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UK rents will rise significantly more than house prices over the next five years, according to research by Savills.
The rise is pushed by rising demand from those unable to buy their own homes and those reluctant to commit in the current market.
“Competition among renters will drive rents higher, with growth in mainstream rents forecast to rise by 20.5% by the end of 2016. This growth significantly outpaces house price growth, which is expected to total just 6% over the same five years,” the report found.
“This differential in capital value growth and rental value growth will push out yields and will be the catalyst for renewed investment activity in the sector by corporates and institutions looking for income rather than individuals looking for capital growth,” says Yolande Barnes, director of Savills residential research.
Median gross yield on residential stock will rise from 5.4% to 6.1% across the five-year period according to the report, and in areas of low owner-occupier demand yields could average as much as 9% by 2016.
In London, capital prices will continue to grow and this growth will remain the major draw for investors.
 
 
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UK rents to outstrip house prices: Savills

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New South Wales mortgage repossession rates were steady in the October quarter.
There were 751 applications between August and October, compared with 745 for the same period in 2010.
But the monthly rate is up slightly on 2010. There has been an average of 246 applications to the NSW Supreme Court per month this year, up from 213 in 2010.
The numbers aren’t a patch on the post-GFC 2009 levels, which had 318 applications per month.
The peak year for possession writs was in 2006, with 447 writs per month in the wake of the low-doc (low document) price boom that swept Sydney's outer-west.
The 2010 tally was the lowest since 2003.
The numbers include applications that were sought but not necessarily proceeded with as court orders.
 
 
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Number of NSW mortgage repossessions holds steady at low levels

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Reader's Feast is coming back to Melbourne after the collapse of REDGroup caused the store to close the doors of its Bourke Street store in July this year.
Owner Mary Dalmau will reopen the store in a 900-square-metre lot in Georges on Collins, having signed a lease with Colliers.
Dalmau plans to open the doors to the new store early next month, just in time for Christmas.
Reader's Feast will take up the mezzanine floor and will stretch from Collins Street through to Little Collins Street.
Ben Tremellen, retail executive of Colliers International, negotiated the lease.
“The Georges building is one of the most iconic buildings along the famous Collins Street strip and to lease the final available space will now breathe new life into the historic building,” Tremellen says.
The REDGroup collapse earlier this year led to closure of 190 bookshops across Australia including Readers Feast.
But Dalmau and four other shareholders bought the bookstore themselves, with Dalmau as the major owner.
''I opened the store for other owners 20 years ago, created it and now, thank God, we are the owners as well, which is fantastic,'' she told The Age.
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Reader's Feast returning to Melbourne

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The liquidators and insurers of collapsed NSW building firm Cosmopolitan Constructions yesterday met the home owners of properties it was contracted to build.
An estimated 130 homes were affected by the collapse of the 47-year-old company, according to insurer’s estimates, and 150 people turned up to the meeting, which ran for more than two hours.
The NSW Fair Trading Department and the Home Warranty Insurance Fund organised the meeting after the collapse two weeks ago, to provide home owners with information on the effect of the liquidation on their home building projects.
After meeting creditors on Wednesday, Nicholas Malanos and Christopher Darin of Worrells Accountants met owners at Ridges Hotel in Rosehill.
In a statement on its website, Cosmopolitan said that during the last year it had remained profitable, but recently it has been slammed with “significant margin erosion” in its projects division.
At the creditors meeting legal representatives reiterated this, attributing the collapse to erosion of profit margin due to the company’s involvement with larger projects.
While most home owners were understandably concerned about the collapse there was a generally positive response to the work and activism of the insurance fund and agents, who advised those affected to file their insurance claims as soon as possible.
The homes affected were in various states of completion, with many now stranded midway through construction.
More than 90% of the people at the meeting were home owners affected by the collapse, the rest being sub-contractors and tradesmen keen to complete work on the projects and to get paid.
The liquidation will only affect Cosmopolitan’s NSW operations, according to Cosmopolitan website.
 
 
 
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Liquidators of collapsed Cosmopolitan Construction meet with home owners

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Mosman dominates the NSW Land and Environment Court neighbourhood disputes over trees blocking views, with the number of court cases having soared since new legislation came into effect in August 2010.
The Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act paved the way for the court to rule on matters regarding trees, hedges and even vines typically after quick one-day hearings with site inspections.
There have been 41 published court judgements across NSW this year. Mosman led the push, with 10 judgements over disputes taking place in the litigious affluent Sydney suburb this year.
Across NSW there were just 10 published cases about obstruction of views in the seven months before the legislation – and then in the last five months of 2010 after the new legislation it jumped to 28 cases.
One Mosman resident faced two concurrent proceedings from neighbours on her north and south sides relating to her bamboo. The applicants wanted the neighbour to remove the bamboo, which she argued provided privacy to her garden and house. The court dismissed both cases.
“We are not satisfied that, as of today, there is any obstruction from any of the viewpoints, let alone a severe one,” Commissioner Linda Pearson noted.
That ruling is a common finding despite the expansion of the laws. Judges found the residents of Mosman to be a little keen in their arboriculture objections, with eight of the 10 cases in Mosman dismissed.
In one Mosman case Senior Commissioner Tim Moore ordered the applicant pay for the capture of a possum that had taken residence in an offending tree. Pruning could only take place when the possum was away, so the neighbour could either remove the possum or hire an arborist to prune the tree in the middle of the night, which was “clearly an absurdity”. (Coleman vs Scern)
In another Mosman case (Boddington v Julianan) Commissioner Judy Fakes was scathing of an applicant’s argument that a row of Leyland Cypress trees in a neighbour’s yard unacceptably obstructed her views of the harbour.
“I find that the applicant is able to obtain expansive views of Middle Harbour and the surrounding district from many positions at the rear of her dwelling. The views the applicant seeks to regain are views in a relatively narrow corridor over side boundaries and those views are affected by vegetation well beyond the respondents' property. I also note that some water views to the west are available from [another vantage point].”
Out of the 31 other cases published by the NSW Court in 2011, 14 were upheld. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/pines-face-the-chop-after-tree-court-case-dispute/2011111852424" target="_blank">One was in Watsons Bay.</a> 
The judges were willing to uphold rulings in cases where they found the views acceptably compromised.
In a case in Birchgrove (Sheehy vs jufferman) Fakes ordered the respondent to keep hedges trimmed to a maximum height of 2 metres to restore the applicant’s view of the Harbour Bridge.
“The view of the Harbour Bridge is iconic,” Fakes ruled.
Almost all of the 41 cases involved water views, although there were cases inland including Pymble and Cherrybrook and they tended to relate to issues of sunlight.
In one case the applicant argued that “all east-rising sun is totally blocked” from her Cherrybrook property. In a lengthy review of shadow diagrams, expert testimony and on-sight photography Fakes ruled “the evidence is clear that there is no severe obstruction of sunlight to any window of the applicant's dwelling as a result of the trees”.
“The configuration and aspect of the applicant's dwelling, combined with the plants in the applicant's own garden, are such that the windows on the southern elevation are not capable of receiving direct sunlight even in the absence of the respondent's trees.”
In many cases being pushed through with the new hedge amendment, arguments came down to semantics with the definition of a hedge. Judges found some applicants to be liberal with their definition of a hedge.
Fakes said of a Vaucluse case (Muraben v Elmowy) “The applicant considers that the intermingling of the canopies of the trees can and should be interpreted as a 'hedge'. This could also imply that a forest is a ‘hedge.'”
In a case in Hunters Hill (Ridley v The Owners Strata Plan No 60662) Fakes said: “The critical element is whether they are planted 'so as to form a hedge'. I am satisfied that they meet part of the description in Wisdom v Payn at [45] in that there is ... 'a degree of regularity and arrangement, in a linear fashion, of the trees being considered. Whilst such an arrangement may be more than one tree deep and does not need to be in a perfectly straight line’.”
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Mosmanites who can't see the harbour for the trees take neighbours to court as land and environment cases rise

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Mortgage brokers are not adequately checking the income of applicants, according to research by ASIC.
New licensing requirements and lending obligations were imposed on brokers with the introduction of The National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (National Credit Act), which rolled out from July 2010 to January 2011.
While most brokers were adequately aware of these new responsible lending obligations there was “room for improvement”, a six-month review by ASIC found.
“We undertook this review to assess how the home loan industry was complying with the new responsible lending obligations in the early days of the regime,” ASIC Commissioner Peter Kell says.
“Loans promoted as low doc (low documentation) were a particular focus given the role these products played in the lead-up to the US sub-prime crisis and in equity stripping.”
ASIC found some brokers not verifying income claims by consumers and were simply taking applicants’ word.
“We observed files for home loans promoted as low doc where there was no evidence of any steps taken by the credit assistance provider to verify the consumer’s income,” the report found.
Some brokers failed to record details on what the consumers planned to do with the loans, details of their living expenses or how they would repay the loans.
“ASIC considers that the inquiries and verifications a credit licensee must make to satisfy their responsible lending obligations are scalable depending on the circumstances of the consumer. In some circumstances, fewer inquiries may be needed,” Kell says.
“This does not mean, however, that inquiries and verifications may be scaled down simply because of the label applied to a product, such as low doc”.
 
 
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Mortgage brokers lax on checking up on applicants: ASIC

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Office buildings need to be more bike-friendly to keep tenants happy, according to recent research by Colliers International.
“On-site bike racks, changing rooms and shower facilities are becoming increasingly popular with tenants and there is now greater focus on this by business owners,” writes Colliers national director of research Nerida Conisbee.
“Having sufficient bike racks, changing rooms and shower facilities was seen as less important than having on-site secure car parking in 2005; however by 2010, both factors were seen almost equally as important.”
Looking at future-proofing office buildings the report also found an increased demand for environmental sustainability.
“Increasing costs of energy and a greater focus by tenants and owners on sustainability and workspace performance is a key consideration for owners when future-proofing an existing building,” Conisbee says.
Dicky air-conditioning remains a point of vexation with tenants, consistently rated as important as proximity to public transport.
“Having excellent indoor air quality and thermal comfort has remained one of the most important attributes and ensuring that these systems are working is critical in future-proofing an asset. For building managers, it typically rates high on the list of complaints by user groups,” Conisbee says.
“Similarly, high levels of natural light are also important, and working out ways to open up dark areas within buildings is also critical.”
The report touched on the recently passed carbon pricing mechanism saying projects will aim for maximum environmental rating.
“The main impact on existing buildings is the increase in electricity costs, although much of this increase is expected to occur irrespective of carbon pricing due to investment required in ageing energy distribution infrastructure and new electricity power stations. Either way, this is likely to further increase the desirability of higher NABERS-rated building by owners and tenants in the office sector and drive up the importance of energy efficiency in all other building and industry sectors.”
The report says the scheme will cost $2 to $4 per square meter for a $25 per tonne carbon price, assuming a five- and four-green-star building respectively.
 
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Bike racks one key to securing office tenants: Colliers

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Only a third of 1,100 enclosed regional shopping malls in the US are currently viable, according to The International Council of Shopping Centres.
Developers in the US have been moving away from the enclosed-mall format in favour of big-box centres anchored by free-standing giants such as WalMart.
A shift in online spending as well as large big box retailers like Costco entering the market may see Australia follow suit, says Lisa Scharoun, assistant professor of graphic design at UC.
“The recent bankruptcies of the Colorado Group and the RED group may signal a potential downturn in the viability of the enclosed shopping mall environment in Australia.”
Scharoun says big-box centres have replaced enclosed shopping malls in many areas across the US and pose a threat to public space in urban and social areas with their lack of seating, community spaces and food courts.
“The shopping mall – it’s an essential part of American culture – the quintessential US shopping experience. And Australia isn’t far behind. More and more of us are ditching local stores for the convenience of the one-stop shop.”
“In the newly created American suburbs of the early 1950s, a problem emerged about how to make shopping more convenient when cars were the dominant form of transport.”
“Designer Victor Gruen envisioned a fully enclosed shopping centre that would be ‘the nucleus of a utopian experiment’,” she wrote on <a href="https://theconversation.edu.au/dawn-of-the-dead-mall-will-we-follow-the-us-and-dump-the-shopping-centre-3507?utm_source=The+Conversation+Daily+updates&amp;utm_campaign=a97078fa21-DailyNewsletter&amp;utm_medium=email">The Conversation website.</a>
“He wanted to create a space that would be something more than simply a place to buy essentials.”
“His goal was to design an enclosed interior pedestrian city surrounded by ample parking that would encourage the consumer to linger longer, thus extending the possibilities of socialisation and community.”
“The first fully enclosed mall, Southdale Mall in Edina Minnesota, opened in 1952. Free from the perils of car traffic, Gruen’s dream of an internal pedestrian city was realised,” Scharoun writes
“Gruen’s design called for expansive, windowless cement exteriors, punctuated by ‘big blocks of color and inviting entrance arcades’. The mute exterior of the mall offered nothing to the sidewalks and parking areas and created a distinct divide between the private shop and the cityscape.”
“Instead, the entire streetscape was brought indoors, into the more easily managed interior mall space.”
“The Southdale shopping mall design was so successful that it became the standard for retail construction in America for over 50 years.”
“The impact of the mass reproduction of this centrally controlled, privatised marketplace has been vast," she says.
“The success of Southdale was a catalyst for retail change. Hundreds of shopping malls copied its model across the country. It contributed to the decline of Main Street America and many inner cities across the country.”
“The enclosed shopping mall has proved to re-define the concept of a ‘town centre’ by stripping away the sense of authentic community and freedom that existed in the traditional town centres of rural and urban areas across America.”
“Despite the negative connotations associated with the shopping mall, however, it has been referred to as a “temple of consumerism” and is discussed as offering a replacement for traditional temples of worship in an increasingly secular population.”
“Although the privatised and controlled nature of a shopping mall has led to the homogenisation of public space, the mall has engendered a sense of community amongst specific demographic groups, such as adolescents and the elderly, who use the space as a primary site for identity creation, companionship and social interaction.”
“The enclosed shopping mall has also become a symbol of American culture, and is frequently used as a backdrop for films and popular media depicting the American condition. And the model has been replicated in suburban and urban environments throughout the world.”
“Australia adapted this model very early on, building the first suburban shopping centre, Chermside, in Brisbane in 1957.”
“Myers completed the design for the Chadstone shopping centre in the suburbs of Melbourne around the same period, and so the die was cast: suburban enclosed shopping malls started popping up across the country.”
“According to the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, currently there are 1,338 shopping centres in this country.”
“And, it says, ‘some of the larger centres attract well over 15 million shopper visits per year. Across Australia, there are 1.75 billion shopper visits each year. That means, on average, each Australian visits a shopping centre twice a week’.”
“Shopping trends in Australia are often directly tied to the United States. Research by Morgan Stanley relays that Australia lags behind the US by about five years in their adoption of shopping trends.”
 
 
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Online retailing and big-box centres killing shopping centres: Academic

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McGrath will open two new offices in Canberra, the latest in a series of interstate expansions.
The company will launch branches in Dickson and Woden after entering the ACT market last year with an office in Gungahlin in north ACT.
The Canberra market is holding up better than any other market, says company owner John McGrath.
“Without doubt, Canberra is one of the most exciting real estate regions in Australia at present, having survived better than any other capital the GFC in terms of median price growth and rental demand and yield,” John McGrath says in a McGrath press release.
“Disposable income is 13% higher than the Australian average, unemployment is lower and the population forecasts suggest a growth rate of around 15%.”
McGrath currently has 42 offices, 12 of them opened since the start of this year.
Established in Sydney, the agency has recently expanded interstate operations. In 2009 it branched in Queensland and last year McGrath entered ACT.
Four years ago it started branching out into regional NSW, opening offices around the state.
The Woden office will open this week and will be run by franchisees Greg Ward and Cameron Whitnall.
The Dickson office will open early next year and will cover Canberra’s upmarket inner-northern and inner-southern suburbs
McGrath sold 5,993 homes in the 2011 financial year, which generated $5.7 billion, up from 5,095 properties generating $5 billion in the previous year.
 
 
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McGrath expands from outer to inner Canberra

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Medium-density living in Canberra is rising in popularity amid a shift in ACT government direction towards urban densification, according to a report by Colliers International.
The report shows that units now represent 44% of the Canberra real estate market, up from 31% in 2001.
<img src="/images/stories/colliersnov11.gif">
“Traditionally detached houses have been the main type of dwelling in Canberra,” Colliers International state chief executive Paul Powderly says.
“However, according to our latest research on the apartment market in the ACT, this trend has started to shift, with medium-density dwellings gaining in popularity. In 2010 the number of medium-density dwellings approved exceeded the detached dwelling market.”
Powderly explains that a significant number of new apartment projects have come onto the market in the past 12 months, and all have sold well.
The ACT government’s recent draft planning strategy was launched by Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development Simon Corbell in October.
The strategy is set to guide to development of Canberra over the next 30 years and aims to make Canberra a compact and efficient city. One of the key targets of the strategy is to build 50% of new housing within the established urban area of Canberra and to facilitate a 25% increase in non-detached houses in each district.
“It was pleasing to see the ACT government’s draft planning strategy has recognised this shift and looks at expanding the volume and type of accommodation options available around town centres and along transport route,” Powderly says.
“We know that in major cities overseas people have embraced apartment living as a way to reside close to work and amenities and Canberra looks to be following suit. This will have significant environmental benefits as it reduces commuter traffic and helps protect the capital’s bush setting against urban sprawl.”
 
 
 
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Canberrans moving in closer together as medium-density living on the rise

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Alistair Walsh

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