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With one of the country’s biggest lenders announcing lending restrictions to certain suburbs, could this signal changes which could have a much broader impact to the property market? 
Tiered pricing 
It’s not unrealistic for banks to change pricing structures and cap LVR’s based on suburbs. This could take the form of higher rates and/or low LVR caps for certain ‘high risk’ suburbs and lower rates and higher LVRs for what lenders consider a ‘safer’ suburb. A recent example was ING DIRECT’s decision in June to restrict investment lending in NSW to a maximum LVR of 80% (usually 90%), but this has since been restricted to 80% in all other states as well. If this becomes a market-wide issue, this could impact existing owners if they decided to refinance under new rules by making such a move to the goalposts.
Specific apartment developments under the spotlight 
If lenders start to put a red flag on suburbs, specific apartment developments which are deemed high risk or where there’s a glut of development, might be next. This could squeeze a huge percentage of investors out of the market,  reducing the affordability and ‘entry point’ for many first time buyers and see them locked out of certain developments but leave the gate open for overseas investors. 
These two changes could see a big shift in the way people buy property altogether by changing buying habits, upping rates and lowering accessibility for new buyers. 
Change buying habits
If either of these changes occur, we’ll see a shift in the market. Investors will flood certain suburbs because it’s the only places they can buy and owner occupiers will be locked out of certain suburbs due to LVR restrictions. This could have a big impact on property prices - and that of surrounding suburbs - and at a higher level, the demographic make-up of a city. 
Increase in number of declined loans 
Being knocked back for finance based on a building type or suburb could have a residual impact on a borrower’s ability to apply for loans. This could also impact a borrowers credit score more broadly. 
Higher rates across the board 
If tiering and capping presents too much of a logistical challenge for lenders combined with a backlash from borrowers, lenders may choose to cover their credit risk by simply increasing interest rates across the board. 
Lenders withdrawing from some areas altogether 
Mining towns have already been mentioned as high risk areas and if we see large lenders withdraw form these areas, smaller lenders will likely follow suit. This trend tends to apply for most high level changes like pricing or lending criteria – when the big guys move, the smaller lenders follow.
STEVE JOVCEVSKI is property expert at Mozo.com.au.
FOR MORE INSIDER INFORMATION ON PROPERTY LOANS, RATES AND MORE: DOWNLOAD THE<a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/tools/ebooks-and-webinars/42368-get-loan-savvy-expert-tips-for-a-first-time-investment-or-refinancing-loan-in-a-free-ebook" target="_blank"> FREE MOZO EBOOK</a>.
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Lending criteria changes have potential to lock owner-occupiers out of market: Mozo's Steve Jovcevski

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Over the past year a record 953,200 tourists came to Australia from China, up 19.6% over the year.
Tourists from China and Hong Kong rose to a record 1,165,600 over the past year.
Australia's number one tourist group remains New Zealand who totalled 1,286,900 visitors over the past year, but that was up just 4.9%.
The figures come as a Sydney estate agency mooted a summer rental stunt that would see 20 Chinese millionaires "trying" Sydney mansions before buying them. 
The Chinese property and lifestyle concierge Monika Tu claimed she will place these Chinese nationals from five Shanghai high-net worth families into palatial homes around Sydney at the start of the Chinese New Year celebrations in early February 2016.
They will stay initially for between one month and six months. 
She suggested with each having at least $10 million to spare, the group will bring more than $200 million into Australia to spend on property and other investments. 
"These high-net worth Chinese individuals are looking for a real life experience of what life would be like in Australia. They want to be introduced to schools for their children... even put their children into some kind of holiday school program as an initial try-out," Ms Tu told the Australian Financial Review. 
"They also want to find investment advisers and find out how to set up a business here."
These are not your average Chinese rich people, Ms Tu added. 
"Our new neighbours are not simply relocating just for our beaches," Ms Tu suggested.
"Many Chinese parents are becoming more open-minded and believe their own system [is] possibly corrupt and at times dehumanising, hence many of them look to the West for answers."
The plans are to house the 20 within walking distance in expensive Sydney suburbs such as Bellevue Hill in the east and Palm Beach on the northern beaches.
Some have expressed interest in the more affordable northern Sydney suburb of Frenchs Forest. 
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Chinese to try-before-buy prestige home packages to escape dehumanising homeland

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The exchange rate depreciation is helping the tourism sector, according to the Reserve Bank deputy governor Philip Lowe.
In a recent speech he noted Australia's long-term economic growth rate has typically averaged about 3.25%, but may have fallen below 3%. 
<a href="/images/2015/10/06/sp-dg-2015-09-09-graph9-small.gif" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/06/sp-dg-2015-09-09-graph9-small.gif" alt="">  <a class="displayNone" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-09-09-graph9.gif" target="_blank" title="Link, opening in a new window, to larger image."> </a>
"As the relative cost of overseas travel has increased, more Australians are holidaying domestically and more people are visiting our shores," he noted.
"Encouragingly, we are now seeing some signs that this change in travel patterns is prompting a pick-up in investment in the tourism industry.
"In particular, there has been a noticeable increase in the stock of work to be done in the construction of hotel and related accommodation (Graph 10).
"The RBA's liaison with tourism-related businesses suggests that further increases in investment in this area are likely in coming years," <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/sp-dg-2015-09-09" target="_blank">he noted to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia audience</a>.
Graph 10
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Further Australian tourism construction to come during dollar downturn: RBA's Philip Lowe

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Laffing Waters, the former Pittwater retreat of knockabout Australian actor Chips Rafferty, set on a 2,538-square-metre block at Lovett Bay north of Sydney, has been sold. 
The <a href="https://uniqueestates.com.au/listings/residential_sale-322747-lovett-bay/" target="_blank">deep waterfront bushland property</a>, which is accessible only by water, has been sold by the Dunn family after 28 years of ownership, and four years of seeking a buyer.
It is a vastly different home than the rustic one Rafferty, otherwise known as John Goffage, and his wife, Ellen, had in the late 1940s. The rugged movie star of The Overlanders, a tale about the hardships of Australian outback life, had paid £1,205 for the land and built the home amid the waterfront towering gums.
The Dunn family purchased the first of their two Sturdee Place holdings, now with beach and jetty, in the late 1980s for $550,000. 
Much changed but the backyard still has Chip's leftover beer bottles! Raffety’s own display wall of beer bottles, some bearing the date 1952. Around $3.55 million was being sought by Deborah Cullen at Unique Estates for the four bedroom offering.
The buyers from the inner west were getting their boat licence last week. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/chipswall.jpg">
 
 
 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/chipsbottle.jpg">
 
 
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Chips Rafferty Pittwater home, Laffing Waters sells

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ABC TV host Leigh Sales, the 7.30 presenter, and her husband, animator Phil Willis, had hoped their Glebe townhouse would fetch more than $1.3 million
With plans to upsize to something nearby with more space for the family of four, they secured<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-glebe-120699009" target="_blank"> $1,705,000 at weekend BresicWhitney auction</a> with 10 registered bidders.
The corner property has been home to the couple since 2009 when they paid $955,000.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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ABC's Leigh Sales secures strong Glebe townhouse price

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Entertainer Denise Drysdale has sold her former McKinnon family home for $1.47 million.
Denise "Ding Dong" Drysdale had paid $575,000 for the three bedroom, two bathroom <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/29-anne-street-mckinnon/Property-Details-sold-residential-9360348" target="_blank">Anne Street home</a> in 2002.
It had in recent years been held as a rental. It was last available at $650 a week in 2012.
In 2014 she secured $870,000 on selling her Neerim North home in Gippsland.
The Gold Logie award-winning television personality and comedian said she was selling Daffodill Hill for a sea-change.
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Ding Dong Denise Drysdale sells McKinnon investment rental

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Belinda Green, the former Miss World, and her farmer husband, Steve Mason have listed their Cowra property, Glen Echo.
Belinda and Steve, who married three years ago at Nyngan during one of their regular Desert Duel charity car rallies, bought the 50 hectare farm in 2004.
It comes with 1896 homestead in established gardens with nearby swimming pond.
They are now looking to downsize.
"If we could shrink it to an acre we'd have been happy to stay until our rocking chair days.
"But in our 11 years we've lived the dream," she said.
"We have never sat still, so now it is time to slow the pace a bit.
"The community means a lot to us, we will always be involved in the community," she added.
The farm, located <a href="https://www.meares.com.au/property/glenecho/gallery/glen-echo.htm" target="_blank">16km west of Cowra</a>, 300km from Sydney, was long associated with the Hibberson family.
The property is set for online auction through Meares &amp; Co agent Chris Meares in early November. 
Belinda has had a full life, but is always fondly recalled for her pageantry appearances, winning the 1972 Miss World contest at the age of 20.
She became the second woman from Australia to win the title; the first, Penelope Plummer, was crowned Miss World four years earlier. 
Long retired from pageantry and even her subsequent television work, which included being a Beauty And The Beast panelist, Belinda has busily engaged in charity work, awarded an Order of Australia for services to the community in 2013.
There's also been much of her time rescuing, and caring for, injured and orphaned wildlife, through Wildcare, specialising in looking after kangaroos and wallabies, as featured recently on the cover girl of the Central West Lifestyle magazine.
She's currently studying as a veterinary nurse at Southern Cross Wildlife care centre, an animal hospital at Braidwood.
Their three bedroom Cowra homestead is positioned on the highest point of the property overlooking the farm’s dam and cropping paddocks, currently leased to a local farmer. Its productive acres are suited to grazing sheep and cattle, cash and fodder cropping such as lucerne, canola and oats or spelling horses.
Green, the mother of two daughters from her second marriage, and Steve's three children, prompts them to be increasingly spending time away from the farm, in Sydney and overseas.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Belinda Green lists Cowra farm

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Australian Winter Olympics aerial ski champion Alisa Camplin has her Hawthorn home listed for October 24 auction.
The renovated weatherboard Victorian home at <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/8-colvin-grove-hawthorn/Property-Details-buy-residential-9593102" target="_blank">8 Colvin Grove</a> was her first home.
More than $2 million is tipped for the double fronted four bedroom home.
It last traded at $1,325,000 in 2008.
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Alisa Camplin lists Hawthorn home

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GUEST OBSERVER
The latest apprenticeship figures, released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in September, show a decline in the number of apprentices commencing and completing training. Compared with the previous 12-month period, apprenticeship and traineeship commencements between March 2014 to March 2015 decreased by 19.8%.
Over this period, apprenticeship and traineeship completions also dropped an alarming 19.4%. A report on completion and attrition rates released earlier this year predicted already low completion rates for apprentices and trainees to decline further. For apprentices and trainees commencing in 2014, completions were predicted to fall to 41.4% in trades and 57.5% in non-trades occupations.
These latest figures come on the back of a worrying pattern of apprenticeship decline in recent years. Why the decline in this crucial sector of labour force development? And what can be done to address it?
Why the decline in participation?
Apprenticeship and traineeship commencements commonly fluctuate with economic conditions. In times of economic downturn, employers may be reluctant to take on apprentices and trainees. They may also be financially unable to retain apprentices already under contract.
During the global financial crisis, training systems across Australia were faced with the dilemma of supporting an increase in “out-of-trade” apprentices who had lost employment.
Funding for Trade Training Centres, the piloting of the P-TECH model and programs promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and non-traditional pathways for young women are just some of the strategies being used to promote vocational and apprenticeship pathways within schools.
But despite these strategies and investments, data on apprenticeship and traineeship take up among school-completers provides further evidence of decline. This is in contrast to increasing university participation rates, and increased numbers of young people going directly into the labour market.
Group Training Australia is among the many stakeholders that have expressed concern that young school-leavers and their families are overlooking apprenticeships and traineeships in favour of going to university. Earlier NCVER research found the likelihood of undertaking an apprenticeship is influenced by an inclination to go to university.
Why such low completion rates?
Completion rates for apprentices and trainees vary by industry and by occupation. Completions tend to be lower in occupations such as hairdressing (31% completion), construction and mining labouring (27%) and in automotive and engineering trades work (40.3%).
Completion rates are higher among health and welfare support workers (72.4%), engineering, ICT and science technicians (64%) and general clerical workers (68%).
Wages for apprentices and trainees are infamously low. However, this has not been found to be the main reason for drop-out or non-completion. Difficulties with an employer or colleagues, or wanting to change career direction, are among the most commonly cited reasons for cancelling an apprenticeship or traineeship contract.
A lack of pre-apprenticeship career advice also has an impact on completions. Apprentices entering the workforce without a solid understanding of the occupation or the requisite foundational skills are more likely to withdraw. The common anecdote here is of young cookery apprentices who arrive aspiring to be the next George Calombaris or Kylie Kwong and are disappointed to be cutting vegetables all day.
Similarly, some confusion exists within schools regarding the often rigorous mathematical requirements for some apprenticeships. Young people may be advised against taking higher-level maths because it is seen as not needed for “the vocational training kids”.
How should apprenticeship uptake be promoted?
In response to the decline in apprenticeship commencements, various governments have announced funding to boost training numbers. This has included an increase in government incentives.
The NSW government requires bidders for major infrastructure projects to demonstrate how many apprentices will be recruited. Bidders must demonstrate how they will:
… leave a lasting skills dividend for local communities.
<a href="https://twitter.com/share?&amp;text=%E2%80%A6%20leave%20a%20lasting%20skills%20dividend%20for%20local%20communities.">t</a><a href="/expert-insights/australia-needs-arrest-the-decline-in-apprenticeships">f</a>
The federal government maintains a National Skills Needs List, which identifies traditional trades experiencing skill shortage. Apprentices training in one of the listed skill-shortage areas may be eligible for government incentives. Occupations experiencing skill shortage include arborists, butchers, stonemasons and signwriters.
Recommendations from a 2010 expert panel urged government action in growing apprenticeship participation among new learner groups. Current apprenticeship demographics indicate that two-thirds of apprentices and trainees are male. Female participation is particularly low in traditional trades occupations.
When compared with university and broader Vocational Education and Training (VET) participation, apprentices are a much less ethnically diverse cohort. Only 9% of apprentices in 2014 came from a non-English speaking background. This is compared with 20% non-English speaking learners in non-apprenticeship VET. Participation among Indigenous learners and learners with a disability is also lower than for non-apprenticeship VET.
The important role apprentices play
There are currently more than 310,000 apprentices and trainees under contract in Australia. While young people aged 15-24 still dominate the ranks of apprentices and trainees, there is a growing uptake among older learners. Almost one in four (22.5%) current apprentices and trainees are aged 25-39.
Outcomes for apprentices and trainees who complete their training are generally strong. The Australia Jobs 2015 report indicates that 85.5% of apprentices and trainees are employed six months after completion. This compares with 77.6% for VET graduates generally and 68.1% for bachelor degree graduates.
At the recent International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) conference, the then-assistant education minister (now minister), Simon Birmingham, warned:
"Without a strong, consistent supply of apprentices, Australia’s economic performance would be placed at risk," he said.
Kira Clarke is lecturer, Education Policy, Centre for Vocational and Educational Policy, University of Melbourne and author for <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-needs-to-do-more-to-arrest-the-decline-in-apprenticeships-47942?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+October+5+2015+-+3542&amp;utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+October+5+2015+-+3542+CID_996f6fcbb19dbcc930ab3b7dac73bcc0&amp;utm_source=campaign_monitor&amp;utm_term=Australia%20needs%20to%20do%20more%20to%20arrest%20the%20decline%20in%20apprenticeships" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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Australia needs arrest the decline in apprenticeships

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The pendulum is swinging from sellers' market to buyers' market.
But don't be in any doubt the most powerful opportunity of putting sellers and motivated buyers together at the moment is still at auction. 
That is despite the significant decline in weekend clearance rates over the past four months.
With regions across Sydney nearing amazing 90% levels in May, Sydney's overall under the hammer success rate now comfortably sits in the low 70s, according to CoreLogic RP Data, probably heading into high 60 percents. 
Those record October auction volumes are putting further oversupply pressures on the auction market - close to 1000 next weekend.
Other than those inconveninced vendors who have to tensely await buyer post-auction offers, there is nothing demoralising about the recent trend.
Indeed there's plenty of reason to welcome a bit of rational normality.
There was way too much silly exuberance - with a buy at any cost herd mentality earlier this year. 
That was understandably creating those headlines of a property bubble, and the dire predictions of a looming property crash.
We were never really ever quite there, but RBA Governor Glenn Stevens wasn't wrong when he said he was seeing crazy prizes.
Now with the air leaking out of that so-called 2015 bubble, and price growth being tamed, many more of weekend auctions are being passed in.
Be aware the most common time for a sale deal to be done after a pass-in is later that day, if the asking price is not crazy.
So think about putting yourself in the box seat with the highest offer to the auctioneer and be sure to hover post-auction rather than risk hearing Monday morning that someone else bought it that weekend.
I suggest during the auction it is important that you watch just how many bidding competitors does the agent seek out to solicit bids.
Especially be aware if it is just you.
If there are no other buyers in sight and everybody has left, quickly re-assess how much you’re willing to counter-offer above the vendor bid or highest bid. 
Don’t be frightened to drive a hard bargain, but be aware negotiating on a property is all about balancing the risks of over paying or missing out altogether.
Yes you might run the risk of paying more than you needed to, but sometimes focusing on paying a lower price for a home might raise the risk that another buyer trumps you even in this softening market.
Auctioneer Damien Cooley recently put an Alexandria property to auction with a $1.1 million reserve.
After two bids starting at $1 million, there was a vendor's bid at $1.070 million at which it was passed in. After that Saturday auction, new buyers went through the home with the property exchanging to one at $1,151,500.
"It’s a good example of how in the market right now there are buyers that feel things are changing and are getting very hard and fast in the way they are negotiating the deal," Damien Cooley suggested.
"Saying things like “this is the market”, “I'm not paying any more”, “sell it to me or I’ll walk away."
"There is a lot of frustration coming out at auctions and negative comments being directed to agents and auctioneers.
"The buyers are entitled to hold their position, however in this case I feel the buyers really wanted this house and unfortunately as a result of playing too hard missed out on the property.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Post auction passed in tips for buyers as the pendulum starts to swing from sellers' market to buyers' market

The Gold Coast economy has grown by 25 per cent since 2020/21 to surpass $55 billion, but perhaps the more significant story is what sits behind the headline number.

For decades, the Gold Coast has been viewed through the lens of tourism, lifestyle and population growth. The latest State of the City Report suggests that perception is increasingly out of step with reality.

Released by Invest Gold Coast, the report ranks the Gold Coast as Australia's largest non-capital city economy and, perhaps more notably, second nationally behind Sydney for Economic Complexity, a measure that assesses the diversity and sophistication of an economy.

It's a result that places the Gold Coast ahead of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, highlighting the extent to which the city's economic base has broadened beyond its traditional industries.

Today, the Gold Coast supports more than 350,000 jobs, is home to over 83,000 businesses and generates $19 billion in annual exports. Manufacturing now accounts for 62 per cent of international export growth, while sectors including health, education, advanced manufacturing, technology and professional services are becoming increasingly important contributors to the local economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the report confirmed the city's evolution into one of Australia's most significant economies.

"The Gold Coast economy continues to grow at an incredible pace. This is no surprise to those of us who have watched the evolution up close," Mayor Tate said.

"As one of the most entrepreneurial, investment driven and opportunity focused economies in the country our ambition has been realised and possibilities are endless.

"The Gold Coast has built a reputation as the city that says yes. We say yes to investment, yes to opportunity and yes to people who want to build something.

"It's this mindset helping us drive major growth across health, advanced manufacturing, screen production, marine, technology and the knowledge economy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

While population growth has been one of the defining stories of the past decade, the report points to a broader economic transformation taking place.

The city's knowledge economy now contributes $7.9 billion annually and supports around 31,000 jobs, while the health and wellbeing sector contributes $5.2 billion and employs more than 42,000 people. Together, the six priority sectors identified in the report account for almost $24 billion in economic output and more than 145,000 jobs.

One of the strongest examples is the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct at Southport. The 200-hectare precinct now contains more than $5 billion worth of health, education, research and innovation infrastructure and supports over 16,000 jobs.

The report also highlights the growing role of advanced manufacturing, particularly in aerospace, defence and modular construction.

Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies recently became the first Australian commercial company to attempt an orbital launch, while companies including Modscape and ModnPods are helping establish the Yatala-Stapylton corridor as one of Australia's fastest-growing advanced manufacturing hubs.

The city's entrepreneurial culture is also translating into business growth.

Since 2019/20, the number of businesses operating on the Gold Coast has increased by 22 per cent, while firms employing more than 200 people have grown by 80 per cent. The report suggests the next challenge is converting more local start-ups and medium-sized businesses into nationally significant companies.

Development activity remains another key indicator of confidence.

There are currently more than $23 billion worth of major projects underway across the Gold Coast, supported by a record 75 active cranes, a figure that now exceeds Brisbane and represents a 150 per cent increase since 2016.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112024 project_image_fid=343235]

Importantly, the report notes the next phase of investment will need to extend beyond residential development.

While 93 per cent of crane activity is currently tied to housing, Invest Gold Coast argues future investment will increasingly need to focus on cultural, civic, infrastructure and industry-enabling projects that strengthen the city's long-term economic resilience.

Invest Gold Coast Chair Will Hodgman said the city was now benefiting from years of economic diversification.

"What is happening on the Gold Coast is the result of the city's economic base broadening, fuelled by industries with long-term, high-growth potential," Mr Hodgman said.

"This is no longer a secondary Australian economy, the Gold Coast is becoming a globally connected city with deeper capability across health, knowledge and creative industries, advanced manufacturing, technology and exports."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365786]

Looking ahead, the Gold Coast's population is projected to exceed one million residents by 2046.

For a city that was once largely defined by tourism and lifestyle, the latest figures suggest the Gold Coast is becoming something more significant, one of Australia's most diverse and economically sophisticated urban economies, and increasingly one that national and international investors can no longer afford to overlook.

Joel Robinson

75 cranes, $23 billion pipeline and a $55 billion economy: Inside the Gold Coast economic boom

Ron Bakir's Homecorp has sold more than 75 per cent of the apartments in its wellness-driven Florence Residences in Surfers Paradise following its first weekend release.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/florence-residences-24-monte-carlo-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">26-storey project on Monte Carlo Avenue</a>, which commenced construction earlier this year, has seen a flurry of buyers secure their slice of the Gold Coast's latest wellbeing-focused offering in one of the nation's most competitive property markets.

Since the pandemic, the Gold Coast's population has grown by more than 11 per cent, a rate approximately four times faster than Sydney's, driven largely by lifestyle changes and interstate migration. While buyer activity has moderated in some markets nationally, demand for newly built dwellings on the Gold Coast continues to gain momentum as purchasers increasingly prioritise lifestyle, amenity, wellbeing, liveability and long-term investment potential.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372743]

Homecorp CEO Ron Bakir says buyers today are looking for more than just a home.

"What we are seeing is a shift in how people define value in property," Bakir says.

"What attracts residents to new developments is a desire for more than just a residence. They are looking for a place that complements their lifestyle, supports their wellbeing and reflects the way they want to live into the future.

"Lifestyle, longevity, proactive health, wellbeing, connection and a sense of community are increasingly shaping purchasing decisions, particularly on the Gold Coast, where these factors continue to be a major drawcard."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372744]

Bakir says Homecorp is responding to this shift through an approach that places greater emphasis on design, amenity and experience working together to create places that feel considered, connected and enduring in value.

Inspired by Eastern European design, Florence Residences will comprise 120 apartments alongside a private residents-only wellness club featuring a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, a spa retreat, contemporary gymnasium, and a spacious yoga and Pilates studio.

The development will also feature a residents-only lounge with private dining facilities and a rooftop bar, premium outdoor entertaining areas, a hotel-style lobby lounge, generous bike parking, and pet-friendly amenities including a heated dog wash.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372742]

A limited number of apartments remain available, with an exclusive collection of four-bedroom sub-penthouses set to be released in the coming months.

Florence is one of the latest additions to Homecorp's expanding multi-billion-dollar property portfolio, which also includes plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/homecorp-lodges-plans-for-260-million-moroccan-bathhouse-inspired-tower-in-budds-beach">$260 million development in Budds Beach</a> tailored to the growing wellness market.

A development application has been lodged for a 27-storey, 156-residence tower at 8–10 Acacia Avenue and 25–27 Oak Avenue, featuring a residents-only Moroccan spa-inspired sanctuary.

Apartments at Florence Residences are priced from $1,249,000, with construction expected to be completed by late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150414]

Buyers rush to Homecorp's Florence Residences as Gold Coast wellness trend gains momentum

The NSW Government has expanded its $1 billion Pre-sale Finance Guarantee program, broadening access for affordable housing providers and smaller residential developments as it seeks to accelerate housing delivery across the state.

The Minns Government says the program has already helped bring forward more than 600 homes across Sydney and regional NSW since launching in September 2025, with similar models now adopted in South Australia and Western Australia.

The latest changes, announced by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, are designed to improve access to finance for projects that have planning approval but are struggling to secure funding.

Among the key changes is an expansion of support for community housing providers. The program will now support up to 100 per cent affordable housing projects valued at up to $30 million when delivered by not-for-profit providers, while support for larger affordable housing developments will increase for projects worth up to $80 million.

The government says the changes will help accelerate the delivery of housing for low-income workers, older people, people living with disability, and those at risk of homelessness, while reducing reliance on direct grants or subsidised loans to bridge funding gaps.

The eligibility criteria for smaller residential developments have also been broadened. The previous $5 million minimum project value threshold has been removed and replaced with a requirement that projects deliver at least four homes.

Support has also increased for projects delivering fewer than 20 homes, with the guarantee now able to cover up to 75 per cent of dwellings in a development, capped at $30 million per project.

The changes are expected to particularly benefit smaller-scale and regional developments, which often face greater challenges meeting pre-sale requirements imposed by lenders.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the scheme demonstrates how government can use its balance sheet to stimulate housing supply without relying solely on taxpayer-funded grants.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee shows how this Government is using its balance sheet to reduce risk and unlock private investment, enabling new homes to move from design to construction faster," Mookhey said.

"This landmark reform allows us to deliver homes for working families at a lower cost to taxpayers, while also maintaining strong financial discipline."

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the program had already proven effective in bringing stalled projects to market.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee has already proven it can unlock stalled projects and accelerate housing delivery by giving lenders the confidence they need to back good developments," Scully said.

"These changes will allow more affordable housing and smaller developments to access support so more homes can be built faster where communities need them most."

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the expansion would help community housing providers overcome financing barriers that often delay projects.

"We know community housing providers are ready to build more homes, too often they're held back by barriers to finance," Jackson said.

"Expanding the Pre-sale Finance Guarantee helps remove those barriers so more affordable homes can get off the ground sooner."

The announcement was welcomed by the Property Council of Australia, which has long advocated for measures aimed at improving project feasibility and access to finance.

Property Council NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson described the expansion as a practical intervention that addresses one of the most immediate constraints on housing delivery.

"This is exactly the kind of practical intervention we need right now, focused on getting projects out of the ground, not just approved," Stevenson said.

"It builds on a model the Property Council has worked closely with government to develop following calls for such a scheme ahead of last year's NSW Budget, so it's great to see it being expanded."

Stevenson said the reforms would help unlock projects that are ready to proceed but have been delayed by financing challenges. However, she noted that broader feasibility issues remain a significant barrier to increasing housing supply.

"The biggest challenge in NSW housing today is delivery. Too many projects have planning approval but are simply not financially viable to proceed under current settings," she said.

Speaking at the Property Council's NSW Housing Summit, Housing Minister Rose Jackson acknowledged that feasibility and financing pressures continue to constrain housing delivery, while reaffirming the government's commitment to work with industry on solutions.

Stevenson said the government's recognition of those challenges was encouraging ahead of next week's state budget.

"It's positive to see the government clearly recognising that feasibility pressures are now a binding constraint on supply," she said.

"With the Budget just days away, the focus must be on backing delivery, making sure projects stack up, finance can flow, and more homes can move from approval to construction."

The expanded Pre-sale Finance Guarantee forms part of the NSW Government's broader housing agenda, which also includes planning reforms, the NSW Housing Pattern Book, and a series of rezonings intended to increase housing capacity across the state.

NSW expands Pre-sale Finance Guarantee to unlock more affordable and regional housing

Design-led developer-builder Lowe Living has unveiled its latest residential development, Jardin House, marking its first foray into Melbourne's blue-chip City of Boroondara.

Located a short walk from Camberwell Junction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House</a> has been designed to appeal to affluent local downsizers and established families seeking a low-maintenance alternative to the large homes that have long defined Camberwell and surrounding suburbs.

The project will comprise a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 92 sqm to 280 sqm, alongside a limited number of penthouse residences featuring rooftop terraces spanning more than 100 sqm, with optional private pools.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372212]

Lowe Living Co-Founder and Managing Director Tim Lowe said Camberwell represented a natural next step for the developer as it expands into some of Melbourne's most tightly held residential markets.

"Jardin House is an important project for our team as it marks the next evolution of our portfolio into different well-established blue-chip pockets of Melbourne," Lowe said.

"Camberwell, with its incredible walkability, family-led neighbourhood feel and superb access to education and transport, makes it a natural choice for us."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372227]

Designed by Tristan Wong Architects, with interiors by Hecker Guthrie and landscaping by Acre, the development takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture that remains a defining feature of many of Camberwell's established streets.

A curved facade, arched openings, textured brickwork and sculpted forms reference the suburb's architectural heritage, while extensive landscaping softens the building's presence and creates a strong connection to the surrounding tree-lined streetscape.

The project will be set behind a secure gated entrance, with residents arriving through landscaped gardens designed to create a transition between the public realm and private residences.

Inside, the residences feature natural stone and timber finishes, full-height glazing, Miele appliances and generous open-plan living areas designed for long-term owner occupation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372225]

While the apartments themselves have been designed to attract discerning owner-occupiers, it is the amenity offering that sets Jardin House apart from many other boutique projects currently launching across Melbourne.

The centrepiece is a 350 sqm private bathhouse curated in partnership with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse founder Lyndall Mitchell.

The wellness precinct includes mineral pools, hydrotherapy experiences, a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools and dedicated relaxation spaces, creating what Lowe Living describes as a private wellness retreat exclusively for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372222]

The collaboration follows Lowe Living's recent partnership with Aurora at Maison Savoy in Brighton, although Jardin House is the first project to incorporate both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said wellness was becoming an increasingly important consideration for apartment buyers.

"Collaborating with Lyndall Mitchell from Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse for a second time is an intentional nod to creating residences that are more than just homes, but a way to enrich the lives of our residents through wellness and longevity," Lowe said.

The amenity offering is complemented by a Technogym fitness studio, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and concierge services.

The launch comes as developers increasingly target Melbourne's established eastern suburbs, where rising land values, ageing housing stock and growing downsizer demand are creating opportunities for boutique apartment projects.

Lowe said the company expects significant generational wealth transfer across suburbs such as Camberwell in coming years, creating further demand for luxury apartment living.

"Camberwell is a blue-chip suburb where homes regularly transact for multiple millions of dollars," he said.

"The generational change of wealth in these locations expected in the coming years is significant, so we see an opportunity to create exclusive residences that appeal to older families and downsizers in order to meet this demand."

Apartments at Jardin house start from $1,195,000. The project forms part of Lowe Living's near-$1 billion portfolio of new developments across Melbourne.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146717]

Lowe Living launches Jardin House in Camberwell

As <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> continues its transition from a commercial centre into a more layered residential and lifestyle precinct, a new generation of apartment developments is reshaping expectations around scale, amenity, and long-term liveability.

Improved transport connections through the Victoria Cross Metro, continued investment in dining and public spaces, and a constrained supply of new luxury apartments have sharpened demand for homes that combine proximity to the CBD with the privacy and outlook traditionally associated with harbourside houses.

At 177 Walker Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a>’s new apartment development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> enters the market with a distinctly residential approach to high-rise living. The 30-level tower will deliver 161 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to sub-penthouses and a full-floor penthouse, all oriented to capture uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and out toward the Pacific Ocean.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6395]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project takes advantage of the site’s natural topography and elevated position above the harbour. Rather than relying on density alone, the architecture focuses on outlook, orientation, and spatial flow, with every apartment occupying a corner position to maximise natural light and cross ventilation.

Rothelowman says the site itself shaped much of the architectural response.

“The site has a long history in terms of its inevitable transformation and when we came in, we took inspiration from the idea of reestablishing a sense of the site’s natural terrain and fall. Our scheme aims to integrate with the terrain and the landscape, using the undulating site to slowly reveal glimpses and views of the harbour. The rotation of the tower off grid means every apartment has a view and is naturally cross ventilated. The building's colour palette is quintessentially Sydney, with bronze and sandstone and a luminescent green colour in the glass, making it very earthy and grounded in its location.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6399]

Inside the residences, the emphasis moves toward larger-format living typically associated with standalone homes. Kitchens sit at the centre of the apartments, connecting directly to open-plan dining and living areas before extending outward into expansive winter gardens and balconies. Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, integrated appliances, and custom metal detailing are used throughout, while three distinct interior palettes, Terrace, Opera, and Harbour, allow buyers to personalise the spaces without compromising the architectural consistency of the project.

The larger residences place particular attention on separation between entertaining and private zones. In many apartments, master suites occupy the outer corners of the floorplates, allowing bedrooms to benefit from floor-to-ceiling glazing and harbour outlooks independent of the living spaces. Dressing rooms and ensuites continue the material palette through fluted detailing, freestanding baths, and layered stone finishes.

Rothelowman says the design intent centred on creating homes that feel enduring rather than transient.

“Our philosophy is all about the way people live in these spaces, and we wanted to create homes that reflect the quality of life in this unique Sydney location. The apartments showcase expansive living spaces that are generous, sophisticated, and bold, with the ability to connect with views throughout each apartment.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=353235]

A separate four-storey amenity building known as The Pavilion expands the residential offering beyond the apartments themselves. Positioned alongside the tower, the building consolidates wellness, recreation, and social spaces into a dedicated resident retreat. Facilities include a 20-metre rooftop pool and sundeck, sauna, spa, ice bath, wellness studio, gymnasium, concierge service, wine cellar, residents’ lounge, private dining spaces, and dedicated co-working areas with meeting rooms and boardroom facilities.

The amenity mix reflects the buyer profile emerging in North Sydney, where owner-occupiers and downsizers are increasingly prioritising convenience, apartment scale, and long-term usability over purely investment-driven decisions.

The Walden also represents a significant milestone for ALAND, marking the company’s first major move into Sydney’s inner-city luxury apartment market after more than two decades delivering large-scale residential communities across Greater Sydney. Founder Andrew Hrsto says the Walker Street site stood apart because of both its positioning and its rarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6390]

“As a company, we had been searching for a site in one of Sydney’s blue-chip locations, spanning the Eastern Suburbs, the Sydney CBD and the North Shore, and when we had the opportunity to purchase this site, we immediately recognised that it could be something iconic.”

At launch, The Walden recorded more than $103 million in sales, with buyers drawn to the project’s harbour positioning, apartment scale, and proximity to the Metro, which now connects North Sydney to Barangaroo in three minutes and Martin Place in five.

ALAND has commenced construction, and is expecting a completion date in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

Jonathan Chancellor

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