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Foreign investors own more than half of London’s financial district, a first for the city, according to a report commissioned by UK property developer Development Securities. Australia barely featured in the report.
Overseas companies now own 52% of London’s financial district following a three-year buying spree, the report says. The figures are up from 50% in 2010 and 44% in 2005.
<img src="/images/stories/ownership1.gif">
They made up two-thirds of office acquisitions by value over the past three years as they took advantage of falling prices.
London property values fell 50% from 2007 to 2009 and were 37% lower at the end of 2010 than the 2007 high.
“Irrespective of the sharp fall in capital values, the city is perceived as a relatively safe haven: conceivably as an inflation hedge,” chief executive of Development Securities Michael Marx says.
Australia is in the top eight groups of foreign owners for new builds and major refurbishments in the UK capital city.
US companies led the buying push, accounting for 37% of foreign property acquisitions, followed by Germany at 12% and Spain at 10% over the three-year period.
German companies now own the most property of all the foreign investors in London at 16%. American companies own 10%, and Middle Eastern companies own 6%.
<img src="/images/stories/ownership2.gif">
“Foreign ownership actually expanded in the eye of the storm rather than contracting,” Marx says.
“Such resilience would appear all the more remarkable in the light of the city’s associations with the failures of the international financial system.
“What offsets the systemic risk in relation to the city’s lack of diversification is the exceptional liquidity that characterises its office market.”
With €72 billion of sales activity between 2007 and 2011, London attracts more office inward investment than any other city, the report found. In mainland Europe, Paris stands at €43 billion and Frankfurt at €11 billion.
 
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Foreign investors own more than half of London financial district

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november24macquarie]}
A four-bedroom, seventh-floor apartment in Macquarie Residences opposite Sydney’s Parliament House has been listed for sale with hopes of more $2.75 million.
The 175-square-metre two-level Macquarie Street apartment has three bathrooms and a study and has views over the harbour and Opera House from both levels.
The apartment is one of only two four-bedroom apartments in the tower completed in late 2006 by developer Terry Agnew’s Tower Holdings.
CBRE agent Caroline Fagerlund says there are 14 unsold apartments in the 14-level residential tower at 185 Macquarie Street, the leftovers from an off-the-plan marketing campaign that began in 2003. The company hasn’t marketed any apartments in the block for several years. Most of the unsold apartments are tenanted.
“As [the tenants] vacate we’ll keep selling them,” says Fagerlund.
The tower was designed by architect Bob Nation, of Crone Nation, and Eugene Marchese, of Marchese and Partners.
Fagerlund has the latest listing, as well as another two-level apartment on the fifth floor that is listed at $1.6 million plus. It’s a two-bedroom, 140-square-metre apartment.
On completion it was reported some 27 of the 44 apartments had been sold with prices for three-bedroom-plus-study apartments at $2.9 million to $3.6 million, with popularity among lawyers given the proximity to the legal precinct. Tower Holdings engaged four interior designers – Garth Barnett, Ruth Levine, Orson and Blake, Hare + Klein – to decorate the pricier apartments on completion.
The sub-penthouses had a price tag of $5.75 million and the penthouses $10 million in 2006.
 
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Macquarie Residences Sydney apartments still linger for sale five years after completion

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G.J. Gardner Homes has been ranked third-fastest-growing company in the latest Franchise Times top 200 franchise companies operating in the US – even without Donald Trump’s help.
With $503 million in worldwide sales, the third place came from a 48% sales growth for the group, which began in Queensland in 1983.
G.J. Gardner Homes is the 12th largest homebuilder in Australia with 1,176 homes built in 2010-11, according to HIA statistics. It is the largest franchised homebuilder in Australia.
CEO Darren Wallis is modest about his company’s success. It expanded into the US market in 2006 under the direction of Wallis, who moved to the US to oversee the expansion.
“We quietly get on and do what we do. We enjoy it and a lot of our franchisees are very successful,” Wallis says.
Wallis says the sales growth figure is partially inflated by the downturn of the US dollar but that growth was still strong in 2010.
In the last six months the company has opened master franchises in Indiana and New England, and there are plans afoot to expand into Texas and Minnesota.
“I started some fairly aggressive strategies [as company director],” he says.
“At the end of 1995 we started to franchise. We had six regional offices in southeast Queensland and in 1996 those six became franchises. Then we opened offices in New Zealand in 1997.  And then in ‘98-‘99 we first looked at New South Wales.”
The 2010 growth had been planned for 2008 before the global financial crisis intervened.
“2008 was an interesting time. It was meant to be a big expansion year. We were going to expand into more American states but midway through the year people started getting scared of what was happening,” Wallis says.
“2008 was more of a stabilising year, as were 2009 and 2010.”
Despite the restrained period, the company has grown every year since it first expanded out of Queensland in 1997, but Wallis does expect a slight reduction for this financial year.
“This will be the first year we’ll drop over. It’s a slight drop back, a correction from the GFC,” he says.
“Queensland has dropped off a bit, but Victoria is still going well.
“We’re still seeing growth across America as some of those markets start to recover. We’ve doubled our sales in Colorado.”
The company ranks at 125 on the list of greatest global sales, which were listed at US$503 million. The list was topped by McDonald’s with global sales worth US$77.38 billion.
Wallis says G.J. Gardner is the only Australian residential building company operating in America.
“Diversifying overseas helps build momentum, it shows you are an expanding model,” he says.
“A lot of companies are going backwards right now. Expanding builds the brand internationally, which is a massive benefit for both us as at a corporate level and for franchisees.”
In 2007 the company was due to develop a series of homes in California in a deal with Donald Trump. G.J. Gardner would have built up to 750 homes under the scheme but Trump failed to come through with money when the financial crisis hit.
“It just fizzled out,” says Wallis.
Franchisees pay a “small” joining fee and then pay royalties when they sell a house.
“We supply the resources and skills to help take them from being a small builder to a large builder, hopefully the largest builder in their particular area.”
“We tell them we’re not successful until you’re successful.”
The survey builds a list of the top 200 franchise companies by consolidating data from companies’ self-reported data, Securities and Exchange Commission documents, the franchises’ franchise disclosure documents and other publicly available documents.
G.J. Gardner first entered the list of top franchise by total sales in 2008 at $365 million. In 2009 sales went up to $410 million. In 2010 the company did not feature because the survey requires 15% of offices to be in the US and expansion in Australia put G.J. Gardner just under the threshold.
In this year's list it sat behind US-based Real Living Real Estate at 71.2% sales growth and Express Employment Professionals at 86.3% sales growth. 
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Aussie builder G.J. Gardner Homes comes up trumps with US franchise expansion

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The median UK property asking price has fallen £7,528 to £232,144 in November, the largest monthly drop since December 2007, according to the latest report by property website Rightmove.
The 3.1% fall is the third largest monthly percentage fall recorded.
The report says that “economic uncertainty spooks sellers” and the statistics “highlight how the relentless stream of economic uncertainty around the Eurozone crisis has eroded consumer confidence to the extent that it now dominates decisions when it comes to moving home”.
This decrease comes despite UK property listings falling 13% in November to the lowest November level since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which led to prospective sellers postponing their marketing.
The November levels are up 1.2% from £229,379 in 2010, while the highest median for 2011 was £240,394 in June.
“Markets dislike uncertainty, and so do people who are deciding whether or not to enter the property market,” says director of Rightmove Miles Shipside.
“Agents report that many would-be sellers are postponing their marketing until the new year, influenced by the current wall-to-wall media coverage of the Greeks and Italians attempting to get their own far-flung houses in order.
“It’s no great surprise that those who have braved the stormy conditions have had to accept a substantial ‘haircut’ on their asking prices.”
All the regions included in the report show a monthly drop with the worst performance by Richmond-upon-Thames, which suffered a monthly fall of 5.2%.
However, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/prime-central-london-residential-market-in-an-upswing-savills/2011112152434">prime central London residential values are 15.6% over their previous peak level.</a>
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UK house prices suffer greatest decline in four years

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A former BP station is the site of a new development by Fivex on the foreshore of Woolloomooloo.
The new building, called The Anchorage, will house 15 apartments including a three-bedroom whole-floor penthouse with views over Sydney Harbour Bridge. It has been designed by architecture firm Eeles Trelease.
<img src="/images/stories/anchorage2.jpg">
The developers bought the Cowper Wharf Road site from BP for $3.53 million in a 2002 auction.
It’s currently a vacant lot but the council has approved plans for the developer to build the five-level block.
Prices start at $525,000 for a 49-square-metre studio with no parking and go up to $1.65 million for a 111 square-metre two bedroom apartment with one car park. The 370 square-metre showpiece penthouse will set you back at least $5 million.
<img src="/images/stories/anchorage3.jpg">
The initial residential plans were approved in 2003.
In 2007 Fivex lodged plans for a commercial retail building.
By 2009 Fivex started marketing the office site as Wharfside, with Stephen Bowrey at Jones Lang LaSalle handling negotiations for the mixed retail and commercial complex.
The development, which didn’t proceed, comprised about 1400 square metres of office space over four levels. There were also to be two shops and basement car parking.
Despite the delays, which included Land and Environment Court proceedings, the residential development is expected to be completed before the end of 2013.
Two of the apartments have sold for $800,000 plus in the past month since marketing began.
The apartments are being sold through John-Paul Markopoulos of CBRE.
For advice on buying off the plan download our free e-book.
 
 
 
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Tide turns to residential on long-dormant Woolloomooloo foreshore site

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/november22milkfactory]}
A former milk factory has been listed in the Jamberoo Valley in the NSW south coast with price hopes of $1.45 million.
The 1928 factory was converted into a three-bedroom home by two artists, the current owners, 13 years ago.
The Factory Lane home includes a roller door entry into a foyer used as a studio.
They kept the original cast-iron staircase and an imposing wall of control panels used by the former factory.
The house also features a casual dining area, an eat-in kitchen, a casual living area, a formal living and dining area, a gallery space, a guest wing and a large storage area. Upstairs is another living space and a separate studio.
Painter and photographer Bill Zimpel and ceramics artist Judit are moving to Perth to be closer to their grandchildren.
The Zimpels bought the property for $220,000 in 1997.
The property is currently listed with Adam Guthrie Lifestyle Property.
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Former Jamberoo milk factory cream of NSW south coast offerings

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Prime central London residential values are 15.6% over their previous peak level, with price growth expected to top 13% this year and rise by 22.7% over the next five years, according to Savills residential research.
Growth in the prime central London market is expected to slow down in 2012 with a late downwards blip in quarter four, then stalling in 2013. However, Savills says residential values in prime central London will shoot up in the years after, supported by London’s strong global city fundamentals and an improving domestic economy.
“The price growth seen this year in prime central London does not make sense in the context of the UK economy, but must be viewed in a global context,” says Yolande Barnes, director of Savills residential research.
“Central London’s residential real estate is increasingly behaving as an asset class, more closely linked to global wealth generation than any domestic indicators.”
Things aren’t so bright for UK’s prime regional market though, which is sitting on an average of 16.6% below peak and falling. These regions are dependent on domestic wealth generation and relocation from London, which has been weak during the recent recovery. They are expected to slowly resume growth in 2013.
Scotland’s prime residential prices are currently 17.8% below peak values and by 2016 will be just 7% above current peak.
“Over the next five years prime central London residential real estate is expected to outperform many commodities markets and perform in line with West End offices and UK gilts, with additional rental growth (forecast at +27.6% from 2012-2016) on top,” says Barnes.
However,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/uk-house-prices-suffer-greatest-decline-in-four-years/2011112252473"> the median UK property asking price has fallen £7,528 to £232,144 in November, the largest monthly drop since December 2007.</a>
 
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Prime central London residential market in an upswing: Savills

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Two-time Australian Monopoly champion Leon Hechtman is the latest recruit for real estate company Savills.
He will join Savills as a project manager in the project management division, which plans and oversees projects and developments.
Hechtman will initially be involved with inner-Melbourne projects.
In 2009 he defended his position as then reigning champion in a tense game at the Eureka Skydeck, and his success secured him a spot at the world championships in Las Vegas.
He has also represented Australia in Tokyo.
He recommends avoiding Mayfair and Park Lane and instead focussing on Bow Street and neighbouring properties.
"They're the ones that the good players try and get their hands on," he told The Age in 2009.
Hechtman previously worked with Ubertas Properties, where he worked on large-scale residential projects including Rhapsody on St Kilda Road and 505 St Kilda Road.
Savills project management’s divisional director and state general manager Stuart Verrier was enthusiastic about Hechtman’s Monopoly talent.
“It takes a special sort of person and quite a deal of commitment to reach the top in any field of endeavour,” he says.
“Leon’s extensive project management experience makes him an outstanding fit for Savills project management team both for our immediate and long term requirements,” he says.
 
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Monopoly champion leaves behind plastic property for real as he joins Savills 

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Rising property prices in China are abating as a result of government measures.
"The turning point of China's home prices has come," Shen Jian-guang, an economist at Mizuho Securities, told Bloomberg.
"Prices not only fell for new homes and in major cities, but also in secondary cities and in the existing home market."
House prices fell in 33 of 70 cities monitored by the government, almost double the September results, which recorded falls in 17 cities.
In 2009 China introduced a battery of measures to cool the real estate market. It increased the mandatory down payment for mortgages, which restricting the number of homes people could buy and at the same time reduced financing to real estate developers.
Wall Street Journal calculations based on data released Friday by China's National Bureau of Statistics showed prices of newly built homes in the 70 cities fell 0.13% on average in October from the previous month, compared with a 0.01% increase in both September and August.
The bureau doesn't release a single average figure for the country.
 
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China's property market cools due to government intervention

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Joanna Baillieu, a member of the Melbourne establishment family, has listed Bromelton House in south-east Queensland with expectations of more than $5 million.
The Beaudesert property has a four-bedroom home is set on 135 hectares of farming property in three titles, which earns income from a 2,880 plantation of pecan trees, turf production, lucerne hay production and horse agistment centre.
The home has two bathrooms and all bedrooms have French doors leading onto verandas with views over a 150-megalitre lagoon which has a water harvesting licence from the Logan River.
The property also includes a six-hectare irrigated polo field.
The property includes 28 horse paddocks, 28 day yards, a sand arena, a breaking yard, an eight-horse walker and a barn with eight stables.
The Bromelton House Road property also includes a three-bedroom manager’s house and a two-bedroom worker’s cottage.
It last sold at $2.1 million in 2001.
Danny Bukowski from Ray White Rural Beaudesert has the Bromelton House listing, which goes to auction on December 16.
Baillieu sold another Queensland property in 2010, when the 1,000-hectare North Toolburra farm at Warwick for about $10 million to the owners of Ascot Charolais stud farm. The property’s lagoon was also used for filming of The Thorn Birds.
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Joanna Baillieu lists rural Queensland holding at Beaudesert 

For most new apartment buildings, the Owners Corporation starts life with little more than a bank account and the first quarterly strata levies.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/9-gay-street-castle-hill-9-gay-street-castle-hill-nsw-2154">9 Gay Street</a> in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/castle-hill-nsw-2154">Castle Hill</a>, it starts with around $7 million in reserve.

It's an unusual legacy of what was once one of Sydney's highest-profile apartment remediation projects. When the development, originally known as Skyview and built by disgraced developer Top Place, came under scrutiny by then NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler, an $11 million remediation bond was negotiated to ensure any building defects could be fully rectified.

The building underwent an 18-month remediation program, during which around $4 million of that bond was spent bringing the building up to the standard it should have been in from the outset.

After extensive inspections, all active rectification orders have been lifted. What's more, around $7.2 million remains secured for the Owners Corporation for the next 15 years.

In a twist few would have predicted, what began as a significant concern for purchasers has left the building with something almost unheard of in the apartment market: a multi-million-dollar financial reserve from day one.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359136]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a> Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said the structure offers buyers a level of certainty that is difficult to replicate.

"The $11 million bond established for the Skyview Castle Hill development represents exceptional value, providing genuine financial security for purchasers," Huxley said.

"Unlike a standard insurance policy, this bond consists of real funds held in trust for the Owners Corporation, offering a tangible layer of protection and added peace of mind."

The apartments themselves have been designed with a focus on practical, contemporary living. Interiors feature Smeg appliances, stone benchtops, tiled living areas, carpeted bedrooms, 2.7-metre ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and ducted heating and cooling throughout.

Residents also have access to a range of shared amenities, including two rooftop barbecue areas, a swimming pool, children's playgrounds, secure building access, storage cages, and visitor parking.

The location continues to be one of the project's strongest drawcards. Castle Hill Metro Station sits virtually on the doorstep, providing direct connections across Sydney's expanding Metro network, while Castle Towers offers extensive retail, dining, entertainment, and service amenities within walking distance.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359127]

The building, now named after its location at 9 Gay Street, comprises a diverse mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments starting from just under $600,000.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett said demand in the Hills District continues to be driven by buyers seeking convenience and connectivity.

"Interest from both owner-occupiers and investors in Castle Hill remains exceptionally strong, with buyers consistently prioritising developments in close proximity to the Metro station and Castle Towers Shopping Centre," Hamblett said.

"There is a clear trend in the market, with purchasers seeking convenient access to transport and lifestyle amenities that support a seamless, low-maintenance way of living."

On top of the long-term protection afforded by the remaining $7.2 million bond, Equitifund is offering a limited-time stamp duty rebate on selected apartments.

Eligible purchasers can also secure finance options, including a 3.99 per cent two-year variable rate, loan-to-value ratios of up to 90 per cent, and interest-only lending options through EquitiCredit.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=147685]

Joel Robinson

Why this Castle Hill apartment building starts with a $7 million advantage

For much of the past few years, conversations about Australia's property market have centred on the rapid growth seen in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3004">Melbourne</a> has followed a different trajectory.

That relative underperformance is now encouraging some buyers to reassess the city, particularly those willing to look beyond short-term market movements and focus on quality property in established locations, along with the long-term growth prospects of a city expected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s most populous.

John Bekiaris, Research &amp; Market Insights at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Projects by Equitifund</a>, said Melbourne's current position is attracting increasingly sophisticated purchasers.

"Melbourne continues to present one of Australia's strongest long-term investment stories," Bekiaris says.

"While other capital cities have experienced stronger recent growth, that relative underperformance is exactly what's attracting sophisticated counter-cyclical investors."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363268]

Equitifund isn't just commenting on Melbourne's property market, it's investing in it.

The Sydney-headquartered capital partner has taken over the remaining apartments at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/victoriana-melbourne-20-queens-road-melbourne-vic-3004">Victoriana</a>, the recently completed glass-encased development opposite Albert Park Lake in Melbourne's tightly held St Kilda Road precinct.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and built by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hickory">Hickory</a>, Victoriana places residents between one of Melbourne's most recognised parklands and the CBD, offering oversized two and three-bedroom apartments aimed at owner-occupiers seeking a genuine alternative to a traditional family home.

The development comprises 232 completed residences alongside a suite of resident amenities, including a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, landscaped entertaining areas, resident lounges, EV charging, secure basement parking and a concierge-style arrival experience.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363229]

The apartments have been designed with owner-occupiers firmly in mind.&nbsp;Open-plan living and dining areas flow onto generous balconies framing views across Albert Park Lake, Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Melbourne skyline.

Kitchens feature Gaggenau appliances, stone benchtops and generous preparation space. Bedrooms include built-in robes, while bathrooms feature full-height textured tiling. Hardwood flooring and ducted air conditioning complete residences designed for long-term living.

Rothelowman's architecture takes its cues from the landscape opposite the site. Sweeping horizontal glazing references the movement of Albert Park Lake, while generous balconies and expansive glazing strengthen the connection between the apartments and the surrounding parklands. The result is a building designed to deliver the scale and amenity expected of luxury apartment living, while offering the larger floorplans increasingly sought by owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363284]

The location is one of Victoriana's defining characteristics. Positioned on Queens Road, residents are directly opposite Albert Park Lake and within easy reach of Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, South Melbourne, St Kilda Road and the CBD. With few comparable development opportunities remaining in the precinct, buyers are increasingly placing value on outlooks that are unlikely to be interrupted by future construction.

Greg Huxley, Founder of Equitifund, believes those qualities become even more valuable over time.

"Premium real estate has always rewarded buyers who take a long-term view," Huxley said.

"Victoriana represents the kind of asset that's increasingly difficult to recreate today, particularly in an established location like Queens Road."

He said rising construction costs are also changing the way buyers assess completed developments.

"When you combine an irreplaceable location with thoughtful architecture and premium finishes, you create something that becomes increasingly difficult to reproduce as construction costs continue to rise."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363228]

According to National Sales Director Ben Hamblett, enquiry has been driven largely by Melbourne downsizers and buyers upgrading from smaller apartments.

"Interest in Victoriana continues to build, with strong buyer focus on the larger owner-occupier residences within the development," Hamblett says.

"Enquiry is increasingly driven by local buyers who recognise the rarity of what's on offer: park-facing apartments in an established neighbourhood where new development opportunities are becoming increasingly scarce. At Victoriana, the view is not just a feature; it's an appreciating asset in its own right."

He said interstate enquiry has also strengthened as buyers reassess Melbourne's position within the national property cycle.

"Melbourne currently stands as the most compelling entry point of any major Australian capital, and discerning buyers are beginning to recognise what those who move early always understand: the best opportunities are taken before the price rise confirms them."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=1979]

Why now is the time to buy in Melbourne's premium apartment market

Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

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Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

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Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

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La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

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Alistair Walsh

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