Metricon says two homes were built in 20 days using offsite construction, cutting the usual timeframe sharply. General manager Sam Gribble said the trial kept the same quality standards. Industry chairman Damien Crough said prefab suits large-volume projects and could help meet the national housing target. The federal government has committed funding to a kit of parts trial and a voluntary certification scheme to simplify prefab approvals. Both guests said regulation, financing and scale will shape how quickly prefab expands.
Only one rental market in Queensland is classed as healthy, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland's September quarter vacancy report. The Bay Islands, near Redland, recorded a vacancy rate of 3.5 per cent. Forty-eight of the 50 regions tracked remain tight, with vacancy rates of 2.5 per cent or below. Thirty-four regions recorded rates of 1 per cent or less. Antonia Mercorella, the institute's chief executive, said the shortage was changing how Queenslanders live, with more multigenerational households forming and more friends sharing homes to split costs.
Median house prices of $3m could become normal in parts of Western Sydney within the next decade if recent trends continue, according to modelling by realestate.com.au. Prices across Sydney have fallen for about seven months and are expected to drop further before bottoming out in the second half of 2027. Morgan Stanley has tipped a 10-15 per cent peak-to-trough fall by then. Once the market turns, growth could return to near its 20-year average.
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Five teacher units in Ballandella Street, Balranald, have been gutted and rebuilt after severe termite damage. The properties are now modern two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes, completed on time and on budget. Builder Andrew Curphey said the result has gone far beyond expectations. Balranald Shire Mayor Louie Zaffina said Council welcomed the work, saying the homes look good and the government's involvement was welcome. Officials say the upgrade will help attract teachers to the town, where housing shortages have made recruitment difficult.
