<html><body>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/adelaide-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-money/2011061550495" title="Adelaide Hills" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/tenpointfive.gif"></a>
<div>The percentage by which<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/adelaide-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-money/2011061550495" title="Adelaide Hills are alive with the sound of money" target="_blank"> property prices increased in the South Australian municipality of Adelaide Hills</a>, according to RP Data. The region has defied the nationwide trend of falling house prices and is outperforming the South Australian capital of Adelaide.</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/one-in-50-queensland-mortgage-owners-is-in-arrears/2011061450488" title="One in 50 mortgage holders in arrears" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/two.gif"></a></div>
<div>The percentage of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/one-in-50-queensland-mortgage-owners-is-in-arrears/2011061450488" title="One in 50 Queensland mortgage holders in arrears" target="_blank">Queensland mortgage holders who can't pay their lenders on time</a>, according to a report released this week by Fitch Ratings. That means one in 50 Queensland mortgage holders is in arrears.</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/jump-in-housing-start-figures-unexpected-but-welcome/2011061550497" title="Jump in housing starts surprising but welcome" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/threepointone.gif"></a></div>
<div>The percentage by which the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/jump-in-housing-start-figures-unexpected-but-welcome/2011061550497" title="Jump in housing starts surprising but welcome" target="_blank">number of housing starts rose in the March quarter of 2011</a>, surprising economists, who had forecast that there would be a fall in new starts during the period.</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/landlords-under-microscope-as-ato-cracks-down/2011061450489" title="Landlords under investigation" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/onehundredthousand.gif"></a></div>
<div>The number of<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/landlords-under-microscope-as-ato-cracks-down/2011061450489" title="Landlords under investigation" target="_blank"> landlords whose tax claims will be thoroughly investigated</a>, according to the Australian Tax Office.</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/southern-highlands-buyer-found-after-four-year-pursuit/2011061450481" title="Southern Highlands property finds buyer" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/four.gif"></a></div>
<div>The number of years the Southern Highlands property The Chase was on the market before<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/southern-highlands-buyer-found-after-four-year-pursuit/2011061450481" title="The Chase finds buyer" target="_blank"> finding a buyer this week</a>.</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/ceos-to-take-to-the-streets/2011061450477" title="CEOs take to the streets" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/theepointeight.gif"></a></div>
<div>The amount of money raised by top Australian CEOs, including L. Janusz Hooker of LJ Hooker, during the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/ceos-to-take-to-the-streets/2011061450477" title="CEOs take to the streets" target="_self">CEO sleepout on Thursday, June 16</a>. St Vincent de Paul will use the money raised by CEOs sleeping rough to  combat homelessness.</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/darwin-rental-vacancy-rate-doubles-in-three-months/2011061550496" title="Darwin rental vacancy rate doubles" target="_self"><img src="/images/stories/fourpointsix.gif"></a></div>
<div>The rental vacancy rate in Darwin over the March quarter, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia. The vacancy rate <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/darwin-rental-vacancy-rate-doubles-in-three-months/2011061550496" title="Darwin vacancy rate doubles" target="_blank">doubled over the quarter</a>.</div>
</body></html>

cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

The 7 must-know numbers of the week

<html><body>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/mandurah-population-growth-helps-stem-price-decline/2011062350582" title="Mandurah" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/3point38.jpg"></a>
The rate at which the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/mandurah-population-growth-helps-stem-price-decline/2011062350582" title="Mandurah " target="_blank">population of Mandurah, Western Australia, is growing</a>, according to ABS figures. The town, 72 kilometres from Perth, is also among the 20 worst-performing suburbs for mortgage delinquencies, according to Fitch Ratings. 
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/the-discount-debate-the-raw-data-don-t-lie-says-louis-christopher/2011062350587" title="The discount debate" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/41.jpg"></a>
 
The discount at which the top property on SQM Research director <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/the-discount-debate-the-raw-data-don-t-lie-says-louis-christopher/2011062350587" title="The discount debate" target="_blank">Louis Christopher's top 10 most discounted property list</a> is marked down. The property, at 1/35 Northcliffe Terrace in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, was bought for $4.4 million in 2007 and was initially put up for sale with an asking price of $4.95 million in December 2009. The asking price now is $2.9 million.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" title="Almost time for Perth unit market to recover" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/almost-time-for-perth-units-to-recover/2011062250569/Page-2"><img src="/images/stories/430.jpg"></a>
 
The time on <a target="_blank" title="Almost time for Perth unit market to recover" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/almost-time-for-perth-units-to-recover/2011062250569/Page-2">Property Observer's Property Clock</a> for the Perth units market. The market is nearing the bottom, meaning prices will likely start rising again in the near future and it is a good time to buy. Capital values of Perth units fell -2.9% in April, according to RP Data.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" title="Coal mine anxiety for Nicole Kidman" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555"><img src="/images/stories/45ha.jpg"></a>
 
The size of <a target="_self" title="Coal fears for Nicole Kidman" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/coal-mine-anxiety-for-nicole-kidman-s-sutton-forest-property/2011062150555">Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's Sutton Forest, NSW, property, which is within a 115-square-kilometre land area being explored by Cockatoo Coal.</a> Cockatoo is digging two exploratory bore holes on the perimeter of Kidman's property. Landholders in the area are concerned about noise, pollution, safety and declining property values if the company decides to mine the area.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" title="Clovelly catches two off the plan" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/clovelly-catches-two-off-the-plan-buyers-as-caution-increases/2011062250562"><img src="/images/stories/2point2.jpg"></a>
 
The amount paid for the second apartment sold in the <a target="_blank" title="Clovelly catches two off the plan" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/clovelly-catches-two-off-the-plan-buyers-as-caution-increases/2011062250562">luxury The Cove Clovelly development</a>, which has been on the market since February. The three-bedroom unit was sold to a local owner-occupier, and the agents say they have an undisclosed offer on a penthouse in the building.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" title="The Block" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/renovating/melbourne-property-anxiety-triggers-home-town-viewing-spike-for-the-block/2011062150549"><img src="/images/stories/523.jpg"></a>
 
The number of <a target="_blank" title="The Block" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/renovating/melbourne-property-anxiety-triggers-home-town-viewing-spike-for-the-block/2011062150549">Melbourne viewers who tuned into the first episode of The Block</a>, whose contestants will renovate four rundown cottages in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. Melbourne viewership for the show's first episode far exceeded Sydney's 365,000.
 
<hr>
<a target="_self" title="Australia ranks 28th" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/australia-ranks-28th-on-house-price-index-list/2011062050537"><img src="/images/stories/28.jpg"></a>
 
<a target="_blank" title="Australia's ranking" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/australia-ranks-28th-on-house-price-index-list/2011062050537">Australia's ranking on the Knight Frank Global House Price Index Report.</a> Australia is among the 25 countries with flat or negative house price growth, and was ranked seventh just six months ago.
</body></html>

<html><body>
<img src="/images/stories/5mil.jpg">
The amount that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/tennis-stars-noosa-retreat-fetches-%245-million/2011070450689">Formula One driver Mark Webber spent on his Noosa retreat</a>. Webber bought the property, which last sold for $3.5 million in early 2006, from tennis ace Thomas Muster.
 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/point8.jpg">
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/big-squeeze-on-melbourne-laneway-retail-vacancies/2011070450694">vacancy rate in Melbourne's iconic laneway retail arcades</a>. Overall retail vacancy in the Melbourne CBD stands at 2%.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/nsw-new-home-approvals-near-record-low/2011070450695"><img src="/images/stories/27.jpg"></a>
 
The decline in <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/nsw-new-home-approvals-near-record-low/2011070450695">new home approvals in New South Wales</a> for the month of May, according to ABS figures. Only 1,394 new homes were approved, the second-worst May approval figure since the ABS started keeping records.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/795.jpg"> 
The average cost of a house in the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/landlords-yield-ore-inspiring-returns-from-wa-mining-boom/2011070450699">WA town of Karratha, and the average rental yield is 10.5%</a>, according to REIWA figures. The mining boom has created one of the tightest rental markets in Australia.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/26percent.jpg"> 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/brokers-drop-26-as-value-of-loans-written-drops-%242.7-billion/2011070450692">decline in the number of mortgage broking firms operating in Australia</a> over the year to March 2011, according to new figures from Market Intelligence Strategy Centre.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/one-in-10-buyers-choosing-to-rent-to-invest/2011070750728"><img src="/images/stories/1in10.jpg"></a>
 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/one-in-10-buyers-choosing-to-rent-to-invest/2011070750728">number of buyers whose first property purchase is an investment property</a>, rather than a home to live in themselves.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/40.jpg"> 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/was-south-west-shaken-not-stirred/2011070650723">discount being offered on some properties in south-east Western Australia</a>, where a massive oversupply of housing, a shrinking tourism market and the contraction of the wine industry have led to a very soft housing market.
</body></html>

<html><body>
<img src="/images/stories/lattesquote.jpg">
– Real estate agent Sam Kelso, who reckons agents between 20 and 35 have the enthusiasm and social chops to perform well in an industry where the median age is 40. Kelso, who is 22, is a member of Young Professionals in Real Estate, which represents younger agents. 
"It comes down to their ability to have fun and cut deals... And sometimes I can't even tell the difference," Kelso says. 
</body></html>

Quote of the week

<html><body>
Horse racing isn't the only tipping to excite punters' hearts this weekend. There's now a website, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">www.propertytycoon.com.au</a>, where Melburnians can guess auction results, with no outlay. It's mostly about testing your market knowledge with a small cash prize as a sweetener.
But Melbourne auction numbers will fall dramatically to around 440, almost 50% less than last weekend, as many vendors opt not sell over the Melbourne Cup weekend. In this environment we are likely to see clearance rates increase slightly as purchasers compete for less available property.
The property at 12/24B Hampden Road, Armadale is an example of a property that may see a stronger result driven by its blue-chip location and highly sought-after Art Deco style. Many buyers prefer these older-style apartments due to the larger size of the rooms and fewer apartments in each block. 
This week the auction market may also have a reason to feel more confident as inflation numbers indicate a very high chance of an interest rate reduction on Melbourne Cup Day, with the possibility of another one early in the new year.
<img src="/images/stories/hampden.jpg">
12/29B Hampden Road, Armadale
Agent: Hocking Stuart - Andrew James
Quote: $550,000 to $620,000
Last Sold: November 2008
Price: $542,000
Suburb median: $555,000
Five-year median growth: 12.46%
If you think you know what it will sell for place a tip at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">Property Tycoon</a>.
</body></html>

Weekend auction tipping

<html><body>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/toorak-auction-turns-sour-with-the-mercedes-that-almost-got-away/2011102152024" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/200k.gif"></a>
The amount of money a judge awarded a<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/toorak-auction-turns-sour-with-the-mercedes-that-almost-got-away/2011102152024" target="_blank"> Toorak couple after they paid too much for their property</a>. The RT Edgar selling agent had invented a fictitious underbidder in order to pressure them to pay more for the property. 
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/landlords/melbourne-s-vacancy-rate-climbs-to-3-and-could-continue-to-grow-sqm-research/2011102352033" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/3percent.gif"></a>
 
Melbourne's rental vacancy rate. It is the highest of all capital cities, and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/landlords/melbourne-s-vacancy-rate-climbs-to-3-and-could-continue-to-grow-sqm-research/2011102352033" target="_blank">SQM Research director Louis Christopher says it could continue to climb</a>. 
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/harry-kewell-reportedly-kicks-off-brighton-rental/2011102452038"><img src="/images/stories/3250.gif"></a>
The reported weekly rent soccer superstar <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/harry-kewell-reportedly-kicks-off-brighton-rental/2011102452038">Harry Kewell will be paying for a four-bedroom Brighton property</a>. Since his arrival last month to play for the Melbourne Victory, Kewell has been staying at Crown.
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/food-based-retail-a-safer-investment-as-two-thirds-of-fashion-customers-happy-to-shop-online/2011102452039" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/66percent.gif"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/food-based-retail-a-safer-investment-as-two-thirds-of-fashion-customers-happy-to-shop-online/2011102452039" target="_blank">percentage of fashion consumers in a study of 10,000 Europeans who are happy to buy clothing and footwear online </a>without trying them on. The results don't bode well for Australia's struggling fashion retail sector, with food-based retail seen as a safer investment.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/once-funky-moog-hotel-passed-in-at-receivers-auction/2011102452055" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/3point8m.gif"></a>
 
The amount of the vendor's bid at the auction for the once-funky Moog Hotel in Sydney. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/once-funky-moog-hotel-passed-in-at-receivers-auction/2011102452055" target="_blank">The property was passed in at $3.8 million</a>, with auctioneer Damien Cooley unable to secure any other bids. In its heyday the place offered the $1,000-a-night Moog Hotel experience, which included designer pool with underwater speakers.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/third-quarter-inflation-of-0.6-means-rates-likely-to-stay-on-hold/2011102652074" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/0point6percent.gif"></a>
 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/third-quarter-inflation-of-0.6-means-rates-likely-to-stay-on-hold/2011102652074" target="_blank">headline inflation figure for the third quarter</a>. It is in line with economists' expectations, and most now expect a rate cut on Melbourne Cup Day.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/sunland-cements-gold-coast-holdings-with-neighbouring-%2413-million-mariners-cove-purchase/2011102652080" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/13m.gif"></a>
 
The amount Gold Coast property group <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/sunland-cements-gold-coast-holdings-with-neighbouring-%2413-million-mariners-cove-purchase/2011102652080" target="_blank">Sunland has spent on Mariners Cove and Marina at Main Beach</a>. The purchase follows its recent move to take complete ownership of the nearby Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast and cements its Gold Coast holdings. Industry sources were expecting $20 million for Mariners Cove, which has been in the hands of receivers since late 2009.
</body></html>

<html><body>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/house-price-growth-outstrips-income-growth-nearly-three-fold-affordable-housing-group/2011091951592" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/147.jpg"></a>
The amount by which <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/house-price-growth-outstrips-income-growth-nearly-three-fold-affordable-housing-group/2011091951592" target="_blank">house prices have increased over the past decade,</a> according to new lobby group Australians for Affordable Housing. Incomes increased by just 57% during the same period.
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/rural-property-prices-stabilising-as-%2420-million-sale-buoys-market/2011091951595" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/20m.jpg"></a>
The sale price of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/rural-property-prices-stabilising-as-%2420-million-sale-buoys-market/2011091951595" target="_blank">Ballarat grazing property Trawalla</a>. The sale has buoyed an otherwise depressed rural market.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/rural-property-prices-stabilising-as-%2420-million-sale-buoys-market/2011091951595"><img src="/images/stories/2point275.jpg"></a>
The price hopes for rugby league player<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/darren-lockyer-gives-brisbane-market-a-try-but-can-t-get-his-house-over-the-line/2011092051611"> Darren Lockyer's Brisbane house</a>. Lockyer put the property up for auction in early August but has been unable to find a buyer.
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/clive-palmer-buys-distressed-golf-courses-at-discount/2011092051616" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/7m.jpg"></a>
The reported price of the Robina Woods and Colonial golf courses, which <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/clive-palmer-buys-distressed-golf-courses-at-discount/2011092051616" target="_blank">mining boss Clive Palmer bought this week. </a>The golf courses went on the market in July after Playmore Golf went into receivership.
 
<hr>
  
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/gant-makes-fashionable-entrance-to-woollahra/2011092151638"><img src="/images/stories/160k.jpg"></a>
The annual rent at the new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/gant-makes-fashionable-entrance-to-woollahra/2011092151638">Gant store in Queen Street, Woollahra.</a> The menswear store is moving to premises vacated by Robert Burton, who is moving across the street.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/mining-town-prices-booming-but-vulnerable/2011092251647"><img src="/images/stories/12point7.jpg"></a>
 
The indicative gross <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/mining-town-prices-booming-but-vulnerable/2011092251647">rental yield in mining boomtown Port Hedlund</a>. Tim Lawless, head of research for RP Data, says mining towns can be attractive prospects but warns that they are unstable investments.
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/listing-of-%2411-million-could-smash-paddington-record/2011092251645" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/11m.jpg"></a>
The price hopes of a property<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/listing-of-%2411-million-could-smash-paddington-record/2011092251645" target="_blank"> listed by the Leal family in Paddington</a>. If the property sells for that price it would smash the previous Paddington record of $7.75 million.
</body></html>

<html><body>
 
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/5point94.jpg"></a>
The one-year <a href="/news">fixed mortgage rate for The Greater Union Society</a>. This is nearly 1% lower than the big four banks, though <a href="/news">Westpac</a> and subsidiary<a href="/news"> St George</a> also dropped their fixed mortgage rates this week.
 
<hr>
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/63.jpg"></a>
 
The percentage of <a href="/news">first-home owners who are increasing their savings </a>in response to global economic uncertainty, according to a survey by Mortgage Choice.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/5point9.jpg"></a>
The ranking, out of 10, that <a target="_blank" href="/news">borrowers gave to the Commonwealth Bank</a> in a survey of mortgage holders by finance review site Mozo. CBA was ranked last in customer satisfaction, with customers still smarting over a sneaky rate rise on Melbourne Cup Day last year. 
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/record-setting-bondi-apartment-back-on-the-market/2011092751698" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/9m.jpg"></a>
 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/record-setting-bondi-apartment-back-on-the-market/2011092751698" target="_blank">record-setting price for a Bondi apartment </a>when it was last sold in 2006. Its vendors are being coy on price expectations but hope to secure more than what they paid. To reclaim its crown from later usurpers, the apartment will have to sell for more than$11.4 million.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/owner-occupier-demand-rises-while-house-prices-drop-2.4-nab/2011092851723"><img src="/images/stories/2point4.jpg"></a>
 
The drop in residential house prices during the September quarter. During the same time <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/owner-occupier-demand-rises-while-house-prices-drop-2.4-nab/2011092851723">owner-occupier demand for new housing picked up</a>, according to a NAB survey.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/queensland-hit-hardest-post-gfc-as-6.3-of-homes-worth-less-than-their-purchase-price/2011092851719"><img src="/images/stories/6point3.jpg"></a>
 
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/queensland-hit-hardest-post-gfc-as-6.3-of-homes-worth-less-than-their-purchase-price/2011092851719">percentage of homes in Queensland that are worth less than what their owners paid for them</a>, according to a report by Moody's. The figure across Australia is 3.7% as many households struggle to recover from the global financial crisis.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/9.jpg">
 
The approximate price Rupert Murdoch secured for his Long Island mansion, which he sold through his listing agent sister-in-law, Huailing Deng, in conjunction with Debra Quinn Petkanas. Murdoch had hoped to secure $14.8 million when he first listed the property in 2007. 
</body></html>

<html><body>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/billionaire-john-lieshout-expands-noosa-heads-retreat/2011100351767" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/3point68.jpg"></a>
The amount of money billionaire <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/billionaire-john-lieshout-expands-noosa-heads-retreat/2011100351767" target="_blank">John Van Lieshout has spent to expand his Noosa Heads retreat</a>. The Van Lieshouts bought the neighbouring property in 1989 for $430,000.
 
<hr>
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/15percent.jpg"></a>
 
<a href="/news">NAB's share of the home loans market</a>, according to the Royal Bank of Scotland. The bank says its aggressive "break up" campaign and lenders' fights to undercut each other have been a boon to business.
 
<hr>
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/16point6.jpg"></a>
 
The<a target="_blank" href="/news"> percentage of people taking out a mortgage who opted for a fixed-rate product in September</a>. This is up from 9.4% in August. Borrowers were swayed by banks and non-bank lenders fighting to undercut one another with ever-cheaper fixed-rate products.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/economists-divided-on-six-month-rates-forecast/2011100351782"><img src="/images/stories/6.jpg"></a>
 
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/economists-divided-on-six-month-rates-forecast/2011100351782">number of economists surveyed by the Australian Financial Review who expect interest rates to fall in the next six months</a>. Five expect interest rates to rise in the next six months, and nine expect the cash rate to remain at 4.75%.
 
<hr>
 
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/40just.jpg"></a>
The number of <a href="/news">Melbourne suburbs with median house prices of more than million</a>, according to RP Data. This is up from 36 last year.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-unit-approvals-up-35-in-august-abs/2011100451791" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/35.jpg"></a>
 
The amount by which <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-unit-approvals-up-35-in-august-abs/2011100451791" target="_blank">new unit approvals jumped in August</a> compared with July, according to ABS figures.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/international/friends-star-matthew-perry-lists-in-malibu/2011100551814"><img src="/images/stories/13point5.jpg"></a>
 
The amount, in US dollars, that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/international/friends-star-matthew-perry-lists-in-malibu/2011100551814">Friends star Matthew Perry hopes to secure for his Malibu home</a>. Perry bought the property in 2005 for $6.5 million.
</body></html>

<html><body>
When only around 50% of auctioned properties are selling it can be difficult to work out which half will sell and which won't. Take for example 30 Elwood Street, Brighton and 15 Chastleton Avenue, Toorak. On paper both multimillion-dollar properties in blue-chip locations, with great parcels of land and homes have strong appeal. In a more stable markets both properties would attract strong interest and sell via a competitive auction. On Saturday however the outcome for both properties could not be more different.
While a crowd of 60 people watched the auction of 30 Elwood Street, the auctioneer failed to extract a single bid, and the property was passed in on a vendor bid of $2.4 million, $100,000 less than the agent's quote range. It could be argued that the fear of a European financial meltdown kept buyers away. But Chastleton Avenue, on the other hand, attracted four bidders who competed aggressively for the property before it was finally sold under the hammer for $4,135,000, more than $200,000 above the reserve.
The result illustrates that although there are still purchasers out in the marketplace with money there are not enough to cover all the available stock and selling property at auction this spring is a game of chance.
While the RBA's decision to cut rates will help build some long needed confidence in the market overtime it will take a few more rate cuts next year, as predicted by Westpac's CEO Gail Kelly, before enough buyers come out of the woodwork to re balance the market.
The remainder of 2011 will continue to be a buyers' market.
<img src="/images/stories/elwoodst.jpg">
30 Elwood Street, Brighton, VIC, 3186
Sale price: Passed in on a vendor bid of $2.4 million
Agent quote: $2.5 million to $2.75 million
% above agent quote: 0%
Bidders: 0
Last sold: May 1992 at $620,000
Growth since last sale:  7.19% (calculated on passed in value)
Median growth: 7.44%
Average tip: $2,805,750
% Correct tips 10.78%
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au">Property Tycoon</a> allows punters to guess auction results with no outlay.
</body></html>

Weekend auction tipping result

<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;

Cassidy Knowlton

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News