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Australians are among the most enthusiastic online shoppers in the world.
Our most recent survey, published in the CCi Digital Futures report, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://apo.org.au/research/cci-digital-futures-2012-internet-australia">The Internet in Australia 2012</a>, has found a quarter of Australian internet users make weekly purchases online, compared to 18% in the UK and only 12% in New Zealand.
And it is rapidly growing. Surveys we have conducted in 2007, 2009 and 2011 showed growth in all commercial activities we asked about. (Although, interestingly for the debate in Australia, we saw stronger growth between 2007 and 2009 than for 2009 to 2011.)
And while activity is growing among those who are online, the online Australian population is also continuing to grow.
In 2007, 73% of Australians used the internet; by 2009 this figure had grown to 81%, and it grew again to 87% in 2011. There are more Australians online, buying more often.
But amidst these figures, reporting has concentrated on flat “official” retail figures, high profile retail collapses and the “threat” of online retail.
Poor pre-Christmas sales in 2010 prompted big retailers including Harvey Norman and Myer to press the federal government to apply GST to goods bought online worth less than $1,000.
But this reaction gave the impression they had only just heard of the internet.
While perfectly justified, their complaint that the GST-free threshold on goods bought by Australians from overseas sites made for an uneven playing field, was a little beside the point.
Australians were not going online just to save 10%. A <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/online-tax-no-silver-bullet-say-retailers-20120908-25lex">public campaign</a> to increase the costs of goods bought online was never going to strike a popular chord.
So why have Australia’s large bricks and mortar retailers been slow to respond to the challenge of the internet? If the conventional rule is “once bitten, twice shy”, the response to the tech-wreck of the early 2000s suggests that for Australian retailers, the multiplier is greater than the customary two. Cheaper prices and greater variety has led Australians to purchase overseas.
Australian retailers are not the only, or even the greatest, villains in the story. The high Australian dollar, the popularity of overseas travel, and the emergence of transnational online stores like iTunes, has highlighted how Australia is priced differently by many overseas firms.
Australia is seen by many as a “high-margin market”, which seems to be code for “a land of sweeping returns”. The number of parallel importing cases before the courts is an interesting by-product of this dynamic.
Yet news is far from gloomy for Australian retailers. Australians are keen to shop with Australian websites. Around half of Australian consumers who shop online make most or all of their purchases with Australian sites.
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Reasons include the belief it is less risky for consumers, as returning products should be simpler and cheaper and that enforcing consumer rights is possible.
In addition, two major shifts in online retail have major potential upside for domestic retailers.
The first is a shift to purchasing that is more time sensitive. Up until now, online shopping seems to have been driven largely by the chance to save money and acquire goods that are hard to find locally.
The next phase is likely to be about convenience; making online purchasing easier than visiting the store. This requires distribution networks that can achieve next day or same day delivery. Large Australian retailers already have distribution networks that should give them a solid platform to compete on this basis.
In the United States, there has been a long debate — somewhat like our GST debate — about the application of state-levied sales taxes on online purchases. (Somewhat surprisingly, the Victorian state government joined the tax-free threshold debate recently.)
It’s interesting that some US online retailers now appear to be trading off their out-of-state tax-free transactions against the ability to deliver more quickly, through greater physical proximity to their customers.
The second is the rise of the mobile internet, and its promise of nearly ubiquitous, always-on connectivity. Debates about online retailing, like many other internet related debates, have tended to polarise between “the online” and “the offline”.
As the internet has matured it turns out that most of the interesting stuff is about reconfiguring the connections between the offline and online worlds. In a dial-up environment, people “went” online; now they are more likely to be moving between the on-and offline environments; often using the internet to navigate and complement their offline activities.
The attraction of the mobile internet is not only the idea that it is available almost everywhere (in cities, at least). It is increasingly sensitive to place. The result will be lots of new opportunities for communication and commerce for traditional retailers.
The possibilities include helping customers to find stuff, allowing them to search store layouts, to order for in-store pick up, and to use their mobile phones to purchase in-store. The challenge for retailers is how to best integrate these proliferating channels with their businesses.
Many smaller Australian companies and start-ups are showing the way. They will help ensure that local retailing remains competitive in an increasingly dynamic environment.
Scott Ewing is a senior research fellow at the Swinburne Institute for Social Research and at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Creative Industries and Innovation. Julian Thomas is drector of the Swinburne Institute for Social Research, and Professor of Media and Communications at Swinburne University of Technology. This article first appeared on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://theconversation.edu.au/click-here-for-bankruptcy-scamming-and-small-businesses-7084">The Conversation</a>.
 
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How Australian retailers can capitalise on the rise of online shopping

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8 Henderson Street, Merrylands, NSW, 2160
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/henderson.jpg" width="470">
Within walking distance to shops, this two-bedroom house sold at auction for $425,000 to an investor. There were five registered bidders. The tenants have been in residence for 15 years and are paying $425 a week. Laing + Simmons selling agent Jas Singh says it could potentially fetch $10 or $15 more a week but that the vendor was happy to have a stable tenant rather than insist upon market rent. The weatherboard cottage on 525 square metres has high ceilings, a garage and a small study.
Singh gave pre-auction price hopes in the "early to  mid-$400,000s". At its current rent it will secure its buyer a gross rental yield of 5.2%, above the median gross rental yield for Merrylands houses of4.6%, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $3,000 and over five years to be $6,000.
The median house price in Merrylands rose 1.1% in the past year and rose 24.7% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
For more information about prices and yields in <a href="/news">Merrylands, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
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Investor form guide wrap: Yields of 5.2% in Merrylands

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The wellbeing of low-income Australian households is being seriously undermined by the increasing cost of housing and electricity. Many such households are suffering from both housing stress and energy poverty.
Housing stress occurs when low-income households (the bottom 40% of households) use about a third of their income to pay for accommodation. Energy poverty, we suggest, occurs when low-income households spend 10% or more of after-tax income on household energy bills, in addition to rent or mortgage payments.
No Australian studies have examined the link between housing stress and energy poverty and its effect on wellbeing. But findings from <a target="_blank" href="https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=656764580142785;res=IELHSS">our current research</a> suggest that they often go hand in hand, and financial hardship is an ever-present reality in the households concerned.
<h2>The extent of housing stress</h2>
The data on housing stress alone is well developed. The COAG Reform Council’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.coagreformcouncil.gov.au/reports/housing.cfm">annual report</a> on the state of housing in Australia paints a dismal picture. In 2009-10, some 42% of low-income households in the private rental market were suffering from housing stress, up from 37% in 2007-08.
More than half of private renters in the lowest 10% of households by income were in housing stress during this period. The same report concluded that in 2009-10, some 37% of low-income households with a mortgage were also suffering from housing stress.
<h2>The extent of energy poverty</h2>
The proportion of low-income households suffering from energy poverty is less clear. What is evident is that increases in electricity prices have far outstripped inflation and wage increases.
An Australia-wide snapshot of average electricity price increases over the past five years shows that New South Wales household electricity prices rose 80%, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania by 60%, and in Western Australia by 57%. Over the same period the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6401.0" target="_blank">Consumer Price Index</a> rose by 14.5%, and average weekly earnings by over a quarter.
So now an increasing number of low-income households are suffering from energy poverty.<a href="https://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4442.0.55.0012009-10?OpenDocument" target="_blank">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a> data show that in 2009-10, the lowest 20% of Australian households had an average weekly income of $314. Their average expenditure on household energy was 7% of disposable income – three times more than the wealthiest households. These figures don’t take account of the more recent substantial electricity price increases.
Indeed, our research signals that much higher proportions are now being paid. This partly confirms the <a href="https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/Home/Industries/Electricity/Reviews_All/Retail_Pricing/Changes_in_regulated_electricity_retail_prices_from_1_July_2011/14_Jun_2011_-_Final_Report/Final_Report_-_Changes_in_regulated_electricity_retail_prices_from_1_July_2011_-_June_2011" target="_blank">NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s</a> recent estimate that 5% of Sydney households, and 8% of households in country New South Wales were paying more than 10% of disposable income on electricity bills.
In Victoria, electricity and gas bills have been found to be the greatest cause of <a href="https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1111&amp;context=jesp">rental arrears</a> (63% of cases). And the ABS found nearly 40% of the two lowest household income groups were unable to pay electricity, gas or telephone bills on time during 2010.
 
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<h2>The toll on wellbeing</h2>
There’s growing evidence that the combination of housing and energy stress can have serious impacts on health. Since mid-2000, the not-for-profit sector has provided snapshots of such difficulties as low-income households cut back on essentials in order to pay for electricity.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-14/energy-hike/4069678" target="_blank">The Salvation Army</a> recently found that in regional New South Wales, just over half the people are going without meals to pay for electricity. A third of these people could not afford to heat their homes.
In 2010, the <a href="https://www.wesleymission.org.au/Research/Financial_Stress/Report/Online%20report/The%20Wesley%20Report%20Oct%202010.pdf" target="_blank">Wesley Mission</a> concluded that more than two-thirds of financially stressed households were making sacrifices to meet electricity price increases, and 10% were unable to meet the cost.
Research by <a href="https://acoss.org.au/images/uploads/AJSI_Vol423.pdf" target="_blank">one of the authors</a> on older private renters under housing stress found the impact was often devastating; interviewees told of how they were unable to feed themselves adequately or replace essential items.
Social isolation was also a common problem. After paying for accommodation, electricity and telephone, there was no money left to engage in the world.
As one interviewee said, “Well, you sort of think what you can do with $2.50 [the cost of a public transport day pass]. That’s a loaf of bread type of thing.”
Besides the physical implications of inadequate nutrition, the psychological implications of housing stress and energy poverty can be profound. Many of the interviewees were plagued by constant anxiety, and depression was common. The not-for-profit sector is also reporting that these impacts of housing stress and energy poverty are becoming more widespread.
These are “real” live consequences of public policies on Australia’s 3.5 million low-income households. And they are, for the large part, being ignored by the political debate.
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.edu.au/">The Conversation.</a>
Alan Morris is a senior lecturer in the school of social sciences at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of NSW.</a>
Lynne Chester is in the department of political economy at the <a target="_blank" href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney.</a>
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Housing stress and energy poverty undermining the wellbeing of low-income Australian households

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9/14-20 Madeira Street, Sylvania, NSW 2224
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/09/madeira.jpg">
Currently tenanted until March 2013 at $620 per week, this three-bedroom near-new townhouse has a spa bathroom, front and rear courtyards and a laundry. It is within easy walking distance of shops, cafes and transport.
Ray White listing agents Dave Watkins, Kim Nolan and John Basa <a target="_blank" href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/sylvania/839585/">are marketing the property</a> with price hopes of $550,000 plus, and if it sells for that price, that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 5.9% at its current rent, well above the gross rental yield for Sylvnia houses of 3.6%, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $20,000 and over five years to be $60,000.
The median house price in Sylvania rose 4% in the past year and 27.4% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
The property will be open for inspection on Saturday, September 22 at noon and will go to auction on Saturday, October 6 at 1pm.
For more information about prices and yields in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Sylvania, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
For another investment prospect going to auction this weekend, see page 2.
 
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19/44 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, VIC, 3182
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/kingsclere.jpg" width="470">
On the second floor of a Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, block, this one-bedroom apartment is currently vacant but could be expected to secure a rental of $360 to $370 per week, according to listing agent Carl Hexter of Biggin Scott. The apartment includes a separate study and an ornamental fireplace and is within metres of Fitzroy Street trams, cafes, restaurants and bars.
Hexter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bigginscott.com.au/property/details/6802">is marketing the property</a> with price hopes of $380,000 plus, and if it sells for $380,000 and were rented at $370, it would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 5.1%, above at the median gross rental yield for St Kilda units of 4.3%, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $4,000 and over five years to be $8,000.
The median unit price in St Kilda fell 0.6% in the past year but rose 37.9% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
The property will be open for inspection Saturday, September 22 at 12.45pm and will go to auction Saturday, October 6 at 1pm.
For more information about prices and yields in <a target="_blank" href="/news">St Kilda, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
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Friday form guide: Yields of up to 5.9% in Sylvania

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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/afl-grand-final-day-auction-avoidance-with-few-vendors-willing-to-risk-missing-the-bounce/2012091656603" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/33.gif"></a>
The number of Melbourne vendors who are <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/afl-grand-final-day-auction-avoidance-with-few-vendors-willing-to-risk-missing-the-bounce/2012091656603" target="_blank">bringing their homes to auction on grand final day</a>. The weekend before there are about 700 auctions scheduled, according to APM, and 500 on the following weekend.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/melbourne-shopping-strip-bridge-road-richmond-has-highest-vacancy-rate-in-five-years/2012091656593"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/11point5percent.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/melbourne-shopping-strip-bridge-road-richmond-has-highest-vacancy-rate-in-five-years/2012091656593">rental vacancy rate for Melbourne shopping strip Bridge Road</a>. This is up from 2.9% just two years ago.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-housing-crisis-deepens-as-outer-suburbs-fall-further-behind-on-new-home-building-targets-mckell-institute/2012091656598"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/2908.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-housing-crisis-deepens-as-outer-suburbs-fall-further-behind-on-new-home-building-targets-mckell-institute/2012091656598">shortfall of homes in Sydney for the first quarter of 2012</a>, according to the McKell Institute. The greatest concentration of houses is required in the south-west and the north-west, where the target is for 169,000 homes to be built by 2036, says the think-tank. “Councils across the city need to flatly reject NIMBYism and accept that if they don’t approve more dwellings and get the construction sector pumping, our housing affordability crisis will get out of control,” says McKell.
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/st-kat-s-george-calombaris-s-kew-premises-gets-chinese-landlord/2012091756615" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/4point31m.gif"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/st-kat-s-george-calombaris-s-kew-premises-gets-chinese-landlord/2012091756615" target="_blank">price paid by a Chinese investor for the premises of St Katherine's</a>, the much-lauded Kew restaurant of MasterChef's George Calombaris and his business associate Shane Dalia.
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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/1point56m.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="/news">price that self-betterment guru Siimon Reynolds has secured for his Double Bay bachelor pad</a>. The two-bedroom apartment was last traded for $788,000 in 1997.
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The 5 must-know numbers of the working week, starting with Melbourne auctions on grand final day

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Westfield will not be following the lead of David Jones, having ruled out building any residential projects above its many Australian retail malls.
Westfield director  Domenic Panaccio says the company is committed to having retail malls and at most having office additions in some, but says there will be no foray into residential redevelopment of their retail portfolio.
Panaccio’s comments come as David Jones chief Paul Zahra said his company was considering commercial and residential developments above its stores.
“That could be a good option for David Jones," Panaccio told Fairfax Media.
"They’re looking for opportunities. It would bring people to the city and could create further growth if the residential demand was there,” Panaccio said.
David Jones have been undertaking valuations and investigating the potential for redevelopment of its stores after posting a 40% slump in profits.
It's been touted that David Jones could add an extra 20 levels above its Market Street store in Sydney as well as options at its two Bourke Street stores in Melbourne and its Elizabeth Street store in Sydney.
Westfield has been busy redeveloping some of its malls with Melbourne’s Fountain Gate re-opening yesterday.
The $340 million redevelopment has turned the mall into Australia's second largest at 174,000 square metres.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/dj11.jpg">
 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/dj21.jpg">
 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/dj31.jpg">
 
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Westfield won't be following David Jones residential redevelopment lead

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Until the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/opposition-divided-over-station-sale-20120903-25amj">recent bid</a> from a Chinese-Japanese consortium Shandong RuYi for megafarm Cubbie Station, it appeared the property would limp along under locally based administration.
But then the opportunity for the consortium to make a bid was approved by Treasurer Wayne Swan, who said he was convinced that a future sale was in the national interest after being given certain undertakings by the potential purchaser regarding the use of water, the employment of workers and the management of the station.
Should there be any fuss? After all, the government and opposition both welcome foreign investment in Australia. As recently as December last year Peter Costello joined Bob Hawke in a delegation to the Gulf States where both <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/bob-hawke-in-gulf-trade-push/story-e6frg8zx-1225976841263">implored countries</a> such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to expand their investments in Australian food and agricultural industries.
But Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce used the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/barnaby-joyce-rejects-xenophobia-tag/story-fn59niix-1226475218339">National Party federal conference</a> in Canberra this weekend to outline his passionate opposition to the sale, rebuffing claims that his view was based on xenophobia.
In an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/coalition-trades-blows-over-cubbie-station-20120904-25cnj">immediate response</a> to Swan’s announcement, Joyce labelled the Cubbie decision a “bloody disgrace”. Any sale of a property of this size to foreigners will undermine Australia’s ability to determine the use of its own resources into the future, he argued.
Finance farming
While there’s an unhealthy mix of rural populism and anti-Chinese sentiment in some of the complaints about Cubbie, there is no doubt that foreign firms will continue to increase their stake in Australian agriculture.
Cubbie is simply part of a bigger picture. In what has been termed the “financialisation” of farming, sovereign wealth funds, investment houses, private equity consortia and others dealing in financial instruments such as credit default swaps, derivatives, bonds, securities and futures trading have been increasing their investments in agriculture, worldwide.
In some countries this is deemed to be a “land grab” while, for developed nations, this is termed “foreign direct investment” and is welcomed as capital necessary for economic development.
There has been a host of agri-food purchases in Australia during the past two years:
<ul>
<li>more than 750,000 hectares of sheep and wheat land has <a target="_blank" href="https://sl.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/land-the-perfect-investment-for-foreigners/2431007.aspx?storypage=0">been bought</a> by Hassad Foods of Qatar;</li>
<li>some 250,000 hectares of Victoria’s western district farmland was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.abc.net.au/rural/regions/content/201102/3127526.htm?site=westernvic">purchased</a> by the Alberta Pension Fund;</li>
<li>CSR Sugar <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/csr-sugar-takeover-bid-by-wilmar-a-well-kept-secret/story-e6frg8zx-1225889995293">was sold</a> to Wilmar International of Singapore;</li>
<li>Tully Sugar <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/great-tully-sugar-sell-off-proves-bittersweet/story-fn59niix-1226088463624">was sold</a> to China Oil and Fuel;</li>
<li>Australia’s major grain-trading company, AWB, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201011/s3067639.htm">was acquired</a> by Canada’s Agrium company.</li>
</ul>
Today, foreign companies control more than half of the Australian wheat export industry, some 60% of raw sugar production, and 40% of lamb and beef processing.
Assets in agriculture
Why would the finance industry be interested in farming?
After all, it is a risky business that has often provided small, if not negative, returns to investment. The answer lies in a combination of factors. When the dot-com bubble burst at the turn of the century, followed by collapse of real estate prices after the GFC, the financial sector was looking for a safe haven for investors’ money.
Farmland prices had been rising for a decade on the back of strong demand for food from a growing world population, including millions of new middle-class consumers in places such as China, India and Indonesia.
Legislation requiring an ethanol mix for vehicles provided a clear signal to the finance firms that their investments in biofuel production would be secure. Oil-rich but water-poor countries such as Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Qatar are seeking to guarantee food for the future and have no hesitation in using billions of dollars in sovereign wealth funds to secure lands and water in food-producing regions around the world.
Deregulation of financial markets has also helped facilitate the quick movement of funds from less profitable markets to agriculture. And, of course, there have been opportunities for speculation. Facilitated, in part, by global financial deregulation, traders have been able to manipulate markets for commodities such as corn, wheat and rice, making considerable profits for their investors along the way.
Farmlands are, in this sense, just another “bundle of assets” that can be bought and sold to maximise shareholder profits.
Critics point out that farmland must be viewed as more than a tradeable commodity and should be harnessed to provide global food security – not profits for speculators from wealthy nations. But the reality is that it is providing an opportunity for capital accumulation in an era of considerable financial turmoil.
Selling the farm
So, where does this leave Barnaby Joyce and others who have expressed disquiet over the purchase of Cubbie and other Australian properties?
Their protests are unlikely to halt the movement of funds from overseas financial institutions into Australian agri-food industries – especially since Joyce’s own Coalition comrades believe strongly in the virtues of free trade and the desirability (read: necessity) of increased foreign investment.
Will Barnaby resist the pleas by Abbott and Hockey to fall into line with his neoliberal-oriented colleagues and thus continue to rail against the “sale of the farm”?
Whether Joyce falls in step with his Coalition colleagues or not, one thing is for sure: “the farm” is out for tender.
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.edu.au/">The Conversation.</a>
Geoffrey Lawrence is a professor of sociology at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/" target="_blank">University of Queensland.</a>
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Why the foreign finance industry is interested in buying Australia's farms

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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/16point46percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in Perth in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $460, providing landlords with a yield of 4.95%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/14point47percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in Brisbane in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $435, providing landlords with a yield of 5.31%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/14point15percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in Darwin in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $605, providing landlords with a yield of 6.14%.
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/11point7percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in ACT in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $525, providing landlords with a yield of 5.16%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/10point96percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in regional Queensland in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $405, providing landlords with a yield of 5.78%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/10point61percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in regional WA in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $365, providing landlords with a yield of 5.43%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/10point58percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in regional Queensland in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $405, providing landlords with a yield of 5.78%
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/10point53percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in Melbourne in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $420, providing landlords with a yield of 3.97%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/5point88percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in regional NSW in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $360, providing landlords with a yield of 5.5%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/5point88percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in regional Tasmania in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $270, providing landlords with a yield of 5.34%.
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/5point66percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in Sydney in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $560, providing landlords with a yield of 4.38%.
 
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The increase in house rents in regional Victoria in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $325, providing landlords with a yield of 5.24%.
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/4point48percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in Adelaide in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $350, providing landlords with a yield of 4.7%.
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/0percent.gif">
The increase in house rents in regional South Australia in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $250, providing landlords with a yield of 5.18%.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/0percent.gif"> 
The increase in house rents in Hobart in the past year, according to Residex. The average weekly house rent is $345, providing landlords with a yield of 5.11%.
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Perth house rents up 16.46% in a year but Hobart rents flat: Residex

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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/666000.gif">
The median house price in Sydney in August, according to Residex. This is up 0.29% from the previous month.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/553500.gif">
The median house price in Melbourne in August, according to Residex. This is exactly the same as the previous month.
 
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The median house price in ACT in August, according to Residex. This is down 0.1% from the previous month.
 
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The median house price in Darwin in August, according to Residex. This is down 1.17% from the previous month.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/486500.gif">
The median house price in Perth in August, according to Residex. This is up 2.19% from the previous month.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/430000.gif">
The median house price in Brisbane in August, according to Residex. This is up 1.1% from the previous month.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/388000.gif">
The median house price in Adelaide in August, according to Residex. This is up 1.1% from the previous month.
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/351500.gif">
The median house price in Hobart in August, according to Residex. This is up 0.29% from the previous month.
 
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The median house price across Australia in August, according to Residex. This is down 0.8% from the previous month.
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Perth house prices rise 2.19% in August while Melbourne prices flat: Residex

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Perth rents are continuing to rise and there is no respite in sight, says the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia.
<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/REIWA"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/reiwatweet.jpg"></a>
"I can't see any signs on the horizon that will reduce the demand for rentals," says REIWA's David Airey. "It appears Perth is a popular place to live, we've got an ongoing shortage of rental supply, so it's likely that rents at the very least will remain stable but are likely to have increases."
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No end in sight to Perth rent rises, says REIWA: Tweet of the day

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>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

Cassidy Knowlton

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