The Latest Breaking News from Tim Lawless

Residential property values are slowly increasing for the first time in nearly a year, marking an end to the nation's housing market downturn, experts

Home prices stopped falling in April, apartment prices rose.

Australian shares rise to their highest level in three weeks, while oil prices surge after a surprise decision by Saudi Arabia and OPEC nations to cut production by more than 1 million barrels per day, and Scott's Refrigerated Logistics is now in liquidation.

Home prices have ticked up after tracking lower for 10 straight months, with high rents and migration both helping to arrest the slide.

The median house value in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie is $822,693.

Sign-off on private sector dwellings has lifted modestly and home prices appear to have found a floor - at least for the moment.

Property prices are climbing nationally for the first time since interest rates started rising, according to CoreLogic, but rents are still surging in major capital cities as a federal report finds 46,500 households are experiencing homelessness.

Not all capitals recorded an increase in values.

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