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A Rosebud beach house sold at weekend auction for $505,500.
The weekend sale was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rosebud-123171414">2 Spray Street, Rosebud</a> (above). Shane Fox at Ray White sold it. 
The two storey three bedroom had fetched $390,000 in 2014.
Property Observer went looking for five more than could be bought at less than half a million on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.
Another in Rosebud is available, with YPA Estate Agents agent Chris Fahl asking between $440,000 and $480,000 for a three bedroom, one bathroom home.
Last traded for just $72,000 in 1997, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rosebud-123148958" target="_blank">12 Kennington Road</a> (below) in Rosebud is set on 679 sqm and a short walk to Port Phillip Bay.
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/500_beach1.jpg" alt="">
A beach house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rosebud+west-123404694" target="_blank"> 9 Swans Way</a> (below) in Rosebud West is on the market for $430,000 with Basso Real Estate agent Paul Basso, having last sold for $295,000 in 2010.
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/beach2.jpg" alt="">
The renovated three bedroom investment property was bringing in $330 a week, which would show a rental yield of 3.99 percent for the new buyer.
YPA Estate Agents Sheree Hay is asking for offers between $430,000 and $470,000 for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rye-123225954">1 Hackworth Road</a> (below) in Rye.
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/rye.jpg" alt="">
It's a three bedroom, one bathroom home on a corner allotment with a wood fire pizza oven in the back yard.
It last traded for $286,000 in 2008.
Just touching the $500,000 barrier is this three bedroom, single level home in Safety Beach, which only traded last year for $350,000.
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-safety+beach-123434298" target="_blank">38/113 Country Club Drive</a> (below) is priced at $499,000 through YPA Estate Agents Ben Nutbean and Jade Springer.
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/country.jpg" alt="">
Back to Rosebud, where Darren Sadler at Eview Property Group wants offers over $475,000 for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rosebud-123189394">28 Sunningdale Road </a>(below)<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rosebud-123189394">.</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/rose1.jpg" alt="">
Last sold in 2010 for $375,000, the three bedroom, two bathroom renovated family home offers an open plan living area with large back yard. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Five beach houses at $505,000 or less on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula

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GUEST OBSERVER
Inner Melbourne's apartments are getting tinier with each new development. 
But, how small is small? 
Secret Agent's updated apartment index reveals that the average size of a 1 bedroom apartment is only 47sqm, and for the more popular 2 bedroom apartment the average size is 73sqm.
<a href="/images/2016/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-26%20at%2011.52.29%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-26%20at%2011.52.29%20AM.png" alt="">
 
These figures are frustrating for many homebuyers looking for an apartment that they can actually live in comfortably. Our index, which is based on 870 apartments in inner Melbourne which have sold between the 1st January 2016 and 30th June 2016, offers some insight into where buyers can find apartments with larger than average floor plans. 
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East Melbourne has the largest two bedroom apartments. At almost 90sqm on average, this was a standout with the second largest 2 bedroom apartments being 10sqm smaller at 80sqm in Port Melbourne. 
<a href="/images/2016/08/26/Blog-1-2-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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These suburbs are generous with the size of their apartments, most likely due to the properties occupying the top end of the market. Buyers here are much more willing to pay for additional space and are not as price sensitive. 
This means a developer in these areas may be able to sell bigger apartments and still get a similar profit to what they would if they sold more smaller apartments. 
On the other hand, Travancore and Prahran have the smallest 2 bedroom apartments at 57.6sqm and 60.9sqm respectively. 
Click to enlarge
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/Blog-2-2.jpg" alt="">
A younger demographic is attracted to these suburbs and thus they tend to be more price sensitive. developers here have designed smaller floor plans and perhaps would be penalised if they built apartments too large in size. The investor market is also more prevalent in these suburbs. 
For more information, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Inner Melbourne's smallest and largest apartments: Secret Agent

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GUEST OBSERVER
Secret Agent has updated its price per square metre index for secondary apartments in inner Melbourne. 
An additional 478 apartments have been added to the index so that it now consists of a total of 870 apartments which have sold between 1st January 2016 to 30th June 2016. 
<a href="/images/2016/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-26%20at%2011.48.21%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-26%20at%2011.48.21%20AM.png" alt="">
The new average square metre rate for apartments in inner Melbourne is $8,679/sqm.
The inner South remains the most expensive region for apartments with the average totalling $9,664/sqm. 
This is closely followed by the inner East at $9,089/sqm. 
Central and inner North apartment rates are $8,466/sqm and $8,395/sqm respectively. The cheapest region to buy secondary apartments in is the inner West, at $7,124/sqm.
For more information, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Inner Melbourne’s most affordable and expensive apartments: Secret Agent

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The last winter weekend sees around 550 homes set to be offered under the hammer on Saturday across Sydney. 
More than last weekend’s 492 and the highest weekend offering since the pre-election rush of 632 recorded on June 25.
But the weekend’s auctions are much less than the record 811 auctioned over the same season-opening Saturday last year.
Domain's senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson said Saturday’s numbers are similar to the auctions on the last weekend of August in 2014 and 2013.
"So far this year there have been 4653 fewer weekend auctions," Dr Wilson advised which is a steep fall of 24.3 percent compared with the same period last year.
Randwick is Sydney’s most popular auction suburb this weekend with eight offerings followed by Chatswood, Marrickville and Wahroonga each with seven.
This weekend nearly 900 Melbourne homes are set to go under the hammer - the highest number since the pre-election rush of 901 auctions on June 25.
Saturday’s listings will be significantly higher than the 653 offered last weekend but below the 1046 auctioned over the same Saturday last year.
Auction numbers in Melbourne have fallen away over winter compared to last year with 1732 fewer auctions conducted – a fall of 7.5 per ent over winter last year. 
Melbourne’s weekend auction market has now recorded four weekends with clearance rates above 75 percent for the first time.
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Sydney weekend auction stock down 24 percent year to date

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NAB board director Phil Chronican has bought the Georgian-style Neutral Bay residence of property investor Denis Ellerker.
The Kurraba Point home sold for $7.7 million to Chronican who owns in Melbourne's Armadale after selling in The Residence, Darlinghurst.
The 1920s Neutral Bay home, with makeover by Michael Suttor and Michael Love, sold through Belle Property’s Tim Foote and Sotheby’s Michael Pallier.
Bought by Ellerker in 1980 for $397,500, it came with an initial asking of more than $9 million last October.
The Shellcove Road home, with tennis court, has gardens by Tony Ward Landscape Design on its 1460 sqm holding. 
Ellerker has bought in Darling Point, paying $11 million for the arts and crafts-style penthouse in the Babworth Estate sold by the widow of the late Macquarie Bank co-founder David Clarke.
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Phil Chronican snares Sotheby's special back in Sydney

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/64153/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Truth be told, most Australians live in good housing. This is good news for all of us because our housing is a major determinant of our health and wellbeing. But our very recent research findings, published this month in the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, and the lessons of history tell us this good news story is at risk.
Ideally, housing provides us with the secure, comfortable shelter that people and their families need to live healthy, productive lives. In general, we have a modern housing stock with good heating and cooling, few major structural problems and few problems with damp and mould. By contrast, bad housing makes it much more likely you will get sick and stay sick once ill.
In Australia’s early years, much of the housing stock was of poor quality, often overcrowded, and posed real risks to people’s health. Slums were common in the inner parts of the major cities and in many country towns.
As late as 1915 bubonic plague was a reality in the poorer parts of our cities and other contagious diseases remained an ever-present risk. Numerous letters to the editor documented a real social concern with the housing standards of the poor.
Government intervention, economic prosperity and tenancy laws all improved housing conditions across Australia. Within a century Australia was defined by good housing and high rates of home ownership. The nation saw off the last of its slums in the late 1940s.
Now the same conditions that gave rise to substandard housing in the 19th century are returning in the 21st, with a likely similar outcome. Recently, the Reserve Bank governor acknowledged young Australians need their parents' help to buy a home in Sydney. But most Australians don’t have a wealthy and doting parent to fund them into the house of their dreams.
The alternative is to live in lower-quality housing and to make do with a home that is relatively inaccessible, fundamentally unaffordable or both.
<h2>A million Australians on the housing brink</h2>
The confronting reality is that poor housing conditions are more prevalent in Australia than we think.
We have a sizeable “hidden fraction” of Australians living in poor-quality housing. In particular, many of our most vulnerable have the double disadvantage of also having housing conditions that we might deem as falling below an unacceptable standard.
In one of the few contemporary analyses of this issue, we used the Household Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) Survey, a national longitudinal dataset, and find compelling evidence of a substantial stock of poor-quality housing in Australia.
The scale of our findings is somewhat surprising: we found almost a million Australians are living in poor or very-poor-quality housing. Within this total, more than 100,000 are residing in dwellings regarded as very poor or derelict.
These simple findings are important. They show the existence of a significant (and currently little known) population of individuals living in very poor conditions. At the very least, we need to monitor Australian housing conditions in a systematic way if we are to avoid this problem worsening.
<h2>Harms of poor housing multiply</h2>
Poor-quality housing makes the already disadvantaged even worse off. Younger people, people with disabilities and ill health, those with low incomes, those without full-time (or any) employment, Indigenous people and renters are much more likely to be found in the emerging slums of 21st-century Australia.
Importantly, many of these groups are already disadvantaged and (most probably) have a pressing need for housing that improves or supports their health and wellbeing. People with an existing illness or disability, for example, are almost twice as likely to live in dwellings in very poor condition as people without a disability or illness.
These findings about the size and uneven distribution of the problem should force us to ask what effects poor-quality housing has on people – on their mental, physical and general health? It is clear from our analysis that such housing has measurable impacts on mental, physical and general health. This impact is large enough to be statistically significant.
Given the time it takes to reform policy and plan for our cities and regions, Australia urgently needs to face up to the dismal reality that once again many Australians are living in housing not fit for habitation.
Governments must take steps to ensure the supply of affordable housing of reasonable quality. Otherwise, we are destined to become a nation scarred once again by slums, reduced life chances and shortened lives.
Emma Baker is associate professor, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Adelaide and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-baker-172081" target="_blank">here</a>.
Andrew Beer is dean, Research and Innovation, University of South Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-beer-111469" target="_blank">here</a>.
Rebecca Bentley is associate professor, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-bentley-173502" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Why 100 years without slum housing in Australia is coming to an end

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The Gladstone residential market - well known for its big boom and bust cycles - has now been falling for a longer period than it was increasing and the end is not really in sight, according to the valuation firm, Herron Todd White.
"A crystal ball would be a really handy object to have at the moment," HTW's latest report proferred.
It advised new job opportunities in Gladstone are very weak and without a major project on the horizon, the Gladstone economy is likely to remain subdued.
"These job losses have had and will continue to have a direct effect on the already oversupplied property market in the Gladstone region."
HTW said all market sectors continue to show declines in value.
"In order to reignite the local property market another major project would need to start construction.
"A number of smaller projects have been spoken about however nothing of substance seems to be on the horizon."
Over the course of 2016 major employers in the region (Rio Tinto, QAL, NRG) have enacted cost cutting measures through their businesses and cut hundreds of jobs. More recently Aurizon has announced that job cuts will take place in the Gladstone depot.
Adding to this, there are still approximately 2,000 local employees working for Bechtel on Curtis Island finalising construction on the LNG plants, most of whom will be without work within 12 months.
"New job opportunities in Gladstone are very weak and without a major project on the horizon, the Gladstone economy is likely to remain subdued.
"These job losses have had and will continue to have a direct effect on the already oversupplied property market in the Gladstone region."
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No end in sight for Gladstone house price fall: HTW

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GUEST OBSERVER
Typically one would expect a rate hike cycle to cause mortgage rates to rise, at least at the margin. 
In a nation such as the US, where the mortgage rate is a long-term fixed rate, this should occur as market interest rate expectations firm. Yet for the US hiking cycle that began in late-2015, this has proven to not be the case. 
Not only did the US’ 30-year mortgage rate remain largely unchanged before and after the first rate hike (near 3.90 percent). But eight months on, the prime mortgage rate now stands at just 3.40 percent, having reached a cycle-low of 3.35 percent in early August.
<a href="/images/2016/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-26%20at%208.33.28%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Taking a longer-term perspective, it is apparent that this decline is not a one off. Instead it is the continuation of a multi-year trend: the 2015 average 30-year mortgage rate of 3.90% also being well below 2014’s 4.21%. 
What is behind this downtrend in the mortgage rate? Weaker long- term Fed Fund Rate expectations have certainly played a part. Note that even the FOMC’s own longer-run Fed Funds expectation has been materially marked down over the past year, from 3.75% in mid- 2015 to 3.00% currently. But the relationship between the 30-year mortgage rate and the US 10-year Treasury yield adds a further element to consider: the impact of global liquidity. 
Simply, global liquidity has not only reduced borrowing costs for the US government (like many other nations across the globe), but thanks to the strong link between the US mortgage rate and Treasury rates, the benefit has also flowed to US households. Indeed, households who meet bank credit criteria have never been able to borrow so cheaply. 
Given continued robust job gains and a burgeoning improvement in wages growth, it is not surprising that not only has price momentum been sustained, but so too has sales activity. Indeed, abstracting from the monthly noise, recent months have shown evidence of strengthening real momentum in new home sales. 
The three-month average sales pace for new homes is 22% higher than its year-ago level; for 2016-to-date, the gain from 2015 to 2016 is a more modest (but still robust) 12%. A recent operational update from major US builder Toll Brothers also points to a robust pipeline of sales activity, with reservation deposits for the first three weeks of August reported to be up 23%yr versus 18%yr growth in contracts in Q2. Gains in activity were reported to be broad based across the firms many product lines and geographic regions. 
For existing home sales, having already experienced a material improvement through 2010–2015, recent gains have been much more muted. That said, the level of sales continues to slowly trend higher, which is indicative of robust, broad-based belief in housing as an asset class.
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If new home sales and the lead provided by the Toll Brothers update proves an accurate representation of current activity, then we are likely to see renewed momentum build in dwelling construction through the second half of 2016. This contribution is likely to be marginal, but nonetheless positive. Permits data points to much of this growth coming in the form of medium-to-high rise multiple dwelling buildings. As such, the activity is likely to be concentrated geographically but have a prolonged life, well into 2017.
With regards to policy, the momentum building is not cause for alarm, but it does highlight a need for the FOMC to be conscious of their ability to control market interest rates given rapidly growing global liquidity and all-important long-term market expectations. 
Elliot Clarke is director and senior economist, Westpac Institutional Bank, and can be contacted <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The global weight of money and US housing: Westpac's Elliot Clarke

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GUEST OBSERVER
The Aus-China ‘honeymoon’ is over.  A ‘warts and all’ marriage is developing.
The honeymoon was characterized by the many Chinese-linked deals and investments over the past decade with little public and political influence at the individual deal level.
This is now changing due to:
<ul>
<li>the USA and China are using tensions in the South China Sea to pressure Australia and other countries to ‘pick a side’. Security with the US or economics with China.</li>
<li>a growing public disenchantment of the major political parties (both in the USA and Australia) giving more power to minor parties and far-right or far-left viewpoints</li>
<li>the 1-seat majority Australian government with no control in the senate that strengthens the influence of populist sentiment and political horse-trading</li>
<li>managing an increasing rich and poor divide (winners and losers) – the antithesis of Australia’s egalitarian culture, where ‘winners’ have benefited from a China-driven boom in specific industry sectors (mining, property, education, tourism, agri-foods and the professional &amp; service sectors that supports them.) 
</li>
<li>an economic slowdown in China coinciding with rising public health, environmental &amp; corruption concerns, and China’s own rich-poor divide.</li>
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But this marriage analogy has extra characteristics
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<li>A) It’s not a marriage of equals. China’s GDP is nearly 10 times larger than Australia, its population nearly than 60 times larger.  Economically, Australia ‘needs’ China more than the other way around as reflected in the 2-way trade and investment flows.</li>
<li>B) There’s polygamy… Aus-China is not the only relationship. There are reportedly 100 nations that, like Australia, describe China is their ‘biggest trading partner.’ China’s One Belt One Road seeks to create an economic bloc along the old Silk Road to Eastern and Central Europe and a maritime ‘road’ to South Asia and South East Asia and eastern Africa, reducing the influence of the ‘West’ in the global economy.</li>
<li>C) Opposites attract (or repels?). China’s political and cultural differences are markedly different from Australia’s other main partners, USA, UK, European Union and to some extent Japan. There will be extra effort needed in understanding each other</li>
</ul>
Australia’s Many Calls, Many Actions, China’s One Call, One Action.  
In every marriage, both sides need to work at it. Emotions are as important as economics, especially given the five catalysts mentioned above, and particularly in Australia where voter sentiment counts.
For our Chinese expat readers, it’s important to remember that social media, traditional media, shock jocks, lobbyists and special interest groups all have powerful influences on sentiment in Australia. And by-elections at the Federal level, given the slim majority, can be game changers. Government ‘stability’ under these conditions is more tenuous.
As a 1-party state, what the Chinese government wants domestically, it gets. It’s ‘One Call, One Action’ in China. (Most of the time. We will expand on this in a subsequent essay) compared to Australia’s democracy where there are ‘Many Calls and Many Actions.’
Australian readers would have read about the instances where China seeks to influence public sentiment – scholarships, foundations, donations, cultural &amp; business associations, institutes, industry bodies.  Increasingly, there is soft power in the form of entertainment assets (‘Hollywood’ movies created by Chinese capital).  But all this is nothing new. The Chinese are great copiers of the US.
Where to next?  It’s a marriage, not a divorce
Despite the shaky public sentiment at present, the outlook is still ‘all good’ for most in the Aus-China relationship.  The exception is the handful of big ticket deals with national security implications.  For everyone else, it will be business as usual.
Why this view? A and B above are the key drivers. No one wants to lose economically.  Public sentiment softens when the hip pocket is hurt (like people still buying intensively farmed animal proteins – caged eggs, feed-lot cattle – although they want better animal welfare)
However, housing (or lack of it) is the likely to remain a major sensitivity in the Aus-China discourse. It impacts on everyone.   In hedge fund parlance, people are ‘long’ if they have investment property in addition to their home, ‘neutral’ if they own a home, and ‘short’ if they rent…that is, everyone as an economic position when it comes to housing.  This is on top of an emotional position as ‘home is where the heart is.’
It’s a balancing act between keeping the 60%+ of Australians who own their own home (or are paying it off), reassured of that their biggest asset is safe, vs affordability issues for the next generation of home owners and the 40% who rent (or share house).
How this sentiment plays out will be determined as housing supply from the past 2-3 years of frenetic construction comes on stream.
Chinese and Australian developers backed by Chinese capital are creating more housing supply that will eventually lead to lower rents.  To incentivize developers to take the risk of building homes, they need buyers, which is where the Chinese offshore investors have come into the picture in the past 3 years.
For details of the Chinese love affair with Australia property, please read our article<a href="https://basispoint.com.au/view-china-australian-property/" target="_blank">, </a>The View from China on Australian property which also allays worries about settlement risks and also reports on local Chinese-Australian (vs overseas Chinese) buying power.
In property and other industry sectors, jobs creation along the entire supply chain, as a result of Chinese mass market consumption and investment, will ultimately support sentiment. Think of all the recent ASX listed companies’ annual results that are linked to China, and their plans for growth – Blackmore’s expanded factories etc).
Its jobs and growth. China is the catalyst for this.
Warts and all
To conclude, while the honeymoon is over, and public sentiment is now more influential, the Aus-China relationship is maturing into marriage with its periods of tension and disagreement.
The ‘3rd party’ in this relationship also needs to be factored in.  This 3rd party is the USA, and posturing about the South China Sea by both China and the US will remain just posturing. With nuclear MAD (mutually assured destruction), no one wants to go to war.  And surely no other ‘vassal’ state on either side is naïve enough to enter into a ‘proxy war.’  (well, maybe North Korea might be an exception).   Australia need not be drawn into taking sides.
So yes, the spouse may not be as attractive now since all the warts are being looked at closely.  But a spouse is still a spouse.  There is another MAD – mutually assured development. 
David Chin is managing director, Basis Point, and can be contacted <a href="https://basispoint.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The Aus-China honeymoon is over… long live the marriage

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The main industry driver of the Mackay residential market over the past ten years has been the resource sector located in the Bowen Basin and the large service industry located in Mackay, according to Herron Todd White.
The mining sector had a significant boom which peaked during 2012 and 2013.
Mackay had the highest median house value for regional coastal cities in Queensland and one of the lowest vacancy rates (under 1 percent).
But the valuation firm has noted since this time, there has been a significant reduction in the mining industry with large redundancies, mine closures and flow on effects.
"This has seen the Mackay residential market fall up to 30 percent since the peak and vacancy rates blow out to in excess of 8%," its latest report noted.
It is considered that without an increase in the coal price and announcement of large projects, the Mackay market will not see any appreciable increase in value.
However, with every downturn there are some silver linings.
"Mackay was always seen as a mining town with inflated prices and increased costs of living associated with the high wages generated in the mining industry.
"Since the downturn, it is now considered Mackay is an attractive proposition to non mining workers such as teachers, police officers, firemen and ambulance offices, who would have not considered Mackay previously."
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Mackay prices now attractive to non-mining workers: HTW

A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

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The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Jonathan Chancellor

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