This Month
Meet the mayor who sees Airbnb as an agent for good
It’s better to have a short-term rental in a house that’s been refurbished than to have a ruin, says the head of Portugal’s second-largest city.
- Joao Lima
June
The execs behind an equity sale to save Australia’s ‘surfing bible’
Tracks Magazine has been published since 1970, and was sold to three corporate surfing enthusiasts in 2021. Now they’re selling equity to raise $2 million.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
May
Fifth Estate backs Airbnb property manager Hometime; kicks off debt raise
Hometime, which is backed by NAB Ventures and ASI Growth, has raised $10 million in a funding round led by Dane Roberts’ Fifth Estate.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
April
Venice charges tourists an entry fee. Capping numbers may be next
Italy has begun charging €5 to visit the unique city, sparking protests from locals who say a housing supply crisis is the main problem.
- Donato Paolo Mancini
‘Mission finally accomplished’: How Seven got its Lehrmann exclusive
After a four-month mission, thousands of dollars, and allegations of prostitutes and drugs, Seven finally secured a tell-all interview with Bruce Lehrmann.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
March
I was stung by an Irukandji, this is what happened next
Most Aussies have heard about stinger season in north Queensland. But not everyone survives the full-body experience of encountering an Irukandji jellyfish.
- Will Willitts
February
NSW mulls levy on Airbnb rentals to fix housing crunch
Tourists could be hit with levies for Airbnb-style rentals to steer more homes towards residential leases as NSW considers hardening its approach.
- Luke Costin
January
The tourism boom that is freezing Icelanders out of the housing market
The influx of visitors is good news for the economy but iscausing problems in finding housing for the roughly 400,000 Icelanders.
- Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir
Should I move my rental property into my super fund?
A reader with a sizeable property portfolio wonders about the tax and stamp duty ramifications of getting some of it into his SMSF.
- John Wasiliev
December 2023
AirBnB’s boss on the perils of being too good at negotiation
Susan Wheeldon once made the mistake of negotiating too good a price for a contract. She realised that down the track the deal was not the win she thought it would be.
- Sally Patten
November 2023
- Opinion
- Property development
Victoria’s big tax stick isn’t going to prod more housing supply
Increasing taxes on developers is not going to bring down the price of housing. But states are climbing on the bandwagon.
- Kristina Popova and Aathees Paransothy
Owners offered $10,000 to keep WA properties off Airbnb
The West Australian government says it can afford to offer incentives to property owners to help relieve the housing crisis, unlike indebted Victoria where a short-stay levy has been introduced.
- Tom Rabe
October 2023
- Exclusive
- Funding
Employment Hero secures $263m in year’s biggest capital raising
The human resources technology firm has shrugged off depressed private tech market sentiment and is now valued at just shy of $2 billion.
- Paul Smith
Airbnb says Victoria’s 7.5pc levy could push visitors away
The short-stay platform is seeking to influence other states and territories, which are considering measures to ease the rental crisis.
- Michael Bleby
- Analysis
- Sharing economy
The sharing economy is on life support
Getting more use out of assets you already own was the great idea of the second wave of the internet championed by Uber and Airbnb.
- Nick Bonyhady
Airbnb boss plots long-term rentals despite housing crisis
The booking platform is to launch the ‘biggest update’ next month as it plans to expand beyond travel.
- Oliver Barnes
- Opinion
- Property investment
What Airbnb levies mean for property investors
Victoria’s extra tax on short-term rents should have landlords rethinking their investment time horizon.
- Richard Wakelin
September 2023
Deloitte partner turns love of interior design into a side hustle
Elyse Henderson made an offer on a house in a remote part of Tasmania, sight unseen. Using local female designers and artists, she’s turned it into a singular short-term rental proposition.
- Julie Hare
- Opinion
- Flat Chat
Airbnb tax could be a win for everyone – except the hosts
With an Airbnb tax planned in Victoria and a 60-night cap approved in NSW, the free rein for short-term holiday rentals is finally coming to an end.
- Jimmy Thomson
Airbnb letting manager MadeComfy launches cash call as Vic levy looms
It is understood MadeComfy’s co-founders Sabrina Bethunin and Quirin Schwaighofer have held meetings with investors over the past week.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
