The author has been described by News Ltd as an "iconoclast", "Svengali", a pollie's "economist muse", and "pungently accurate". Fairfax says he is a "Renaissance man" and "one of Australia’s most respected analysts." Stephen Koukoulas concludes that he is "85% right", and "would make a great Opposition leader." Terry McCrann claims the author thinks "‘nuance’ is a trendy village in the south of France", but can be "scintillating" when he thinks "clearly". The ACTU reckons he’s "an enigma wrapped in a Bloomberg terminal, wrapped in some apparently well-honed abs."

Saturday, February 9, 2013

What has happened to Aussie house prices since 30 June 2012? (chart)

A friend kindly pointed out that I had said on 25 January 2012 that "If the RBA cuts again in February [they did not], and further thereafter [they started in May and June], as some analysts believe they will, expect to see the return of rapid house price appreciation." Here is what happened to national home values since the RBA started cutting rates in 2012...I am not sure if everyone agrees 6% pa house price growth, which is well above wages growth, is "rapid". It is certainly not slow, and much stronger than my through-the-cycle forecast of 4-5% pa...Read more here.