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Small business owners will be among the more nervous observers of today’s interest rate decision, with new research showing that more than a quarter of Australian SMEs use their mortgage to finance their business. 
A survey of 1,043 sole traders and small companies by MYOB found that 28% use their home loan to keep their business afloat, by utilising the line of credit, increasing the amount of the loan, redrawing against the amount already repaid on the loan or by accessing cash funds sitting in the loan account. 
Just one in 10 small business owners said that they aren’t very interested in today’s interest rate decision, with 22% placing a critical importance upon the Reserve Bank’s announcement. 
Analysts are split on whether the RBA will again lower the cash rate from its current level of 3.75%. Westpac chief economist Bill Evans has predicted a lowering to 3.5%, while a survey by mortgage provider Loan Market of its 20-strong network of brokers found that 55% expected no change. 
MYOB’s study found an interesting variation in mortgage use based on geography, with 31% of Queensland small businesses using home loans for finance – the highest in the country. 
By comparison, just 20% of Western Australian SMEs use their home loan to prop up their enterprises. 
Tim Reed, chief executive of MYOB, says: “Unfortunately for property owners and business operators alike, the vast majority of lenders didn’t pass on last month’s cash rate cut in full. This was a double whammy for a large proportion of Australians.” 
“For many business owners, even those without commercial finance, an interest rate move doesn’t just affect their ability to repay the family home loan.” 
“For too many, home loan interest rate moves also affect their ability to keep their livelihood on an even keel.” 
“Business conditions are still sluggish and one quarter of SMEs expect their revenue to drop between March this year and March 2013.” 
“It would make a real emotional and financial difference to the public if the Reserve Bank dropped the cash rate again now and lenders followed suit with both home loan and business loan interest rates.”
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/">StartupSmart</a>.
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One in four Australian small businesses use mortgages for finance: MYOB

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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/lend-leases-docklands-project-forte-will-be-worlds-tallest-residential-timber-building/2012052554840"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/10.gif"></a>
The number of storeys <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/lend-leases-docklands-project-forte-will-be-worlds-tallest-residential-timber-building/2012052554840">planned for Lend Lease development Forté</a>. It will be the world's tallest timber residential building. The building will rise to 32 metres and will be built with prefabricated wooden panels made from cross-laminated timber (CLT) and will feature 23 apartments.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/kooeloah-byron-bay-s-%2415-million-balienese-listing-title-tattle/2012052554844"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/15m.gif"></a>
 
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/kooeloah-byron-bay-s-%2415-million-balienese-listing-title-tattle/2012052554844">price hopes for Kooeloah</a>, the Broken Head, Byron Bay retreat away from the fast lane overlooking Seven Mile Beach from its lagoon and lap pools complete with two bales. It has eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms and was designed by Christine Vadez.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/fitzroy-s-night-cat-lands-on-its-feet-and-sells-to-neighbour-at-auction/2012052554846"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/4point63m.gif"></a>
The price neighbouring property owner Andrew Demetriou (not the AFL boss)<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/fitzroy-s-night-cat-lands-on-its-feet-and-sells-to-neighbour-at-auction/2012052554846"> paid for Fitzroy bar The Night Cat</a>, which he will retain as a bar. “It was the most vicious battle I’ve ever seen at an auction,” says Night Cat operator Max Bella.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/perth-nigerian-scam-estate-agent-faces-disciplinary-action-for-lack-of-diligence-in-%24410000-sale/2012052854867"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/410k.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/perth-nigerian-scam-estate-agent-faces-disciplinary-action-for-lack-of-diligence-in-%24410000-sale/2012052854867">price Nigerian scammers secured for a Perth property they did not own</a>. Following the fraudulent sale last year the department has lodged an application with the State Administrative Tribunal to hear the case against Samykannu Pty Ltd, trading as LJ Hooker Mirrabooka, and licensee John Samykannu.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/time-running-out-for-first-home-bonuses-and-stamp-duty-concessions/2012052854863"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/13k.gif"></a>
The value of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/time-running-out-for-first-home-bonuses-and-stamp-duty-concessions/2012052854863">Victorian government's first-home bonus</a>, which is available for first-home buyers who purchase before June 30 this year. It will not be renewed after this date.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-home-sales-mounted-partial-recovery-in-april-buoyed-by-victorian-first-home-bonus-deadline-hia/2012052954883"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/6point9percent.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-home-sales-mounted-partial-recovery-in-april-buoyed-by-victorian-first-home-bonus-deadline-hia/2012052954883">increase in the total seasonally adjusted new home sales in April</a>, according to the HIA. Detached house sales rose by 6.4%, while multi-unit sales were up by 10.3%.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/toni-collette-faces-a-supreme-court-non-performance-claim-for-the-%24850000-difference-on-abandoned-paddington-purchase/2012053054902"><img src="/images/stories/2012/05/850k.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/toni-collette-faces-a-supreme-court-non-performance-claim-for-the-%24850000-difference-on-abandoned-paddington-purchase/2012053054902">quantum of the claim against Toni Collette and husband David Galafassi</a>, after the Paddington terrace that they allegedly agreed to buy for $6.35 million sold for about $5.5 million to Ian Ball, the Ernst and Young accountant.
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The 7 must-know numbers of the week, starting with the planned height of the world's tallest timber residential building

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Cargo Lane, a new development in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria, is offering owner-occupiers and investors one- and two-bedroom options that fall below the NSW government’s $600,000 stamp duty exemption threshold.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/cargolane.jpg">
The NSW government’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/time-running-out-for-first-home-bonuses-and-stamp-duty-concessions/2012052854863">home builders’ bonus</a> provides full exemption on stamp duty for new homes valued under $600,000 and expires on July 1 this year.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/cargolane2.jpg">
The BridgeLane Property Group development will comprise one-bedroom apartments from $475,000 and two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments ranging from $599,000 to $700,000. Some have car spaces, and some of the one-bedroom units include studies.
Sales started about a week ago, and 12 deposits have been taken so far.
BridgeLane Group head of property development Anthony Andreatta says the buyers have primarily been young couple owner-occupiers, with a few investors. The project is being marketed by CBRE.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/cargolane4.jpg">
"We have had an overwhelming response," Andreatta says.
"We are providing a high-quality boutique apartment building, located nearby to Alexandria Park, which in the current market it is a rarity in the inner east, which is dominated by large-scale high-rise projects." 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/cargolane5.jpg">
The 34-apartment development is three kilometres from Sydney CBD and is within an easy stroll of Danks Street, transport and Alexandria Park. It will also include eight prestige three-bedroom multi-level terraces, yet to launch, which include lap pools and landscaped courtyards (pictured below). These eight all include garage parking.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/cargolane3.jpg">
Cargo Lane’s façade will have a distinctive vertical garden and timber screens.
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Alexandria development Cargo Lane offers one- and two-bedders below $600,000 threshold

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12 Korff Street, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2450
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/korff.jpg" width="470">
A remarkable 8.7% gross rental yield is possible for this Coffs Harbour property, which consists of a main three-bedroom residence and a separate self-contained two-bedroom flat with its own entrance. The residence has recently been rented out at $250 per week and the flat has been recently tenanted at $150 per week, though both are vacant now. The property is on the edge of Coffs Harbour CBD.
Nolan partners agent Scott Nolan <a href="https://www.nolanpartners.com.au/buying/NSW/Mid-north-Coast/COFFS-HARBOUR/House/39P0736" target="_blank">is marketing the property</a> with price hopes in the "mid-$200,000s", and if it sells for $240,000, that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 8.7%, well above the gross indicative yield of 5.3% for Coffs Harbour houses and 5.6% for Coffs Harbour units, 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 target="_blank" href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $3,000 and over five years to be $7,000.
The median house price in Coffs Harbour fell 6.9% in the past year, according to RP Data.
The property will be open for inspection Saturday, June 2 at 10.45am and will go to auction Thursday, June 14 at 6pm.
For more about prices and yields in Coffs Harbour, see the RP Data suburb page.
For another investment prospect open for inspection this weekend, see page 2.
 
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49 Dundas Street, Rye, VIC, 3941
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/dundas.jpg">
This three-bedroom house on 892 square metres is leased at $330 per week until September this year, and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stockdaleleggo.com.au/details.asp?internetid=259512&amp;OFFICE_ID=&amp;order=&amp;suburb=4416&amp;surround=&amp;price1=0&amp;price2=9999999&amp;category=&amp;bedrooms=&amp;bathrooms=&amp;garages=4&amp;propertyType=&amp;OFFICE_GROUP_ID=&amp;offset=&amp;st="> listing agent Glenn Key of Stockdale &amp; Leggo</a> says it would be suitable to be let out as holiday rental property or on a long-term rental. It includes a large, high-roofed garage or workshop with lighting and power, which Key says would be perfect for a car enthusiast. It includes a full-width rear covered deck, and the three double bedrooms include built-in wardrobes.
Key says there has been interest "in the early to mid $400s", but he hopes to secure a bit more for the property.  If it sells for $450,000 that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 3.8% at its current rent. 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 $5,000 and over five years to be $11,000.
The property will be open for inspection Saturday, June 2 at 1pm and will go to auction Saturday, June 23 at 2pm.
 
 
 
 
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Friday form guide: Yields of up to 8.7% in Coffs Harbour

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The R. Corporation’s Cheltenham development Central Park is selling briskly as first-home buyers seek to purchase a property under $600,000 before the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/time-running-out-for-first-home-bonuses-and-stamp-duty-concessions/2012052854863">Victorian government’s $13,000 first-home bonus expires on June 30</a>.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/chelt1.jpg">
The 208-townhouse development launched in late March, and 40 of the 52 in the first stage have sold. Just over half of the townhouses sold in the first three days.
<img src="/images/stories/cheltcentralpark1.jpg">
The majority of the offerings in Central Park are priced under the all-important $600,000 threshold. There are five styles of townhouse offered in this release, all named after flowers. Buyers of the three-bedroom offerings Gardenia (135 square metres, from $630,000) and Orchid (170 square metres, from $825,000) will not be eligible for the government’s first-home bonus, but the other styles are under the threshold. These include the three-bedroom Camellia (117 square metres, from $595,000), three-bedroom magnolia (138 square metres, from $592,000) and two-bedroom Jasmine (121 square metres, from $530).
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/chelt2.jpg">
“For first-home buyers now is the perfect time to buy,” says R. Corporation marketing manager Rohan Ames.
<img src="/images/stories/cheltcentralpark4.jpg">
“With as little as $45,000 [deposit], access to the first-home buyers’ extra $13,000 for new homes and their first-home buyers’ grant … Central Park townhouses offer a modern and affordable way into home ownership in the bayside area.”
The median sale price for houses in Cheltenham, which is about 20 kilometres south-east of Melbourne CBD, is $605,000, according to RP Data.
 
 
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<img src="/images/stories/cheltcentralpark2.jpg">
The development was initially marketed at the second-home buyer market, but Ames says first-home buyers are finding they can afford several of the offerings.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/chelt3.jpg">
“Our sophisticated product and considered design aesthetic is, most importantly, attainable.  First-home buyers will be genuinely surprised that they can afford to live in an R. Corporation townhouse,” says Ames.
<img src="/images/stories/cheltcentralpark3.jpg">
All of the townhouses have two bathrooms, and they all include landscaped courtyards, balconies or gardens. Every property also comes with a carport or garage.
 
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First-home buyers buying sub-$600,000 townhouses in Cheltenham’s Central Park project

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Half of the apartments in the Pyrmont development Harbour Mill, on the former Edwin Davey &amp; Sons Flour Mill are at the junction of Allen and Jones streets, have sold off the plan when they launched this past weekend.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill10.jpg">
About 65% of the 136 units in the Ceerose development are priced under $600,000, and owner-occupiers and investors who buy these offerings before July 1 this year will be entirely exempted from stamp duty under the NSW government's home builders’ bonus.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill2.jpg">
CBRE, which is marketing the project, says about 60% of the 70 units sold so far have sold to investors.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill1.jpg">
The two interlocked buildings in Harbour Mill will comprise 32 studio apartments ranging in size between 40 and 69 square metres, with prices starting from $395,000. The 51 one-bedroom apartments will range from 55 to 75 square metres and start from $495,000. There will be 45 two-bedroom apartments, ranging from 80 to 98 square metres, and they will not qualify for the stamp duty exemption, as they start from $725,000. The eight largest apartments, of three bedrooms each, will range from 100 square metres to 122 square metres and will come with extensive roof terraces. They begin at $1 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill4.jpg">
The site began its life as a jam factory and in the early 1900s was converted into the Edwin Davey &amp; Sons Flour Mill, which closed in 1996. Most of the buildings have been demolished since the mill’s closure, but the façade has endured and is incorporated into Grimshaw Architects’ Harbour Mill design.
Continued and more images on page 2
 
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<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill5.jpg">
Ceerose bought the 3,100-square-metre site last year from developer Mike Boulos, who had intended to build a seven-storey mixed-use development on the site, but the plans never came to fruition. Boulos had bought the site in 1996 for $3.38 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill12.jpg">
The development application for Harbour Mill is currently before Sydney City Council, with approval expected in mid-June. The council was involved in Ceerose’s contest to find an appropriate design for the site and is understood to be very supportive of the Harbour Mill plans.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill6.jpg">
Ceerose founder Edward Doueihi wanted to preserve as much as possible of the existing building, as he has a strong attachment to the flour mill. His father ran a bakery on nearby Cowper Street, and as a child Doueihi often visited the Edwin Davey &amp; Sons mill to buy supplies.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill7.jpg">
“I’ve been emotionally attached to the mill since my childhood,” says Doueihi. “Unfortunately most of it has been torn down. Now that I own the site I’m going to build something that reflects the mill’s proud history and my fond memories.”
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill8.jpg">
Doueihi plans to display photos of storyboards of the site’s history in Harbour Mill.
One of the buildings in Harbour Mill will be four storeys and include the heritage façade, and the second 10-storey building is designed to “step up and over it”.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill9.jpg">
“The design respects the heritage of the mill and the place it has played in the history of Sydney, whilst acknowledging and fitting in with the modern trend coming through in the Pyrmont-Ultimo area,” says Andrew Cortese of Grimshaw Architects. “The old and new aspects of the building blend and work together, delivering an unique building.”
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/harbourmill3.jpg">
 
The building will include a communal atrium with ventilation from the outside instead of air-conditioning, a café on the ground floor and a communal gym.
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Edwin Davey Flour Mill rises again as Harbour Mill as investors rush to secure stamp duty-exempted units

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Canadian coffee chain Esquires Coffee House is expanding into Australia following an entry to the New Zealand market, spearheaded by a high-tech store concept. 
Founded in 1993 in Vancouver, Esquires has established a presence in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, China, Fiji and even New Zealand. 
In New Zealand, there are 47 Esquires stores. 
Now the franchise has turned its attention to Australia, confirming it will open its first flagship store in Sydney next week. The store will be located in the affluent suburb of Mosman. 
The company-owned store will be the model for future Australian outlets, with additional stores planned for not only NSW but also Queensland and South Australia. 
Esquires is part of the Retail Food Group family, which is also the local licensee of Donut King, Brumby’s Bakeries, Michel’s Patisserie, bb’s café and, most recently, Pizza Capers. 
RFG’s brand manager Khim Puseman admits it is “a little bit unusual” Esquires entered the New Zealand market prior to the Australian market.
 “It’s a brand that’s been out there for a little while... A couple of guys in New Zealand actually bought the rights to the New Zealand market, but it is a little bit unusual,” Puseman says. 
Puseman is quick to point out the store in Mosman is not the first Esquires store in Australia – there’s another store in Tweed – but it is the first concept store. 
“The Mosman store is the first concept store in that it embodies the new brand position of Esquires Coffee House,” Puseman says. 
In addition to a self-serve kiosk and free WiFi, each new store will be equipped with iPads for customers to use. 
“We’re really trying to embody more of a high technology standpoint. We’ll be launching online ordering, mobile orders, and we have self-serve kiosks,” Puseman says. 
“We are leaning towards targeting a younger age group but really anyone who has an appreciation for technology.” 
According to Puseman, a love of technology is also important among the chain’s franchisees, which are currently being sought out. Of course, franchisees also need to care about coffee. 
“It’s a high-tech brand but it’s also a coffee brand. We’re looking for franchisees or people who have a great passion for coffee,” she says. 
“They need to be focused on the utmost quality of the coffee and the service of the coffee.” 
“We want them to be able to speak to the target market, and align themselves with the brand in terms of the high-tech offering. Essentially, they need to be enthusiastic.” 
Puseman isn’t concerned the popularity of the brand will be compromised because it is foreign. 
“The whole range has been adapted to be best targeted to Australia. We haven’t just brought in an international brand, plopped it in an Australian suburb and hope it does well,” she says. 
“All our products have been custom picked and chosen because of local palates and local taste… For example, we’ve added more cold beverages because it gets a bit warmer [in Australia].” 
Meanwhile, Queensland-based coffee franchise Zarraffa’s Coffee has announced its plans to expand into NSW. Zarraffa’s currently has 52 stores. 
A drive-through site in the suburb of Fairfield will be the company’s flagship location in NSW, as part of a plan to open at least 11 new franchises this year throughout Queensland and NSW. 
Zarraffa’s chief executive Kenton Campbell told Franchising the company is moving away from traditional shopping centre locations to more suburban retail sites. 
“Developing a successful drive-through store model has been critical to these plans,” Campbell said. 
“Our primary focus is on building the financial health of all our stores, and delivering value and support to our franchisees.” 
“Expansion has always been executed in a financially responsible way, and 2012 is the right time for this move.” 
The news comes less than two weeks after a franchisee couple was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/franchising/billy-baxters-franchisees-win-%241.22-million-in-damages/201205156300">awarded $1.22 million in damages</a> after a successful appeal against franchisor Billy Baxter’s. 
Billy Baxter’s is a chain of licensed coffee houses, cafés and restaurants. 
Ross and Sue Pollard operated a Billy Baxter’s greenfield site in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg, but did not achieve the turnover anticipated by the franchisor’s representative, Phillip Mauviel. 
A Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal decision found there were no reasonable grounds for Mauviel to make the representations regarding turnover, resulting in a $1.22 million payout.
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartupSmart</a>.
 
 
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Canadian coffee chain Esquires looks to Australia following NZ success

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Choosing a business name may be a mundane experience that provides a perfunctory label for your product or service, or it can be an inspired piece of branding that will help fast-track your business into consumers’ minds. 
Whatever the merits of your business name, from May 28 the process of registering it in Australia has undergone a significant change. 
The new <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/Business+names?openDocument" target="_blank">Business Name Register</a>, administered by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, sweeps away the need to document your brand in each state when you launch. 
So what does this change mean for you? 
<h3>What’s happening exactly? </h3>
As part of the Business Names Registration Act 2011, ASIC has become responsible for registering all Australian business names in a national, rather than state-by-state, basis. 
Until now, each state and territory has had its own business name system. This has meant plenty of administrative – and cost - headaches if you want to extend your brand beyond state borders. 
For example, if you’re starting up in Brisbane, you previously had to register with Queensland Office of Fair Trading. If you plan to operate this business under the same name in, say, Sydney, you also had to register it with NSW Office of Fair Trading. 
The new National Business Name Register does away with this state-based system. Your business will now be listed on an Australian-wide database. 
<h3>My God. So I need to contact ASIC as soon as possible to keep my name then? </h3>
Whoa, hold your horses. Your business name hasn’t vanished from the records in a puff of smoke. 
As ASIC points out on its website: “If your business name was registered in a state or territory before May 28, 2012, you do not need to do anything until it is time to renew your business name.” 
“Your business name will be automatically transferred to the national register, provided it is not subject to an appeal or other outstanding matter.” 
So far, ASIC has transferred a mind-boggling 80 million business name records from the states and territories to the national register. This includes 1.6 million existing business names and 17 million address records. 
This list is rather more inclusive than some of the state and territory regimes, some of which didn’t allow certain ventures to hold a business name. 
In contrast, the ASIC database will include unincorporated entities that are entitled to hold an ABN, including partnerships, trusts and joint ventures. 
ASIC will let you know a couple of months in advance of your business name expiry, when you’ll deal exclusively with them, rather than lots of different state bodies. 
If you haven’t registered or even decided upon a name for your start-up yet, you can search for business name availability and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asic.gov.au/asic/ASIC.NSF/byHeadline/Registering%20a%20business%20name">apply online here</a>. 
<h3>What if there are multiple names on the register? </h3>
Good question. 
There’s a decent chance that you’ve registered your business’ name in several different states. In this case, each one has been transferred to the ASIC database. 
You may wish to renew and keep all of these identical names or, more likely, cancel all of them except one.
You can do this without incurring a fee. The best first step is to check that your details have transferred correctly to the ASIC database <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asic.gov.au/asic/ASIC.NSF/byHeadline/Checking%20your%20business%20name%20on%20the%20register">by going here</a>.
More on pages 2 and 3
 
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<h3>No, no, no – I’m more worried about another business in another state having the same name as mine. Will they steal my amazing moniker from under my nose? </h3>
Well, they won’t steal your name, but identical names of different businesses will be transferred across to the new national register. 
If your name clashes with another business, you won’t have to change it, but you will have to live happily on the register next to them. 
If you’ve operated across state lines until now, then it doesn’t really make any difference to the branding challenge you have in luring customers. 
The only change is to the register itself. Helpfully, ASIC says that it will place extra information on the register to distinguish each same-named business. 
So your location, for example, may be added to your business name to separate it from another entity. 
<h3>Thievery! </h3>
Well, no, not really. 
ASIC says this extra added information doesn’t actually form part of your business name, it is merely to distinguish it from others. Just relax, will you? 
<h3>What if I haven’t registered my business name anywhere yet? </h3>
Then it’s best if you use the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/Business+name+availability?openDocument">ASIC business name availability tool</a> to see if another business has your moniker. 
The new national register obviously increases the chances of a clash, but ASIC is open to appeals and human interaction on the issue. 
Plus, you have the opportunity to reserve a business name for $42 if you’re not quite ready to go to market with your start-up. 
<h3>Great. I’m going to call my business the Non-Sh-t Anzac Don Bradman Corporation – I’ve checked and no one else has it. The public will love it. </h3>
Okay. So the reason no one else has this wonderful title is that it breaks multiple rules on the words you can use in your business name. 
Your business’ name can’t be identical to another entity, it can’t be offensive, it can’t contain restricted words and it may be barred if an identical name is under consideration by ASIC bigwigs. 
<h3>What are restricted words? </h3>
There’s a whole list of them, ranging from fire brigade and ambulance to GST and RSL. The aim, obviously, is to prevent the public being misled or confused. 
A full list <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/Business+name+availability?openDocument">can be found here</a>. 
You also cannot claim that a person or organisation endorses your business by using them in the name, unless they explicitly agree. So your Don Bradman Anzac idea is pretty much a non-starter.
 
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<h3>Fine. Whatever. What will this all cost me? </h3>
New business name registrations and subsequent renewals cost the same – $30 for one year and $70 for three years. 
That is a big improvement upon the current near-$1,000 cost, plus all the associated bureaucracy, of registering in each state. 
<h3>Indeed. So does this mean I don’t have to worry about trademarks anymore? </h3>
No, not quite. Let’s turn to the lawyer on this one. 
“All (a business name register) does is comply with state-based legislation, which requires a disclosure of who is operating under a business name,” says James Omond, founder of commercial law firm Omond &amp; Co. 
“The only way to secure a ‘proprietary interest’ in a name that you are using [i.e. an ownership interest] is to register it as a trademark.” 
“This not only means that other people cannot stop you from using that name, it also allows you to assert your ownership rights in the name against someone else.” 
<h3>But it’s my business name! I’m the first one to have it and by using it surely I’m protected? </h3>
Omond again: “Using a business name will give you ‘common law’ rights to that name, but if you want to sue someone else for using the same or a similar name, you can only succeed if you can prove that you have built a reputation in the name, and suffered actual damage as a result of the other person using it.” 
“This can be a very difficult and expensive exercise in court. These requirements do not have to be fulfilled if you have a trademark registration. 
“So let me bang the drum again – you need to register your business name as a trademark if you want to truly own it, and be able to protect it.” 
<h3>Do you really think a mere 22 million people in Australia will be interested in my business? I’m after brand recognition from a global market here. What do I need to do? </h3>
The internet has effectively bashed down the doors of international trademarks, making the application of territorial trademarks more complicated than before. 
However, you still need to be covered if you hope to take your business name beyond Australian shores. 
Omond explains: “There is an international treaty involving 80 or so countries, called the Madrid Protocol, which allows you to file a single application from your home country (i.e. Australia) that nominates all of the different participating countries where you want to register your trademark.” 
“As well as benefits such as the ability to file one notice to update a change of address across all countries, and one payment to renew all your overseas registrations in one go, you are also able to make all your payments in Australian dollars.” 
“The basic filing cost is about $800 and you then pay a different fee for each country where you want your trademark registered.” 
“For some countries (e.g. France and Germany) this is as low as $100. Other countries (e.g. the UK and the USA) charge from $300 to $400.” 
“You can also nominate the whole of the EU, for example, for just $1,400. If you use a trademark attorney to do all of this for you (which is advisable), you will also have to pay their fees. (My charge for doing this, for example, is $395 + GST.)”
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartupSmart</a>.
 
 
 
 
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The National Business Name Register: All you need to know

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Lend Lease Docklands development Exo, which launched in July of last year, is about 70% sold.
It was half-sold within the first three weeks of its marketing and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/docklands-development-exo-almost-two-thirds-sold/2011111652400">had sold 60 of the 96 units by November</a>. Now about 65 of the units are spoken for.
<img src="/images/stories/exo2.jpg">
Exo is aimed at the more affordable segment of the market, with prices starting from $395,000 for one-bedroom apartments, which would qualify for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/time-running-out-for-first-home-bonuses-and-stamp-duty-concessions/2012052854863">Victorian government's $13,000 first-home bonus until the scheme concludes June 30</a>. To be eligible for the scheme, a property has to be priced under $600,000.
The building will comprise 32 one-bedroom apartments of about 55 square metres. It will have 64 two-bedroom apartments, which range from 79 square metres to 93 square metres and start at $665,000.
Exo will be have a distinctive perforated white façade, with its irregular holes designed to bring to mind river rocks or forest paths. It was designed by Lend Lease Design’s architectural team.
<img src="/images/stories/exofacade.jpg">
“Exo is the latest in a line of commercial and residential projects adding panache to Melbourne’s Victoria Harbour precinct – a unique fusion of city and water,” says Lend Lease Victoria Harbour project director Claire Johnston.
The development will back onto <street>Collins Street</street>, and although its address is technically <street>Merchant Street</street>, Lend Lease aims for it to be “characteristically <street>Collins Street</street>”.
<img style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" src="/images/stories/exo3.jpg">
“The design demonstrates an innate understanding of the need for sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of urban life, with each apartment purposely designed to maximise space and minimise noise, allowing residents to reside in the heart of the city without having to compromise on their quality of living,” says Johnston.
For more on the past, present and future of Docklands, download our free eBook. 
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Prices start at $395,000 in Lend Lease Docklands development Exo

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The major banks' share of the mortgage market is increasing, particularly since the major banks' acquisitions of smaller lenders, according to Credit Suisse.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/csmay241.gif"><img src="/images/stories/csmay241thumb.gif"></a>
 
 
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Major banks' share of mortgage market increasing: Credit Suisse

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

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

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

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

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

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

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Cassidy Knowlton

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