Region. Sales of homes soar

Treasury figures obtained by The Daily Telegraph revealed the number of homes sold in the first two months of the financial year soared by more than 25 per cent Liverpool and Blacktown recorded the highest number of sales – 767 sales in July and August, worth more than $262 million. The difference now, claimed Treasury officials, was that first home buyers who pay no stamp duty were no longer making up the majority of transactions.

Region. First home buyers favour the west

Office of State Revenue figures showed first home buyers favoured Western Sydney. There was a 37 per cent increase in Blacktown that had an average of 61 new buyers a month, up from 44 a month before the Federal Government’s grant was increased. Parramatta and Bankstown North registered a 37 per cent increase also, each with almost 40 new buyers a month. Liverpool, Casula and Mount Pritchard filed the most applications, with 22 per cent increases. This pushed the number of grants above 80 a month, The Sydney Morning Herald reported