IMF warns Aus on surging home prices

The International Monetary Fund warned on Friday that Australia must act to curb runaway home prices, which have surged more than 20 percent in major cities over the past year.

With the pandemic doing little to cool Australia’s turbocharged real estate market, the Washington-based institution urged policymakers to step up.

“Surging housing prices raise concerns about affordability and financial stability,” the IMF warned in a periodic review of Australia’s economy.

It urged “structural reforms” to boost the housing supply and support for those with low incomes who have been priced out of the market.

Financial oversight “should be tightened and lending standards closely monitored”, the fund added.

Property speculation is virtually a national sport in Australia, where newspapers are filled with stories about the latest high-end auctions and sales.

Nationwide, home prices have risen more than 18 percent in the past year, according to data from CoreLogic, despite major cities being locked down or under pandemic restrictions for most of that period.