It seems Australia’s most popular spectator sport over the past year has not been cricket, or even the various codes of football, but making backyard bets on when property prices will peak. Following an extraordinary pace of growth in 2021, the cost of real estate down under has been a hot topic of conversation at barbecues, dinner parties and throughout the media. Now we are nearing the end of the first quarter of this calendar year, it’s worth taking score of where the market is headed.

There’s good news for first home buyers. The First Home Super Saver (FHSS) scheme which allows you to save for your deposit in your super account, is increasing its maximum release to $50,000. How it works is a little complicated, but we’re here to guide you through the steps. Here’s what you need to know. The FHSS scheme helps first-home buyers save for a deposit through their super. It allows you to reduce your taxable income as you save money for your future home. From 1 July 2022, the maximum amount you can access will increase from $30,000 to $50,000.

Your home should be your haven – a place where you and those you share it with always feel safe and secure. Unfortunately, the home has proven to be a place where accidents can and do happen, however it is possible to take steps to make your house a safer place to live and minimise the risk of an incident occurring.

Billed as a Budget for families with a focus on relieving short-term cost of living pressures, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s fourth Budget also has one eye firmly on the federal election in May. At the same time, the government is relying on rising commodity prices and a forecast lift in wages as unemployment heads towards a 50-year low to underpin Australia’s post-pandemic recovery. While budget deficits and government debt will remain high for the foreseeable future, the Treasurer is confident that economic growth will more than cover the cost of servicing our debt.