia’s economy would suffer a milder than feared recession as a result of the pandemic. This is wonderful news but despite a rebound in jobs, the unemployment rate has hit a 22-year high which means the future remains very uncertain for an increasingly large number of people. By listing your property now, you would most likely achieve a sale in early September, which historically has no difference in median price to sales that occur later in the spring and early summer. The key reason to list now is to remove as much risk as possible as to what might happen later in the year. There are many economists predicting property prices will decline over the next year or so. As mentioned earlier there are two basic fundamentals that drive property prices, supply and demand. Many suggest that supply will outweigh demand in the next six to 12 months and possibly longer, creating conditions less favourable for sellers. The factor that is causing us the most concern is that in September, an unprecedented amount of public and private sector stimulus measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars is due to come to an end. Regarding buyers, the withdrawing of government stimulus and the potential for a steep rise in unemployment may result in less buyers having the ability to purchase properties. What many economists are saying that the next 12 months may hold: • JobKeeper and JobSeeker support finishes; • Mortgage deferment support ends; • Significant rise in unemployment; and • Therefore the number of properties for sale will increase and there will be less buyers looking to purchase property. 10 The information is general information only, not financial advice, and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs.