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This Sunday I am flying out to Thailand to get away from this bloody cold weather. When I booked my trip a few months ago I though my timing was perfect as the Aussie dollar was flying high.
However, just three months later it has fallen back to earth. I don’t tell you this to make you jealous of my trip but to me this is a clear sign fixed rates are at the bottom of the cycle.  
A high Australian dollar is not good for the Australian economy because our exporters products look less appealing to international buyers. This in turn puts pressure on manufacturing industry and unemployment.  
Higher interest rates in Australia in comparison to the rest of the western world makes our dollar an attractive safe haven in uncertain times as it will produce a higher return.  
The RBA really only has one tool at its disposal to put downward pressure on the dollar and that is to lower interest rates and this has been a large part of their thinking in recent times.  
A combination of lower interest rates and the announcement from the US Federal Reserve that they plan to stop quantitative easing (read print more money) has lead to a sharp fall in the Aussie dollar.  
The graph below illustrates how quickly it has slid. The dollar was above $1.05 US dollars less than three months ago and now sits around 91 cents. This means the purchasing power an international buyer of our products has had a 10% boost and in theory this should give our exporters a kick start.        
<img alt="ArmstrongJuly10one" height="208" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/ArmstrongJuly10one.jpg">
On the other hand we do not want to see the Aussie dollar fall to far as this will mean many of our imports, including the laptop I am writing on, will become more expensive.  For the RBA it is like walking a tight rope and it is vital they get the balance right.
The fall in the dollar will take pressure off interest rates and will bring closer the time when the RBA begins to lift the cash rate. It is not a question of if they will lift rates but simply when.  
This is where the banks come into the frame. Their job is to project into the future to determine where rates will be at some future date. The price they pay for money will be based on these projections and this will have an impact on the price they sell it to you and me.  
Last Friday we saw an indication of what they are thinking as the ANZ bank lifted their three-year fixed rate from 4.99% to 5.19%.  This could mean the bank has sold all its cheap money and is now hedging its bets or they are stepping back from these fixed rates.  
While the other major banks are yet to follow I think this is a clear sign that now is the time to lock in.  
Warren Buffet lives by an investment mantra that says ‘I would rather be vaguely right than precisely wrong’. His investment philosophy is to use all the available information at his disposal to make educated decisions that mean he might not get the timing right every time but he is happy to be close enough to work in his favour.  It is now close enough!  
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.          
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Lower Aussie dollar continues to put pressure on interest rates: Mark Armstrong

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Recently I was speaking with an investor who was facing a major dilemma. He had bought an apartment in Abbotsford off-the-plan and now that the property was due to settle he was having problems getting finance approved.  
This was causing him significant stress, as the penalties for not settling are significant. They include losing his deposit and the risk of being sued by the vendor to cover any out of pocket expenses.  
As we discussed his situation it soon became clear how murky his position had become.  
The sales person told him the property had originally been purchased 12 months earlier for $450,000 and was now being on sold prior to completion. Although due to the fact the property had never been settled there was no way to confirm this was correct.  On the surface it appeared to this individual the asking price of $406,000 was a bargain to good to refuse and he signed a contract to purchase the property.  
Prior to signing the contract he had put in place a loan preapproval so he was confident getting a loan would not be an issue and as a result did not buy subject to finance. The next hurdle to clear was to get unconditionally approved. To do this his bank ordered a valuation and this is where his problems started.  
The valuation came back a long way below the contract price at $340,000 and he was being forced him into a position where he would be unable to settle. The real estate mantra of Caveat Emptor, Buyer Beware, meant severe penalties were looming.      
Not all was lost however and like going to a doctor for a second opinion he approached a different bank. Sure enough the valuation came back at the purchase price and his loan was approved.        
So how can one bank value a property so much less than another? The answer lies in the individual bank's tolerance for risk and the kind of property they view as being a safe security.  
The Abbotsford apartment had one bedroom and was only 37m2. Although one-bedroom apartments can make great investments if they are under 50m2 alarm bells start ringing at many banks. A small apartment size is a signal the property maybe a serviced apartment or student accommodation which most banks approach with trepidation.  
In addition banks have postcode restrictions in place that determine their lending policies and these vary from bank to bank. Established apartment markets such as South Yarra and Port Melbourne are more likely to get the nod. However an apartment under 50m2 in an emerging market like Abbotsford is more likely face harsher lending policies.  
Although the valuation is independent the valuer will have an understanding of the banks policy and take this into account. Remember if a valuation comes in too high and the bank loses money on the loan then the valuer maybe legally liable.  
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.
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The murky waters of bank valuations: Mark Armstrong

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Think about the people you know who’ve bought investment property. Chances are that at least one of them claims to have bought their property ‘below market value’.  
Strictly speaking, it’s impossible to buy below market value, because a property’s market value is ultimately determined by one thing: the price you pay for it. When someone says they’ve bought below market value, what they really mean is that they purchased the asset for a lower price than other properties in the area, or that they bought it at a lower price than would have been possible six or 12 months previously.  
Let’s take the first scenario. If you buy a property for less than others in the area are worth, that doesn’t mean you’ve secured a bargain. It may just mean you’ve bought a second-class asset. For example, if other properties in the area have sold for around $450,000, but you buy one for $400,000, perhaps its value has been compromised by a poor structural condition or noisy main road location.  
Under the second scenario, buying a property for less than it would previously have been worth doesn’t necessarily mean that you have bought well. It could simply mean that property values in the area are declining. There are two possible reasons for this. First, there’s less demand than supply. In this situation, vendors are competing strongly for the attention of fewer buyers, so they’re more likely to discount their asking price.  
If you buy into a market like this, it’s vital to ask yourself two questions: how much more will prices fall, and how long will it be until the trend reverses? In other words, how much money will you have to lose, and for how long, until your asset starts working for you?  
The second possible reason for buying a property for less than its previous market value is that the asset has a low land-to-asset ratio – in other words, the building makes up the bulk of the asset’s value.  
Land appreciates (grows) in value, whilst buildings depreciate. If you buy a property for less than its original sale value, chances are that the building’s value is falling faster than the land’s value is growing. The net result? An asset that will continue to lose value after you’ve purchased it, until all the depreciation has been used up. Meanwhile, you’re paying holding costs like interest, rates and maintenance, on a property that’s delivering nothing in return.  
Instead of buying property that is cheap and will remain so because of poor location or high depreciation, focus instead on researching the market to identify properties that represent good investment value. What does this mean?  
First, it refers to the quality of the asset. Properties in established areas with adequate infrastructure like public transport, shopping precincts and leisure facilities tend to have a limited supply of properties in the face of strong demand from investors, homebuyers and tenants alike. This supply–demand ratio increases land value and improves capital growth potential.  
Second, good investment value means researching the local market to find out the recent sale prices for properties of comparable land size, number of bedrooms and degree of renovation. Once you have determined what you believe is the property’s fair value as an investment asset, stick to that limit and walk away if the bidding or negotiation goes beyond it. Overpaying never represents good investment value, no matter how high the asset’s quality.  
It’s true that high quality assets generally cost more than poor ones, so if your research shows that you may be priced out of a certain type of property, it’s better to compromise on the size of the accommodation (e.g. two bedrooms instead of three) rather than the location.
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.
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What it really means to buy below market value: Mark Armstrong

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The property market pessimists are crying capital growth in the Australian property market is dead forever and the only direction prices will go are down. Yet year after year there are properties that prove them wrong.
Much has been spoken about the global property market and that our market will ultimately follow a similar fate and I am always at pains to point out not all property is created equal. This applies to most cities around the world.
Take a look at the two properties below. The property on the left is located in the bluest of blue chip suburb of South Yarra. The one on the right is located in London’s equivalent blue chip area of Kensington.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/2013/06/armstrongjune19one.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2013/06/armstrongjune19onethumb.gif"></a>
The apartments are very similar in terms of character and size as the floor plans below illustrate.
Click to enlarge
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The South Yarra property recently sold for $520,000 and the London apartment has a value of a million pounds or $1.7 million. This means a comparable one-bedroom apartment in London is worth more than three times as much as the one in Melbourne.
There is a perception that growth for this London apartment has run out of steam but the statistics suggest otherwise.
In recent years the UK market as a whole has been weak with property prices falling slightly. According to Nationwide property prices have slipped back by 2.76% over the last 12 months. However this is in stark contrast to the market in Kensington that has grown by a whopping 15.8% in the 12 months to March.
I am not suggesting our market is the same as London’s given their population is double ours. In addition their market is much older, more established and on the doorstep of Europe. However our blue chip markets are driven by the same demographic factors and are following a similar path of growth and demand.
When I attend an auction for an apartment like this one in South Yarra I often see the same cross section of buyers competing.
I often see a young people bidding who are being backed up by their parents' wealth. More often than not they have grown up in the area and want to stay close to their family roots. The next group are the baby boomers that are downsizing and again want to stay close to their social networks. The last group are investors who want a safe blue chip investment that will always have strong tenant demand.
These three groups represent the most powerful financial muscle in our economy and they have the capacity to continue to drive growth in these markets.
There is no doubt that properties with these demographics factors driving their value will continue to grow in the coming years and this South Yarra property will be worth close to $1 million or more in the next 10 years or so.
The property pessimists will say I have just picked the eyes out of the market and isolated one example of a property that will preform well in coming years. That is precisely what I have done because identifying the small percentage of good assets in any market is exactly what educated investing is all about.
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.
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Still room for growth in blue chip suburbs so long as you make good decisions: Mark Armstrong

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I often get asked can the property market continue to grow from its current levels and reach new heights.
While I do not believe every property in the market will show the same level of growth, there is a tidal wave of money on the horizon that will have an enormous impact on property value in years to come.  
For many years the primary reason to buy property was to provide a roof over your head. As time went by, however, another driver entered the market. Investors started to look at the property as a money-making venture to help fund their retirement.
This really gathered momentum in the 1980s to the point now where over 1 million Australians own investment property.  
We are now at the very early stages of a new and very powerful player entering the property market – superannuation investors.  
Compulsory superannuation has only been around for 20 years and is in its infancy. Today there is over $1.4 trillion sloshing around in superannuation locked up until retirement and this is growing.  
In the early years of superannuation all funds were managed by professional fund managers to maximize returns and the vast majority was tied up in the sharemarket.  
Unfortunately sharemarket performance has not lived up to investor expectations in recent years. This year the share market has taken two steps forward and two steps back. On December 31 last year the All Ordinaries was at 4664 and peaked at 5200.
However, it has now lost all its gains and yesterday closed at yesterday it closed at 4748.
<img alt="armstrongjune12one" height="323" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/06/armstrongjune12one.gif">
Even if we project back a few more years we find the market is sitting below 2010 levels.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/06/armstrongjune12two.jpg" width="470" height="324" alt="armstrongjune12two">
The share market has been a great place for investors who trade regularly to make a lot of money. However for the investor that just wants a ‘set and forget’ strategy it has proved disappointing.
While I do not think that investors will turn their back on the sharemarket completely they will certainly look around for other options to diversify their investments. It is cycles like this that will make more people look towards the property market.  
The desire for people to take control over their superannuation has seen an explosion in self-managed superannuation funds (SMSF’s). According to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, which oversees our superannuation system, thousands of self-managed super funds are set up each year. Traditionally, SMSFs have been the province of the self-employed an increasing number of salaried employees are now setting them up too. There is now $439 billion held in SMSFs and that figure is growing.
However, to date only a small fraction of people have elected to add direct property to their super fund. This is mainly due to a lack of funds in their super and uncertainty and complexity around the structure.    
These investors have the opportunity to include residential property as part of the asset mix in their self-managed funds, thanks to regulatory changes in 2010 that enable gearing into super funds. Residential property is primarily a capital growth-based asset, and because of its stability relative to shares, it can provide a solid long-term way to boost the value of SMSFs.
Provided they choose high quality assets, investors with residential property in their SMSFs will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds when they retire. Residential property will give them geared growth assets, whilst shares will produce income in the form of dividends. They can draw down on the dividend income tax-free and use it for living expenses, whilst taking advantage of gearing to increase the capital value of their super fund.  
This mix of residential property and shares is an ideal strategy for SMSF investors - it reduces the possibility of running out of retirement savings, by maximising capital growth as well as income.  
Generally speaking, most people who borrow to purchase residential property for their super fund tend to adopt a conservative investment approach, and may gear at around 50% of the property’s value. This is a significant contrast from buying residential property outside super, where the gearing level is usually 80% or higher.  
Even so, a 50% gearing level means the amount of money flowing into residential property from superannuation will explode in years to come.  
Buying property needs to be viewed as a long-term play. The flow of superannuation money entering the market will be slow wheel to turn but it will gather momentum in coming years and push the property market to new highs.
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.
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SMSFs set to fuel surge in residential property prices: Mark Armstrong

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They don’t use land like they used to.  
Last Saturday a large crowd turned out for the auction of a two-bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-hawthorn-113751283" target="_blank">5/52-54 Grove Road, Hawthorn</a> (pictured below).
<img alt="armstrongjune5one" src="/images/stories/2013/06/armstrongjune5one.jpg" width="470" height="347">
After spirited bidding the property sold for $741,000 illustrating strength in this sector. However, when we compare this price with the wider market it soon becomes clear this was an extraordinary result.
The property was held for less than four years after being purchased in October 2009 for $585,000. Based on this purchase price it has been growing by almost 7% compounding each year.
I think this level of growth means the property has performed well as an investment but considering we experienced a slump in 2011 and 2012 the result seems to defy the market.
To put this into context the median value of apartments in Melbourne over the same time frame has grown from $410,000 to $451,000, a compound growth rate of less than 3%. The Grove Road property has more than doubled the growth rate of the wider market for apartments.
In addition it has also proved to be a better investment than houses with the median value growing by only 4.12% from $470,000 to 545,000.
The Grove Road property was built more than 50 years ago at a time when skilled labour was relatively cheap and developer did not have to cram as many apartments onto the block. The property sits on 1500sqm of land yet there are only seven apartments in the development.
If a vacant block of land this size was to come onto the market in this location it would sell for around $3 million. This means each apartment has a notional land value of around $450,000. The vast majority of what the buyer is paying for is the land and this will underpin the capital growth potential because land is an appreciating asset.
There is just no way a developer would do this today.  The aim of a developer is to build as many apartments as town planning will allow.
Take for example this development on <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-hawthorn-113563607" target="_blank">Riversdale Road, Hawthorn</a>.
<img alt="armstrongjune5two" src="/images/stories/2013/06/armstrongjune5two.jpg" width="470" height="328">
The block of land is a similar size at 1400sqm yet the developer has crammed on 31 apartments that are selling for a similar price to the Grove Road apartment. The notional land value attributed to each apartment in this example is around $100,000. This means the cost of land to the developer for each unit is only $100,000.
When an investor purchasers this property the vast majority of what they are paying for is the construction of the building and the developer's profit.
The notional land value attributed to each unit is a great guide to assist us with the prediction of likely future capital growth. While it does not give an ironclad guarantee of investment potential it should not be ignored.
Properties like Grove Road will continue to defy and out perform the wider market because they are such a unique product. It is just not feasible to produce this product anymore and as a result the supply will never ever grow. Demand on the other hand is only getting stronger and stronger.  
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.
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Older apartments will defy pricing trends as developers change land use habits: Mark Armstrong

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A key benefit of residential property as an investment asset is its stability relative to other asset classes, such as shares.
Sharemarket values are subject to variations in investor sentiment, fuelled by the actual or predicted performance of companies. When investor sentiment is strong, the sharemarket rises. When it’s shaky, the market falls.
The share market is a daily rollercoaster driven by everyone from mum and dads to professional day traders. I am no share market expert but I know it is no place for the inexperienced or faint hearted. Just look at how volatile one day of trading can be:
<img src="/images/stories/2013/05/armstrongmay29two.jpg" width="470" height="291" alt="armstrongmay29two">
Shares only exist on paper, so they can be created and issued quickly when companies need to raise capital. Investors can also sell them quickly when they need cash flow.  
By contrast, residential property is a physical asset, so it can’t be bought and sold easily. It can take weeks or months to sell a property, and even longer to build one because of land supply and planning restrictions. As a result, there are fewer residential property transactions and more stability in the overall residential market.  
However, the fact that the residential property market is more stable than the sharemarket does not mean you can buy a property in any sector of the market and expect it to show the same level of resilience.  
The proportion of debt relative to the number of owners, and the proportion of tenanted property relative to the proportion of owner-occupied homes, can both influence the stability of the market in particular locations. The more stable the market, the better the prospects for property investment.  
First, let’s look at the issue of debt levels, as illustrated by two Melbourne suburbs. According to the Bureau of Statistics, 76.8% of all owners in the relatively new outer south-eastern suburb of Lyndhurst are paying off debt on their properties. Only 7.6% own their properties outright (the remainder of residents are tenants.)  
There is a stark difference in more established suburbs. In Glen Iris for example only 33% of all owners are paying off a mortgage, whilst 38% of owners have no debt on their properties. The remainder of residents are tenants. With fewer Glen Iris owners paying off a mortgage, they are less vulnerable to interest rate movements than their Lyndhurst counterparts.
Glen Iris and suburbs with similar debt levels represent markets with significant equity. They are a more stable and viable market for property investment even though they represent a much higher price point and they continue to drive property market growth.  
As a result we are seeing massive crowds at auctions for houses in Glen Iris as I experienced on the weekend at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-glen+iris-113684891">14 Madeline Street</a>.
<img alt="armstrongmay29one" height="351" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/05/armstrongmay29one.jpg">
The property was quoted to sell for over $900,000 and was declared on the market at $1 million. Five bidders were still in the hunt above this level and the property sold for $1.71 million.  
Off the back of this sale a property around the corner in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-glen+iris-113807399">Pascoe Street, Glen Iris</a> that was due to go to auction in a couple of weeks has been sold prior.  
It was expected to sell in excess of $900,000 but with an offer over $1.2 million the owners are taking the money and bolting! 
In the middle of last year I wrote that these areas were the first to bounce back from the property market slump. We are now seeing competition intensify a taking this market to new highs.  
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and home buyers.  
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Residential property is usually a more stable investment than shares: Mark Armstrong

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A four-bedroom Californian bungalow in Balwyn will go to auction this weekend, with its agent suggesting there has been plenty of interest from potential buyers.
The property is featured in this week's Property Tycoon auction tipping competition, which is entering its final round.
It's the website, <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">www.propertytycoon.com.au</a>, where punters can guess five auction results in Melbourne and Sydney, with no outlay. It's mostly about testing your market knowledge with a small cash prize as a sweetener.
<img alt="propertytycoonmay24one" height="289" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/05/propertytycoonmay24one.jpg">
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Californian bungalow in Balwyn featured in final round of Property Tycoon auction tipping

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Property prices are on the move in the inner suburbs and as a result more and more buyers are going to find themselves priced out of the house market.
Instead, they will turn to townhouses and apartments as a more affordable alternative. In many cases, they are not just buying the title to a property; they are also taking on a wider responsibility to other owners in the development, by joining an owners' corporation (formerly known as a body corporate in Victoria).
Before you buy a property in a development with an owners' corporation, it’s essential to understand your potential financial liabilities and other responsibilities as a member.  
An owners' corporation is made up of the owners of all the properties in a particular development, and is responsible for insuring, maintaining and improving the common property (that is, any part of the building and grounds that is shared by other owners).  
Many corporations engage professional managers to run the organisation’s day-to-day affairs on their behalf, and pay them a management fee to do so. However, the manager is not legally responsible for the decisions and activities of the corporation.  
Common property may include, among other things, external walls, roofing, fencing, rubbish bin corrals, driveways, shared courtyards and shared laundries. To pay for the upkeep of common property, members of an owners' corporation are generally required to pay regular contributions. They may vote to strike additional levies to fund expensive one-off outlays such as repainting the building’s exterior, repairing the roof or replacing the windows.  
Before bidding at auction or negotiating a private sale, you or your legal representative should obtain an owners' corporation certificate which should form part of the vendor’s statement and tell you whether the corporation is planning any cosmetic or structural works, along with their estimated cost. Even when the cost is divided amongst a large number of other owners, your share may be quite high in dollar terms.  
Given that you’re already spending hundreds of thousands to buy the property and pay associated costs like stamp duty, the cost of works to common property may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back—so it’s important that you consider them before going any further.  
The certificate should also detail your share of ongoing owners' corporation fees (usually payable quarterly), which will help you budget for your holding costs over the long term.  
Once you’ve purchased, it’s essential to take out appropriate insurance. Whilst the owners' corporation is responsible for taking out and maintain adequate insurance to the common property, that’s as far as their liability extends.  
As an individual owner, it’s highly advisable to take out insurance that will cover the contents inside your apartment (if you’re an owner occupier) and include a public liability element in case a third party is injured on your premises. If you’re a landlord, it’s a good idea to take out landlord protection insurance to cover you in the unlikely event that your tenant maliciously damages your property or leaves without paying the rent.  
The owners' corporation is also responsible for setting and administering rules which govern the activities of residents in relation to the common property. Depending on the corporation in question, these rules may govern issues such as affixing external air conditioning and hot water units, colours to be used in external repainting, acceptable uses for balconies, covering floorboards to minimise disturbance to residents below, and pet ownership.  
The greater the number of apartments in a development, the more owners' corporation members there are, and the harder it can be to reach agreement on issues regarding the common property. Some owners are highly motivated, whilst others prefer to keep a lower profile and may deal with the corporation via their property managers.  
Whilst every owner is responsible for decisions made by the corporation, most organisations appoint a Committee to co-ordinate the views of the wider membership and liaise with the manager. Whilst joining your committee is no guarantee that your views on a particular issue will win the day, it can provide a greater sense of participation in matters that affect you and your fellow owners.  
By knowing your financial liabilities and ongoing responsibilities to the corporation before you sign on the dotted line, you’ll be well poised to enjoy the benefits of owning your townhouse or apartment right from the start.    
Mark Armstrong is a director of <a href="https://www.ipropertyplan.com.au/">iProperty Plan</a>, which provides independent analysis and tailored advice to investors and homebuyers.
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Do your research before buying a property within a residential owners' corporation: Mark Armstrong

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There is no doubt that a heap of overseas investors buying new property in Australia is great for our economy.
It provides thousands of jobs in the construction industry and flows international cash into our coffers.
However, there can be a downside for local investors who get caught up in the hype.
International investors are largely uneducated to the ways and value of the Australian property market. They rely heavily on the advice from sales people who use slick marketing techniques to sell their wares.
Overseas buyers can and often do pay too much for property because they do not fully understand the market they are entering.
In addition, the motivation of overseas buyers may be at odds with their local counterparts. As a rule Australian buyers purchase property to provide a roof over their heads and to make money.
While most overseas investors want to make money they also buy property in Australia to assist with plans of migration into the country. They are often also motivated by the need to get their money out of the country they live in because the economy may be too unstable. Australia has a very well established system of property ownership and for foreigners, so even if their property loses value, at least they can be certain they will maintain control of their asset.
From afar they view the Australian property market as a safe haven that has held its feet while global property markets have faltered.
Australia has traditionally had stringent foreign investment laws and although these have been relaxed in recent years buying into new developments is an easy way for foreigners to get a foothold in the market.
Take for example this development (pictured below) on Mt Alexander Road, Flemington in Melbourne’s inner north.
<img alt="armstrongmay15one" height="342" width="456" src="/images/stories/2013/05/armstrongmay15one.png">
These properties have been marketed to international buyers fetching prices well in excess of $500,000. Once a number of properties have been sold this sets a precedent to determine value of the remaining properties and gives the sales team very powerful tools to market the remaining apartments.
From here the valuers now have data to justify their valuations to the banks to allow funds to be lent against the apartments. The main concern is the valuations have been based on sales to players that are operating under different rules with a range of motivations.
As resales of these apartments begin to hit the market we start to see the impact on the investor. The problem is the foreign buyers who are lining up to buy Australian property are not able to compete in the secondary market due to foreign investment restrictions. Further the marketing incentives such as stamp duty savings and rental guarantees are no longer there. As a result the demand is significantly dampened.
The greatest danger an investor faces is the resale of a new property the first time around because the property value must adjust to a true market value.
For example, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/in-18+mt+alexander+rd+/list-1">unit 1213 in this development</a> was purchased in 2010 for $582,500 and while the market conditions where very strong at the time the recent resale price is out of whack with what happened in the broader market.  The property sold in late 2012 for $476,000, taking almost a 20% hit on its original sale price.
The lesson here is developments where the sales are heavily skewed towards international buyers should set alarm bells ringing for local buyers.
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Local buyers should beware the hype caused by foreign investment in the Australian property market: Mark Armstrong

Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

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Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

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Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

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Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

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Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

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Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

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La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.

More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.

The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.

Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.

Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.

Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.

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The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;

The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;

“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.

“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;

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Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;

The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;

“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;

“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;

“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;

The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.

The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;

Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.

“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;

“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”

Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;

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Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.

Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.

The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.

Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi told Apartments.com.au the developer’s long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a strong understanding of how the area has evolved and where its future opportunities lie.

“Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area’s evolution and future potential,” Doueihi said.

“Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb’s transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth.”

Doueihi said that understanding also informed the planning process, with a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes Report prepared before the application was lodged.

The report identified the key issues and concerns raised by neighbouring residents and other stakeholders, allowing those matters to be considered and incorporated into the design where appropriate.

He said the delivery of additional housing would also play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum.

“By increasing the local residential population, the development is expected to strengthen demand for local businesses, encourage further investment, and help restore the vibrancy that made the precinct a thriving destination in the early 2000s.”

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.

According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."

The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.

Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" />

The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.

Residents would have access to communal gardens and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.

The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" />

"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.

"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" />

The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.

Doueihi founded Ceerose in 1998 and has grown the business to become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers in recent years, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.

Mark Armstrong

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