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Former couple and House Rules contestants Candy and Ryan have put their Emu Plains home on the market.
The home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-emu+plains-117619615" target="_blank">45 Gough Street, Emu Plains</a>, is selling through Paul Wallace of Property Central Penrith. It will be auctioned on Saturday 30 August.
The three bedroom house was the debut renovation of the show, and the victim of some dubious style choices - including winners Adam and Lisa's incomplete study and unappealing entrance.
The listing photos show Western Australia couple Russell and Carole's challenge-winning kitchen. They ended up in second place for the series, <a href="/expert-insights/building/underdogs-adam-and-lisa-win-house-rules-season-two">behind underdogs Adam and Lisa</a>.
The single storey brick veneer home has a two bathrooms and is set on a 626 square metre plot.
The listing information says the home has been "renovated to the highest possible standards". The house is filled with colour, thanks to Candy and Ryan's fellow team mates.
<img src="/images/2014/08/08/house%20rules.jpg" alt="">
Above: Candy and Ryan's unrenovated home in 2013. Below: Their home now.
<img src="/images/2014/08/08/2.jpg" alt="">
Candy and Ryan purchased the home for $400,000 in August 2013. Selling agent Wallace is not providing a price guide for the property.
The house has been listed following the couple's breakup.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Candy and Ryan's House Rules home on the market

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Last month residential property stock on the market decreased to the lowest level seen since February 2011, according to SQM Research.
Nationally, there were 334,683 unsold properties last month, down 3.6% from the month before and 4.8% from July last year. <a href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/" target="_blank"></a>
<a href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/" target="_blank">SQM Research</a> says the market "remains in favour of sellers", with low stock levels pointing to an active market. However, the research firm also notes the rate of decrease has slowed, particularly in Sydney, which saw a yearly stock decline of 8.7%. There, annual stock declines between 15% and 25% were previously recorded.
Of the results, SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher says: "The national housing market overall remains buoyant with real estate listings being absorbed at a fairly fast pace and buyers moderately outnumbering sellers.”
<table border="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>City</td>
<td>July 2013 total </td>
<td> June 2013 total</td>
<td>July 2014 total</td>
<td>Monthly change %</td>
<td>Yearly change %</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adelaide</td>
<td> 16,453</td>
<td> 15,819</td>
<td> 14,593</td>
<td> -7.8%</td>
<td> -11.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brisbane</td>
<td> 26,150</td>
<td> 26,624</td>
<td> 25,615</td>
<td> -3.8%</td>
<td> -2.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Canberra</td>
<td> 3,555</td>
<td> 3,250</td>
<td> 3,140,</td>
<td> -3.4%</td>
<td> -11.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Darwin</td>
<td> 1,302</td>
<td> 1,531</td>
<td> 1,582</td>
<td> 3.3%</td>
<td> 21.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hobart</td>
<td> 4,280</td>
<td> 4,137</td>
<td> 4,063</td>
<td> -1.8%</td>
<td> -5.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Melbourne</td>
<td> 46,748</td>
<td> 43,237</td>
<td> 41,432</td>
<td> -4.2%</td>
<td> -11.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Perth</td>
<td> 19,353</td>
<td> 21,220</td>
<td> 20,049</td>
<td> -5.5%</td>
<td> 3.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sydney</td>
<td> 23,207</td>
<td> 22,504</td>
<td> 21,179</td>
<td> -5.9%</td>
<td> -8.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>National</td>
<td> 351,397</td>
<td> 347,074</td>
<td> 334,683</td>
<td> -3.6%</td>
<td> -4.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 Source: SQM Research
The largest monthly decrease was recorded in Adelaide, where stock on market fell by 7.8% to 14,593 homes. On a yearly basis, Canberra had the greatest decline, with an 11.7% decrease to 3,140 homes on the market. Darwin was the only capital city where a monthly increase in stock levels was recorded. Stock on market climbed 3.3% in July to 1,582. The city also saw the biggest yearly jump of stock on market, of 21.5%. The firm also recorded a small month-on-month decrease in asking prices for houses, of 0.2%. Unit asking prices saw an increase of the same proportion on a national level for July.
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National stock levels down to three year low in July: SQM

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Senator Nick Xenophon's proposed legislative changes to allow first home buyers to access their superannuation funds for a deposit on their first homes have seen many different reactions from property experts.
“With more and more Australians finding it difficult to break into home ownership, adopting the Canadian scheme would make a difference to many thousands of Australians each year,” said Xenophon.
The Canadian scheme allows first home buyers to extract C$25,000 for the purchase of their first home, which must be repaid into the fund within 15 years.
The scheme has been supported by some industry groups and businesses and derided by others.
Property Observer took the question to the experts: Should first home buyers be allowed to access their superannuation to fund the deposit on their first home?
Catherine Cashmore: market analyst <img src="/images/authors/fullbody/Catherine-Cashmore.png" alt="" align="right">
Nick Xenophon, along with other groups, such as the REIA, is advocating a policy that will be responsible for making housing affordability worse.   The procedure in Canada allows eligible buyers to withdraw up to C$25,000 tax-free from their retirement fund, on the condition that they pay it back over a 15-year period.   
If they fail to do this, the amount withdrawn will be taxed as per the income earner's tax bracket. Currently, 35 per cent of Canadians fall into this category. However, according to the CRA, roughly one out of two (47%) contributed less than the required repayment amount over the 2011 tax year.    The Government picks up the added income revenue windfall.
Buyers, buoyed by a rent seeking culture that fools the public into believing such policies are designed to be ‘helpful’, over stretch their budget and are left to carry the can in weak economic conditions.   In short - you borrow money from yourself at 0% interest and in doing so lose 15 years of compounding 'tax free' interest with average returns in the order of 7%.    
Many low to middle-income individuals have inadequate funds to draw upon. So even assuming the scheme were to be effective, the difference it can make to those that need the help is limited.   
But the real ‘nub’ of the issue, which Nick Xenophon has failed to acknowledge, is that the Canadian Home Buyer Plan was never intended to aid affordability.    It was promoted by the real estate industry following the 1990s recession to stimulate land values and benefit the FIRE (finance, insurance, real estate) sector, along with its economic offshoots - renovations, furniture and appliances, moving costs, tax revenue to government and so forth. The FIRE sector has lobbied to keep in place ever since and also pushed for the threshold to be raised.
Craig MacKenzie: RP Data executive general manager commercial, with research analyst Cameron Kusher<img src="/images/2014/08/06/CraigMackenzie.jpg" width="150" height="225" style="float: right;">
Pros:
<ul>
<li>Buyers need genuine savings given the price of housing in cities Sydney and Melbourne and the cost of renting saving deposit is extremely difficult, accessing superannuation would make it easier</li>
<li>Genworth reports that 1 in 4 first home buyers need assistance from their parents to enter the market, by accessing superannuation they remove the burden from the parents</li>
<li>In some instances tapping superannuation would mean that the purchaser doesn’t have to pay LMI on their purchase which would reduce the cost of purchase</li>
<li>The retirement savings pool is one of the largest in the world unlocking a portion of it would enable first home buyers to access one of the most basic human need, shelter</li>
<li>Superannuation is about forced saving for retirement, a home for owner occupation is a long-term investment so the horizons are aligned.</li>
<li>Ultimately the position is neutral with the Canadian scheme seeing the amount withdrawn from Canadian Registered Retirement Savings Plan’s (RRSPs) repaid over 15 years.</li>
</ul>
Cons:
<ul>
<li>Accessing Superannuation doesn’t address the key reason why FHB can’t purchase a home, that is that it is too expensive in many areas particularly those areas close to city centres and around major working nodes. </li>
<li>By accessing Super to purchase a home it would potentially increase home values further, much like the First Home Owners Grant has</li>
<li>Utilising Superannuation would allow FHB to buy in a location they otherwise couldn’t afford to, is this really a good policy given buyers should by in a location which is aligned with their current means to repay a mortgage.</li>
<li>The Canadian scheme doesn’t appear to have any penalty or interest associated with withdrawing that money.  The amount is paid back over 15 years however, that is 15 years over which that money could have compounded if invested elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
It should be noted that Canadian RRSPs are somewhat different from Superannuation as they are set up by individuals and in most instances employers don’t contribute to the plan.  It is about saving for retirement however, there are no compulsory contributions from the employer rather an RRSP is set up by the employee to save for retirement.
 
Turn over page for more responses, from Philip Soos, Helen Hodgson and Peter Bushby.
 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
Philip Soos: economist, author and Deakin University PhD candidate<img src="/images/2014/08/06/soos-profile.jpg" width="150" height="180" style="float: right;">
<div>I staunchly oppose the suggested policy advocated by Senator Nick Xenophon, which allows potential first home buyers to access their superannuation to finance a deposit. Simply put, it acts likely a privately-financed First Home Owners Grant/Boost, which has the intended effect of distorting (and increasing) housing prices.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>One of the most popular interventions in the housing market has been the use of federal government homeowner cash grants, in one form or another. They are implemented on the pretext of helping Australians realise the so-called dream of home ownership. This is false, however, as housing prices outpace the amount of the FHOG/B by a considerable multiple due to the additional leverage bank credit enables.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Put another way, the FHOG/B is rendered null and void, as it is simply capitalised into higher prices from the moment of its availability. The FHOG has the effect of pulling forward demand for housing into the present, with first home buyers stampeding into the housing market.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The pretext for superannuation is to help retirees, but in reality is designed as a pork barrel for the financial sector, which creams off approximately $19 billion in fees annually. Bankers already benefit from regulations allowing homeowners facing foreclosure to raid their super.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Xenophon’s policy makes it doubly worse – another gift to bankers through higher housing prices, larger loan portfolios, and rising net interest income. This senator owns eight properties; it is clear he advocates this policy out of self-interest, not out of any concern for first home owners. It is designed to increase home prices, not home ownership.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
Helen Hodgson: associate professor, Department of Taxation at Curtin Business School, Curtin University <img src="/images/2014/08/06/Helen.Hodgson.png" width="150" height="167" style="float: right;">
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Secure housing is important to wellbeing in retirement, but as the superannuation guarantee increases to 12% first home buyers hoping to enter the market will find it increasingly difficult to save a deposit. There are three major hurdles to the proposal to allow access to superannuation: 1. Increased demand increases house prices in the relevant price range: as Saul Eslake notes, first homebuyer grants end up in the pockets of vendors. Stamp Duty concessions have been scaled back with some states limiting them to new construction to stimulate housing supply. A similar strategy here could limit house price rises due to increased first home buyer activity. 2. Superannuation is a tax preferred investment, and allowing superannuation withdrawals would exploit this tax advantage. The accumulated superannuation balance is higher than other investments, and a salary sacrifice strategy could take advantage of this. This could be counteracted by taxing withdrawals at the marginal tax rate, less the tax paid by the fund. 3. The funds must be used to acquire and continue to use the property as a residence. There should be a requirement that if the person moves out of the property the funds must be repaid, coupled with compliance measures.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This article continues on the next page with thoughts from Peter Bushby and Terry Ryder. </div>
<div><hr class="system-pagebreak"></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
Peter Bushby, Real Estate Institute of Australia president <img src="/images/2014/08/06/bushby-profile.png" width="150" height="200" style="float: right;">
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It's been part of our (the REIA's) policy for many years now that it should be considered as a possibility, as long as it's packaged correctly, and as long as it doesn't harm, or have a negative effect on superannuation funds, and [first home buyers] would be paying it back in the longer term. We certainly believe it would be a tool to assist first home buyers., It would actually allow a lot of people to take advantage of and enjoy the benefits of home ownership that they can't quite get at the moment. They might be able to get the money at the end of the day, but if they got it earlier, it could be far more valuable to them, rather than renting and paying off someone else's mortgage. We believe that it is a viable option. Of course you'll get a negative reaction from the super funds and so on, but we believe that as long as it's operated properly, it could be very valuable. There are a couple of schemes that operate well around the world. We've identified Canadian and Singaporean schemes that could be translated, though obviously it would work differently here. But the Canadian scheme in particular could be useful to look at. It's about looking at the elements of it that would work best in our market without damaging existing super funds.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Terry Ryder, founder of hotspotting.com.au <img src="/images/authors/fullbody/Terry-Ryder.png" width="135" height="186" style="float: right;"></div>
<div>
<div> </div>
<div>Nick Xenophon is suggesting a solution to a problem that does not exist. And, in the process, weakening the solution to a problem that does exist.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Xenophon's proposal is based on the premise that we have an affordability problem in Australia. All the evidence suggests that we do not.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Before we start implementing solutions, we need to properly understand the "problem". It is assumed that, because first-home buyers are apparently less active than before, there can be only one explanation - that they cannot afford to buy. The evidence suggests another reason: that young adults are not interested in buying. They have other priorities. Their parents were married with kids and a mortgage before the age of 30, and today's generation doesn't want that. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>So we don't need Xenophon's solution which, while addressing a non-existent problem, would weaken the solution to a very real existing problem. And that is the rapidly ageing population and the need for people to fund their retirement - for which superannuation is critical. Superannuation funds should be sacrosanct.</div>
</div>
  
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Exclusive: The experts on super access for first home buyers

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Savills Australia has appointed Shammi Liang to the position of analyst.
Working with Savills' national head of research Tony Crab and Victorian head of research Glenn Lampard from the firm's William Street office, Liang will also provide support to other Savills' divisions.
Liang formerly worked in property management for Ironfish and is currently undertaking a Master of Property degree at the University of Melbourne. She is a fluent Mandarin and Cantonese Speaker.
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Shammi Liang appointed at Savills research team

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NAME: Robert Lawson <img src="/images/2014/08/05/Robert-Lawson-aug-5-profile.png" alt="" style="float: right;">
POSITION: Raine &amp; Horne Commercial WA associate director, Commercial Property Management
COMPANY: Raine &amp; Horne 
OFFICE LOCATION: Subiaco
How long have you been in the industry?
In total, about eight years.
What’s happening in the area you specialise in? 
Tenant consolidation and retention. So we're trying to retain tenants during a tight market - negotiating to retain them rather than having vacancies. 
Describe the most interesting commercial property you have worked on.
They're all intrinsically different, all set with their own challenges and rewards. From the simplest little office to the largest industrial, you can take pieces from all of them. I get a buzz out of all and sundry.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
Tough skin, not taking things personally; being organised and trying to get ahead of the curve sometimes.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
The best part of it would be being able to deal with people from all walks - you're dealing with contractors, you're dealing with tenants, you're dealing with owners, you're dealing with lawyers - and the things you learn along the way, because you're dealing with all sorts of people.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000?
It would have to be commercial property.
Which football team do you support?
Fremantle.
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
I'm not all up on the techno stuff. It'd have to be the mobile email.
How do you use social media?
Limited, don't use it much at all.
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In profile: Raine & Horne Commercial WA's associate director of commercial property management, Robert Lawson

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When the wearable technology revolution arrived in Australia, it chose Bendigo. More specifically, a Bendigo cafe.
Last week, chief executive of Bendigo Bank subsidiary Community Telco Australia David Joss bought afternoon tea with his Samsung Gear 2 smart watch.
The payment was made through a new Bendigo and Adelaide Bank mobile payment system called 'redy', which has a patent pending. The system, which was launched in June, allows customers to use an app on their compatible smart phone to scan a code displayed on the cashier's Samsung tablet. While doing so, customers earn credits which they can donate to a charity of their choice - what Bendigo Bank head of Customer Lead Connections Andrew Cairns calls "the digital version of dropping some cash into a collection tin".
According to Bendigo Bank's executive customer voice Marnie Baker, the bank believes it's "the first to launch a wearable payments solution that fully completes a transaction".
"We have been able to do this because of the unique way that we have developed the redy payment solution using QR codes at the point of sale.”
At the point of sale, the wearer opens the app on their device (in this case, a watch), the merchant creates a unique QR code for the purchase and the offer is sent to their customer, who scans the code to accept the offer. According to the bank, the transaction is "highly secure" as the merchant never captures any personal information about the buyer.
Chief executive of Bendigo Bank subsidiary Community Telco Australia David Joss, who was the one to make the purchase with his Samsung Gear 2 watch, more and more wearable technologies are expected enter the market.
"Just as mobile phones are becoming more commonplace as payment devices, there is little doubt that wearable technology is the next extension of the customer’s mobility experience," said Joss.
“Although only released for the Samsung Gear 2 at this stage, we will continue to develop for wearable technologies as they continue to enter the market.
“We have an extensive roadmap of developments that will be released through redy over time.”
Bendigo Bank has signed an agreement with Samsung to continue to develop mobile payment processes. Baker said the redy system united the bank's community building initiatives with "cutting edge technology".
"Our bank is built on responding to customer needs and helping its communities to prosper and here we have a device that does both by enabling customers to donate a percentage of the redy transaction fee to the charity or cause of their choosing," said Baker.
"We are leveraging the power of aggregated micro-payments to help communities source new funding streams via a form of crowd funding.
Bendigo also offers a small, mobile EFTPOS device for business called microPay. The pocket sized card reader connects to any available network and allows business owners to make EFTPOS transactions away from their main point of business.
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Tea time: Australia's first wearable transaction

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The former Parker Furniture warehouse in Sydney's Rosebery is set to become 31 one, two and three bedroom apartments.
All 31 of the apartments have been sold.
Construction has commenced on the site at 755-759 Botany Road, which Knight Frank NSW project marketing director Craig Moore says is due for completion in early 2015.
<img src="/images/2014/08/06/roseberry-aug-6-breakout-2.jpg" alt="">
"This stunning complex is rich with history, being on the former site of the original Parker Furniture Warehouse, a renowned Australian furniture designer with a flawless reputation for design, manufacturing and retail," says Moore.
“With this in mind, the Parker Residence has been superbly developed by LivStyle Group and designed by award winning architect, Environ Studio.
“Each apartment encourages open-plan living with stylishly appointed interiors, showcasing attention to detail alongside premium finishes which have been handpicked to create a contemporary and sophisticated space."
The first level of apartments feature private courtyards, while the top floor residences have private rooftop terraces and gardens. Most of the Parker Residence units have north-west facing balconies.
Parker Residence is located within walking distance of the Green Square railway station, with nearby schools, restaurants and pubs.
The development will include two retailers with a courtyard, elevated parking for cars and bicycles and is situated six kilometres from the Sydney CBD.
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Construction begins on sold out Parker Furniture warehouse conversion in Rosebery

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The average holiday rental property is rented for an average weekly rate of $1,143 for 23 weeks a year, according to a new report from a holiday rental website.
The <a href="https://www.stayz.com.au/" target="_blank">Stayz</a> report says the average traveller takes two to three domestic holidays a year for an average of five nights at a time, with 53% of holiday makers traveling with their family.
According to Stayz marketing director David Dunstan, travelers may have used caravan parks or motels in the past, but are increasingly turning to holiday homes for accommodation.
“This is reaping rewards for property managers or private owners," said Dunstan.
"The average holiday home is netting over $1,000 a week with an average occupancy rate of 23 weeks per year. That’s not a bad return on investment!” 
But according to Dunstan, fewer than half of holiday rental owners generate profits after maintenance and mortgage expenses. However, he does predict further growth for the sector. 
Travelers tend to plan well in advance, a habit rental property owners should take into consideration, commented Dunstan.
“Stayz sees enquiries for summer holidays spike in July and August so property owners and managers need to make sure their holiday rentals are listed as early as six months in advance of peak season to make sure they capitalise on that.
“Word-of-mouth recommendations and personal experience are also important to building trust and we know that once people have a good experience, they are likely to return to the same property again in the future – sometimes multiple times.” 
Dunstan said that some locations were more popular than others on the website, with a strong preference for beachside holidays.
“We have a reputation for being sun-lovers and our bookings bear that out,” he said.  
“Beach breaks are by far still the most popular holiday option for Australian travellers with floods of visitors descending on coastal towns like Surfers Paradise, Port Douglas, Terrigal, Lorne and Fremantle every year to enjoy the sun, sand and surf.” 
The Stayz website sees about 14 million visitors each year.
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Average holiday home occupied for 23 weeks a year: Stayz

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Interest rates will remain at record lows for another month, with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) choosing not to change the overnight cash rate of 2.5%.
The cash rate has remained at 2.5% since August 2013.
The decision will come as no surprise to property industry commentators, with <a href="/expert-insights/finance/start-planning-for-a-rate-rise-finder-com-au">all 20 experts surveyed by finder.com.au</a> predicting the cash rate would stay on hold this month.
Property Observer's editor at large Jonathan Chancellor told finder.com.au that the RBA prefers to "let the economy look after itself as much as possible".
"We probably won't see any shift until 2015 when it will most likely be upwards," he said.
According to LJ Hooker chief executive Grant Harrod, the RBA's decision will keep demand from investors at a strong level.
“It’s a finely balanced domestic economy that has made the RBA reluctant to shift its current ‘neutral’ monetary policy position,” says Harrod.
“It now looks likely interest rates will remain on hold for the rest of the year, barring any unforeseen events and it should boost consumer confidence as we approach spring.
“There is some speculation rates could be dropped even further if the Australian dollar remains high.”
Harrod doesn't expect that rising house prices will cause the Reserve Bank to increase interest rates, so long as inflation remains in the 2-3% target range and the unemployment rate continues at under 6%.
“Price growth has helped boost construction activity and in turn economic growth in general which is essential as we adjust to the fall in mining investment,” says Harrod.
RP Data research director Tim Lawless says the decision comes as value growth continues across the housing market at a moderated pace, with RP Data reporting a 1.1% increase in dwelling values over the quarter to June.
"Although the rate of growth is slowing, policy makers, including the RBA, are likely to be keeping a close eye on the ongoing increases in home values across the two largest cities (Sydney and Melbourne)," says Lawless.
He predicts that the cash rate will remain unchanged until next year.
"It is looking increasingly like the official cash rate will remain at its low setting, at least for the remainder of this year, which should continue to support housing demand.
"Capital gains over the past 12 months were recorded at 10.2% across the combined capital cities, however we are expecting growth rates to moderate over the coming months as natural affordability constraints and low rental yields in the largest capital cities work to slow the rate of capital gains," Lawless notes.
Photo courtesy of Newtown grafitti/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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A year of record low rates as RBA leaves cash rate at 2.5%

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Borrowers should begin planning ahead for a rate rise, according to comparison website finder.com.au.
Experts surveyed by <a href="https://finder.com.au">finder.com.au</a>, including senior economists from the big four banks, all agreed that the cash rate will most likely remain on hold at 2.5% this month.
The majority of the 20 respondents to finder.com.au's survey expect the cash rate to increase next year, with two experts predicting that rates will rise before the end of 2014.
Seven of the 17 experts who predicted a rate rise for 2015 believe it will happen in the first half of the year, while six think it won't come until after June 2015. Three were undecided, while one did not comment.
A senior economist from Commonwealth Bank and an expert from Urbis both expect rates will rise before 2015.
According to Michelle Hutchison, money expert at finder.com.au, interest rates will likely increase by 1.5 percentage points from next year.
“While lenders are competing harder to lock in borrowers with a fixed home loan, the finder.com.au monthly Reserve Bank Survey shows that we can expect to see interest rates rise to a new normal level of 150 basis points higher from next year," says Hutchison.
“Most of our experts believe the cash rate won’t reach the historical average of about 5%, but rather reach around 4%, which is 150 basis points above the current cash rate of 2.50%. And with 17 out of the 20 respondents betting on rates to start their way up from next year, borrowers need to ensure they can afford the extra cost.”
The website's database shows that more lenders have dropped the rates on their five-year fixed loans to under 5% this week, following NAB, Commonwealth and Westpac which all dropped their rates to 4.99% following last week's CPI announcement.
St George Bank, Citibank and St George Bank have all reduced their five-year fixed rates to 4.99%. Newcastle Permanent now offers a 4.95% rate on its five-year fixed loan, and Mortgage House's five year product is offered at a 4.97% interest rate.
Hutchison says borrowers should take advantage of the low rate deals before they change.
“Interest rate hikes are on the horizon and look set to start rising very soon, so borrowers need to start preparing now before it’s too late. For instance, variable rate borrowers with a $300,000 mortgage will need to factor in an extra $300 per month to keep up with repayments should their interest rate increase by 150 basis points," she says.
“Fixed home loan rates are among the lowest levels we’ve ever seen so if you are concerned about rising rates and higher repayments, it could be worthwhile locking in before these potential savings are gone.
“We calculated that borrowers with a $300,000 mortgage who switch from the average variable rate of about 5.50 percent to the lowest five-year fixed rate of 4.95 percent, could save almost $16,000 in five years if variable rates rise by 150 basis points," explains Hutchison.
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Start planning for a rate rise: Finder.com.au

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

Jessie Richardson

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