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One of the most important decisions to make when you buy an investment property is whether to appoint a professional property manager or manage the property yourself.

More than three quarters (77%) of landlords have their properties professionally managed by an agent, or have done so in the past, according to The Australian Landlords Panel 2012.
Both options needed to be carefully considered before making a final decision that is right for you.
Do-it-yourself property management can appeal to some investors, who may see it as an easy way to save money.
However, managing an investment property involves a time commitment that can significantly outweigh the cost.
Self-managing landlords will need to find the time to screen tenants, conduct regular property inspections, ensure rent is being paid on time and be ‘on call’ to attend to maintenance issues.
Landlords who fall behind in these tasks may find themselves in hot water. For example, if a tenant is damaging the property and regular inspections are not held, the landlord could be faced with mounting repair bills.
Likewise, if maintenance issues aren’t attended to promptly and the tenant injures themselves as a result, the landlord could find themselves exposed to a costly legal liability claim.
The Australian Landlords Panel 2012 study revealed that landlords received higher rental yields and profits when a property manager was used, and that they generally had better investment experiences.
Property managers can provide landlords with risk management benefits and potentially minimise loss for the landlord if an issue arose.
Property managers are able to conduct regular property inspections to identify maintenance issues, ensure the tenant is looking after the property and, if required, liaise with appropriate tradespeople as soon as possible to address any problems.
They also have systems and processes in place to find and screen prospective tenants, and have access to databases that list tenants with a history of defaulting on rental payments, damaging property and eviction.
Property managers can ensure the correct paperwork is in place, collect the rent, monitor arrears, form a professional relationship with the tenant and regularly liaise with them.
If a dispute arises with the tenant, they will be familiar with the relevant legislation and are therefore able to follow the correct procedures to help resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
For example, if a tenant falls behind in their rent, a property manager can ensure the proper notices are issued to the tenant within the required timeframes.
This is helpful if the dispute ends up in court and, if the landlord has landlord insurance in place, can also assist with the payment of loss of rent claims.
Regardless of what option property investors chose, a specialised form of landlord insurance was a must."Landlord insurance is designed to help protect investors from many of the risks associated with owning a rental property.
These include malicious damage by tenants, accidental damage, legal liability and loss of rental income if a tenant absconds or leaves a property unable to be re-let while damage is repaired.
It can also provide peace of mind if the unforeseen should occur, as well as ease a landlord’s concerns about receiving regular rental payments.
Even the most fastidious tenant is able to damage a property, whether accidental or otherwise.
This can be extremely costly for the landlord in terms of repairs and the loss of rental income.
The Australian Landlords Panel 2012 study found that 81% of landlords who employ a professional property manager had landlord insurance cover. However, only 54% of landlords who self manage their properties had a landlord insurance policy.
Uninsured landlords really need to think about how they would manage financially if they were faced with thousands of dollars worth of damage to their rental property, or were unable to re-let their property while repairs were being made.
Carolyn Majda is insurance manager at <a target="_blank" href="https://terrischeer.com.au/">Terri Scheer</a>
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Should you manage your own investment property? Carolyn Majda

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Putting a rental property on the market can be a disruptive time for tenants.
Open inspections, potential buyers driving by and regular contact from the selling agent to arrange further inspections can significantly interrupt your tenant’s daily routines.
However, waiting for the lease to expire before selling a property is not always an option.
Maintaining a positive relationship with your tenant can help to ensure that they remain cooperative throughout the sale process.
If you are looking to sell your rental property, your tenant’s lease should be the priority.
This can contribute to a smooth and hassle-free sale and reduce the likelihood of the tenant causing malicious damage to the property if they feel as though they have been mistreated.
Tenants who respect the landlord and the property are likely to ensure it is well maintained and tidy for open inspections, which can help to attract possible buyers.
A tenanted property that is clearly well looked after can also be an attractive proposition for potential investors. If they are the successful buyers, they may look to keep the tenants rather than trying to find new ones.
How you manage the situation and what you can request from the tenant depends on the lease agreement that was signed by you and the tenant at the beginning of the tenancy.
If the lease is a fixed term agreement, you must allow the tenant to remain in the property until the end date stated on the agreement.
However, if you would like them to vacate the property prior to this date, you can try to negotiate with them.
 
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If the tenant is on a periodic lease, you are entitled to end the agreement.
The termination notice period and requirements vary from state to state and according to the tenancy agreement, so make sure you are familiar with these details.
It is therefore a good idea to ensure any periodic lease agreement you present to tenants at the beginning of a lease outlines what would happen if you wish to sell the property so they are aware of the process prior to entering the agreement.
There are many things landlords can do to maintain a positive relationship with their tenant while selling their rental property.
Regardless of the type of agreement you and the tenant entered into, you are required to issue the tenant with written notice to inform them of your intention to sell the property before the property is listed for sale.
Giving the tenant as much notice as possible regarding the property being placed on the market will allow them time to plan for the situation and, if necessary, relocate.
Passing as much information as possible from the selling agent onto the tenant and acting as a go-between for each party will reduce the likelihood of surprises down the track.
The selling agent must discuss open inspection times with the tenant and seek their permission to use photographs that contain any of their possessions in marketing materials.
You may wish to ensure that the tenant is happy with the arrangement and that the selling agent obtained the agreement in writing.
If the property is nearly due for a routine property inspection prior to being put on the market, you may also wish to bring the date forward and conduct it before open inspections commence.
This will allow you to identify and action any maintenance issues prior to the property going on the market and limit interruptions for the tenant while the property is up for sale.
Once the property has been sold, it can be a nice gesture to offer your tenants an excellent reference that they could use to apply for their next rental property.
Carolyn Majda is insurance manager at landlord insurance specialist<a target="_blank" href="https://terrischeer.com.au/"> Terri Scheer.</a>
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Your tenants should be your top priority if you are selling your investment property

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A tenant can make or break a landlord’s experience of owning a rental property. 
Finding good tenants and keeping them happy is one of the best investments a landlord can make. 
Sourcing good tenants is one of the most important tasks for landlords who manage their own investment properties. 
By ensuring they have a positive experience while living at your property, they may be more likely to pay their rent on time, stay in your property longer and treat it as if it were their own. 
Here are some tips to find and hold on to great tenants: 
Think about the type of tenant you want to attract 
Keeping a good tenant happy begins before you’ve even purchased your rental property. 
When choosing a property to invest in, think about the tenant demographic you want to attract, for example a family, sole tenant or couple, and choose a home that is likely to appeal to them.
Properties that are close to good schools, shops and public transport are likely to be well sought after and may give you a larger pool of prospective tenants from which to choose. 
Keep up appearances 
No one wants to live in a property that has stained carpets and marked walls. A home that is poorly presented by the landlord may deter good tenants from applying to rent your property in the first instance, and be poorly cared for by the successful tenant. 
Similarly, a property that requires as little maintenance as possible will make life much easier for both tenants and landlords as it will minimise the effort and cost involved in the upkeep of the home once the tenant has moved in. 
Presenting a clean, tidy, low-maintenance and well cared for property will encourage tenants to treat the property as if it were their own. 
Generate interest 
In order to generate interest in the lease of your property, landlords may be required to place advertisements in newspapers, on various real estate websites and on online noticeboards. The advertisement should include information about the property, when open inspections are scheduled for, and the lease application deadline.
It is a good idea to arrange open inspections at times that would be convenient to the type of tenant you want to attract. 
For example, if you would like to attract young professionals, arrange the open inspection after working hours so it is easy for people to attend. 
At the open inspection, ensure you talk with as many potential tenants as possible so you can put faces to names when processing lease applications later on. 
Screen tenants 
After the lease application deadline has closed, landlords will be required to screen potential tenants. 
The first step is to contact the employer of your preferred tenant to confirm that the information they have provided regarding their position, length of employment and salary is correct. 
It is also important to contact their previous landlord to discuss any issues that arose during their last tenancy, as well as the personal referees listed in their application. 
If an applicant is applying for his or her first lease and has no previous record of renting, speaking with responsible adults such as school teachers may suffice. 
If you are a member of a specific real estate industry association, you may have access to a tenant database which you can also use to search the names of your shortlisted potential tenants to find out whether there are any recorded issues with previous leases. 
Attend to maintenance issues promptly 
Once you have selected your tenant and they have moved into the property, ensure you make every effort to attend to any maintenance issues promptly. 
It can be quite frustrating for tenants if their requests for repairs go unanswered, and if they aren’t getting the attention they deserve they may begin to question their commitment to your property and become more careless with it. 
Injury or loss resulting from a safety hazard that has not been attended to might also give rise to a costly legal liability claim. 
Responding to maintenance issues in a timely manner signals to your tenant that you care about the property and value their concern for its condition. This can contribute to creating a positive renting experience for your tenant. 
Even if you do find good tenants, it is important to not take them for granted and rely on them to make sure nothing goes wrong. 
Even the best tenant can accidentally damage a property or lose his or her job and be unable to pay rent. 
Every landlord should have a tailored landlord insurance policy that covers both malicious and accidental damage, legal liability and loss of rental income. 
Landlords can also enhance risk management by appointing a property manager. 
The time and effort that property managers can save landlords as well as the experience and knowledge they provide can be well worth the cost for their services. 
A property manager can also help to find tenants, ensure the correct paperwork is in place, assist landlords to form a professional relationship with their tenant, collect the rent, conduct property inspections and liaise with the tenant on behalf of the landlord. 
Carolyn Majda is insurance manager at landlord insurance specialist <a href="https://terrischeer.com.au/" target="_blank">Terri Scheer Insurance.</a>
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How to find and hold good tenants

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

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The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

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Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

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Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

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Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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Carolyn Majda

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