High wages will help to underpin the WA property market next year, according to Corrado Cusma, managing director of OrangeTee Real Estate. He said the outlook for the local property market in the coming year was positive because of low unemployment rates and high wages. "The latest ABS figures on average weekly earnings showed WA had the highest wage rates of any state or capital city in Australia," he said. In August, full-time adult total weekly earnings in W A were $1378.10. This was higher than the more heavily populated eastern states such as New South Wales ($1265.30), Victoria ($1213 .20) and Queensland ($1235.50). Mr Cusma said wages growth was expected to increase in W A next year because of an improving state economy as a result of massive new investment in the resources sector. "This wages growth will help to off-set any rises in interest rates and will mean the Perth real estate market should remain buoyant in the coming year," he said. "House prices in Perth are now relatively affordable after a market correction during the past two years and this trend is reflected by rising sales being recorded by OrangeTee Real Estate. "The rate of house price growth in Perth is much more modest compared with surging property prices in the eastern states, which means that local buyers should enjoy relatively good levels of housing afford ability during 2010."