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Ideally for mine, one-bedroom apartments should be no smaller that 60 to 65 square metres (including balcony) and two-bedroom apartments no smaller than 85 to 90 square metres gross.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/apartments-are-becoming-smaller-cheaper-and-more-popular-as-australians-lose-their-appetite-for-big-michael-matusik/2012091156509">Australians are increasingly showing a preference for smaller units</a>, but in a perfect world the one-bedroom stock would be about 70 square metres and two-bedders about 100 square metres.  But perfect worlds these days are rare indeed.
I don’t really like – nor do I think they will rent as well many such off-the-plan developments current advocate – the current trend towards extremely tight two-bedroom apartments.  These are often the size of a one-bedroom apartment (i.e. under 70 square metres).  So apartments can be too small.
Also for mine, when looking to buy a new apartment – apart for price, size (apartments + overall development), location, quality and development team pedigree – buyers should also be very critical of design.  Important things when it comes to apartment design/inclusions include:
<ul>
<li>galley kitchen</li>
<li>separate bedrooms (both with direct natural light)</li>
<li>equal ensuites</li>
<li>wardrobe space</li>
<li>linen store</li>
<li>separate laundry</li>
<li>study nook</li>
<li>ceiling height</li>
<li>air-conditioning, ducted preferred</li>
<li>parking provisions, including visitors</li>
</ul>
See, you just cannot fit all the important stuff into a shoe box.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a href="https://www.matusik.com.au/" target="_blank">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" target="_blank">Michael's blog</a> or follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
{module What should be the smallest size for a one-bedroom apartment?} 
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michaelmatusik-49YzLvdmNv

Why apartments should not be smaller than 60 square metres

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We like things big in Australia. Big homes, big cars, big meals, big characters – everything’s got to be larger than life.
Or does it?
Have you looked at new car sales lately? Fuel efficient, small to mid-size cars are driving out of the showrooms before they’ve even been loaded off the docks. Sushi restaurants and salad bars are elbowing McDonalds’ out of the way everywhere you look, and – well, Kerry Packer’s leading the TV ratings again. OK, some things never change – we still love our big characters.
In real estate, big homes have been on the nose for a few years. They’re a lot more expensive, and they cost a lot more to run and maintain. In 2011, only 1% of sales across Australia were for properties over $1 million, so big and expensive homes are a very small segment of the market.
On the other hand, apartments are more popular than ever before. The 2011 census confirmed they account for 14% of all dwellings, up from 11% in 2006. Apartments made better capital gains than houses over the past few years, and they’re becoming a lot more affordable, too.
But apartments – especially those in new developments – are changing. They’re getting cheaper because they’re getting smaller. There’s a strong trend towards higher quality fixtures and fittings too, adding substantial value for money compared to a decade ago.
Take a look at the developments near you, and I bet they’re mostly one or two-bedrooms, with the occasional three-bedder thrown in for good measure. There are one-bedroom apartments on offer in Brisbane that measure just 51 square metres – much smaller than the old standard of, say, 70 square metres including balconies – but still twice as big as the controversial 25- to 28-square-metre apartments being touted in New York at the moment.
Developers everywhere are responding to the market, and the market is telling them smaller is better; smaller sells. It’s a simple fact that smaller, cheaper apartments are selling off the plan a lot faster than bigger, more spacious, more expensive ones in the same developments. Some developers are even changing their designs mid-way through the off-the-plan sales period to increase the number of smaller apartments on offer.
Let’s think about the newest generation of apartment renters – Generation Y – because they’re the ones driving this trend. Notorious for not leaving home, they’re getting older and many have finally had the shove from mum and dad.
Gen Y isn’t into home ownership or picket fences – they place a lot more importance on living life for its experiences. And no surprise: they don’t spend a great deal of time at home. So they’re snapping up small, affordable apartments for rent in exciting inner-city suburbs, close to the action. If you’re investing in a hip suburb, Gen Y are your tenants.
Which is why the other big trend in apartment design is to separate the bedrooms as much as possible, allowing singles to live at opposite ends of a small apartment, crucially with a bathroom each. The design of an apartment will determine the sort of tenants it attracts, so developers are fine-tuning their products to make sure they appeal to the right rental demographic.
Apartments are becoming smaller, but they’re better designed and equipped, so tenants can more efficiently use the space the way they want to live. The bottom line is, they’re cheaper to buy and cheaper to rent – and can only grow in popularity with both investors and tenants.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusik.com.au/">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /">Michael's blog</a>or follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
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Apartments are becoming smaller, cheaper and more popular, as Australians lose their appetite for big: Michael Matusik

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Mention of the Gold Coast residential market rarely raises an eyebrow these days, unless there's a story about a megamillion-dollar sale, or word of more bad karma in the market.
In looking at this market, it is helpful to understand its housing cycle, which is pronounced, and which usually has a six-year frequency.
The region experienced market peaks in 1988, 1992, 2002 and 2008; and downturns in 1982, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2012.
After almost 30 years in this business, you see patterns emerge. And history usually repeats. Based on past performance, the Coast looks set to have a market peak in 2014-2015, 2020 and 2026; and likely will experience downturns in 2017-2018 and in 2023.
Note the Commonwealth Games due for 2018 will, I believe, have little to no impact on the property cycle.
But data aside, there are tell-tale signs the Gold Coast market, like its Brisbane counterpart, is about to turn a corner. Some of these include:
<ol>
<li>Well-priced properties starting to sell soon after listing</li>
<li>Multiple offers occurring on well-priced properties</li>
<li>Some properties are now selling above reserve</li>
<li>Vacancy rates are on the decline and rents are rising</li>
<li>Fewer well-priced properties for sale - there is a shortage of saleable stock for sale across many parts of the Coast</li>
<li>Time on the market, as a result, is dropping and, in some cases, sharply</li>
<li>Intra-state and interstate interest is on the increase</li>
</ol>
It is apparent the Goldie market has just about bottomed and we are likely to see values grow during 2013 – probably in the vicinity of 5%. But those values might sit there for some time.
While the Gold Coast's population could rise by 135,000 over the next 10 years – which suggests the need for 50,000 to 55,000 new dwellings – indicators are the largest growth segments will be first-home buyers and those in their late 60s to early 80s.
Both groups are expected to take up a 25% market share of population growth, and both will be financially constrained.
Although the emerging shape of the Coast suggests the need for more detached housing, there is not enough alternative and more affordable housing types being supplied. These include townhouses, terrace homes, "plexes'' and, in some cases, suburban-based, walk-up apartment product.
The irony is the Gold Coast is one of the most undersupplied housing markets in Australia. What is supplied has little demand, and too much of it is focused around lifestyle and discretionary spend rather than on real life. Trends also suggest a need to expand its urban area to accommodate projected population growth.
The region will benefit from an increase in the supply of affordable new housing in locations where permanent residents can afford to buy or rent.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a href="https://www.matusik.com.au/" target="_blank">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" target="_blank" title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /">Michael's blog</a>or follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
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The seven tell-tale signs Gold Coast market has bottomed out and is about to turn the corner

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New homes sales fell by about 6% in July, wiping out all the gains recorded over the previous five months.  Sales stand at the second lowest level in 11 years.
In short, the housing construction market is back in the doldrums.  Newly erected homes aren’t selling, reducing the requirement for builders to start work on new projects.  The RBA governor has expressed surprise about the lack of home construction.
The housing industry is “lost” for an explanation as to why this is happening.
You see for mine, new property isn’t in strong demand because what is supplied is increasingly missing the mark; so, too, is how new property is promoted and its current method of disposal – a price reduction – just doesn’t work.  In fact, it does more damage than good.
In short, too much of the new stock on the market is poorly proportioned, designed, finished or sufficiently offset to entice buyers.
Likewise the promotion of new product is mostly homogenous, stale and reflects more the age, sex and circumstances of the development company directors than who they are trying to sell their product to.
Customers don’t want to hear about a developer’s history.  They do, however, want to know about their previous development’s performance.  Strange how few developers actually supply such details.
They also don’t really want all the lists that sales people seem to provide – pages of research material, very little of it relevant; brightly coloured brochures, dozens of floor plans/home designs.  They do want, however, trusted third-party endorsement.
Combined years of experience – give me a break.  Mostly repetition if you ask me.
Also, they aren’t interested in what makes your project different.  They only want to know what’s in it for them.
Let me close with a few remarks about discounting price.  There is a substantial body of very well-credentialed research to suggest that buyers prefer “extra for free” rather than the more generous “reduction in the asking price”.
It essentially boils down to a bonus versus a bribe.
Keep in mind that a building bonus; a first-home buyer’s grant or even a reduction/removal of stamp duties on new product is seen by the market as a “discount”.
Price tells the market much more about a product than merely what it costs.  A price cut – however it is packaged – is often seen as a mark of mild desperation on the part of the seller and it is not unreasonable to infer that the product is either inferior and/or that further price reductions are just around the corner.
Charging the full price but adding a tangible extra – i.e. a furniture package, guaranteed rental return, storage fit-out, or a fixture and finishes upgrade – does not convey the same level of desperation.  In fact, more often than not it enhances the product’s brand.
For mine, the new housing industry – in the main – is quite lost.  It still operates like a landline phone.  It isn’t a smartphone or a tablet.  It is analogue, not digital.  It is at odds with its target market(s) and until this disconnect is improved, new housing starts will remain low.
Hard words indeed from someone who is male, pale and increasingly stale, too.
And just to show my age, I have been listening to Rodriquez – Sugar man/Crucify your mind/I wonder/Sandrevan lullaby fame (even saw him in concert at the Tivoli last year) – of late.
So you think you have something to offer
Something shiny and new
But how much of you is repetition
And how much of that did you do poorly too?
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusik.com.au/">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /">Michael's blog</a>or follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>. 
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Housing industry in the doldrums because supply is missing the mark

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Vacancy rates in most of our capital cities are relatively low. The national rate sat at 1.9% last month, but it’s been slowly rising throughout 2012.
Rental vacancies in or near mining towns are up and down, but what’s happening in our bigger regional cities?
Let’s take a look around the nation, according to figures from SQM Research.
In Queensland, Cairns is sitting on 1.6%, after dropping consistently all year. Townsville’s vacancy rate is higher at 2.8% – but both northern centres had four times those rates just three years ago. Closer to the mining areas, Mackay’s vacancy rate has plummeted to just 0.9%, and Gladstone is sitting on 1.2% with just 30 homes up for rent in July. Emerald’s rate is actually on the rise, all the way up to 0.3% – or 10 properties. The news is still bad from Moranbah, where the vacancy rate remains up in the stratosphere at 5.1% – the result of mining giant BMA’s dummy spit over high rents. Looks like most of the miners prefer to live in nearby Mackay. Closer to Brisbane, Toowoomba’s vacancy rate is stabilising at 1.1%, after dropping all year.
New South Wales’ biggest regional centres, Newcastle and Wollongong, have vacancy rates in line with the national average – 2.1% and 1.9% respectively. Head west of Sydney and it’s not so rosy – in Orange, where the 2011 census confirmed a substantial population drop, vacancy rates have climbed sharply to sit at 3%. Further west, Dubbo is still a star at 1.4%, as is country music capital Tamworth at 1.5%. On the north coast, Port Macquarie has dropped to 1.8% while Coffs Harbour remains relatively steady at 2.1%.
The vacancy rates in regional Victoria are consistently above the national average. Geelong dropped to 2.4% in July after a sudden spike in May. Ballarat’s vacancy rate also dropped in July, to 2.4%, after climbing all year – and it’s a similar story in Bendigo, where vacancies are currently at 2.2%. The rate for Albury-Wodonga, on the NSW-Victorian border, has also climbed to about 2% combined.
Head over to WA – the nation’s GDP powerhouse – and regional rental accommodation isn’t so easy to come by. Mandurah and Geraldton are both boasting low vacancy rates of 1.2%, but Bunbury’s rate is zero – and has been for nearly two years. Even Perth is leading the capitals, with a vacancy rate of 0.7%. It looks like we’ve worked out where everyone’s moving to! Only tiny Karratha appears to be bucking the WA trend, with an unusually high vacancy rate of 4.3%. Perhaps it will settle down after its massive growth spurt and construction phase.
In South Australia, Whyalla is coping well with its Olympic Dam demands (before yesterday's announcement that the mine expansion would not be going ahead) – the vacancy rate has dropped to 1.9%, down from nearly 10 times that figure just two years ago. Port Lincoln is down to 1.5%, while Port Augusta has been rising dramatically only to pull back in July to 2.1%.
Things are a bit crook in poor old Tassie. Vacancy rates have practically doubled in both Hobart and Launceston in two years, with Launceston still climbing and currently sitting on 3.9%. It’s good news for retiring baby boomers arriving from the mainland with smaller post-GFC nest eggs – but very bad news for existing investors. The 2011 Census also confirms Tasmania lost more people to the mainland in the decade from 2001, than it gained. It’s a long road ahead when their bright young sparks are all moving to… well, Perth and Mackay.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a href="https://www.matusik.com.au/" target="_blank">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" target="_blank">Michael's blog</a>or follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
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Vacancy rates tight in Perth and Mackay, but other areas not so lucky

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Spring means good weather, more people venturing outdoors, gardens looking great, and plenty of leeway to coordinate a move that will minimise disruption to the school year and Christmas holidays, etc.
And then there’s the nitty-gritty to be worked out when selling a property:  choice of agent, sales method, asking price, marketing budget, and, of course, timing.
If considering listing your house for sale by auction, a study by Brisbane-based JA group suggests that the weather can have a substantial influence over the outcome for auctions being held on-site.
JA did a sample across 364 auctions, cross-referencing numbers attending with outcomes, clearance rates and the type of weather.
The study found that as the weather deteriorated, not only did the numbers of attendees drop, as might be expected, but the auction clearance rates also fell.
An auction clearance rate is the most commonly cited benchmark for the relative heath of a residential property market.  The rate reflects the reported percentage of auctions that were successful.
On just over half of the occasions, when the weather was deemed to be “great”, an average of 31 people were recorded at each of the auctions, leading to an average of 1.64 bidder registrations and a property clearance rate of 48%.
On 27% of the occasions with “good” weather, attendees dropped to an average of 22, with bidder registrations at 1.2.  The auction clearance rate also dropped to 36%.
A further 11% of auctions occurred in weather that was deemed to be “ordinary”, and in these conditions attendees dwindled to 16, with bidder registrations averaging 1.5.  The clearance rate hovered at 38%.
“Very ordinary” weather occurred for the remaining auction sample.  And here, I do have to interject that in spite of our recent rains, “very ordinary” might well mean “spectacular” to those folks in the southern parts of the land, and yes, we are spoiled up here in the sunshine state.
The average crowd size and bidder registrations remained about the same, but the gloomy weather caused the clearance rate plummet to 18% – a full 79% drop from the auction results recorded on great weather days.
So, there’s no solid scientific data to back up any conclusions here, but hey, I’ve seen heavier bets placed on far less credible data.  And I must admit it makes sense. One thing agents do agree on is that optimal weather conditions are conducive to optimal sales results, though this doesn’t mean that a good sales result is doomed due to overcast weather conditions.
This study suggests that for auctions, agents may want to consider creative ways to ensure healthy attendance numbers and buyer activity; and sellers may wish to re-evaluate the time of year to sell, and whether to consider an in-room rather than on-site auction.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusik.com.au/">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /">Michael's blog</a> or follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
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The better the weather, the more likely the property sale: Michael Matusik

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Rules are made to be broken – just ask any teenager.
But while I’m not always a “rules” kind of guy either, experience has taught me a thing or two about following the right ones.
If you dropped into the Sydney Home Buyer &amp; Property Investor Show last month – here’s a scene, below – you’ll already know that I have 10 rules for successful investment buying.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/sydney-home-buyer-show.jpg">
They have evolved over time – almost 30 years in the industry.  With that kind of exposure, and having helped hundreds of new residential projects come to fruition throughout the country, I’ve been able to see firsthand what works and what doesn’t when it comes to buying investment property.
My rules apply to “passive” investors – the “set and forget” types (which is the vast majority of the market – more than 90% of investors, according to recent survey results) and not to the “renovator junkies”, as I like to call them.  And before you shoot off a comment, there’s nothing wrong with getting your hands dirty, heck I have done it many times before; but if you just want to buy and forgot, then these rules apply to you.
Here are my 10 rules to help you buy well.
The property must be:
<ol>
<li>New, or at least recently renovated, to maximise depreciation/tax return and gross rental returns.</li>
<li>In a small or multi-staged development.  Preferably under 50 dwellings.  Large properties should not be ruled out.  They must, however, have substantial points of difference, i.e. well-proportioned and well-appointed apartments; quality facilities and finishes; and good access.</li>
<li>In a strong location – “infill” highly favoured, with high existing amenity; a great “walk-score”; and more importantly, potential for above average mid- to long-term capital growth.</li>
<li>In an area with five or more pillars of economic support, including cumulative demographic/rental demand and high employment/wages growth.</li>
<li>Within five minutes of “hard-core” infrastructure i.e. major work nodes; secondary schools; entertainment precincts and public transport, especially rail.</li>
<li>Delivered by a proven development team.</li>
<li>High quality in terms of design, materials and construction.  It must require minimum maintenance.</li>
<li>End prices under $600,000; better still, less than $500,000; and they must yield more than a 5% gross rental return.</li>
<li>Limited new dwelling supply when compared with underlying demand.</li>
<li>Sold with independent API registered valuation support and within an acceptable range of sales/marketing commission.</li>
</ol>
So, stick to the 10 and you’ll make millions?  Well, short answer – there are no shortcuts and no guarantees.  But by following my 10 rules I believe you can, with a little effort and knowhow, convert a modest deposit into a sizeable next egg.  But (yes, there is always one) don’t do it blind-folded – seek independent investment advice, have at least a 10% deposit, and have a truly spare $100 per week available to afford to buy that investment property.
So that was just the preamble – there’s more!  If you would like to receive our Matusik Insights report <a href="https://www.matusik-sydney.com.au/">What To Buy – 10 Rules For Better Investment Buying</a>, just register for your copy.  And folks – it’s free, just for you.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a title="blocked::https://www.matusik.com.au/" target="_blank" href="https://www.matusik.com.au/">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /" target="_blank" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/">Michael's blog</a> or follow him on <a title="blocked::https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik" target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> or connect via <a title="blocked::https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
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The 10 rules for successful 'set-and-forget' property investment

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Lower interest rates and lower prices have improved housing affordability.  CommSec reports that rate cuts have helped to lift consumer sentiment about buying a dwelling, according to the Westpac Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment, with improvement last month in the “time to buy a dwelling” index as well as the “time to buy a car” index.
However, concerns about the economic outlook and job security remain at the forefront; and overall sentiment sits at 1.7% below the level recorded in October last year, despite a 125-basis-point reduction in the cash rate that has brought the average standard variable mortgage rates down by nearly one percentage point.
But an interesting perspective comes this week from Crikey –  while we appear to be plagued by low levels of confidence (and could well do without the incessant negativity of federal politics), Aussies are buying new cars in near record numbers, travelling overseas – also in near-record numbers – and buying over the internet, both at home and abroad, in growing quantities.
And somehow, while managing to consume at fairly high levels, we are saving at rates of 9-10% a year.
There are many factors at play here, and clearly we need more solid ground to stand on; but could it be that we just don’t know how well off we are?
There is also good news on the housing front, with rising home prices and a pick-up in new home sales.
The back-to-back lift in house prices is encouraging.  Across Australia house prices have risen by 1.6% over the past two months, according to RP Data, and while that may not sound all that exciting, it is the biggest two-monthly increase in property prices in over two years and a welcome turn from a period of sustained weakness.
The ABS house price data, out this week too, finds a similar trend, with established house prices up 0.5% over the last three months, against an annual decline of 2.1% nationally.
These results highlight the underlying strength in residential property and that the market appears to have bottomed out.
In addition, housing activity has shown signs of improving, with new home sales rising for the third consecutive month.  It must be stressed that these gains come after new home sales reached a decade low earlier this year.  So they are off a low base.
It is clear that the sector is crawling off of the floor (basement, really), however the fundamentals for housing remain solid and while the sector is likely to remain in a period of consolidation in the near term, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
Importantly, not only has there been a modest pick-up in sales/price activity across the sector, but rental vacancy rates remain strong, rents continue to rise and many investment properties are starting to show gross rental yields well into the 5% range. 
While builders are likely to continue to compete hard for available work, home owners are likely to see the value of their homes rise over the year.
Many forecasters are now tipping prices to rise over the remainder of calendar 2012.  We think – assuming one last drop of 0.25 percentage points in the cash rate later this year – that a rise of 2% or 3% in the price of generic housing across Australia over the next five months isn’t out of the question.
What to buy when buying property
Rules – I’ve got 10 of them when it comes to successful investment buying.  Here’s just a sample:
Rule 1: Select new or at least recently renovated property to maximise depreciation/tax return and gross rental returns.
Rule 2: Choose a small or multi-staged development – preferably under 50 dwellings; large properties should not be ruled out, but should have substantial points of difference.
Rule 3: Buy in a strong location – “infill” highly favoured, with high existing amenity; a great “walk-score” and more importantly, potential for above average mid-to-long term capital growth.
Next Wednesday’s Missive will elaborate – so pencil in the read.
But if you can’t wait and you’d like to register for a free copy of my presentation, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusik-sydney.com.au/">What to buy – 10 rules for better investment buying, just click here.</a>
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a href="https://www.matusik.com.au/" target="_blank" title="blocked::https://www.matusik.com.au/">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" target="_blank" title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /">Michael's blog</a> or follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik" target="_blank" title="blocked::https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik" title="blocked::https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>. 
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Consumer sentiment up and home prices rising

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The Gold Coast’s population could rise by 135,000 people over the next 10 years. Past trends suggest this means that between 50,000 and 55,000 new dwellings will need to be built over this 10-year period.
Also (and despite the recent 2011 Census babble – a topic for a future missive), it is unlikely that there will be any meaningful change in the composition of the household structure on the Gold Coast over the next decade. For example, the proportion of couple households without children is projected to increase from 30% today to just 31% by 2021. Similar minor shifts are forecast across all Gold Coast household types. This is largely because three quarters of the population growth on the coast comes from migration and most migrants to the region are young.
Also, the rate of natural increase (ie. births over deaths) has more than doubled across the Gold Coast over the last 10 years. In the early 2000s, natural increase accounted for just 10% of the population growth across the coast. Last year its contribution rose to 25%. This significant increase in births is likely to boost demand for new and affordable detached housing on the Gold Coast in coming years.
Official statistics also suggest that two of the largest growth segments on the Gold Coast over the next decade will be those aged between 25 and 40 years of age and those aged in their late 60s to early 80s. Many, in both demographic growth groups, will be financially constrained.
The younger segment will be looking to buy their first home, and the older group to potentially downsize. Affordable housing options will have the most appeal. Both groups are expected to take a 25% market share of the population growth projected across the Gold Coast over the next decade.
Some recent new housing trends:
<ul>
<li>Just over half (53%) of the new dwelling approvals over the past seven years across the Gold Coast have been for detached houses. Yet over the last two years, detached housing market share has increased to over 60%.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Close to two-thirds of the “other dwellings” approved across the Gold Coast, again over the last seven years, have been multi-storey apartments, and most were either in Surfers Paradise or in Southport. Many target the short-term tourist market. Just one-third were townhouses. Townhouses are much more affordable than apartments and are typically built for permanent residents. In previous decades (the 1980s and 1990s), most (over 60%) of the attached product approved on the Gold Coast was townhouses. This provided an affordable housing option, which is currently missing on the Gold Coast.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Two-thirds of the detached houses approved on the Gold Coast are on allotments sized between 450 and 800 square metres. Just under half are still on land between 600 and 800 square metres in size.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Over the last nine years (calendar 2002 to 2010), there have been 30,500 residential lot approvals (including building units and community title schemes) across the Gold Coast. Over three-quarters (77%) of these have been approved in larger developments with over 50 or more dwellings. Just one-in-six (16%) have been in projects containing between 21 and 50 dwellings and just 6% in projects holding fewer than 20 dwellings.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fewer new dwellings, including attached product, are actually being accommodated in “infill” areas across the Gold Coast. Three years’ worth of data now exists in that regard and it shows that in 2008, 72% of the total new dwellings approved on the Gold Coast were within the city’s existing urban area. During 2009 this proportion fell to 57% and during 2010 it was just 51%.</li>
</ul>
Further observations
The existing demographic make-up of the Gold Coast, and in particular its emerging shape, strongly suggests the need for more detached housing. In addition, there are not enough alternate – and more affordable – housing types being supplied onto the Gold Coast market. These alternate housing types include not only townhouses, but terrace homes, “plexes” and in some cases, suburban-based apartment product.
Current trends suggest that the Gold Coast will not be able to accommodate the projected population growth within its existing urban area.
Most of the new development across the Gold Coast takes place within large developments. Increasingly, such large-scale developments cannot be accommodated in “infill” situations. Fragmented ownership plus, now, the rise of NIMBYism, has limited the number of economic development opportunities within the Gold Coast’s existing urban area. Higher purchase costs, smaller dwelling sizes and buyer/end-user profiles are also making new “infill” development less suited to most Gold Coast residents.
The Gold Coast needs to increase its supply of affordable new housing. This needs to be supplied in locations where permanent residents can afford to buy or rent. This can, increasingly, only be achieved outside of the existing urban area and on green-field or broad hectare sites within the urban footprint and in well-serviced locations.
In the immediate and short-term, the market will not bear the entrenched approach, which focuses much of this attention on delivering attached unit dwellings in close proximity to the coast. A better approach would allow for current market conditions (and emerging demand) by leaving open the possibility of more detached housing-based developments.
The irony is that the Gold Coast is actually one of the most undersupplied housing markets in Australia. What is supplied has very little demand, and way too much of it is focused around lifestyle and the discretionary spend. Not enough supply is focused on real life.
The Gold Coast needs to start thinking like a capital rather than a tourist destination or sea change location.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.matusik.com.au">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Readers can follow <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com">Michael's blog</a> or follow him on <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> – five tweets a day, some of which are on the property market.
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The Gold Coast needs to think like a capital rather than a tourist city: Michael Matusik

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Our kids are now all back in school.  It happens every school holidays: the traffic drops dramatically when schools are out and becomes almost unbearable when they return.  The first half of the year is also much worse – well, that’s my observation anyway – than the second part.
Recent posts by Alan Davies of <a target="_blank" href="https://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/">The Urbanist</a> have uncovered some interesting statistics when it comes to how our children get to and from school.
When it comes to primary students, 70% of our little tackers get driven to and from school.  It is good to see that just over 20% walk.  The balance (7%) either catch some form of public transport or cycle.  One would expect such.
Secondary students, in contrast, are a much more lethargic bunch.  Just under half of our teenagers get driven to school.  True, fewer get home that way, but still up to half get a lift with mum or dad in the mornings.  About 18% actually walk to/from school and fewer than 5% cycle.  One in three catches public transport.
Looking back 20-odd years ago shows a different pattern, with close to half of our high school students catching public transport back in the late 1980s.  One in 10 rode a bike; close to one in five walked and just 30% got a lift.
It is very likely that the rise in car ownership, two-income households being more the norm and some well published child-related crimes, especially in Queensland, have all had an impact on this trend.
But also – and I have two teenage daughters and we are as guilty as the next family – we are surely mollycoddling our teenagers way too much.
I had to take several modes of transport to get to and from school – plus walk through thick snow without shoes – when I was growing up in western Sydney.  Did my parents refuse to take me to school?  Well, there were stricter rules in their house than ours, but there was no way I was going to miss out on the “goss” on the bus or train – and besides, where else did you chat up girls, collect fags – cigarettes of course – copy each other’s homework, set up dates, make out and see which party you were going to crash on the weekend?
This is what being a teenager is all about.  And yes, you got into several scrapes, but mostly sense prevailed and lessons were learnt.
I believe that many of our kids today want more freedom – which includes getting to and from school – but we as parents are way too controlling.  We seem to relent as the year goes by; hence the drop off in school-related car travel at the back end of the year.
Most of Australia’s major urban spaces are trying to deal with increasing traffic congestion.  The solutions aren’t always about building more roads or implementing new public transport systems.  More discussion needs to be centred on changing behaviour.
Our teenagers – in the main – should not be driven to and from school.  More should catch public transport, walk and cycle to and from school.  If that means more police on the beat, then so be it.  This would be much cheaper than building another by-pass, tunnel or widening our arterial roads.
School times should also be offset against peak-travel times or staggered across our cities.  I have spoken to many teachers and parents about such and in every case this suggestion gets a positive reply, plus a bit of a surprise as to why this hasn’t been brought up as a solution before.  It isn’t that insightful – just plain logic.
But when it comes to government, why implement a simple and very cost-effective solution when a much more complicated and expensive alternative exists?
Changing the way teenagers travel to and from school isn’t a panacea for solving our urban traffic issues, but it is just one way to maybe improve the status quo without spending lots of money.  The public purse isn’t big enough these days to go for the ultimate solution.  We need get the most out of what we already have.
Oh, and before I go, there is a strong connection between residential prices and being within close commuting distance to a good secondary school.  According to ANU economist Andrew Leigh, a five-point rise in a school’s UAI score (equivalent to TER or ENTER in other states) leads to a $13,000 increase in house prices in the catchment area.  Similar research in the UK and the US has suggested good schools boost house prices by between 3% and 5%.
Our qualitative research with family groups has found that proximity to a good school is a higher priority than, say, having a city view or being close to major open space.  Our research has also found that homes within a half kilometre radius of a public secondary school grew by about 3% more per annum when compared to the wider city average.  A higher multiplier was found when looking at private secondary schools, which had close to twice the rate of growth when compared with the city-wide average.
Michael Matusik is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusik.com.au/">Matusik Property Insights</a>, which has helped over 550 new residential projects come to fruition.  Read <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com%20/" title="blocked::https://www.matusikmissive.wordpress.com /">Michael's blog</a> or follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/michaelmatusik">Twitter</a> or connect via <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmatusik">LinkedIn</a>.
Photograph courtesy of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a>.
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The impact lazy teenagers have on traffic, the econony and house prices – or why you should not drive your kids to school

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]

Michael Matusik

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