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GUEST OBSERVATION
Last month, the government released it’s latest <a href="https://fsi.gov.au/files/2014/12/FSI_Final_Report_Consolidated20141210.pdf" target="_blank">Financial Systems Inquiry Report</a>. 
The Inquiry led by David Murray laid out a ‘blueprint’ for the financial system over the next decade. It has been 16 years since the last 1997 Wallis report which led to ASIC and APRA being setup, amongst other things. The previous Campbell report in 1981 led to the floating of the Australian dollar and the deregulation of the financial sector.
In short, this is an important report that is listened to and will have impacts on the way financial system moves forward.
One key recommendation in the report was to ban leveraging (borrowing) within superannuation and therefore the removal of limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBA). LRBAs have been growing at an astounding rate as property investors have been able to use all the tax benefits of self-managed super funds to buy investment properties in a low tax rate environment. Obviously with the love of property Australians have, this has been a great idea for some and not so great for others.
The reason Murray is worried about borrowing and for considering banning these arrangements is due to the leveraging of assets may destabilise the superannuation industry sometime in the future if property prices should fall. He is also concerned by the shear number going forward and does this make our superannuation industry property heavy.
The government may after the consulting period which finishes on 31 March 2015 decide to make an immediate change from any day going forward. If it believes it is a wise suggestion, they would remove the ability to borrow inside superannuation for property and make this change for future arrangements only and all current SMSFs can continue as normal.
So is this an opportunity you could miss?
It is important to be very mindful that this is not for everyone. Investing in any property has different associated risks and especially when using debt. One of the drivers for change, is down to there being greedy property spruikers that have been targeting lower balance disgruntled superannuation members with new properties for sale.
Spruikers have been using Australians love of property as bait and selling properties to unsuitable super members. This is the real risk for this strategy; purchasing poor property at top prices with no diversification in place or buffer if things should go wrong. I have seen this first hand. I have been offered and absolutely refused the opportunity to sell horrendous investment properties to my clients for huge commissions. This is a disaster waiting to happen and I have been actively against this type of behaviour for many years.
Putting this to one side;  For some purchasing a great, sound, highly sought after investment property in an SMSF can however be an absolute brilliant strategy to build wealth for retirement in a diversified way. The tax advantages of Superannuation means debt can be repaid faster with lower tax on contributions and rental income. It does however solely come down to it being an outstanding property – one characterised by limited supply and an ever increasing demand.
So should you buy a sound stable property in your SMSF?<a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/" target="_blank"> </a>
It can give you a great low volatile asset and with the power of debt can increase your exposure to the investment market by three to four times what you are currently have in an investment portfolio. While this is not suitable for all, if you are currently contributing more than $15-20,000 per year, have over $300,000 in your family super funds and have at least five years till you retire; you may like to consider it before the opportunity may go in 2015.
However, If you are still under $200,000 and still growing your contributions, I would sit tight and wait a few years before even looking at it.
I am actively disagreeing with the removal of LRBAs as i believe it should be the right for investors to decide how their superannuation is invested. I do however want greater attention on property spruikers and developers who are selling these without any concern on the effect it has on the person buying.
Chris Bates is a director of financial advisory firm <a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/" target="_blank">Canopy Private</a>.
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ChrisBates-qgpJqFG5wJ

Is SMSF lending on borrowed time?

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Over the past few months of 2015, I have found myself dealing with a similar conversation almost every day. Many clients have been looking for help to think through a very difficult and challenging situation.
My clients (usually Sydney based ambitious families in their 30s and 40s) have all been battling the very same problem: “How do we get our family 'forever home' with the insane price rise in Sydney property?”
I doubt that I need to mention just how enormous the prices have been. Apparently <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/property/melbourne-sydney-housing-prices-continue-to-rise-rp-data-shows/story-fn9656lz-1227204705717" target="_blank">Sydney is now up 57% since January 2009</a>. What makes this even more challenging is that the once affordable parts are now part of the unaffordable parts of town close to the city. 
If you read, what other people are willing to say (not that you should believe it) but<a href="/expert-insights/buying/the-factors-that-will-continue-to-drive-sydneys-prices-higher-peter-chittenden"> prices appear likely to continue to rise</a>.
From what I can see on my end is that affordability is pushed to the hilt for most families. Most families are taking out very large loans but what i see is that it does not meant they are not willing to push it a bit further.
With five year fixed interest rates at 4.4%; Buyers are undoubtedly saying I do not mind if the property prices do not grow further. I am just happy to make sure I do not have to rent long-term.
With rental prices at 3-3.5% of the house value; it is not such a crazy argument to have a stable home and potentially get some capital growth. Interest rates at 7% however and it would be a totally different story.
Without going in to detail about how I think Sydney property prices work, why they are very special, dangerous in some parts and very safe in others; it has been very interesting to have these conversations.
What makes it exciting is that we have actually ended up in very different places and decisions.
While a mortgage brokers job on the surface is very similar and boring to most, in reality when they take a financial planning approach with an education mindset they are able to help clients deal with their situation in their very own individual way.
An outcome that is suited to them and their future.
I love this about my job, it’s never a one-dimension answer and I believe in all these cases the client has made a great decision for them.
So fundamentally, what is the problem and what are the options?
<ul>
<li>Option 1: do I continue to rent in Sydney and be pushed out of the market forever</li>
<li>Option 2: do I buy a home with a huge debt</li>
<li>Option 3: do I invest elsewhere</li>
<li>Option 4: do I save a bit more money and wait for Sydney prices to fall or cool down?”</li>
<li>Option 5: Many others as you will see.</li>
</ul>
"What do options create? Problems"
It’s important to know that even though they all want the very same thing - a family home to last them forever; they are all have very different circumstances. Some have property already, some know their future plans exactly, some have lots of savings built up and some have very little savings but very high incomes. No matter where they have come from and where they are today, they are all dealing with this problem of "how can we get a home in Sydney with these ridiculous prices".
Couple 1 – Don’t buy in Sydney but invest elsewhere
This couple are in their mid 30s and are soon to be getting married. One partner is from Melbourne and both are very successful in what they do. To complicate things, depending on their employment they may move to Melbourne one day.
They do not have any kids, but long-term they would love to live on the Northern Beaches in a family home. They are renting together at the moment and are questioning what they feel like is a ridiculous amount on rent each month.
At our initial conversation, they were planning on buying a two bedroom unit in North Sydney as this is what suited their needs today. We discussed the pros and cons and the more we chatted the more the conversation went in many alternative ways. 
At the end of the conversation, we realised the two bedroom unit was not the right move. We agreed that even though they knew it may be better to buy their longer term home today in Northern Beaches and rent it out, they were not sure, where, when and what they wanted.
After many followup chats, they decided to invest elsewhere and in another state. They chose to buy a great unit in Brisbane with the help of a buyer's agent. They still kept plenty of cash aside and are potentially going to buy another investment property in Melbourne in the future.
The outcome, was to get one to two great long-term investment properties and delay the home purchase due to uncertainty around where, when and what. A great result I believe, as the assets they are purchasing are top properties and it would have been riskier to buy something that did not suit their needs in Sydney long term.
Couple 2 – Buy dream home today, but fix it up and rent it out
This couple had a very large amount saved up from years working overseas. While they have no immediate plans to get married or have children they are very sure they want to stay in Sydney long-term and know the areas they love.
Happily renting a cheap property on the beach, they decided to buy a home today in the inner east. They went for the worst house in the best street approach and they are spending the first few months, tidying it up before renting it out.
While they are not planning on living in the property for at least five years, they will be making a tax deductible loss and have improved the rental return with their small renovation. 
Couple 3 – Buy their dream home but in the Central Coast for a third of the price
This couple were at a similar point in time, not married and with no kids on the horizon just yet. They loved space and the sea, and after a few discussions they did not want to put a huge debt over their head.
To buy a home near the sea in Sydney would have cost them a fortune and after a few trips up the coast they decided to buy a home on the central coast at less than a third of what they would have paid for something similar in Sydney.
This decision suited them to a tee. They can now live the life they want but without the worry of a huge mortgage over their head and pressure to earn very high incomes.
Couple 4 – Buy a great Investment Apartment in Sydney and borrow at 88% to keep cash available for the home.
This couple similar to the above were looking to purchase a property in Sydney with the idea of selling again in five years to buy a home. After a long and lengthy discussion, we agreed that this may not be the best decision due to buying and selling costs, the type of investment they were looking at and what they want to buy long term.
We agreed that if they were going to buy in Sydney it would need to be a great asset that they could hold forever – not have to sell. They would have to get a great property and after some heavy negotiation with a very sharp agent they picked up a top two bedroom unit in the inner east of Sydney. A beautiful unit that will stay highly desirable forever.
We realised to buy this place and put down a 20% deposit would be a big ask and may not be wise. We decided to borrow at 88% and paid a portion of lenders mortgage insurance as a result. This kept a significant amount still available for when they purchase a home one day and lowered their risk for what was a minimal fee. A very happy outcome and couple. They haven’t got the dream home yet but they do have a cracking property in Sydney market for the next five years at least.
Couple 5 – Buy now with the help of parents and pay down the debt fast
This couple in their 40s and had a family already well underway. After a divorce, a wedding and bringing up teenager kids in Sydney, savings were limited. Fortunately however their combined salaries serviced loans well over $2 million.
After a lengthy chat, it was clear that it would be possible to use the equity in their retired parents investment property. While extreme care was taken, they are now able to purchase the home they want today. It should not affect their parents as long as they continue to pay the loan and in a few years hopefully they can remove this guarantee. With interests low, they are able to pay down the debt significantly over the next five years as long as they bought within their limits due to the very high incomes. A great result that means they have their home forever now for the family and do not have the stress of having to continually pay very high rent for a family of four.
These are just five examples and there are actually many other examples. Sydney prices are insane and difficult but there are other ways to cut the cake.
Chris Bates is a director at boutique financial advisors <a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/" target="_blank">Canopy Private</a>.
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Sydney's insane property prices - the tale of five couples: Chris Bates

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GUEST OBSERVATION
One of the biggest frustrations I have with the financial industry is the inability and general exclusion of property discussions by financial advisers and mortgage brokers alike.
I know this general lack of care and foresight in itself is affecting clients in life changing and sometimes irreparable ways. Whether they have not benefitted from the huge growth in the property market in the last five years as the adviser thought it was "too expensive", have unfortunately bought wrong assets with huge risks because they didn’t know who to ask, or they have gone ahead and not purchased anything at all because the adviser never discussed it with them.
One of the most cherished parts of my day to day role as a trusted adviser is to help my clients think through their property related decisions.
For example, this daily discussion could be helping my clients to understand whether they should or should not buy an investment property today, or when they want to buy a home in the future. It might be to discuss whether they should sell and buy a new family home or if it is better to renovate the one they live in today. It may be a strategic plan on how to build a multiple property portfolio over the next 30 years or it could be whether they should be buying a property at all.
All of these conversations are highly interesting and add huge measurable value in the future life of my clients. I love to help them think through their decisions and help them go deep in to the property market psyche. Let me be clear, this is not recommending individual properties on individual streets, but educating them on what drives the market and what type of properties suit their plan at this stage. I leave the hard work of finding the right property to professionals who know what they are doing - called buyer's agents. They are the ones who will find the right property to suit them long-term and not just today - not me.
Unfortunately however, I know I am rarity in the financial planning and mortgage industry. I would prefer that I wasn’t but due to being a financial planner, my previous experience in a property firm and also a mortgage broker I have had exposure to the many different areas of the property market. This experience while invaluable is also unique but I believe this should be a necessity and obligation for any aspiring financial planner.
Property has been an asset class that financial advisers have never had, and purposely not had, on their radar.
While completing initial qualifications it is barely mentioned and let alone tested in any way. The major financial institutions do not have any desire to encourage or educate their financial advisers to recommend property. To put simply, it would hurt their profits and shareholders would not like that.
Why has it not been discussed? Why have the majority of the advice industry decided to ignore a recommendation for over 20 years?
Internally within the industry, we all understand that the reason financial planners do not discuss it is because they do not get paid.
Financial planners have always been paid a commission for recommending investment share based products. If they recommended clients to purchase a property, they would not get paid. Sounds simple and maybe a rhetorical question; but is that advising or selling I ask?
If they recommended their client to consider purchasing a property and not shares, they would in affect rule themselves out of a nice paycheck today and to compound the issue further a lot of income in the future.
You see the ongoing fee package for the vast majority of financial planners is based on a percentage based fee. It is called an Asset Based Management Fee and has been around 1% for a long time.
Therefore, the more an adviser recommends for you to invest with them in shares and the less for you invest in property – the more money they make every year. If you a noticing a slight conflict here, you could be on to something?
To make you aware, there are legislation restrictions on advisers from recommending individual direct property and importantly professional indemnity insurance usually does not cover this advice. I am in complete and resounding support of advisers not recommending individual property. It would be highly conflicted and we are not the right people for the job in the first place.
Property is not an investment Australians would generally go to a financial planner to discuss. I would argue however that it one of the most important things they should be able to and need to discuss.
Property has been a great asset class for investors and homeowners. An important part and only a part of an adviser role is to help their clients to invest wisely, safely and in line with their future aspirations. The property market has been a great asset to help clients achieve their aspirations. But why do so many advisers choose to avoid this asset class entirely. In my eyes this should be called either insanity or greed. I’ll let you decide.
Lets put that to one side.
If financial planners are not advising property investors; where do they go?
Unfortunately the vast majority they make this key investment decision themselves. They may ask their friends and family what to do or quickly read a property education magazine, which is full of property developers selling property.
On first glance the property market seems simple, but the more clients understand it, they realise it is not as simple as everyone tends to believe. The first big mistake is that the property market is not one market. Just like the share market every property will perform very differently to every other property over the next 10 or 30 years. Some will do better than others, some will go down in value and some will go up significantly in value. Every property is different, that’s the biggest mistake.
What can be very complex to understand is also exponentially magnified, as the industry is unregulated. Every man, woman and their dog can sell property. They can tell you how amazing growth will be and how outstanding your rental yield is.
Three years ago I was telling clients to avoid mining towns like the plague and sure we all knew a crash was coming. There are houses selling at 20% of the value they were selling three years ago.<a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/realestate/news/property-prices-in-once-booming-mining-towns-crash-providing-lesson-in-where-not-to-invest/story-fni0cly6-1227210791143" target="_blank"> </a>
There are more horror stories of people buying the in the Docklands in Melbourne, Gold Coast and Noosa. There are fundamental risks with huge developments in apartment heaven near Sydney Airport.
You see people have bought all these properties, people are making all these horrible and life changing mistakes. They are real people and they are real losses.
Clients need guidance, clients need protection and clients need help. Unfortunately the property market can say whatever they want to say. Its buyers beware people.
For most Australians, their biggest asset is their home. Therefore their biggest investment decision would usually be the purchase or sale of their home. This decision alone will without doubt have huge impacts on their future wealth and prosperity. If a planner or mortgage broker is not skilled in talking about this decision nor makes an effort to help them with it then whom I ask does? Who are clients getting help from for the biggest financial decision in their life?
The issue I have is that very few planners or mortgage brokers are educating their clients on the property decision. Is it training, conflicted remuneration, education or general lack of care? Unfortunately the consumer society we live in and the significant growth we have witnessed has caused all sorts of problems in the property market. We now believe that anything new is better than old, we now believe that the property market only goes up and we all watch the block thinking renovating and making money in property is simple. I argue however that all three of these are incredibly wrong.
The biggest reason why so many people have made money in property is not through buying smart but it is due to the fact that they have owned property in the first place. This feeling has made people think that any property will do and society pressure to get on the ladder is causing investors to take the line of least of resistance when purchasing. Something new.
The purchase or sale of the property is huge decision. This decision has a whole list of other decisions it also brings. There are hundreds of different strategies, issues and opportunities that an investor needs to understand and consider.
Chris Bates is a director at boutique financial advisors <a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/" target="_blank">Canopy Private</a>.
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Greed or insanity? The financial advice industry is ignoring a key problem: Chris Bates

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GUEST OBSERVATION
As a financial planner my role is to always be thinking about what is the best strategy and path for my client to take. Since I have been working very closely with mortgage brokers for many years, I have realised the vast majority of brokers and to a greater extent bank employees do not take the same strategic view.
Being a somewhat transactional role, most mortgage brokers take the line of least resistance to get the deal done. Whether they understand structuring strategies or not, very few take the time to educate their clients on the pros and cons of different decisions and how to make the most of their situation. In reality, they are also limited by compliance standards in some cases.
As a warning upfront, this can become very confusing and challenging for new clients to get their head around. If you end up feeling a little unsure, I’m not surprised as it does go against everything you may believe.
Moving forward, whether you should choose to go interest only or principal and interest is a question that every borrower needs to consider and answer when taking out a home loan.  Naturally we rush to find an answer, but before you make that decision, it’s important to truly understand it.
Our natural response is “principal and interest”. Our parents, grandparents and society all tell us that debt is bad and we need to repay it and that is true to a certain extent.
So why would I go interest only when I want to pay my debt down?
Well the truth is you can pay your debt down and a whole lot more by choosing to take an interest only loan with offset account.
Before I get marching in to why, I recommend nearly all my clients to go interest only, though there are ones from time to time that it is better to go principal and interest. These are generally borrowers who do not have their cash flow under control and feel like they need to be forced to save. This is purely the only benefit of going principal and interest – the bank forcing you to save.
I know I would prefer to choose what I do with my money each month and if I want to pay my debt down I will. If I need to just pay interest this month or use this money to cover short-term additional expenses I will.
So how does it work?
Firstly it’s important that when you setup the interest only loan, you also open an offset account linked to your loan. These are usually included for free with any package loan from a bank. An offset account does exactly that, offset your loan account. For example, if you had a loan of $500,000 and you had $20,000 in your offset account, you in reality only owe the bank $480,000. When they calculate your interest due for that day, you will only be charged interest on $480,000 owing, not $500,000. Without trying to drum the point home further but if you happened to put another $20,000 in your offset account, you would only pay interest on $460,000.
The offset account I believe is the best invention and tool in the financial planning world. I absolutely love them. They give my clients complete flexibility in what they would like to do with their cash flow and savings. We use this as a  “savings account” that will always be getting a greater return than any other savings account. It is completely assessable and can moved wherever needed. So if you do not have an offset account, I suggest you get one and secondly, understand how to best use it.
So if the key to paying down your debt each month is not by principal and interest each month, how do I do it?
I ask all my clients to reassess their lifestyle expenditure every year. This allows them to see what income they are likely to earn and what expenses are going to be this year. On the back of this we choose an affordable amount and my clients commit to this amount for 12 months straight.
Each month this amount goes in to the offset account and when interest is due, the bank takes it out of the offset account. Whatever is left over is build up in that offset account and means they pay less interest the following month.
By growing the offset account as much as possible, we are reducing the interest due and that means they can grow the offset account even further. Each year my clients goal is not to pay down their debt by $50,000 but it would be to increase their offset account by $50,000 for example.
The key benefit to understand is that interest is calculated daily and you would be in the exact same position financially if you decided to save the same amount each month and pay via principal and interest.
For example, If you took two routes over 10 years and saved the exact same amount on a debt of $500,000. One route the debt may now be paid down to $300,000. The other route the debt would still be at $500,000 but you now have $200,000 in an offset account.
At this stage, you may be asking so what is the benefit?
There is no obvious benefit, but I can assure you, you would always want to take the debt of $500,000 and $200,000 in the offset account and I’ll explain.
To make sure we are both on the same page, the key takeaway here is that you can still repay your debt via interest only but the different is, it’s your choice to do so, not the bank forcing you to.  Instead of reducing your loan every month, you are aiming to build your offset account up.
Chris' six reasons are on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Why I do not like principal and interest loans
<ol>
<li>
Separating Debt By going interest only on all loans, you keep the original debt at that level forever. You then put any left over savings in an offset account against any debt that is not tax deductible. This flexibility means you can move your savings around to whatever debt is not tax deductible at the present time and it also clearly separates your debt. If you decide to move to another property you own, you transfer your offset account to a different loan and this will save you a lot of tax. 
</li>
<li>
Lower Commitment On a P&amp;I loan the minimum payment due to the bank each month is roughly 20% higher on a 30 year loan. In reality if you cannot afford that 20%, you have probably got too much debt but why would you force yourself to a higher commitment. Personally, I would prefer to have a minimum payment 20% lower and choose to save more regardless in to my offset account. 
</li>
<li>
False Pretenses  I also believe that paying the minimum payment each month gives clients false pretenses that that is the amount they should pay per month. The bank want you to take as long as possible to pay this debt down. That’s why they give you loans for 30 or 40 years. Do you really want to have a loan for 40 years? T he best way to pay your debt down is to pay as much as you can afford each month by undergoing a detailed lifestyle questionnaire each 12 months. Disregard what the bank minimum payment says as that is not what matters. Just save as much as you can above your interest only amount per month. 
</li>
<li>
Flexibility    The negative with paying the extra 20% and more every month, is that this begins to add up to a lot of money over time. There may be times in your life when you cannot afford your minimum repayment each month and you do not have any buffer built up as you have paid it all in to the loan. By paying this amount in to an offset account instead you are building your buffer every month and if you cannot pay this month, that’s ok you have money in the offset account to cover it. 
</li>
<li>
Home becoming an investment property = tax savings  The ATO states that once you pay down your debt you cannot redraw on that debt and get a tax deduction unless it is for investing purposes. In the example above, because the debt has never been paid down, if you moved out of this house and decided to use as an investment property. The tax deductible will be at $300,000 and not at the original loan of  $500,000 not $300,000. A big difference and at current interest rates that you would be $4,000 a year better off in tax. 
</li>
<li>
Home Purchase in Future  It is very common that we are going to purchase a new home in the future and this debt will not be tax deductible as it is your principal place of residence. What you need at this point in time is cash or equity to cover the 20% deposit and costs. But what you would also like is to put every single dollar you have saved over the many years before hand and put this in to an offset account against this new debt. If you pay down your loans via principal and interest, you cannot get this money back to put in to the new offset account. If you have it sitting in an offset account, you can move it straight away and get the tax benefit.</li>
</ol>
As you can see above these are just six points, why I challenge you to rethink how you structure your loans. This is a mental mind shift and that is all that it is. Once you understand it; you still pay down your loans just as you were and just as fast but do this by having a focus to increase your offset account.
I cannot stress the benefit of going interest only and using an offset account. By not doing this, I’ve had many clients who have been forced to sell their homes that they would have kept if they went interest only. 
I’ve seen clients been able to keep their homes through financial tragedies due to having a buffer and I’ve seen clients pay down their debt faster by staying disciplined to the amount they can afford not what the bank tells them to repay.
Chris Bates is a director at boutique financial advisors <a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/" target="_blank">Canopy Private</a>.
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The six reasons why interest only loans are the way to go: Chris Bates

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Can I see a virtual show of hands for anyone who can remember bank interest rates at 16% in the 1990s?
Keep your hands up and can I see anyone who can remembers rates at 7% in the 2000s or all the way back in the 1970s?
Now can you put your hand up if you can remember a time besides present when they were at 4%?
As you can see, no one has ever experienced rates this low and from the look at long term fixed rates banks are offering well under 5%. They are going to stay this low for some time.
You see we live in a world that is debt ridden from tip to toe. This same world was filled with people that love to spend money they don’t have and the issue with spending money you don’t have means you are effectively bringing forward the things you are going to buy in the future to today. You are having Christmas today and paying for it tomorrow.
Unfortunately due to interest, the horrible thing you have to pay when you borrow, the banks will make money from these borrowers till the day they pay every penny back. This interest further increases their future expenditure problem, as they would have been able to spend this interest in the future. There goes another Christmas.
The winners in all this are the bank, home owners through excessive rises in property prices and the businesses who did well in the boom years, which was for nearly 20 years I might add.
The losers were people who spent beyond their means and took on personal debt, anyone who did not own property or investments and those who did not own a business in these boom years.
So what is the new world? 
The increase in debt has caused two major issues; firstly the world cannot afford high interest rates due to every 1% rise causing a major increase in the amount of interest we all need to pay each month.
Secondly, because we have too much debt and have been scared away from taking on more…we are not spending like we used to. This reduction in spending has already caused the world to stagger it’s way through a recession.
We do need to say thanks to the government for following our lead however and spending BIG to get us through it.
So in 2015, we are all debt ridden; governments, individuals and corporations to a certain extent.
Governments are the ones who are in control of interest rates. While they are still at the mercy of the economy, in reality all the governments around the world do not want interests rates to go up. The more interest they pay, the less they can spend. The less they can spend, the less votes they win and the less votes they win.
Without trying to sound pessimistic, as I believe the world will be very productive long-term, I do believe we are in for a long period of slow growth. Slow growth means slow employment and wage growth. If we are not earning more, we are not spending more.
On a side point however there is technology innovation happening on a grand scale. This brings opportunity to be more efficient and to drive a new round of expenditure but at cheaper prices.
For example, like we have seen in big TVs. I see the owners of smart innovative businesses will do very well in the coming years but due to capitalism the profits will stay with the owners of these businesses not the majority of the population, the worker themselves.
Article continues on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
So what does this mean for interest rates?
If we are in a low growth world, the government know that they need to keep rates low as long as possible and that is good news for home owners.
Investors of the past few years, saw this as an opportunity to take on more debt and have geared themselves up to the eye balls, some much wiser than others. This has pushed prices in the Sydney property market up 50% in the past five years, a ridiculous amount.
Will we ever see rates this low again?
The truth is we might. We might this year and we may next year.
When I was working in the UK in 2008, if someone had asked me if rates would still be zero effectively in 2014 I would have fell off my chair. The truth is they are today with no end in sight.
Where are they going to be in five years? The answer is no one knows but long-term interest rates do give you some insight in to what the world is thinking and that is staying low.
<a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image_thumb11.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-20717" src="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/image_thumb11.png" alt="image_thumb[11]" width="782" height="399"></a>
What should I do?
I see this an opportunity to pay your debt down as fast as possible for as long as possible on the home you live in. By paying less interest, you are freeing up more cash flow and your choice is either to spend or to save. I suggest you save.
For investment debt, you should be looking to build a buffer by saving. This will support you as much as possible when rates do finally rise and mean that you can consider further investing in the future.
The best way to save is to know exactly what you are going to spend each month and the biggest expense you have is likely to be your home loan or your kids. To protect yourself you may like to fix a portion for five years at under 5% – unheard of rates.
Secondly, banks know rates are going to stay low and are happy to suffer a little bit to their profits by offering even bigger discounts. The discounts we are seeing today at over 1.3% to small loans was a dream two years ago to home loan borrowing.
I cannot encourage borrowers enough to review their lending rates as i’m sure there are better rates out there.
There are plenty of options but I stress that just because rates are low it is not a reason to spend; it is an incentive to save or to invest wisely in to a business, property or shares.
Christopher Bates is a director at <a href="https://www.canopyprivate.com.au/" target="_blank">Canopy Private</a>.
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Will interest rates ever be this low again?

The final apartments in the most recently completed new development in Balwyn present some of the largest and most exclusive ever delivered in one of Melbourne’s most established and character-rich neighbourhoods.

Boutique developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/wulff-projects">Wulff Projects</a>,&nbsp;alongside partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pga-group">PGA Group</a>, has just finished <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/threadneedle-balwyn-1-5-threadneedle-street-balwyn-vic-3103">Threadneedle</a>, 17 home-sized residences designed completely for the owner-occupier.

Named after its location on Threadneedle Street, the new project has been shaped by the heritage fabric of Balwyn. It offers two low-rise buildings of eight and nine apartments respectively, designed to emulate traditional standalone homes.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355582]

John Scaramuzzino, Director at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, explains the design intention.

“Given the quiet residential character of the street with many homes dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, we approached Threadneedle wanting to appear less as a collection of apartments and more as a traditional residence. This led to creating not one but two buildings that could “breathe” with larger garden-based apartments functioning more like small homes.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355605]

The north-facing residences are nestled among extensive landscaped gardens by Ben Scott Garden Design, with over one-third of the site dedicated to greenery. The resulting setting is one of calm seclusion, where architecture and landscape work in tandem to offer immediate liveability.

With construction now complete, the final apartments include a top-floor, single-level penthouse residence priced from $2.8 million. This home offers three bedrooms, a dedicated study, two bathrooms plus powder room, and three car spaces with an oversized storage room.&nbsp;

Interiors prioritise spatial comfort and natural light, with three-metre-high ceilings, oversized internal doors and a full-width terrace oriented to the north, east and west.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355604]

Floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows ensure thermal performance across seasons, supported by automated external blinds, zoned heating and cooling, and a fireplace for added ambiance.

Each apartment has been individually designed to maximise privacy and garden outlooks. Kitchens combine refined finishes with practical considerations: stone benchtops, butler’s pantry, full-height joinery and concealed rangehoods.&nbsp;

The inclusion of dedicated home offices responds to contemporary living patterns, while bathrooms feature sculptural bathtubs and brushed nickel fixtures.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355590]

Threadneedle also integrates best-practice sustainability measures, achieving a 7 Star average NatHERS rating. Initiatives include solar PV systems, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and irrigation, and high-performing building insulation. These elements enhance daily comfort while reducing ongoing maintenance and energy demand.

"We believe Threadneedle sets a new standard of design excellence and building quality for Balwyn,"&nbsp;Scaramuzzino added.

"It’s an architectural response we’re particularly proud of, and one we’re sure residents will be equally proud to call home."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=27816]

Staff Writer

Final homes remaining as Threadneedle, Balwyn completes construction

Joel Robinson

Sydney's top 15 new apartments developments set to launch in 2026

Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a> has pushed beyond the now-standard inclusions of rooftop pools and landscaped podiums at its recently launched new Epping project, Senso.

It has laid out over 4,000 sqm of resident-only amenity in a move designed to compete directly with low-density housing on livability, not just density. The result is a development that supports genuine daily use through purposeful spaces distributed across its five-building, 479-apartment precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Two rooftop pools form the anchor of Senso. One is a 27-metre lap pool adjoining a heated spa, designed for everyday fitness rather than just summer leisure. The second sits on a lower podium, allowing different buildings to share in vertical access and reducing crowding during peak times.

It is the secondary spaces that start to distinguish Senso from other large-scale suburban projects. A rooftop cinema is integrated into a landscaped terrace, offering open-air screenings with natural ventilation and passive cooling.&nbsp;

The inclusion of a “sensory walk”, an elevated boardwalk that threads through the site, suggests a rare investment in non-commercial, non-essential amenity: space for quiet movement that doesn’t double as access or traffic circulation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4402]

The gym and wellness centre, often relegated to a small ground-floor room in many builds, takes on more substance here. Residents have access to a fully equipped gym, as well as outdoor yoga areas and meditative zones that integrate greenery and natural light.&nbsp;

The Club Lounge is similarly designed to support multiple use cases, with a private dining terrace, kitchenette, workspace, and lockable wine storage. These aren’t superficial additions; their scale and spatial allocation indicate serious intent for frequent resident use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4391]

Importantly, Senso’s amenities are embedded within a site that spans more than 10,000 sqm, allowing for better separation between spaces and reduced noise spillover, a critical but often overlooked factor in high-density developments. This spatial generosity also enables multiple alfresco kitchens and communal terraces without compromising individual privacy or usable space.

While many developments make claims about lifestyle, few back it with this level of built infrastructure. Senso’s mix of dedicated fitness, wellness, social and passive green spaces suggests a conscious response to the post-pandemic shift in housing expectations, especially among owner-occupiers.&nbsp;

DASCO is one of several leading developers who have taken out Resilience Insurance's Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing buyers with a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty, and giving them the ultimate peace of mind.

Senso is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

Following the proposal by the Minns Labor Government to rezone Parramatta Road to create up to 8,000 new homes, prominent developer Ceerose has gone to the NSW Gov to increase the density of its new mixed-use residential building in Leichhardt.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/ceerose">Ceerose</a>, founded by Edward Doueihi nearly three decades ago, has filed plans for 154 apartments above ground-floor retail at 307-315 Parramatta Road, a key corner site near Norton Street, the main high street strip in Leichhardt.

It's an upsize from the previously approved scheme of 63 apartments across a seven-storey building.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba1ae75b-5f08-43fb-b8d5-3de6d9f6ef71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yA3hBBLPH4ev7MsAE0_hieXeqiFqBUb7" />

The project is being advanced through the State Significant Development (SSD) pathway, with concurrent rezoning sought to facilitate the proposal. The 10-storey development would rise over a four-level basement and deliver two retail tenancies, one a larger-format offering and the other a smaller “hole in the wall” space, addressing the Parramatta Road frontage. 21 of the apartments are dedicated as affordable housing.

According to the Urban Design Report by Architecture AND, the scheme includes a podium and tower configuration, with a fine-grain, two-storey parapet street wall that references the traditional shopfront rhythm along the corridor. “An elegant tower form is proposed, combined with a characterful two storey frontage... articulating it as two related buildings, providing consistency with the rhythm and grain of Parramatta Road,” the report notes.

The residential component is split across two slender towers set back from the street edge, a design move aimed at preserving solar access and reducing perceived bulk. This massing strategy also seeks to improve residential amenity by focusing scale toward the quieter northern interface, away from Parramatta Road’s noise and pollution.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="347f2f8f-5d36-4388-b40a-2e77380b9c19" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xvyUE2ujT1lzivXTo.mHBJFF4SmfgLtz" />

Architecture AND has worked with Ceerose on previous Inner West projects, and cites a deep familiarity with the local character. Their design draws heavily on context, heritage, and sunlight access considerations, and engages with the Inner West Council’s “Our Fairer Future” strategic planning framework.

The site spans 2,712 sqm and is located near key intersections with Catherine Street, Hay Street, and Redmond Street. It adjoins a public carpark to the north and is within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham stations. It is also flagged in state and local planning strategies, including the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, as a suitable candidate for increased density.

Ceerose recently completed The Alex Collective on McEvoy Street in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay.

The Parramatta Road corridor is coming to life with the proposed rezoning which is serviced by a significant number of bus, light rail and train routes.

Deicorp is progressing with its $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> precinct on Parramatta Road in Five Dock, as is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/toga-to-push-on-with-five-dock-mixed-use-masterplan">TOGA further down the street</a>. Those two projects alone will bring nearly 2,000 new homes to Parramatta Road.

First look: Ceerose plots mixed-use Leichhardt development on Parramatta Road

North Sydney's landmark 'SBS Building' on Alfred Street is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use residential tower in the booming North Sydney.

Commercial property group FiveX is behind the plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">39-storey tower</a>, the latest project to advance under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

They are proposing 184 apartments above retail spaces, which will replace the existing 20-storey commercial building. FiveX was set up more than five decades ago by Joshua and Marko Berger. It is currently led by Joshua's son Lesli.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower at 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2efa0980-53fa-4cca-9f9e-9c3c845d4746" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29%20%281%29_0.png?VersionId=y_YyPMq3NQLfYRs84pP4os9UgWiMLp75" />

According to the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">FJC Studio</a>, the slender tower form has been deliberately designed to respect the site's transitional setting at the southern gateway to the North Sydney CBD, where high-rise towers give way to lower-scale residential precincts.

"The slender tower form and articulated podium establish a respectful relationship with nearby heritage and low rise buildings, including the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area,” the architecture firm noted, adding that the tower “completes a missing link in the urban fabric” while enhancing the Alfred Street streetscape.

The proposed building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 15 percent of the gross residential floor area allocated as affordable housing. There is an agreement already in place that those apartments will be managed by Evolve Housing.

The project aligns with broader state housing objectives, including the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The Scoping Report filed with the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) suggests the site "presents no impediments to rapid delivery,” with construction able to commence within 12 months of receiving consent.

North Sydney has been one of the most popular suburbs in Sydney for new and off the plan apartment development, but hasn't had the supply to keep up with demand, until recently.

AURA by Aqualand was, for a long time, the only off the plan apartment building on the market. That completed last year, and has sold the majority of its 386 luxury apartments. Recently ALAND launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> on the same street, selling over $100 million within just a few hours of its launch, while developer CASA also launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-mclaren-north-sydney-45-mclaren-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The McLaren</a>&nbsp;in the same precinct.

Chris Bates

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