<html><body>
Bookmaker Tom Waterhouse does not understand the responsibility that comes with fronting your brand, says Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond. 
Symond has been the face of the Aussie Home Loans brand since its launch in the 1990s, most famous for his catch-phrases “We’ll save you” and “That’s confidence. That’s Aussie”. 
Waterhouse, the face of the Tom Waterhouse betting business (with the phrase “I know what punters want”) has come under fire for previously appearing as a pseudo commentator on live sports events and promoting betting odds on free to air television. 
According to Symond, Waterhouse failed to understand that television is a “sensitive space”. 
“Tom invaded their free space where they were relaxing. They didn’t want that,” said Symond as part of a Mumbrella panel discussion. 
Symond said there was no need for a bookmaker on footy shows. 
The others on the panel - Boost Juice boss Janine Allis, Lorna Jane creator Lorna Jane Clarkson and online tech marketer Ruslan Kogan – agreed with Symond on the great responsibility that comes with fronting your own brand, particularly when it faces criticism. 
“If you’re fronting the brand and the consumers think Aussie is John Symond, then John Symond’s got to come out and make a statement”, said Symond. 
Symond has faced criticism over his decision to sell the business to the Commonwealth Bank having launched Aussie Home Loans as a challenger to the dominance of the major banks. 
However he has stated that Aussie Home Loans continues to operate as a separate entity.</body></html>

lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Tom Waterhouse does not understand the responsibility of being the face of a brand: John Symond

<html><body>
Unlisted property fund manager ISPT is seeking to sell a portion of its 250 Spencer Street site that was previously occupied by The Age newspaper and which has approval for an $800 million six-tower apartment development.
The 11,750 square metres portion of the 15,200 square metres site (nearly a whole city block) is being sold off-market with expectations of between $70 million and $80 million, according to market sources, reports The Australian Financial Review.
The smaller eastern portion of the site was sold to Melbourne apartment developer Central Equity for $17 million in 2010.
In January, Victorian planning minister Matthew Guy granted approval for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/six-high-rise-towers-to-replace-former-age-site-on-spencer-street/2013012959013" target="_blank">six Bates Smart-designed towers between 39 and 63 storeys</a> after the plans were first submitted in December 2011.
The sale of the site is being handled by Colliers International’s Tim Storey, with the campaign closing this week.
ISPT in partnership with Axiom Properties Limited bought The Age newspaper’s Melbourne headquarters for $66.1 million in 2007.
Axiom Properties cashed in its 50% stake in 250 Spencer Street, selling it to ISPT in 2010.
The Age – sometimes referred to as the Spencer Street Soviets – relocated to their new premises at the Bates Smart-designed Media House across from Southern Cross Station in December 2009.
It formally vacated the 250 Spencer Street property in February 2010.
</body></html>

ISPT looking to sell majority of Spencer Street site formerly occupied by The Age newspaper

<html><body>
Dwelling prices are trending up in five out of six of Australia’s major capital cities, albeit at different rates of uneven growth.
The strongest upward trends are in Sydney and Perth, the latest RBA chart pack's dwelling price graph shows.
The graph uses RP Data- Rismark data.
<img height="375" width="470" src="/images/stories/april23tivoli/house_prices.gif" alt="house_prices">
More insipid growth is occurred in Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra while the Adelaide market has shown little sign of improving and is still well below its 2009 peak.
Sydney, Perth and Canberra dwelling prices are all close to their previous peaks.
Regional dwelling prices have hardly changed over the past four years.
AMP Capital Investors chief economist Shane Oliver has highlighted that the current recovery in dwelling prices following the start of the current monetary policy easing cycle (beginning in November 2011) is the<a target="_blank" href="/news"> weakest compared with the three previous easing cycles.</a>
</body></html>

Dwelling prices trending up in major capital cities but at uneven growth rates: RBA chart pack

<html><body>
First-home buyers have deserted the NSW property market in droves with improved housing affordability and significantly reduced interest rates not having any impact on the willingness of this key market segment to climb onto the property ladder.
The number of home loans to NSW first-home buyer in the March quarter totalled 2,647 - 57% lower than a year ago and a 40.6% fall in the March quarter alone, the latest Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) figures reveal.
This was the largest annual decline recorded across the country but in line with a national trend of dwindling first-home buyer demand.
According to the REIA, first-home buyers made up 14.5% of the national owner-occupier market in the March quarter compared to 16.5% in the December quarter 2012 - the lowest level since the June quarter of 2004.
The number of new finance commitments to first home buyers decreased 22.5% to 18,348 in the March quarter.
Compared to the first quarter of 2012, new finance commitments to first home buyers decreased 21.3%.
Some of the blame for the  steep slide in NSW first-home buyer numbers will be attributed to the state government’s decision to axe the $7,000 first-home owner grant on September 31 in favour of a $15,000 grant for new homes only.
In Queensland, a state which has also cancelled its first-home owner grant in favour of a $15,000 handout for new homes in September last year, home loans to first-home buyer decreased by 43.7% over the March quarter  to 2,557 - the largest quarterly decline across the nation.
Victoria, the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania all plan similar changes to first-home buyer grants in the coming months.
Both <a href="/news">Property Observer</a> editor Jonathan Chancellor and <a href="/news">hotspotting.com.au’s Terry Ryder</a> have highlighted the ill-directed nature of such schemes (Ryder called Queensland’s grant “a new definition of insanity”) which attempt to dangle a financial carrot in front of the noses of first-home buyers to sway them towards new homes over existing ones.
The REIA is also campaigning for a re-commitment by these states to a universal grant available for both new and existing homes.
It should be borne in mind that first-home buyer numbers have declined despite housing affordability as measured by the REIA improving for seven consecutive quarters following the RBA cutting cash rate by 200 basis points since November 2011 and much of this (around 80%) being passed on by lenders to variable rate mortgage holders.
Over the same period, dwelling prices have risen by a moderate 2.4%, according to RP Data figures.
Clearly other forces are also at play including relatively low consumer confidence, concerns about job prospects and the high cost of home ownership in key markets like Sydney and Melbourne, despite recent incremental improvements.
Victoria, which has yet to implement its new homes only $10,000 first-home buyer grant, recorded a more modest 15.4% drop in the number of loans to first home buyers over the quarter to 6,053. However, the figure is unchanged compared with the same quarter of the previous year.
South Australia was the only state or territory to record a rise in the number of loans to first home buyers, up by 1.8%.
For the year, Western Australia recorded the largest increase in loans to first home buyers, up by 19.2%.
The number of first home buyers in Tasmania dropped by 3.9% over the quarter but increased 15.9% compared to the March quarter of the previous year, to 349. During the quarter, first home buyers made up 16.8% of owner-occupier market in Tasmania.
The number of first buyers’ loan commitments in the Northern Territory dropped 23.8% to 231 over the quarter but increased 0.9% compared to the March quarter of 2012. Of all owner-occupier housing finance commitments in the territory, first home buyers made up 21.9% during the first quarter 2013.
The number of first home buyers in the Australian Capital Territory fell 0.5% to 367 during the quarter. This is 9.9% higher than the figure recorded during the March quarter 2012.
</body></html>

With existing homes ineligible for state grants, NSW suffers 57% annual drop in first-home buyers: REIA

<html><body>
The peak in the resources investment boom is impacting on the perennial Queensland hotspot location of Gladstone.
Valuers Herron Todd White report that the Gladstone residential market has remained “relatively subdued over recent months as major gas projects in the area are nearing peak construction workforces and demand for accommodation has eased significantly”.
“In a number of instances, values have returned to levels below what was reached at the height of the previous boom in late 2007.
“Vendors in the current market are being faced with an abundance of competition and are being forced to reduce prices to obtain a sale," says Herron Todd White in its latest May report.
These comments are echoed by Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive Anton Kardash, who says the Gladstone’s market has cooled down somewhat after several quarters of very strong results due to the resources boom.
The REIQ records a stagnant Gladstone market over the past year with a 0.3% rise in Gladstone house prices over the March 2013 quarter to $449,000 off 113 sales.
In comparison to Gladstone’s stagnation, Rockhampton recorded a 7.8% rise in median house prices off 270 sales to $339,000 while Mackay house prices rose 3.2% to $428,250.
Even the struggling Cairns housing market outperformed Gladstone over the quarter with values up 2.4% to a median of $358,500 off 324 sales.
<img alt="gladstone_prices" height="151" width="470" src="/images/stories/april23tivoli/gladstone_prices.jpg">
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/rockhampton-s-time-will-come-soon-terry-ryder/2013030659704">Hotspotting.com.au’s Terry Ryder </a>wrote in March that Gladstone had entered into a “correction phase, as bulk new supply floods into the market” with Mackay and Rockhampton identified by Ryder as the new rising stars.
In April, development group Crawford Property advertised a $20,000 discount on its Gladstone townhouse development with the price of a three-bedroom townhouse reduced from $549,000 to $529,000.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Herron Todd White also notes the recent sharp rise in the Gladstone vacancy rate from 2.1% in the December 2012 quarter to 5.9% in the March 2013 quarter as recorded by the REIQ.
A year ago the Gladstone vacancy rate was 1.4%. 
<img alt="reiq_vacancy_rates" height="438" width="441" src="/images/stories/april23tivoli/reiq_vacancy_rates.jpg"> 
“Mackay and Gladstone both recorded significant increases in vacancy rates as at the end of March due to less demand for rental properties from mining companies, and an element of increases in the supply of rental stock,” said the REIQ's Anton Kardash.
Herron Todd White calls the rise in the vacancy rate a “very significant recent statistic”.
“This statistic clearly indicates the vulnerability of the Gladstone accommodation market and consequently the residential property market.
“We still feel that the dwellings in Gladstone City area and immediate surrounding suburbs will prove to be the best medium to long term investments in the area due to the large number of house and land developments currently underway generally on the outskirts of Gladstone area.
Herron Todd White expects workforce numbers relating to the construction of LNG projects around Gladstone to peak in 2013.
</body></html>

Prices fall and vacancies rise in “vulnerable” Gladstone market: Herron Todd White

<html><body>
The decision by the ACT government to withdraw the $7,000 first-home owner grant on August 31 and replace it with a $12,500 grant for new homes only from September 1, means six states and territories have shifted their incentives in favour of what Ray White boss Brian White says is effectively a “builders’ grant”.
NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia. Tasmania and the ACT have all withdrawn (or will withdraw in the coming months) their handouts for first-home buyers who buy an established home.
The Real Estate Institute of Australia's (REIA) campaign for these states and territories to honour the “uniform” nature of the original InterGovernmental Agreement struck in 2000 that “an eligible home will be new or established” is unlikely to succeed.
For first-home buyers, these are the grant handouts available in their state and territory markets currently as well as what’s about to change in the coming months:
(Click on the state names for links to the relevant state revenue office pages).
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.osr.nsw.gov.au/benefits/first_home/">NSW</a>
The NSW state government offers a $15,000 grant for first-home owners who purchase or build a new home valued at up to $650,000. The grant was available until December 31, 2013, reducing to $10,000 from January 1, 2014, but the 2013 State Budget<a target="_blank" href="/news"> extended the availability of the $15,000 </a>until January 2016.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/sro/sronav.nsf/alltitle/First%20Home%20Owners?open">Victoria</a>
The Victorian government offers a $7,000 first-home owner grant for both new and existing homes until from June 30. The grant is available if the price of the property or construction of the home does not exceed $750,000. From July 1 a new $10,000 grant for newly constructed homes under $750,000 begins.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.osr.qld.gov.au/first-home-owner-grant/index.shtml">Queensland</a>
The Queensland government offers a $15,000 great start grant for first-home buyers buying or building a new home valued under $750,000.
<a target="_parent" href="https://www.finance.wa.gov.au/cms/content.aspx?id=344">Western Australia</a>
The WA government offers the $7,000 first-home owner grant for both existing homes and new homes. A cap limits the total value of properties (i.e. total value of home and land) to $750,000 or less, or if the home is located north of the 26th parallel to $1,000,000 or less.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/fhog/index">South Australia</a>
The South Australian government offers a FHOG of $15,000 for new homes. It also offers a maximum Housing Construction Grant (HCG) of $8,500  to all home buyers (FHBs and non-FHBs) who are purchasing or building a new home with a market value of under $400 000. Above $400,000 to a maximum of $445,000 the grant decreases in increments of $5,000.
For first home buyers buying an existing home there is a First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) of $5,000.
The Housing Construction Grant expires on June 30 2013. The $5,000 FHOG grant for existing homes expires on June 30 2014.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.revenue.act.gov.au/home_buyer_assistance">ACT</a>
The ACT government offers a $7,000 grant to first home buyers buying both existing and new homes capped at the total value of home and land of $750,000 or less. This expires on August 31. From September 1 first-home buyers in the ACT will receive $12,500 if they buy or build a new home or buy one that has been substantially renovated.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sro.tas.gov.au/fhog">Tasmania</a>
The Tasmanian government currently offers a one-off FHOG payment of up to $7,000. The grant is not means tested and there is no cap on the value an eligible home.
There is also a First Home Builder Boost (FHBB), a payment, in addition to the FHOG, of up to $8 000. It is available for eligible applicants, purchasing a newly built home or who are owner-builders between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2014 and who meet the required time frames for commencement and completion of the house.
Both these grants will end on June 30, 2014.
From July 1 2014, Tasmanian first-home buyers who build or buy a new home (including off-the-plan) will be entitled to a $7,000 FHOG.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.treasury.nt.gov.au/TaxesRoyaltiesAndGrants/HomeOwnerIncentives/Pages/default%20220213.aspx">Northern Territory</a>
The Northern Territory offers a first-home owner grant for both new and established homes that remains ongoing.
FHOG is not means tested however, from 1 January 2010 eligibility ceases to apply if the consideration for, or the value of the home is more than the transaction eligibility threshold (see table below). This includes the unencumbered value of the land on which a home is to be built. The amount of the transaction eligibility threshold is determined based on the commencement date of the eligible transaction.
The commencement date of an eligible transaction is:
for a contract to purchase or construct a home, the date when the contract is made; or
for an owner builder, the date the laying of the foundations commenced.
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="width: 470px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">
Commencement date of eligible transaction?
</td>
<td valign="top">
Transaction eligibility threshold?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">
On or after 4 December 2012?
</td>
<td valign="top">
$600 000?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">
From 1 January 2010 - 3 December 2012?
</td>
<td valign="top">
$750 000?
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="top">
Prior to 1 January 2010?
</td>
<td valign="top">
No threshold applied?
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
The amount of the grant increased on 4 December 2012 in relation to eligible transactions that commenced on or after that date. From that date, the amount of the grant also varies depending on the type of transaction and location of the property.
If the commencement date of the eligible transaction is on or after 4 December 2012, the amount of the grant is the lesser of the consideration actually paid for the eligible transaction, or:
a) $12 000 if the home is an established home in the urban area;
b) otherwise - $25 000
If the commencement date of the eligible transaction is before 4 December 2012, the amount of the grant is the lesser of the following:
a) the amount of consideration actually paid for the eligible transaction;
b) $7000
An established home is one that has been previously sold or occupied, and is lawfully fit for occupation.
An urban area means all land located wholly within the boundaries of:
<ul>
<li>the Darwin, Palmerston or Litchfield municipalities;</li>
<li>Wagait Shire;</li>
<li>the Darwin Waterfront Precinct;</li>
<li>the “prescribed area” for the Darwin Rates Act.</li>
<li>any other area prescribed by regulation.</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

First-home owner grants: a state-by-state guide

<html><body>
People who pay thousands of dollars to attend investment seminars in the belief this will help them get rich quick are only fooling themselves, Yellow Brick Road founder and Celebrity Apprentice host Mark Bouris has warned.
Bouris says there are no “shortcuts” or “secrets to success” - only “pure hard work”.
His says his message is aimed at “those people who pay tens of thousands of dollars to find out things like the seven secrets to success”.
“It’s all BS. There is no such thing as a secret to success,” said Bouris in an interview on a Channel Nine Saturday morning breakfast show.
“There are no secrets other than work hard, be committed and having a purpose.”
This message may equally apply to those who attend <a href="/news">property investment seminars</a>, with ASIC currently clamping down on dodgy spruikers.
Usually the initial investment seminar is free - accompanied by a free lunch - but follow up one-on-one consultations come with a hefty financial investment requirement.
</body></html>

No shortcuts to investment success: Mark Bouris

<html><body>
<img alt="collierslogo" height="94" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/02/collierslogo.jpg">
Colliers International’s Stephen Kidd says as retailing is the largest single employer group in Australia at the moment, growing support of e-commerce may very well put a large number of jobs at risk.
<img style="margin: 5px; float: left;" alt="stephenkidd" height="200" width="200" src="/images/stories/2013/06/stephenkidd.png">Agent: Stephen Kidd
Position: Director, Retail Investment Services - Queensland
Company: Colliers International
Office location: Brisbane
How long have you been in the industry?
Since the late 80s – around  the 1987 stock market crash.
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
With the onset of the internet, retailing is becoming very competitive, margins will continue to shrink and this will have an impact on everyone involved in the existing bricks and mortar food chain from warehouses to shops to property owners to retailers and their staff. Creating exclusivity in distribution channels will be one of the few successful ways to combat this e-war on bricks and mortar retailing survival. The major supermarkets are doing this already with their home brands and they are being closely followed by such things as exclusive fashion lines in department stores.  Many retailing formats are set to disappear as has already been evidenced by book stores, video stores, music stores etc. Many other retailing channels will change as manufacturers alter to become directly linked to their customers and have to establish their own company owned channels of distribution. The internet will have the greatest impact on those things which are easy to search on the net – cars, shoes, electronics, bikes – anything with a model number or a name. As retailing is the largest single employer group in Australia at the moment, growing support of e-commerce may very well put a large number of jobs at risk.
Describe the most interesting property you have sold:
The first property I ever sold was a shopping centre in Rockhampton. $13.75 million.  I will never forget the sale or the thrill of doing a deal where many others had failed.  I went on to sell that buyer many properties over the years until his recent death.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
I think it is about persistence, optimism and never forgetting who you are being paid by.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
The amazing variety of people you meet every day and the knowledge they are so readily prepared to impart.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000?
For me, there really are only two areas to invest – property or shares.
Which football team do you support?
None.
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
Emails, e-brochures and any other forms of quick communication.
How do you use social media?
As I'm told.
</body></html>

In profile: Colliers International Queensland director of retail investment services Stephen Kidd

<html><body>
Federation Centres  has entered into a conditional agreement to sell six regional shopping malls to fund manager Challenger for $602 million.
These assets are owned by Federation Centres and certain former Centro syndicates, with a gross value of $1.2 billion.
Federation Centres is the new restructured entity that emerged from the debt-laden Centro Retail Australia business in February.
The portfolio of assets consists of the regional shopping centres at Bankstown and Roselands in New South Wales, and the convenience centres at Toormina and Lennox, in New South Wales, Sunshine in Victoria and Karratha in Western Australia.
The sale was negotiated by Simon Rooney of Jones Lang LaSalle, who successfully negotiated the sale of GPTs sale of a half share in Erina Fair for $397.1 million in May and precedes a number of major transactions to be completed in the near term.
"As a result, total retail transaction volumes are expected to be strong in 2013 with approximately $3.0 billion being recorded year to date, and follows a record year for transaction activity in 2012 ($6.3 billion)," says Rooney. 
“Sovereign wealth funds and pension funds have been major participants in capital partnerships around the globe and are a deep source of liquidity. Demand from these large offshore investors seeking passive investments in core quality Australian retail assets has been the key driver behind many of these large transactions," he adds.
The overall Federation Centres- Challenger transaction equates to a passing yield of 7.42%.


FDC will remain as the manager of these centres and will be responsible for managing their redevelopment program.
Federation Centres has an established relationship with Challenger selling its syndicate-owned Surfers Paradise Centre in Queensland to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/retail/challenger-acquires-centro-surfers-paradise-mall-for-%241625-million/2013012058885">Challenger for $162.5 million in January.</a>
“On completion, this transaction continues to deliver on our key objective of introducing select and like-minded strategic parties on a range of larger centres," says Federation Centres managing director and chief executive officer, Steven Sewell
"This facilitates reduced funding costs and supports the recently awarded Standard &amp; Poor’s A- investment grade credit rating for Federation Centre's senior secured bank debt.
"The co-ownership strategy provides Federation Centres with the liquidity and balance sheet flexibility for the future funding of our redevelopment and enhancement program of our portfolio of quality Australian shopping centres," he says.
</body></html>

Federation Centres sells half stakes in six regional malls to Challenger for $602 million

<html><body>
Home loan approvals are trending up strongly driven by owner-occupier upgrading into new homes and investor demand for mortgage finance, the latest RBA chart pack shows.
However, first home-buyer demand for mortgages remains low and has shown no signs of lifting since the start of 2013.
The graph below also shows the impact the first-home buyer boost had in dragging forward demand in 2009.
<img alt="6br-hla" height="378" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/may23abelesauction/6br-hla.gif">
The scheme ran from October 2008 to December 2009.
Up until September 30, 2009, it provided first-time buyers with an extra $7,000 to purchase an existing home and $14,000 if they purchased a newly constructed home or built a new home. The scheme operated in tandem with the $7,000 grant no longer available or being phased out in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.
Between October 2009 and December 2009, the first-home owner’s boost was halved, with $3,500 available for the purchase of established homes and $7,000 for the purchase of new homes.
</body></html>

Upgraders and investors drive rise in mortgage approvals: RBA chart pack

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

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

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Larry Schlesinger

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News