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For five years the BradfieldCleary agency in Sydney's east have been keeping tables on a selection of its rental re-lettings. 
 The latest shows properties re-let over the winter season. 
The overall the properties leased for an average of 3.91 percent above the previous rent. 
This is a particularly strong performance for rent returns in winter, a time when there is generally less demand than in the spring and summer, agent Bob Guth suggests.
The figures from previous winters; July 2012 (2.66 percent), July 2013 (0.80 percent), June 2015 (3.55 percent) were not as strong as this year. 
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"This may well be a reflection on the increase in values residential property has experienced over the last several years but may also come due to a slightly strengthening economy. 
"Needless to say some of the more significant increases may be as a result of some minor upgrades (paint, carpet, lighting, blinds etc) and the small falls in return because of wear and tear and general presentation."
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"Nonetheless it is clear that rents continue to rise above the CPI, confirming investment in residential property must surely be better than ‘money in the bank’," Bob Guth said.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Sydney eastern suburbs rental rise above the CPI over winter

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SPONSORED POST
When considering property investment it pays to look at what the professionals do - the big industry and retail superannuation funds and institutional investment organisations such as insurance companies.
Professional investors generally allocate anywhere from 8 percent to 15 percent to property within their portfolio. These institutional investors live or die by their results – there is no room for emotion or personal preference. 
So what types of property?
One sub-class of property the professionals do not typically hold is residential. Why? Because long-term average yields on residential property are generally inferior to quality investment grade real estate.
Commercial property on the other hand is able to generate distribution yields in excess of 6.50 percent for investors. The dispersed or small scale nature of residential property means the costs associated with the accumulation and management of residential property also contribute to it being viewed as a less than optimal option.
Of course dinner parties are peppered with wonderful residential success stories, but headline numbers and real rates of return can sometimes be poles apart. Residential real estate investment has high transaction costs including stamp duty, legal and agent fees, and  holding costs of land tax, insurance, council/water rates, external property management, vacancies, repairs and capital gains tax.
Whilst some of these costs are also applicable to commercial property, many costs like repairs, insurance and rates are often paid for by the tenant instead and other costs are lower due to the economies of scale obtainable (such as agents fee). The other big difference is that the rents paid by commercial tenants are generally much higher as a percentage of the cost of the initial investment. 
Further, the heat in the residential real estate markets in Sydney and Melbourne is showing some signs of coming off the boil. Hopefully this will allow a chance to regroup and make more considered decisions.
Professional investors typically invest in investment-grade commercial property such as offices, warehouses, hospitality and shopping centres. The term ‘investment-grade’ is critical. In short, it means high quality buildings with high quality tenants, often with long leases, which translates into strong and predictable earnings flows.
The two pathways to investment-grade commercial property are Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) and unlisted property trusts, also often known as ‘direct property’. Charter Hall is now one of the largest and most successful commercial property investment group’s in Australia and consistently holds up to five of the top 10 performing funds as ranked by performance in The Property Council/IPD Australian Unlisted Core Retail Property Fund Index.
Regardless of what type of property, take the time to consider the full suite of property options available and proceed with care with a trusted and well respected Manager.
Steve Bennett is fund manager for Direct Property, Charter Hall and can be contacted <a href="https://www.charterhalldirect.com.au/?utm_source=propertyobserver&amp;utm_medium=post&amp;utm_content=charterhalldirectproperty&amp;utm_campaign=mk4" target="_blank">here</a>.
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What kind of property should be in my investment portfolio? Charter Hall

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An eight-bedroom Strathfield house, listed with a price guide of $7 million, is tipped to fetch a record price.
Robert Pignataro Principal of Strathfield Partners auctioning 2 Llandilo Avenue next month.
The record had stood at $6.8 million at 23-25 Llandilo Avenue, Strathfield through Joseph Georges since 2014.
But $6.825 million was paid in May this year for a seven-bedroom home at 47 Newton Rd.
The house set for September 17 auction last traded in 1988 for $1.03 million.
It was built in 1967 on its 2665 sq m block.
Strathfield Partners advise it was custom built with 2500 tonnes of sandstone from Darling Harbour.
CoreLogic puts the current median house price in Strathfield at about $2.25 million.
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Strathfield eight bedroom home set to secure $7 million plus record

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Around $11 million has been paid for an off-the-plan penthouse in St Leonard’s The Landmark development.
It was secured in the second stage release of the complex by Chinese developer New Hope and VIMG.
The sales included four two-storey penthouses on levels 55 to 58 priced at $3 million to $10.9 million.
The median sale price for units in the suburb is $915,000, according to CoreLogic.
The mixed use development is at 500 Pacific Highway, the tallest residential tower in St Leonards.
A range of studios, one, two and three-bedroom properties are currently available, with prices ranging from $661,000.
For more information, <a href="https://thelandmarksydney.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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St Leonard's $11 million penthouse sale

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The Brisbane residential market historically lags behind the Sydney and Melbourne markets valuation firm Herron Todd White recently noted.
The affordability plays as large numbers of southern state residents find their higher priced capitals are becoming hard work.
"Then a few pioneering souls realise if they sell their Surry Hills renovatable terrace for a very princely sum, they can move to our sunshine city and purchase a magnificent suburban abode within a short commute of the CBD – and still have plenty of change leftover for a very shiny car, boat, trip or local investment property," HTW suggested.
"There’s a bit of a chicken-or-egg with this movement.
"Some say employers drive the move first - which was mostly true during the mining boom where we felt the benefits – particularly if there were FIFO residents and/or the headquarters of mining companies set up in our town.
"Another theory is that relative affordability drives demand from southern residents first, and companies follow.
"This seems feasible too.
"It’s hard to retain workers, even those on a great wage, when rent and mortgage costs are taking a fair chunk of your weekly wage out of your pocket.
"Many big employers will recognise this, as well as the comparably better commercial costs of living in our well-connected capital, and will seek to set up an office where the sun shines."
This momentum builds with more employment in a great location and property costs that won’t ruin your savings account, the firm added, though currently the interstate migration "isn’t great" at present, as you can see from the ABS chart (3.2).
The state’s average annual since 2004 is around 15,000 persons.
As at 2014, we recorded an annual number short of 6,000.
The issue is that while there is a sizeable gap in property values between Brisbane and Sydney/ Melbourne, job numbers are down and our property prices have remained relatively uneventful.
"Iinterstate migration has been in negative territory over the past 12 months to two years and while inner city blue-chip property has seen attractive gains, mid-priced, mid-distance suburbs have seen their homes remain fairly steady in value.
"If you travel further afield to the high-rent fringes of our capital, then these markets are even softer.
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"When we do start to see numbers of residents increase, the rising tide floats all boats," HTW forecast.
"Given the relatively small size of the Brisbane property market, everyone gets a boost, although we traditionally see prices rise fastest in those suburbs close to town first with our pebble-in-the-pond approach becoming firmly established over the past few cycles now.
"As far as we can tell, there’s no great interstate rush to Queensland as yet, and while we continue to be a steady, solid performer compared to other property markets in the nation, not many are predicting runaway price growth in the near future.
"If a major infrastructure project were to get off the ground, such as Cross River Rail, this may improve the performance of the economy however, this is still considered to be some time away.
"Probably best to just buy safe and wait for long-term gains," it concluded.
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No great interstate rush to Brisbane so no runaway price growth in near future

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/63263/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
By 2034/35, almost 20 percent of Australians (6.2 million) are projected to be aged 65 or over.
One sector already feeling the impact of the ageing population is construction. In Queensland, the number of construction workers aged 55 and over increased from 8 percent of full-time workers in 1992 to 14.2 percent in 2014.
An ageing workforce is likely to increase the need for less physically demanding jobs or maybe technology might address this issue. Task automation and the industry’s innovation culture are two of the greatest areas of uncertainty for the construction industry.
A new study that developed evidence based scenarios for 2036, depicts how automation and manufacturing could grow in the construction sector, creating more knowledge intensive jobs as a result.
The study explores future technology that eliminates dangerous and difficult tasks, particularly in light of the ageing workforce.
Experts in the industry were asked the extent to which technology would progress and how many or which tasks could be automated. There was no consensus on this and the other point of contention between the interviewees was how bold the industry would be in its pursuit of new solutions.
The research did suggest the construction workforce will need a broad understanding of digital applications, in addition to traditional project management and communication skills.
<h2>Construction jobs of the future</h2>
The trends analysis and scenario development in the report produced some examples of possible construction industry jobs in the year 2036, including:
Building assembly technician
Someone who oversees robotic systems and examines data feeds throughout the life of a project. This worker would optimise workflows and make adjustments on real time feedback from clients about design or changes to materials.
Virtual/augmented reality trainers
Breakthroughs in virtual and augmented reality technology could provide low-cost immersive environments where apprentices and trainers can meet virtually in any training situation, such as worksite, factory, design studio – the possibilities are endless.
Building drone operators
These professionals would control and program drones to carry out complex tasks such as site inspections, deliveries and maintenance.
Robot resource manager
Robots in the workplace will need someone to take care of commissioning, software programming, maintenance and re-purposing or recycling of robotic parts. Keeping track of this exploding field of technology will be a key challenge for the role.
<h2>Other opportunities</h2>
The Australian construction industry is changing with the introduction of digital collaboration platforms, like Building Information Modelling (BIM), robot machine prototypes such as the Fastbrick robot and rapid progress in 3D printing capabilities. These innovations will need more people skilled in the use of software programs and less people for labour-intensive jobs such as bricklaying or paving.
BIM is software that creates a 3D visualisation of a building. However, it extends beyond 3D imaging to show scheduling, cost control, facility management and energy performance monitoring. The UK government has mandated that all centrally funded work is to be undertaken using BIM by April 2016 and the Queensland government has stated that it will progressively implement the use of BIM into all major state infrastructure projects by 2023. As workers' skills in BIM increase in Australia, the improved cost and time saving will drive customers to demand that projects are managed in this way.
Already, in the Netherlands, the company MX3D is using 6-axis industrial robots to print a fully functional steel bridge. Contour Crafting technology, a process invented at the University of Southern California, has great potential for automating the construction of whole structures as well as sub-components and a company in China is using 3D printing to build houses.
The manufacturing part of the construction industry is expected to grow at 5% per annum out to 2023, compared to a growth rate of 2.3% for the industry as a whole. While the current prefabricated building market in Australia is still comparatively small, with only A$4.5 billion of the total A$150 billion construction industry, it is expected to contribute to more affordable housing stock and to take a much greater share of creating multi-storey buildings.
The nature of construction work is set for a step change over the next 20 years and careful strategic thinking is needed to navigate the changes.
The changes will require humans to exercise judgement and decision-making that reflects human values and aspirations; a task that is well beyond the most advanced artificial intelligence systems.
George Quezada is research scientist, Data61, and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/george-quezada-286991" target="_blank">here</a>.
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What construction jobs will look like when robots can build things

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/61949/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
One of the lesser understood aspects of what you can do with massive stockpiles of data is the ability to use data that would traditionally have been overlooked or in some cases even considered rubbish.
This whole new category of data is known as “exhaust” data – data generated as a byproduct of some other process.
Much financial market data is a result of two parties agreeing on a price for the sale of an asset. The record of the price of the sale at that instant becomes a form of exhaust data. Not that long ago, this kind of data wasn’t of much interest, except to economic historians and regulators.
A massive moment-by-moment archive of prices of shares and other securities sales prices is now key to many major banks and hedge funds as a “training ground” for their machine-learning algorithms. Their trading engines “learn” from that history and this learning now powers much of the world’s trading.
Traditional transactions such as house price sales history or share trading archives are one form of time-series data, but many other less conventional measures are being collected and traded too.
There are also other categories of unconventional data that are not time-series-based. For example, network data outlines relationships and other signals from social networks, geospatial data lends itself to mapping, and survey data concerns itself with people’s viewpoints. Time series or longitudinal data is, however, the most common form and the easiest to integrate with other time-series data.
Consistent Longitudinal Unconventional Exhaust Data or CLUE data sets, as I’m calling them, are many, varied and growing. They include:
<ul>
<li>foot traffic data </li>
<li>consumer spending data</li>
<li>satellite imaging data</li>
<li>biometrics</li>
<li>ecommerce parcel flow data</li>
<li>technology usage data</li>
<li>employee satisfaction data.</li>
</ul>
Say, for example, you are interested in the seasonal profitability of supermarkets over time. Foot traffic data may not be the cause of profitability, as more store visitors doesn’t necessarily correlate directly to profit or even sales. But it may be statistically related to volume of sales and so may be one useful clue, just as body temperature is a good clue or one signal to a person’s overall well-being. And when combined with massive amounts of other signals using data analytics techniques, this can provide valuable new insights.
<h2>Rise of ‘Quantamental’ investment funds</h2>
Leading hedge fund Blackrock, for example, is using satellite images of China taken every five minutes to better understand industrial activity and to give it an independent reading on reported data.
Traditionally, there have been two main types of actors in the financial world – traders (including high-frequency traders), who look to make money from massive volumes on many small transactions, and investors, who look to make money from a smaller number of larger bets over a longer time. Investors tend to care more about the underlying assets involved. In the case of company stocks, that usually means trying to understand the underlying or fundamental value of the company and future prospects based on its sales, costs, assets and liabilities and so on.
A new type of fund is emerging that combines the speed and computational power of computer-based Quants with the fundamental analysis used by investors: Quantamental. These funds use advanced machine learning combined with a huge variety of conventional and unconventional data sources to predict the fundamental value of assets and mismatches in the market.
Some of these new style of funds, including TwoSigma in New York and Winton Capital in London, have been spectacularly successful. Winton was founded by David Harding, a physics graduate from Cambridge University in 1997. After less than two decades it ranks in the top ten hedge funds worldwide with US$33 billion in assets under advice and more than 400 people – many with PhDs in physics, maths and computer science. Not far behind and with US$30 billion in assets, TwoSigma also glistens with top tech talent.
New ones are emerging too, including Taaffeite Capital Management run by computational biology and University of Melbourne alumnus Professor Desmond Lun. Understanding the complex data dynamics of many areas of natural science, including biology and ecology, are turning out to be excellent training for understanding financial market dynamics.
<h2>Weird data for all</h2>
But it’s not only the world’s top hedge funds that can or are using alternative data. A number of startups are on a mission to democratise access to new sources. Michael Babineau, co-founder and CEO of Bay Area startup Second Measure, aims to offer a Bloomberg-terminal-like approach to consumer purchase data. This will transform massive amounts of inscrutable text in card statements into more structured data, thus making it accessible and useful to a wide business and investor audience.
Others companies, like Mattermark in San Francisco and CB Insights in New York, are intelligence services that provide fascinating and valuable data insights into company “signals”. These can be indicators and potential predictors of success — especially in the high-stakes game of technology venture capital investment.
Akin to Adrian Holovaty’s pioneering work a decade ago mapping crime and many other statistics in Chicago online, Microburbs in Sydney provides a granular array of detailed data points on residential locations around Australia. It allows potential residents and investors to compare schooling, restaurants and many other amenities in very specific neighbourhoods within suburbs.
We Feel, designed by CSIRO researcher Dr Cecile Paris, is an extraordinary data project that explores whether social media – specifically Twitter – can provide an accurate, real-time signal of the world’s emotional state.
<h2>Weird small data has its benefits</h2>
More than simply pop-economics, Freakonomics (2005) showed how unusual yet good-quality data sources can be valuable in creating insights. Assiduous record-keeping of the accounts of an honesty system cookie jar in an office place revealed that people stole most during certain holidays (perhaps due to increased financial and mental stress at these times); access to drug gangster book-keeping accounts explained why many drug dealers live with their grandparents (they are too poor to move out); and massive public school records from Chicago showed parental attention to be a key factor in students' academic success.
Many of the examples in Freakonomics were based on small quirky data samples. However, as many academics are aware, studies with small samples can present several problems. There’s the question of sampling — whether it’s large enough to represent a robust sample and whether it’s a random selection of the population the study aims to understand.
Then there’s the problem of errors. While one could expect errors to be smaller with smaller sample sizes, a recent meta-study of academic psychology papers found half the papers tested showed significant data inconsistencies and errors. In a small number of cases this may be due to authors fudging the results, whereas others may be due to transcription or other simple mistakes.
<h2>Weird data is getting easier to find</h2>
More and more large-scale unconventional data collections are becoming readily available. There are three blast furnaces driving its proliferation:
<ul>
<li>the interaction furnace: our own growing interactions with the web and web services (ecommerce, web mail, social media) etc</li>
<li>the transaction furnace: the increasingly online ledger of commerce</li>
<li>the automation furnace: an explosion of web-connected sensors.</li>
</ul>
While large data collections can’t help with avoiding fabrication, they can sometimes help with sample size and representation issues. When combined with machine learning they can:
<ul>
<li>provide accurate insights from incomplete, noisy and even partially erroneous data</li>
<li>offer associations, patterns and connections — blindly with no a priori assumptions</li>
<li>help eliminate bias — by invoking multiple perspectives. </li>
</ul>
<h2>What can we expect from more clues?</h2>
We may see unexpected results and be surprised about the degree to which many factors such as social and personal information are highly predictable using unexpected data signals. Michael Kosinski and his colleagues showed the predictive power of social media data in the analysis they published in PNAS in 2013. They demonstrated that highly personal traits such as religion, politics and even whether your parents were together when you were 21 were highly predictable using Facebook likes alone.
We will see a plethora of applications emerge that take advantage of processing unconventional data sources. One rich area is biometrics. Australian tech startup Brain Gauge has shown that people’s voices can be uses as signal for cognitive load and used for real-time detection of stress levels and reduced absenteeism in call-centre staff, for example.
We can also expect to see a lot more meta-analysis of communities, populations and industries. Increasingly ambitious studies are now possible that combine and link massive, often disparate data sets together to yield new insights into economics, law, health and many other areas of research. One example is the recent meta-study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that combined nine other studies and found that walking speed in older adults is indeed a predictor of longevity.
Paul X. McCarthy is adjunct professor, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-x-mccarthy-108227" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
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Quantamentals, signal surfing and fast walkers: mapping the rise of weird data

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Fashion retail pioneer Robby Ingham and his wife Sarah have secured a Tamarama record with a near $14 million sale.
The oceanfront reserve Gaerloch Avenue property tops two $10 million plus sales set on Thompson Street. It included the $11 million acquisition by Marco Rossi, chairman of Built, and his partner Stephanie Stokes in 2008. There was a $10.5 million sale in 2008.
It was sold through Pauline Goodyer at Goodyer Real Estate. There has been no formal price disclosure.
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<div>The Inghams have built nearby having bought another oceanfront reserve, a block of six apartments for $14.45 million in 2013.</div>
 
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Record Tamarama trophy home sale by Robby Ingham

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GUEST OBSERVER
Construction work done in the June quarter by 3.7 percent, to be down 10.6 per cent on a year ago.
Engineering work fell by 9 percent in the June quarter – biggest quarterly fall in 151⁄2 years. Engineering construction is down by 24.9 percent on a year ago – biggest annual fall on record. Residential work rose by 0.8 percent in the June quarter to record highs, while commercial building lifted by 2.1 percent.
Building inflation: Building inflation rose by 0.6 percent in the June quarter. The annual rate of construction inflation rose from 2.1 percent to 2.7 percent – marking the fastest annual growth rate in 71⁄2- years.
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Construction work fell in four of the states and territories in the June quarter. Leading the falls was Western Australia (down 19 percent), followed by Northern Territory (down 3.2 percent), NSW (down 1.3 percent) and Tasmania (down 0.4 percent). Construction rose in Victoria (up 5.2 percent), Queensland (up 2.7 percent), the ACT (up 0.5 percent) and South Australia (up 0.1 percent).  The data on construction work is important for builders, building material companies and developers.  
What does it all mean?
Inflation in the building sector is lifting. Not only is the annual rate of construction inflation the fastest in over seven years. But inflation in three out of the past four quarters is amongst the strongest results recorded in the past four years. In addition recent construction industry reports forecast a further rise in hourly rates over the medium term at unionised building sites due to new enterprise bargaining agreements and labour shortages. Overall the lift in inflation in the building sector would not concern the Reserve Bank at present given the lack of inflation across the rest of the economy.
The ‘baton pass’ from engineering to residential building is clear for all to see. Engineering work continues to recede while home building has hit new highs. In fact engineering work record the sharpest quarterly decline in almost 16 years. Interestingly the gap between building (residential and commercial) and engineering in terms of total work is the largest in almost 10 years. The results are even more staggering when you consider that just over two years ago engineering work surpassed total building by more than $8 billion. The speed of the turnaround has shown up in the patchiness across the national economy and in effect highlights the difficulties faced by policymakers in trying to shore up growth
Today’s data is unlikely to alter the Reserve Banks thinking when it comes to rates. Focus now turns to the June quarter business investment data released on September 1. And while the Reserve Bank will be particularly interested in estimates of completed non-mining investment, there will be a much greater focus on future spending plans - especially in light of the fact that private sector construction activity continues to disappoint. 
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What do the figures show?
Construction Work
Construction work done fell by 3.7 per cent in real (inflation-adjusted) terms in the June quarter after sliding by 0.3 per cent in the March quarter. Work done is down by 10.6 per cent on a year ago. Public sector construction work rose by 5.3 per cent in the quarter while private sector activity fell by 5.7 per cent.
Construction work fell in four of the states and territories in the June quarter. Leading the falls was Western Australia (down 19 per cent), followed by Northern Territory (down 3.2 per cent), NSW (down 1.3 per cent) and Tasmania (down 0.4 per cent). Construction rose in Victoria (up 5.2 per cent), Queensland (up 2.7 per cent), the ACT (up 0.5 per cent) and South Australia (up 0.1 per cent).
Engineering work fell by 9 percent in the June quarter – biggest quarterly fall in 15 1⁄2 years. Engineering construction is down by 24.9 percent on a year ago – biggest annual fall on record.
Commercial (non-residential) building rose by 2.1 percent in the June quarter to be up 0.4 percent over the year.
Residential building rose by 0.8 percent in the June quarter and was up by 9.4 percent over the year. Alterations &amp; additions rose by 5.4 percent in the quarter while new residential work rose by 0.1 percent.
The measure of inflation in the construction sector (deflator) rose by 0.6 per cent in the June quarter. The annual rate of construction inflation rose from 2.1 per cent to 2.7 percent – matching the fastest annual growth rate in almost 71⁄2 years. Engineering prices rose by 0.6 percent in the quarter (up 2.6 percent over the year) while building prices rose by 0.4 percent in the quarter (2 per cent over the year).
What is the importance of the economic data?
The Bureau of Statistics releases quarterly estimates of Construction work done. The estimates are based on a survey and cover around 85 per cent of the construction work done in the period. Revised estimates will be released in coming months. The data is useful largely for historical purposes but the work yet to be done estimates provide an early warning signal of future activity. The residential work figures give a good early guide to the strength of residential investment in the national accounts.
What are the implications for interest rates and investors?
There is plenty of work in the construction sector. But there are winners and losers across states and industry sectors. The Reserve Bank will not be overly concerned with the current trends in construction. Overall activity is correcting as expected and adjusting to the new realities.
While policymakers will continue to discuss the merits of another rate cut, it really comes down to the inflation outlook. CommSec expects a low inflation result over the September quarter should result in the central bank cutting the cash rate once again in November. 
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<div class="column">Savanth Sebastian is an economist for <a href="https://www.commsec.com.au/" target="_blank">CommSec</a></div>
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Building costs rise at the fastest pace in 7.5 years: CommSec's Savanth Sebastian

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Commercial real estate is too cheap, according to one of the world's leading real estate academics, Professor Andrew Baum, the visiting professor of management practice at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.
Professor Baum acknowledged the extremely attractive risk premium over bonds. 
"If you get 1.8 per cent on a bond, why is real estate trading at 5 percent? It would not surprise if the yields went down to 3.5 percent," he told the Australian Financial Review.
Professor Baum said most people assumed bond yields would rise but with a glut of savings around the world it could be some time till they turn.
"It is possible that yields will stay low for a long time, in which case property yields could go lower."
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Professor Baum outlined three possible scenarios.
1) Bond yields stay low, in which case, "property is a screaming buy".
2) Bond yields rise with Professor Baum estimating that the current yield gap could absorb a rise of 1 percent rise in bond yield without any more in real estate yields.
"Real bond yields you have to rise 2 percent before it affects real estate pricing," he said.
3) Inflation expectations and real bond yields surge beyond the 2 percent cushion.
"The question then is whether property is an inflation hedge," he said, pointing out that over 35 years in the UK, inflation had averaged 3.2 percent a year – and so had commercial rents.
Professor Baum says the second scenario is the most likely and Australia looks good with a relatively high property yield relative to local bonds.
Professor Baum is a chartered surveyor who will speak at the University of Sydney Business School CBD campus on the lessons from the European experience of real estate in a low interest rate environment on Thursday.
His visit comes as the latest Australia All Property Index has been released by the Property Council/IPD Australia. It provides a broad measure of investment returns for the commercial property market in Australia.
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<img src="/images/2016/08/24/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-24%20at%2012.11.58%20pm.png" alt="" width="293" height="240">
The index database is comprised of property assets from 61 funds with a combined asset value of A$165 billion representing 1,419 assets.
The index details total return, income return and capital return for office, retail, industrial and other sectors on a quarterly basis.
The annualised total return for the year ending June 2016 was 13.3%.
This result is above the 11.8% return of June 2015 and above the 15 year annualised return of 10.5%.
Office returns were 14.6%, industrial 13.5% and retail 11.2% as at June 2016.
Cap rates for the quarter at an all property level tightened to 6.2%.
Retail cap rates tightened to 5.9%, office cap rates tightened to 6.2% and industrial cap rates tightened to 7.2%.
The composition (by value) across the sectors is retail (42%), office (44%), industrial (9%) and other (5%).
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Why Australian commercial property looks a good investment

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

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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