<html><body>
<div>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-auctions-in-80-plus-overdrive-for-fifth-consecutive-weekend/2013081164077?utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=172492e153-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-172492e153-"></a>
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-auctions-in-80-plus-overdrive-for-fifth-consecutive-weekend/2013081164077?utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=172492e153-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-172492e153-"><img height="110" width="400" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/83.8-clear-aug-16.gif" alt="83.8-clear-aug-16"></a>
</div>
<div>At near peak levels, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-auctions-in-80-plus-overdrive-for-fifth-consecutive-weekend/2013081164077?utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=172492e153-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-172492e153-">Sydney managed an 83.8% weekend auction clearance rate</a>, according to Australian Property Monitors (APM), the fifth consecutive weekend with a preliminary 80% plus outcome.</div>
<div>
 <a title="Can Sydney achieve its sixth consecutive week of weekend auction clearance rates above 80%?" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/can-sydney-achieve-its-sixth-consecutive-week-of-weekend-auction-clearance-rates-above-80/2013081564266?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=polloftheday">Can Sydney achieve its sixth consecutive week of weekend auction clearance rates above 80%?</a> </div>
<div>
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-s-residential-market-is-hot-glowing-red-hot-or-white-hot-pete-wargent/2013081264097?utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=172492e153-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-172492e153-" target="_blank"><img alt="90-wargent-aug-16" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/90-wargent-aug-16.gif" width="470" height="115"></a>
Pete Wargent says that "in the white (or red) hot sectors of the market such as Sydney's inner west,<a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CCoQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.propertyobserver.com.au%2Fresidential%2Fsydney-s-residential-market-is-hot-glowing-red-hot-or-white-hot-pete-wargent%2F2013081264097&amp;ei=hpoNUsLhB87MiAexoIHwAQ&amp;usg=AFQjCNF_GOGxQ3YTIK4mrmpqf3ME2ynQwQ&amp;bvm=bv.50768961,d.aGc" target="_blank"> clearance rates have been hitting at around 90% and the market is clearly boomi</a><a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CCoQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.propertyobserver.com.au%2Fresidential%2Fsydney-s-residential-market-is-hot-glowing-red-hot-or-white-hot-pete-wargent%2F2013081264097&amp;ei=hpoNUsLhB87MiAexoIHwAQ&amp;usg=AFQjCNF_GOGxQ3YTIK4mrmpqf3ME2ynQwQ&amp;bvm=bv.50768961,d.aGc" target="_blank">ng."</a>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/hotspots/sydney-property-market-is-a-bit-like-the-porridges-of-the-three-bears-in-goldilocks-too-hot-or-too-cold-and-some-just-right/2013081264127?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=jonathanchancellor'spropertyinsights&amp;utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=b3c350ffc5-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-b3c350ffc5-" target="_blank"><img alt="896000-jc-insight" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/896000-jc-insight.gif" width="470" height="115"></a>
</div>
<div>
Red hot, white hot… a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/hotspots/sydney-property-market-is-a-bit-like-the-porridges-of-the-three-bears-in-goldilocks-too-hot-or-too-cold-and-some-just-right/2013081264127?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=jonathanchancellor'spropertyinsights&amp;utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=b3c350ffc5-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-b3c350ffc5-" target="_blank">83.8% weekend Sydney auction clearance rate is hot of which ever description one wishes.</a>
But beware its mostly in the middle class and aspirational suburbs. Certainly not at the top end or bottom end suburbs.
Saturday's median house price was $896,000 compared to the $694,000 APM median house price. Ditto units which on the weekend sat at $640,000 when the overall median unit price across Sydney sits at $491,000.
</div>
</div>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/red-hot-not-a-boom-but-john-mcgrath-warns-on-inner-sydney-residential-market/2013081264133?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news&amp;utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=b3c350ffc5-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-b3c350ffc5-"> </a>
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/red-hot-not-a-boom-but-john-mcgrath-warns-on-inner-sydney-residential-market/2013081264133?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news&amp;utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=b3c350ffc5-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-b3c350ffc5-"> <img height="110" width="400" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/8-john-mcgrath-aug-16.gif" alt="8-john-mcgrath-aug-16"></a>
The low interest rate environment was prompting price growth inner-city Sydney property markets, triggering McGrath Real Estate founder <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/red-hot-not-a-boom-but-john-mcgrath-warns-on-inner-sydney-residential-market/2013081264133?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news&amp;utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=b3c350ffc5-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-b3c350ffc5-">John McGrath to suggest the pace of price recovery in some property markets was a concern.</a>
Aussie executive director, James Symond said the conference followed the group's biggest year with settlements for the 12 months to June 30 organically growing by 8%.
<div></div>
<div>
<hr>
<img height="115" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/12-surry-aug-16.gif" alt="12-surry-aug-16">
</div>
Property Observer notes listing volumes were up to their highest winter level, though still slim compared to the typical spring selling season.
<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/n4pesax">Surry Hills tops the 12 Sydney weekend auction hotspot suburbs</a>
<a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CCwQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.propertyobserver.com.au%2Fresidential%2Freal-prospect-sydney-s-median-house-price-will-exceed-%24700000-during-spring-selling-season-apm-s-dr-andrew-wilson%2F2013081163656&amp;ei=LZoNUpU2pp6IB9f4gEA&amp;usg=AFQjCNEyOfszSFGXyEx5DILph8OXkn4coQ&amp;bvm=bv.50768961,d.aGc" target="_blank">
<hr>
<img height="110" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/700000-wilson-aug-16.gif" alt="700000-wilson-aug-16"></a>
Australian Property Monitors senior economist <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CCwQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.propertyobserver.com.au%2Fresidential%2Freal-prospect-sydney-s-median-house-price-will-exceed-%24700000-during-spring-selling-season-apm-s-dr-andrew-wilson%2F2013081163656&amp;ei=LZoNUpU2pp6IB9f4gEA&amp;usg=AFQjCNEyOfszSFGXyEx5DILph8OXkn4coQ&amp;bvm=bv.50768961,d.aGc" target="_blank">Dr Andrew Wilson predicts Sydney residential price growth was set to exceed 7%</a> and could reach 10% over the course of the year.
Dr Wilson said that here is a real prospect that before year's end, the median price for Sydney houses will exceed $700,000.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/commbank-s-ian-narev-loses-no-sleep-over-australian-property-bubble-risk/2013081264129?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news&amp;utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=b3c350ffc5-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-b3c350ffc5-">
<hr>
<img height="115" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/08/aug16nos/40-narev-aug-16.gif" alt="40-narev-aug-16"></a>
Commonwealth Bank chief executive Ian Narev says he doesn’t lose any sleep over concerns about a possible property bubble in Australia following record low interest rates.
Narev says is often questioned by overseas investors on Australia's high house prices compared with incomes, but says banks here could weather double the level of unemployment and a 40% fall in prices. 
</body></html>

jake-cSmGT7VXVf

The 7 must-know property investment numbers of the week, topped by Sydney's 83.8% clearance rate

<html><body>
This afternoon, according to the overwhelming consensus of market forecasters, the Reserve Bank will cut the cash rate to a record low of 2.5%.
If that eventuates, it will sum up the problematic nature of the economic underpinnings of  this campaign, as the RBA has been left alone to try to steady the economy as it makes the much talked-about transition from the mining investment boom to an old-fashioned, domestic-driven growth pattern and job generation.
The post-meeting statement from RBA governor Glenn Stevens and then Friday’s third RBA Statement of Monetary Policy for the year, which will contain new forecasts for growth, but not inflation, will underline how little government will be doing to help the RBA ease the economy in the difficult period of transition.
Despite Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s productivity improvement plan, the real need is help for the economy from an easier fiscal policy in the next year to 18 months.
There’s been little such help so far?—?indeed, the opposite. As the RBA cut rates and cut again through 2012, Labor’s fiscal policy instead was a 3.2% real cut in spending in 2012-13, the first cut of that size since the 1980s.
Much of that cut involved shifting spending backwards and forwards to meet the Gillard government’s surplus goal (that goal began life under Rudd Mark I’s last budget, in May 2010), but it was still a significant fiscal contraction.
For a time it looked like this wouldn’t have too much impact, especially after former treasurer Wayne Swan (correctly) accepted humiliation rather than persist in trying to cut spending to match declining revenues last December; housing construction began picking up this year under the stimulus of the RBA’s rate cuts.
But the risk was always that we were relying too heavily on monetary policy to take us beyond the peak of the mining investment boom.
With the Treasury’s downgrade of growth forecasts and upgrade of unemployment forecasts on Friday, it appears that risk has been confirmed.
Fiscal policy will be a little easier this year: Treasurer Chris Bowen, following Swan, has also elected not to further cut spending this year or next and delayed the return to surplus by yet another year (fortunately Bowen has had little time to deploy colourful phrases like “come hell or high water”).
Spending this year, helped by some delayed spending from 2013-13, will increase by a full 1% of GDP, though only back to about the level of 2011-12. But even with interest rates at record lows and a lift in government spending, the economy is still below trend?—?and no longer just a little below trend, but at 2.5% growth.
But we can’t expect any help from the Coalition, which remains on its debt-is bad kick?—?helped by its megaphones at the News Corp papers and The Australian Financial Review.
Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey has explicitly rejected the argument that he favours austerity, but the Coalition rhetoric continues to be about hacking into spending the moment it’s in government.
<blockquote>
“The grown-up of the Coalition’s economic team, Hockey … has suggested rate cuts are a sign the economy has been mismanaged by Labor, while at the same time arguing Labor is spending too much.”
</blockquote>
For the austeristas in the media and the opposition, this isn’t merely a matter of missing out on a bit of growth and a rise in unemployment (and, hey, some longer job queues never really hurt anyone, surely?
They allowed business to hold down wages and undermine bolshie unions).
If the economy stalls next year, as the RBA fears it might, and a Coalition government is hacking and slashing, then the return to surplus will be in the early years of the 2020s, not 2016-17.
Higher unemployment, lower tax revenues and flat growth will all conspire to increase the deficit and lift debt, both in real terms and?—?as we’ve constantly seen in Greece?—?compared with GDP.
By the way, the grown-up of the Coalition’s economic team, Hockey, who admittedly faces the unenviable political task of arguing interest cuts under Labor are a bad thing (“interest rates will always be lower under a Coalition government”, etc etc), has suggested rate cuts are a sign the economy has been mismanaged by Labor, while at the same time arguing Labor is spending too much.
Maybe, Joe?—?but both can’t be right, unless Labor has found some economically miraculous way of spending money so that it doesn’t end up in the economy. Last week’s major speech from Stevens called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/sp-gov-300713">”Economic policy after the booms”</a> contained rare references to the future direction of the dollar and interest rates:
<blockquote>
“Interest rates are likely to be lower in such a world than they were in a world in which households were extending their finances. This is a global phenomenon, but it holds in Australia too. We have been saying recently that the inflation outlook may afford some scope to ease policy further if needed to support demand. The recent inflation data do not appear to have shifted that assessment.”
</blockquote>
While commentators took that as a signal that rates could very well be cut today (and could the bank cut by 0.50%?), what Stevens was saying is that the central bank sees the pace of growth being low (despite possible higher inflation from higher import costs from the weaker dollar) for some time to come.
That view is despite the “substantial” monetary policy stimulus, as the bank’s July minutes put it, already administered to the economy by rate cuts since late 2011. Stevens laid out what the economy after the boom will look like:
<blockquote>
“The fact that consumption is likely to provide only a modest impetus to any acceleration in domestic demand suggests that other areas will be important… at least some of the conditions are in place for stronger trends in dwelling investment and, in time, non-resources business capital expenditure. And exports of resources will continue to pick up strongly. But successful ‘rotation’ of demand will probably also involve more net foreign demand for other Australian output of various kinds.”
</blockquote>
In other words, exporters will have to boost activity and shipments, productivity will have to go on improving and housing construction and demand will have to pick up?—?not the prices of existing home sales.
The Rudd productivity plan attempts to address this scenario, but is undermined by yesterday’s $200 million of handouts to the car industry, money that would have been better being applied in trying to kickstart a non-mining investment boom.
And while Rupert’s rags are calling for Labor to be thrown out, in the real “market” of opinion?—?the sharemarket?—?there are no such concerns.
Since Rudd returned to the prime ministership on June 26, the ASX200 has risen by around 460 points, or 9.8%. Not exactly a vote of no-confidence?—?in fact, the market jumped 1.1% on Friday when the mini-budget and the tax rises and spending cuts were announced.
The earnings outlook in Australia is weak at the moment, as we will see with the first significant bout of June 30 (full-year and half-year reports) this week. But investors aren’t worried about the outlook for low, slow or no growth, not when there’s money to be made from low interest rates and the US Fed’s huge spending, even if they know and have accepted that that will start ending sooner than later.
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.crikey.com.au/">Crikey</a>.
<a href="https://homeloans.propertyobserver.com.au/home-loans/?utm_source=Property+Observer+List&amp;utm_campaign=76e226e607-June_21_1_29_2013&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_a523fbfccb-76e226e607-245347537" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2013/08/homeloancomparison.jpg" width="399" height="110" alt="homeloancomparison"></a>
</body></html>

The political parameters of the RBA decision

<html><body>
In many cases, commercial properties are positively geared and that means their rental returns are often higher than loan repayments and outgoings for the property.
What what you may not realise is that the income received from a positively geared property can have avoidable tax implications.
Claiming depreciation on a positively geared commercial property can help you substantially reduce your overall taxable income, and further improve your after-tax cash position.
This is just one example of how claiming depreciation made a difference to one commercial property investor's after-tax cash position.
Lillian purchased a retail shop for $875,000 just over a year ago. Her property was then leased to a tenant for $1,340 per week, earning her a total rental income of $69,680 per year.
Expenses for Lillian's property including interest, rates, management fees, repairs and maintenance totalled to $62,024 per annum.
She quickly discovered she could claim $43,500 as a first year deduction
After hearing about depreciation and the deductions she could claim, Lillian enlisted BMT Tax Depreciation to prepare a tax depreciation schedule. From that depreciation schedule, she quickly discovered she could claim $43,500 as a first year deduction for her commercial property.
The tables below outline Lillian's scenario before and after she made the depreciation claim.
<img height="256" width="470" src="https://his-best.biz/assets/2013/07/Pos-Gear-Depr.png" alt="Pos-Gear-Depr">
<img height="332" width="470" src="https://his-best.biz/assets/2013/07/Pos-Gear+Depr.png" alt="Pos-Gear+Depr">
As you can see, Lillian was able to improve her after-tax cash position by an additional $16,095 per annum, simply by claiming depreciation. In other words, Lillian improved her overall cash position … from $93 to $402 per week.
The depreciation deductions in this case study have been calculated using the diminishing value method of depreciation; and are based on a tax rate of 37%, when looking at a positively-geared commercial property.
Bottom Line: The outcome of any depreciation claim calculation will depend on each individual's personal income, tax expenses and other claims they make. Therefore always seek advice from your Accountant on how claiming depreciation will affect your annual tax assessment.
If you're a commercial property investor wondering how depreciation could improve your cash position, why not <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bmtqs.com.au/webinars?utm_source=property+observer-1-Aug-13&amp;utm_medium=webinar&amp;utm_term=commercial+&amp;utm_content=webinar&amp;utm_campaign=investor">register for a free educational webinar</a> to find out more?
Alternatively, simply contact one of and our specialist staff at BMT Tax Depreciation — for a free over the phone assessment of your available deductions.
Bradley Beer is Managing Director with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bmtqs.com.au/?name=commercial-property-made-easy">BMT Tax Depreciation</a>. 
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://his-best.biz/claiming-depreciation-can-transform-your-bottom-line/#more-12443">Commerical Property Made Easy</a>.
 
</body></html>

Claiming depreciation on positively geared property can reduce your taxable income

<html><body>
The biggest mining boom in Australian history since the gold rush of the 1850s is about to change shape. The investment phase of the boom, which has seen $400 billion invested in the last decade, is tapering off.
The elevated prices paid for Australian mineral exports since 2003 are falling, and with them, the huge boost they provided to national income and government revenue. As these changes begin to transform the economy once more, our new report, <a target="_blank" href="https://grattan.edu.au/publications/reports/post/the-mining-boom-impacts-and-prospects/">The Mining Boom: Impacts and Prospects</a> assesses the benefits and costs of the boom, and points to what policymakers should and should not do next.
Overall, the boom has been good for Australia. It helped the country weather the global financial crisis. It helped fund major government initiatives. Most Australians have prospered.
But the boom has also provoked fears. Some worry that it has benefited mining states, companies and workers, but left the rest of the country worse off. Some believe that the high dollar caused permanent damage to trade-exposed industries such as manufacturing, tourism and international education.
Some believe a bigger mining sector will expose the broader economy to resource price shocks or that the boom will end in a severe recession. Others believe the Commonwealth Government mishandled the boom by failing to save much of the windfall it has generated.
Our report examines the impact of the boom on the economy and tries to ascertain whether the worriers are right. With one striking exception, it finds that they are not.
Certainly the boom has boosted incomes more in the mining states of Western Australia and Queensland and the Northern Territory. But in the past decade, incomes have increased faster across the country than in the decade before. Regional centres have grown at different rates, but few are left worse off. Benefits have been spread across the country as the boom helped to offset the impacts of globalisation and technological change on lower-skilled workers.
Trade-exposed industries are indeed under pressure, though not all the pressure can be blamed on the boom. High income economies around the world are adapting to the rise of China as a manufacturing power. That would have reshaped the Australian manufacturing sector even had there been no boom.
The high exchange rate has compounded the pressure, with trade-exposed industries catching the so-called ‘Dutch Disease’ of rising costs during a resources boom. But will these sectors be able to respond even if the exchange rate falls, or have they been hollowed out? We examined the record of other countries that had periods of high exchange rates followed by falls. Manufacturing growth grinds to a halt while the exchange rate is high.
But it does not last: we found no evidence that manufacturing is hollowed out by the period of exchange rate elevation. Manufacturing and other trade-exposed industries bounce back quickly to trend.
The concern about a possible recession is less easy to assess, but again we find grounds for cautious optimism. Turning to the historical record, falls in resource prices elsewhere were often followed by recession and years of slow growth.
Those that faltered let capital inflows and inflation get out of control, or got caught up in debt crises, but other countries adjusted and continued to grow. Australia, among resource-rich economies, has had a long record of relatively stable growth, reflecting a mixture of relatively good policy institutions and settings, low exposure to industries prone to sudden contractions such as capital goods manufacturing.
If those policy settings (including decentralised wage setting, effective competition and prudential regulation, floating exchange rates) can be preserved and strengthened, the economy will be best placed to adjust if the boom comes suddenly to an end.
The fourth community concern – that the benefits of the boom have not been saved – is well-founded. The Commonwealth Government has not saved enough of the proceeds of the boom. Tax decreases and spending increases have been larger than Australia can afford in the long run. Some spending was justified by the response to the global financial crisis, and some has been invested, but underlying budget deficits now need to be repaired in more difficult times.
Australian governments need to do more to tighten their budgets, which will permit them to respond strongly if the outlook darkens. Governments should resist temptations to protect industries, but continue to invest heavily in skills and education to help workers and citizens respond to the changing risks and opportunities of a globalised economy.
These will be even more important as the longest and largest mining boom in 150 years winds down.
Jim Minfie is Productivity Growth Program Director at the  <a target="_blank" href="https://grattan.edu.au/">Grattan Institute</a>.
This article was originally published at <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. 
 
 
</body></html>

What do we do as the mining boom tapers off?: Jim Minfie 

<html><body>
Crunching ABS data can be key to investment success: Jo Chivers
Ok, you can call me a nerd if you like, but I love checking out the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website, there is some really cool stuff on there.
Tick-tock...it’s the population clock.  This is fun, you can see each hour the population clock tick over with real population data. On 9 July 2013 at 05:24:38 PM (Canberra time), the resident population of Australia was projected to be:  23,110,108.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument">Check it out</a>:
<img height="208" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/chiversjuly12one.jpg" alt="chiversjuly12one">
Another fab thing is the animated population pyramid. This shows a cool graph of male and female populations by age group. You can click on the ‘view surplus’ button to see surpluses of ladies or gentlemen, by age, by state, so if you’re looking for a partner, perhaps start your research here!
There is a button you can click that animates the graph; you can see the population by gender from 1971 – 2056. It’s interesting to watch the shape of the graph change as you move through the years. This is a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/d3310114.nsf/home/Population%20Pyramid%20-%20Australia">good tool to check out</a> when thinking about population demand for housing.
<a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/d3310114.nsf/home/Population%20Pyramid%20-%20Australia"><img height="415" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/chiversjuly12two.jpg" alt="chiversjuly12two"></a>
What I actually went to the ABS website for, before being distracted by clocks and animated graphs, was to check out the latest population growth data for the Hunter Region of NSW.
You see the ABS recently released its small area population estimates for the year ended June 2012.  This is the first insight into population change at smaller areas of geography since the 2011 Census.  Here are my key findings:
STATE SUMMARY
At June 2012, the estimated resident population of New South Wales was 7.29 million people. Between 2011 and 2012, the NSW population increased by 78,900 people (or 1.1%). This was the third largest growth of all states and territories, behind Victoria and Queensland.
At June 2012, just over one-third of NSW residents lived outside Greater Sydney and this increased by 17,600 people in the year to 2012, to reach 2.62 million.
The Hunter Valley (excluding Newcastle) had the largest and fastest population increase in the remainder of NSW (up 4,500 people or 1.8%) in 2011-12. The next largest increase was in adjacent Newcastle and Lake Macquarie (up 3,100 people), followed by Central West (2,100) and Capital Region (1,600). The only area to decline was Coffs Harbour - Grafton on the mid-north coast, down 90 people.
Maitland – West had the fifth largest growth after four Sydney areas. Thank you, we’ve been developing here for some time.
Large growth was recorded near the Australian Capital Territory, in the Hunter Valley and in the Central West.
The ABS is full of important information, at a click of a key I found some industry data for one town Property Bloom works in. It was interesting to see the breakdown by industry by employment. The top employer in this town was manufacturing, closely followed by retail. Now if I asked someone on the street, they may have said tourism as number one and mining close behind. So what sometimes seems obvious is not always the reality.
It’s important to take a ‘big picture’ look at the areas you invest in. That’s what Property Bloom does; we research populations, vacancy, median sales price, and long term sales data and combine it with what we hear on the street and from talking to our agents.  From this, we work out the best locations for our client’s developments.
Whilst it may not seem immediately relative, if you cross check the statistical data with qualitative research i.e. what you find going on in the market, it all makes for some good, solid backing to why you should be investing in that location.
Jo Chivers is director of <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/" title="Property Bloom" style="font-size: 14px;">Property Bloom</a>, which manages property development.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Differing interpretations of building approvals data shows it's best to stick to a longer-term view: Terry Ryder
Building approvals are up 7% - or down 3%. It’s all a question of attitude.
Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on residential building approvals in May give different perceptions depending on which set of numbers you prefer: in trend terms, the number of dwelling units approved rose 1.0% compared to April, but in seasonally-adjusted terms they fell 1.1%.
Annually, they rose 7.1% in trend terms but fell 3.2% in seasonally-adjusted terms.
Media being media, many outlets focused on the negative numbers – such as: “Building approvals fell more than expected in May, according to the ABS.”
But some emphasized the positive. AAP, for example, reported: “A recovery in the home building sector seems to be taking hold, with approvals for houses gaining for the fifth month in the row. Approvals for detached houses rose 2.5% in May. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said the gain was a positive sign for the housing sector. It shows that other part of the economy, beside mining, are getting stronger.”
Master Builders Australia took a generally balanced view: “Building approvals figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show mixed signals, some positive … Peter Jones, Master Builders Australia's chief economist, said the positive is that approvals are up 9.9% in the five months to May from the corresponding period a year ago.”
We take a similar view at Hotspotting, believing that the long-term trends are the most significant factor with statistics, rather than month-to-month fluctuations.
The trend graph from the ABS shows approvals of new dwellings rising strongly since the beginning of last year – from less than 12,000 per month to around 13,500 now.
The ABS graphs also show how much the numbers jump around month to month. The longer-term view is always the most informed.
CommSec chief economist Craig James said there have been clear signs of an improvement in housing construction activity in recent months.
"Low interest rates, strong population growth, healthy employment and pent-up housing demand is starting to see the housing sector shake off the shackles and begin a much-needed resurgence," he said.
"Granted it is early days, but the sector is certainly on a recovery path.
"An ongoing lift in approvals would be beneficial for the broader economy, given it is a key forward-looking indicator."
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://hotspotting.com.au/">hotspotting.com.au</a>
 
 
</body></html>

Room for Debate: Jo Chivers and Terry Ryder evaluate the importance of crunching the stats

<html><body>
The Australian residential property market has recently been showing signs of improvement.
Investors and changeover buyers are being drawn back to the market following interest rate cuts and the positive outlook for housing.
Unfortunately, first-home buyers are missing out on the favourable environment due to  a number of reasons – stamp duty, the size of deposit required and ability to save for it, unemployment and underemployment concerns.
Recent changes to the first-home owner grant in all states and territories (except for Western Australia and the Northern Territory) have added to the uncertainty and impacted on the activity of first-home buyers in the market.
As part of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA) on the reform of Commonwealth/States financial relations signed in June 1999, all states and territories agreed to provide uniform financial assistance to Australians who are buying their new or established first-home through the introduction of the first-home Owner Grant.
According to the recently released QBE Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance’s (QBE LMI) 2013 Mortgage Barometer Report, 84% of first-home buyers believe property prices are close to reaching or are above what they can afford and 69% worry they will neverbe able to afford their own home (compared to 24% of all respondents).
Unfortunately, governments of most states and territories have made it much harder for first-home buyers to see their dreams realised. Table 1 (below) shows recent changes to the first-home owner grant.
<img alt="hawthornejuly25table1" height="328" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornejuly25table1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
As a result of the new policies, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures for March 2013 show that first-home buyers are becoming an endangered species. 
Figure 1 (below) shows that in Australia, only14.2% of owner-occupier housing finance commitments in March were from first-home buyers – the lowest level seen since May 2004.
<img alt="hawthornechart2" height="226" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornechart2.jpg">
Housing finance figures for April show that in New South Wales and Queensland (both below), where the grant ended in Octobe rlast year, first-home buyers made uponly 7.3% and 10.3% of the owner occupier market respectively with both states significantly decreasing their share in the total number of first-home buyers in Australia.
<img alt="hawthornechart3" height="212" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornechart3.jpg">
<img alt="hawthornechart4" height="203" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornechart4.jpg">
Two out of three first-home buyers in NSW and Queensland surveyed by the QBE LMI’s indicated the new policies made an impact on their purchase intentions.
With new arrangements aiming to stimulate building activity, it is too early to expect substantial positive results on the industry. REIA has been lobbying hard against the breach o fthe IGA, however we are still to hear what the Commonwealth will do.
Evgeniya Hawthorne is Research Officer for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reia.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Australia</a>.
 
</body></html>

First-home buyers left out as residential market improves: Evgeniya Hawthorne

<html><body>
The median asking rents for houses across the country ranged from $310 to $690, according to Australian Property Monitors.
<img alt="hobartrentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hobartrentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Hobart for the June 2013 quarter. This represented a 3.1% quarter-on-quarter decline and a negative 1.6% year-on-year change. 
<img alt="adelaiderentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/adelaiderentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Adelaide for the June 2013 quarter. This represented no quarter-on-quarter change and no year-on-year change.
<img alt="melbournerentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/melbournerentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Melbourne for the June 2013 quarter. This represented a fall of 1.4% quarter-on-quarter  and no change year-on-year.
<img alt="brisbanerentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/brisbanerentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Brisbane for the June 2013 quarter. This represented no quarter-on-quarter change and a rise of 2.6% year-on-year.
<img alt="canberrajuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/canberrajuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Canberra for the June 2013 quarter. This represented a decline of 1% quarter-on-quarter and also a 1% year-on-year decline.
<img alt="perthrentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/perthrentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Perth for the June 2013 quarter. This represented a 1% quarter-on-quarter rise and a 14% year-on-year rise.
<img alt="sydneyrentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/sydneyrentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Sydney for the June 2013 quarter. This represented a no quarter-on-quarter change and no year-on-year change.
<img alt="darwinrentjuly11" src="/images/stories/2013/07/darwinrentjuly11.jpg" width="400" height="146">
The median weekly asking rent for houses in Darwin for the June 2013 quarter. This represented a -1.4% quarter-on-quarter fall and a 6.2% year-on-year decline.
Source: Australian Property Monitors June rental report.
</body></html>

Darwin's $690 weekly rental tops national median weekly asking rents: APM

<html><body>
One of the most important decisions now for new prime minister Kevin Rudd is selecting the date for the federal election. There are 22 Saturdays between now and November 30, the last possible date an election could be held.
The requirements for a campaign period of no less than 33 days rules out four Saturdays. Further options can be eliminated because of sporting grand finals, public holidays, school holidays and religious days.
Rudd has also ruled out two other possibilities. He has said the election <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/pm-weighs-up-new-poll-date-20130627-2p06a" target="_blank">will not be held</a> on September 14, the date <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-30/julia-gillard-calls-september-14-federal-election/4491118" target="_blank">designated</a> by his predecessor Julia Gillard, because it falls on the date of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
He has also effectively ruled out September 7 by indicating that he would like to see the Australian prime minister <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-29/kevin-rudd-flags-taking-tony-abbott-to-g20-talks-in-russia/4789594" target="_blank">attend the G20 summit</a> in Russia, which is being held on this date. When these Saturdays are removed Rudd is left with 14 Saturdays to choose from.
Then there is the local government referendum, which significantly complicates matters for the new prime minister. According to the Australian Electoral Commission, a simultaneous referendum and election poll is <a href="https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/federal-election-referendum-may-held-same-day/1926091/" target="_blank">not possible</a> before September 14.
Of the remaining dates, Rudd will then have to weigh up political considerations. If he was to wait and hold the election in November, for instance, he could risk a voter backlash by making it appear that he was avoiding a vote.
Alternatively, the government could dump the local government referendum, wear the opprobrium, and go to the polls in August. But an August poll also carries the risks of repeating the mistake made by Labor in 2010 when they went to the polls too quickly after Julia Gillard became prime minister.
While notable exceptions can be found, the leader is at the centre of the campaign, and it takes some time to plan a campaign strategy and get the policy settings right to suit the new leader.
When the problems with a August, September and November poll are taken into account, Rudd is left with two Saturdays to choose from: October 19 and October 26.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Legal provisions
The combined provisions of the Australian Constitution and the Commonwealth Electoral Act (1918) require a minimum 33 day election campaign. They also dictate that the latest possible date for a federal election is Saturday, November 30, 2013. This is determined by <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s28" target="_blank">Section 28</a> of the Constitution:
"Every House of Representatives shall continue for three years from the first meeting of the House, and no longer, but may be sooner dissolved by the Governor-General."
Following the 2010 election, the 43rd parliament first met on September 28, 2010, and will expire on September 27, 2013. The House of Representatives may be dissolved earlier than the maximum term, and by convention this is done by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister.
<a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s32" target="_blank">Section 32</a> of the Constitution determines that:
"Writs must be issued within 10 days of the expiry of the House."
Ten days after September 27, 2013, is October 7, 2013.
<a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s156" target="_blank">Section 156</a> of the Commonwealth Electoral Act (1918) says that:
Nominations of candidates must close at least 10 days but no more than 27 days after the date of the writ.
"27 days after October 7, 2013, is November 3, 2013."
<a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s157">Section 157</a> of the Commonwealth Electoral Act determines that:
"Election day must be at least 23 days but no more than 31 days after the close of nominations."
31 days after November 3, 2013, is Wednesday, December 4, 2013.
Finally, <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s158">Section 158</a> of the Commonwealth Electoral Act demands that:
"The day fixed for the polling shall be a Saturday."
The Saturday prior to December 4, 2013, is November 30, 2013.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
What about the Senate?
In selecting an election date the prime minister will want there to be a Senate election held simultaneously. It would be a very brave national leader who would make Australians go to the polls more times than they needed to.
<a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s13">Section 13</a> of the Constitution requires that in half-Senate elections, the election of state senators shall take place within one year before the seats become vacant. Senators are normally elected for fixed terms of six years, commencing on July 1 in the year following the election, and ceasing on June 30 six years later. This means those Senators elected in November 2007 and sworn-in on July 1, 2008, will have their senate seat fall vacant in June 30, 2014.
Therefore a half-Senate election is required to be held between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014. Other provisions in the Constitution relating to the requirements of a 33 day campaign period mean the earliest date for a half-Senate election is August 3, 2013.
The agreement with the independents
Part of the agreement between the ALP and independent MPs Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, which allowed Julia Gillard to form a minority government in 2010, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/poll-position-gillard-arms-labor-for-early-election-with-new-committee-20120904-25cor" target="_blank">says</a>:
"This parliament should serve its full term and that the next election will be held on a date to be agreed in September or October 2013."
With parliament having risen and the two regional independents signalling they are not running again, the status of this clause is highly debatable. If the new parliament was recalled by Rudd to pass legislative changes then there is an unlikely possibility it may come back into play.
The local government referendum
On June 24, parliament passed a bill authorising the holding of a referendum on whether to give constitutional recognition to local government. <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s128" target="_blank">Section 128</a> of the Constitution provides that a referendum must be held after two months but less than six months after the approval of parliament.
<a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=jsclg/localgovt/subs/sub129.1.pdf" target="_blank">According to the AEC</a>, the combined effect of the Constitution and the Commonwealth Electoral Act is that the earliest date an election and referendum can be held simultaneously is two months and 18 days after June 24.
This means any election called before September 14 will not be able to be held simultaneously with the referendum, something the government will want to avoid. Alternatively, the government may elect to drop the referendum.
 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Parliamentary sitting days
A further complication is presented by the scheduled sitting of parliament on the weeks of August 20-22, August 26–29 and September 9-12.
It may be that the new prime minister wishes the parliament to sit again to consider legislative changes. However, this carries with it a new set of risks around managing the parliament and its members as well as providing the opposition with a platform to attack the new administration.
If the government wishes to avoid another sitting of parliament then an October election date is problematic.
When will Rudd name the election date?
One of the prerogatives of the prime minister is to name the election date. The prime minister is required to provide 33 days notice. But beyond that, there is no legal requirement to let the public know.
This arrangement delivers a significant advantage to the incumbent. It allows the prime minister to select a date which they believe gives them the best chance of winning.
Julia Gillard broke with convention by naming the September election date when she delivered a National Press Club speech in late January. There were mixed views about the political wisdom of this move. Either way, it has had a flow-on effect for Kevin Rudd by increasing the pressure on him to name a date.
The traditional line for a prime minister – “that’s for me to know and you to find out” – is unlikely to hold for long given he is creating uncertainty by switching from a date that was previously known.
The Commonwealth, Queensland and Tasmania are the last remaining Australian jurisdictions not to have a fixed election date. For convenience and certainty it is a reform that should be adopted at the federal level. It will also mean people will be spared highly speculative commentary pieces like this one.
Finally, don’t forget Australia’s media outlets. They are waiting for tens of millions of dollars in advertising bookings by the political parties. These bookings would have been well advanced for September 14, particularly in prime-time slots. Now the media buyers will be frantically checking availability around the dates below (click to view), while the rest of the country awaits Kevin Rudd’s announcement of a new polling date.
Options for the 2013 election date:
Click to enlarge:
<a style="font-size: 0.8em;" href="https://c479107.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/26660/area14mp/vdb67b37-1372722626.jpg"><img src="https://c479107.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/26660/width668/vdb67b37-1372722626.jpg" width="470"></a>
<figure class="align-centre zoomable"></figure><figcaption></figcaption>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/au" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
Nicholas Reece is a former senior adviser to a prime minister and two Victorian state premiers. Further election commentary by Nicholas Reece can be viewed at <a href="https://www.2013electionwatch.com.au" target="_blank">www.2013electionwatch.com.au</a>
 
 
</body></html>

Options for the 2013 election date - which spring Saturday property auctions face the federal election interruption?  

<html><body>
The Great White Shark is trying to make a killing on the Florida waterside.
Greg Norman, a two time golf major winner, is looking to pocket a cool $US25 million for a <a href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/6017-Le-Lac-Rd_Boca-Raton_FL_33496_M57671-70150" target="_blank">29,000 square foot lakeside mansion development</a> set for constructed in Florida’s Boca Raton region, <a href="https://golfweek.com/news/2013/jul/08/greg-norman-sell-house-boca-raton-25-million/" target="_blank">Golf Week has reported</a>.
Norman purchased the Le Lac property (pictured below) for $7 million back in 2007 when he was trying to get close to nearby resident and fellow sporting superstar, Chris Evert.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/07/normanjuly9one.jpg" alt="normanjuly9one" width="460" height="296">
After tying the knot in 2007, the couple divorced in 2009 and Norman rarely used the existing 1985 house on the property, <a href="https://gossipextra.com/2013/06/11/greg-norman-sale-boca-raton-real-estate-2675/">according to GossipExtra.com</a>.
After <a href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/6017-Le-Lac-Rd_Boca-Raton_FL_33496_M58168-29691" target="_blank">listing the 7.5 acre lakeside holding last month</a> for $6 million ($1 million less than he paid), Norman has quickly reassessed his lie and seems set to begin to develop the site with the new home coming with its $25 million asking price, <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/greg-norman-asks-25-million-for-boca-raton-property/" target="_blank">Realtor.com has said</a>. 
Replete with seven bedrooms, and nineteen bathrooms the wooded plantation style lot that is also “amenable to helicopter access”, the Mediterranean style villa constructed from hewn stone and wood, will also feature a bridged pair of entry guard houses and a separate lakeside villa.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/07/normanjuly9two.jpg" alt="normanjuly9two" width="460" height="279">
The property is close to some of Florida’s finest golf links and will be ready to move-in circa 2015. It is adjacent to the Polo Club of Boca Raton golf course.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/07/normanjuly9three.jpg" alt="normanjuly9three" width="460" height="272">
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2013/07/normanjuly9four.jpg" alt="normanjuly9four" width="470" height="295">
Greg Norman has been a major entrepreneurial success of the course with his hand on everything from golf course design, to wine and beef production.
It is by no means Greg Norman’s first venture into property investment. He previously made waves back in 2007 when he <a href="https://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB119577246021701436-lMyQjAxMDE3OTI1MzcyNzMyWj" target="_blank">listed his residence on Florida’s Jupiter Island</a> for a staggering $US65 million, about $60 million more than he paid for the property back in 1991.
</body></html>

Greg Norman Florida listing seeks $US25 million Le Lac buyers

<html><body>
Subdued Blacktown price growth was evident at the weekend’s cheapest auction sale at Shalvey, according to Australian Property Monitors.
Sold for $299,000, the three bedroom brick veneer house sits on a 615 square metre block. It was a mortgagee sale through Robert Henry at Robert Henry Statewide Realty who told Property Observcer there were seven registered parties. It sold to a first time investor who might expect $350 a week, reflecting around a 6% yield. 
The median price for Shalvey house sales is $285,000 which has increased by 9.6% over the past year, according to statistical analysis of sales by RP Data.
But this house at 3 Over Place had been purchased two years ago for $290,000 representing an annual appreciation of just 2% over the 20 month interim.
Its 2011 sale reflected 0.46% annual growth over the period sales period as it had sold previously for $280,000 in 2004.
Shalvey, in Sydney’s west, was named last year by RP Data as possessing one the city’s top 10 for rental yields.
 
 


</body></html>

Shalvey $299,000 brick veneer the cheapest Sydney weekend auction house sale

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Jacob Robinson

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News