The recent financial crisis in the world has lead property prices in the US, UK, and other countries in Western Europe to fall significantly. But despite this, the property values in Australia are still performing well. There has actually been an increase in the median property prices in several markets for 2009.
While some western countries have property prices that went up prior to the global financial crisis, those in Australia have gone through some corrections. In 1999, the median price in Sydney was at $295,000 , and in September 2009 it hit $610500 .
The prices of property are determined by several factors, it being in a free market. Of course there is the principle of supply and demand, affected by interest rates and government intervention. The past two years gave an upwards pressure to the Australian property industry which led to an increase in property values.