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For many years now, I have suspected that I may well suffer from a very modern affliction. In fact, I think it’s so contemporary that no-one – not even drug companies which is highly unusual – have classified it yet. You see, I think I am suffering from OPSA – or Online Property Search Addiction.
Looking back, I think the first signs that I had developed OPSA were about seven years ago which also happened to coincide with a rather major event in my life. It also corresponded with the start of my employment at the REIQ, but I believe that’s just a happy accident rather than a situation that allows me to feed my OPSA and get paid at the same time too, which you have to admit is really a rather fabulous state of affairs to be in.
But the initial stages of OPSA were developed back in early 2007 when I was starting to search for my first home.  As is quite usual for a first-time property hunter, I spent hours trawling online for potential purchases before bothering to actually inspect any in real life.
Back then, though, my budget was very limited and I was also cognisant via working at the REIQ that the Brisbane, actually the majority of the Queensland, market was on cusp of a very serious up-turn. Needless to say I knew that time was of the essence.
Alas, it appears my reading of the market was known by most other buyers as well, because at every open home I turned up too there were queues, yep I said queues, of people waiting for the inspection to begin. Many potential first-homes were sold overnight.  Indeed many were gone before I’d even had a chance to ring the agent.
Given these extreme circumstances, my OPSA grew rapidly as I found myself searching online for more and more properties that might be suitable, let alone still available.
Then a change in circumstances meant my potential budget increased significantly thanks to my brother deciding he wanted in on the first home buyer action as well.
What that meant though was that I was soon exposed to a whole new variety of properties to merrily search through – I must admit my OPSA was very happy about that turn of events indeed.
Within a few weeks, we had finally found our first home but between that time and my next purchase some five years later I must admit my OPSA never really went away.
I would often find myself searching through online listings just for fun – even properties that were far too big or too small and especially those that I could never afford to buy unless I married Bill Gates.
But the reason why today I am admitting so publicly that I have OPSA, after seven long years of kind of hiding it from most people, is that over the last day or two I have noticed that it has reared its head most ferociously and the timing of such a re-emergence is curious to say the very least.
On Tuesday, July 16, my off-the-plan investment property finally settled some 18 months after I signed the contract for its purchase.
I must admit it has been an interesting, sometimes overwhelming, experience and the first I have completed on my own so my stress levels have been very unhelpful especially over the last two or so months.
I have said to all of my friends over recent weeks: “That’s it. I’m not interested in buying another property ever again” but I think I was actually trying to convince myself and not really them. And then, I found myself – almost daze-like – back on <a href="https://www.reiq.com/">reiq.com</a> searching for that elusive cottage, or perhaps even a two-bed apartment overlooking the river and I knew the time had at last arrived to come clean about my affliction.
I’m not too sure how I am supposed to treat OPSA (since it doesn’t actually exist) short of cutting off my access to any type of technology whatsoever and that’s really not an option at all.
No, what I think I’ll do after today’s momentous admission is recognise that OPSA doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing.
In fact, I think it allows us to daydream about the future, and to work steadily towards that Great Australian Dream of home ownership – perhaps just multiplied by two or maybe three.
Nicola McDougall is the <a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">REIQ</a>’s executive manager of corporate affairs.
Image courtesy of Ronin McR and has been digitally altered.
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My name is Nicola, and I am an online property search addict: Nicola McDougall

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What would a city look like if you got to rebuild it from scratch? And how would you incorporate more than 100,000 ideas from the people who matter the most – the stoic individuals who continue to call Christchurch home?
During a holiday visit to my hometown of Christchurch in late April, I sat down with the man charged with rebuilding New Zealand’s second largest city and discovered a city on the cusp of rebirth.
More than two years before, however, I remember standing in the lunch-room of the REIQ’s Brisbane office on 22 February 2011 and watching as the Christchurch Cathedral crumbled on live television right before my very eyes.
Just six weeks after the Queensland floods and Cyclone Yasi, another natural disaster – this time earthquake – had befallen my life and I watched through tears and an almost overwhelming sense of fear for my family and friends as the place I used to call home was almost wiped from the map.
More than two years – and thousands of after-shocks – later, Christchurch continues to be mostly unrecognisable. One in two roads in the entire Canterbury province reportedly needs repairing so patience is a virtue that is an absolute necessity for anyone driving around the region. In fact, orange witches-hats and mesh fences are ubiquitous.
The central city has, for the most part, been reopened but it is an eerie experience to drive through what was once a thriving CBD populated by thousands of people. More than 1,000 buildings are being demolished in the central city and for someone like me, who remembers clearly the way it used to be, that means I often found myself rather discombobulated with no sense of where I was at all. Indeed, sometimes it felt like I was driving on the moon.
But it is not the moon, it is New Zealand’s second largest city and it must rise from the ashes for the sake of the country’s economy, and for the sake of hundreds of thousands of courageous souls who are waiting and watching for their home to be reborn.
Warwick Isaacs is the man whose shoulders this heavy burden now rests but to him it’s not a burden it’s a privilege. He heads up the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU), a government-created unit, charged with rebuilding the city between the four avenues which have long defined the inner-city precinct of Christchurch.
For a man with such a task ahead of him, he is a relaxed, easy-going individual, who was also happy to sit down with an ex-Kiwi from across the ditch to explain the unique opportunity now available to civic leaders, developers and residents alike.
“The devastation by the earthquake has been quite extreme in the central city,” he says as we sit in the CCDU offices located in one of the few commercial buildings to survive the 2011 earthquake.
“If you look at the central city it’s almost like someone has pointed an arrow and said: ‘That’s where we want to hit’ because that’s the impact.
“Between these four avenues there is in excess of 1,000 buildings being demolished and the very heart as you would have seen, the landscape is almost back to Ground Zero.
“What the recovery plan is about is, there were over 100,000 submissions from people in Canterbury and businesses and people from afar as well, that went to the council process – it was called Share an Idea.
“New thinking has come to Christchurch. There are opportunities the earthquakes have given us – it’s been a tragic thing – but there are opportunities to reinvigorate and revitalise, and set the tone for Christchurch as a future city rather than a city that’s still evolving from its past heritage.”
Nicola McDougall is the <a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">REIQ</a>’s executive manager of corporate affairs.
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What would it take to rebuild a city from scratch? The Christchurch experience: Nicola McDougall

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We’ve long been told that when it comes to selling your home, less is in fact more. That is, your fascination with the colour orange may help you feel all warm and fuzzy every time you open the front door but is probably not everyone’s idea of schmick interior design.
Personally I love orange, and red, and any other bright colour that screams look at me, look at me. I have also, as yet, not attempted to sell said property so the proof may well be in the pudding or hopefully any future would-be buyer will also be a tad colour-blind.
A number of news stories of late, however, appear to show that the tide is turning, and <a target="_blank" href="/news">what is old is actually becoming new and fashionable again</a>.
A movement which appears to me to be in-line with the current fascination of all things 50s, including beatnik fashion, is the increasing popularity of original properties from times gone by – sans renovation. Indeed, it appears the more original the better.
And according to a recent story about a property in <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/real-estate-agents-reporting-strong-interest-in-homes-with-original-features/story-fnii5v70-1226650491793" target="_blank">Brisbane,</a> demand for retro properties is definitely on the rise.
Jerri Harrison-Taylor, from RE/MAX Executives in Coorparoo, said she had been swamped with phone calls since the latest retro offering – a brick cavity house in Tarragindi – was listed. It sold in a week.
And one of the potential buyers said it was the “awesome” white-and-mint green kitchen that was one its main selling features. I completely agree.
I must admit I have long desired a property with black and white tiled floors and a claw bath and a servant for that matter.
My current abode has fabulous original parquetry floors which, just like the colour orange, make me smile every time I get home from work. Who knew that flooring could make you so damn happy? Or perhaps I am a little odd or just easily pleased.
I’ve always thought that part of the beauty of the Brisbane property market is its abundance of homes from yesteryear, especially within the inner-city precinct. And a new property listing on <a href="https://www.reiq.com/House/for-sale/annerley/2504310.aspx" target="_blank">reiq.com </a>for a home in Annerley certainly ticks all of the boxes of retro-cool. In fact, the kitchen goes even one better than I could possibly imagine and has blue-and-white tiled floors, complete with a very fetching red-trim.
Perhaps this renewed fascination with our architectural history has something to do with the current fast-pace of modern life or maybe it’s recognition of the superb workmanship that was part and parcel of homes of a particular bygone era.
Either way I believe your home should reflect your personality and what makes you smile – regardless of supposedly acceptable notions of contemporary colour palates. I reckon you worry about its saleability much later when, and a very big if, you ever decide to sell.
Nicola McDougall is the <a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_blank">REIQ</a>’s executive manager of corporate affairs.
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Your home should reflect your personality: Nicola McDougall

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Some people are good at home renovations, some are not. I am squarely in the latter category. I have never bought a house that needed rescuing, and the thought of all of the elbow grease required to turn a shack into a superstar gives me heart palpitations and night sweats.
Both of the properties I have bought have been nearly new or brand, spanking new. The most involved I’ve ever gotten with interior design is picking the colour scheme for my new apartment, which also was the first time I’d ever said “I’ll go for the beige” in my life.
My first property was only five years old when I bought it and didn’t really need much in the way of a face-lift. It did need new curtains downstairs, though, and for five long years I looked at, and untangled, those vertical blinds and promised myself I would invest in some fabulous new window coverings, perhaps red with big white spots, sometime very soon. When I rented that property out, those vertical blinds were still there and I was secretly glad that I hadn’t let my penchant for rainbow colours turn away hundreds of prospective tenants.
The problem is my aim for 2013 is to buy a small worker’s cottage and, on my budget, that will mean renovations. I trawl the listings on reiq.com and often see the “perfect” cottage, jam-packed with character and within my budget too, but then I see the internal pics and the need for a new kitchen, bathroom, floorboards, roof, entry stairs, garden and letterbox, and I feel completely and utterly defeated before I’ve even really begun. Perhaps I need to marry a builder? Or better yet an architect who used to be a builder.
Either way, when (or a very big if) I eventually buy my little fairy cottage, I will do my utmost not to overcapitalise. To start with I will follow some of these basic REIQ guidelines to prevent just such an eventuality:
<ol>
<li>Overcapitalisation occurs when an owner spends more money on improving a property than the profit those improvements could be expected to bring if the property were sold, which would be bad;</li>
<li>The REIQ recommends research and a simple formula to minimise the risk of overcapitalising, while adding value and valuable living space;</li>
<li>First of all, note the price you paid for the property, add the expected total cost of the renovations, add another 5% for landscaping, and you have the cost of your house and improvements;</li>
<li>Let’s say the total cost is $450,000. Next look at houses in your street and check real estate ads on reiq.com featuring nearby homes;</li>
<li>If there are no homes valued as high as the $450,000 mark, then you are probably overcapitalising. Only proceed with the renovations if you plan to live there for the next eight to 10 years, or if you’re confident your suburb will be the next to shine;</li>
<li>While it’s an overused real estate phrase, always remember that choosing ‘the worst house in the best street’ is clever buying for those wanting to renovate – although I’m not too sure how long my “dream cottage” will remain the worst house for given my long-held reluctance to renovate.</li>
</ol>
Nicola McDougall is executive manager for corporate affairs for the <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Queensland</a>. This article originally appeared on the<a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_self"> REIQ blog</a>.
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Six tips to avoid overcapitalising when renovating

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A Queensland developer is currently offering a “try before you buy” option to entice buyers.
The unusual marketing strategy includes the option for buyers to live in the new place for a small fee while their house is on the market – and there is also the option of moving back out if their place doesn’t sell.
While developers generally steer clear of subject-to-sale contracts, you have to give them extra points for uniqueness.
One thing that has always intrigued me is the relatively small amount of time you generally take before you decide to buy a property.
In a hot market, like the good ole days of 2007, you were lucky if you got one viewing and you had to make a decision what price you were going to offer before someone else beat you to the punch.
Even today, in sought-after inner-city areas especially, properties that are priced correctly don’t tend to last too long on the market. In fact, I recently went to the first open home of a property in the inner city to find out that it was already under contract.
When you consider that buying a home and/or an investment property is likely to be the biggest financial investment you will ever make, in many cases you have probably spent less than an hour actually inside the property before you decide to buy it. As a juxtaposition, I spent more than two hours at the weekend looking for a new frock that ended up costing me about 150 bucks and will probably be in my closet for, at best, one season.
My first home, I knew immediately – it was almost love at first sight – that I wanted to buy it, but that was probably because I had been to countless open homes in the months beforehand and knew exactly what I wanted. My second property, well I’ve never actually seen it, I only have some plans from the developer to go from as well as a vivid, and I hope learned, imagination.
The ability to live in a property before you legally own it, in my opinion, would therefore be a very good idea. You could suss out the neighbours (which realistically could be a positive or a negative), work out just how much closet-space you will have available for the aforementioned collection of season-specific frocks, and daydream about how your six-year-old, but very comfortable couch, will look in the lounge room.
Most of us, however, will never get such an opportunity, so that is why it’s so important to make sure you know exactly what you want when searching for your first, or your next, property. On <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">reiq.com</a>, we have a plethora of information to help buyers as well as nearly 100,000 property listings from REIQ accredited agencies – that’s the second highest numer of online Queensland property listings in the country, don’t you know!
So to help in your search, here are some tips to think about and check when you go to your next open for a property that might in a short space of time become your home:
Inside the property
• Check for signs of rising damp, such as rotting carpet or mould on the walls and ceiling; • Check the walls and ceilings for warps, cracks and any obvious damage; • Test all light switches; and • Test the water pressure in hot and cold taps and check to see that water drains well – slow flowing water may indicate blocked drains.
Outside the property
• Inspect fences for stability and any obvious faults; • Large trees around the house may have large root systems that can cause structural problems; • Check that the land’s water run-off is adequate and drains away from the dwelling; • Water staining on the eaves may indicate damaged or blocked gutters; • Look at the roof for any broken tiles or capping; and • If the property has a pool, check the legality of its fencing via the <a href="https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/construction/BuildingPlumbing/PoolSafety/Pages/PoolSafetyCouncil.aspx" target="_blank">Pool Safety Council</a>. Pools in a community titles scheme (body corporate) are the responsibility of the body corporate.
Nicola McDougall is executive manager for corporate affairs for the <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Queensland</a>. This article originally appeared on the<a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_self"> REIQ blog</a>.
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'Try before you buy' property scheme trialed in Queensland

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With the first big “didn’t see that one coming unless you looked out the window” storms of the season hitting Brisbane at the weekend, the timing of the release of two new disaster information tools this week was quite apt, in my opinion.
A new earthquake map and a<a href="https://www.qldreconstruction.org.au/flood-check-map" target="_blank"> new national online flood risk portal</a> were both unveiled by the federal government this week. Developed by Geoscience Australia, both tools will be helpful for communities to understand their disaster risk and for planners involved in the future development of our country.
There is a plethora of information available online these days that buyers can access during the research phase of their property purchase.  In our capital city, for example, you can find out the current and future flight paths of Brisbane Airport on <a href="https://www.reiq.com/Content.aspx?page=Brisbane_flight_paths" target="_blank">reiq.com</a>, and drill down to the flood risk of a specific property through the Brisbane City Council website.
And for each and every buyer, the information that these and other tools provide will mean something different. Some will look at the data and say, well, there is a chance my property might flood in the next 20, 50 or 100 years, but I’m happy to take the chance. Others will not be happy with any flood risk whatsoever (which in Brisbane may leave you with limited options except perhaps living on the top of a 20-storey building) and so will head for the hills.
Some of Brisbane’s most prestigious suburbs are located directly under flights paths for Brisbane Airport, but the majority of residents in these areas are happy to put up with some occasional aircraft noise for the views of the river or their location close to the CBD and entertainment precincts.
All buyers have a list of what they are prepared to put up with and what they are not. Some people are happy to put up with living on a main road if it cuts down on their commuting time or is close to public transport options. Others know their area might be prone to specific weather events but the lushness of the bush or the relative isolation of the location more than makes up for the risk in their mind.
I live on the river in Brisbane’s inner-city suburbs. I didn’t live there last year during the floods, but my building was seemingly about four metres under water. What I have learned from living there is that the Brisbane River – although far from aqua blue – is an almost hypnotic vista to have, and I often find myself staring blankly at the water with very little going on between my ears. It is very peaceful.
I have also learned that being on the river seems to be much windier than in the suburbs. Saturday morning’s storm certainly confirmed that assessment. At about 10.40am, as one of the many storms that rolled over our city hit, it was pitch-black in my apartment. I was too scared to turn on any lights so I sat in the dark and listened as the world outside turned topsy-turvy. The wind was howling, all the windows started to shake (and leak, I was to learn later), and I could see white-tipped waves on the usually-tranquil river. The beautiful gum trees at the front of my building were swaying back and forth so violently they were almost bending at right angles.
Scared the windows were about to crack, I moved to the hallway where I would be safe from any shattering glass, and waited. The whole episode took about 15 minutes, but it was long enough for this New Zealand native to start quivering in her boots (well, sandals, actually). You see, I can deal with earthquakes. I grew up in Christchurch. But the big summer storms that hit Queensland almost every year are a relatively new phenomenon that I am yet to fully master. Earthquakes are probably scarier, on measure, but I guess it just depends on what you are used to.
Once the storm had moved onto its next victim, I looked around my apartment to find no damage except one very wobbly resident – me. Outside, on the riverfront, one of the aforementioned gum trees have snapped in half and landed smack-bang in the middle of the swimming pool. It was a surreal sight – although I couldn’t help but be a little annoyed that if it had landed one metre to the left I would have got a new car.
Nicola McDougall is executive manager for corporate affairs for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiq.com/">Real Estate Institute of Queensland</a>. This article originally appeared on the<a target="_self" href="https://reiqblog.com/"> REIQ blog</a>.
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What the Queensland government's flood and earthquake risk maps will mean for property buyers

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Last week’s cash rate cut caught a few of us here at the REIQ office a little by surprise. The first Tuesday of every month, we generally make a fairly educated assessment about what will happen at the Reserve Bank meeting that day, and I am happy to say that we get it right most of the time. Not so last Tuesday, unfortunately.
I had been sure the Reserve would cut rates, but that morning I changed my mind – something I now bitterly regret, of course. While I certainly felt the wobbly nature of the economy here and overseas warranted a rate reduction, there had been strong economic reasons for a cut in the past and the Reserve had done nothing, so I figured that is what it would do again.
At approximately 2.31pm AEST I discovered that the Reserve’s assessment of the economy had in fact been similar to mine (until I changed my mind, that is) and the cash rate had been lowered by 25 basis points to 3.25% – the lowest it had been since 2009.
But while cash rate cuts may seem like a very good thing, they also signal that the economy is not quite as flash as we would like it to be. Throughout 2011, in my humble opinion, the Reserve left the cash rate far too high for far too long because on the ground it was fairly obvious that things were pretty average. The property market was very flat, the retail sector was flatter, and to top it off we’d had our summer of natural disasters, which affected thousands of Queenslanders as well as the morale of an entire state.
Now with interest rates heading towards where they should have been last year (in my humble opinion), the question is how much lower are they likely to go?  Indeed, survey results released this week indicated that more than two-thirds of first-home buyers were intending to fix their home loan rate over the next 12 months to gain some repayment certainty.
I read somewhere once that when it comes to the game of fixing the interest rate on your home loan there is usually only one winner – and it is unlikely to be you. That said, I fixed a portion of the loan on my first home five years ago. Within 12 months, due to rampant inflation, rates had shot up to more than 9%, so that fixed portion actually saved my bacon.
Unfortunately, a year after that the GFC happened and rates plummeted to historic lows, so that fixed portion soon resembled some type of greedy goblin when I paid my mortgage every month. In hindsight, I think I ended up winning some and losing some.  But with fixed rates now heading towards 5%, I am starting to consider fixing once more but alas remain annoyingly undecided.
To fix or not to fix? That is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles.
See, even Shakespeare didn’t know what to do.
Nicola McDougall is executive manager for corporate affairs for the <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Queensland</a>. This article originally appeared on the<a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_self"> REIQ blog</a>.
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You win some and lose some when you fix your mortgage

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Australia is a nation of pet lovers.  It is estimated that 63% of Australian households have some type of pet, with more than 50% of us owning a dog or a cat.
Over many years, Australian and international research has shown that owning pets can help improve a person’s mental and physical health, reduce the effects of stress, help children learn about responsibility, facilitate social interaction between people and build a sense of community.
And according to a recent release by the <a target="_blank" href="https://petnet.com.au/">Petcare Information and Advisory Service (PIAS)</a>, the structural shift to higher-density living has the potential to impact our love of pet ownership and the benefits we derive from having a beloved moggy or ridiculously cute sausage dog called Kransky.
In many countries, according to PIAS, where high-density living has been the norm for a longer period of time, pets have been successfully integrated into city life.  And while it appears more and more landlords and bodies corporate in Australia are open to tenants and owners having pets, we still have a long way to go before we reach the acceptance levels of our compatriots overseas.
I have always been a cat person. I grew up with cats with imaginative names like Sylvester, Panther, Sebastian and Spike.  Our first cat was called McFur, which I must admit is pretty damn cool.
I was pet-less for about 15 years as I wandered around the globe, but about four years ago I inherited a cat a colleague had found living in a drain. The story goes that the previous owners had packed up and quite purposely left the cat behind. I still shake my head about it to this very day.
<img style="margin: 5px; float: left;" src="/images/stories/2012/07/trixie.jpg">
Now this cat lived in a drain for several weeks and was only rescued once it decided to start stealing food from people’s houses. She was obviously very hungry, but also admirably resourceful. The vet nicknamed her “Worms” and she lived there for two months before the last day of her existence was nigh. My colleague, an avowed animal-lover who already had a large enough collection of pets herself, put out a last desperate call for someone to save the cat’s life. For some reason, I answered that plea and within six hours had a very frightened, pitch-black, green-eyed fur-person delivered to my townhouse. Her first toy was a feather duster.
We named her “Trixie” (Trixie McMoo Moo in reality, which is quite embarrassing for me and for her) and she is the most affectionate, clumsy, slightly crazy cat I have ever known. We kept each other company over those years, but like so many people when I decided to move into a new property, there was a “no pets” policy. I thought about sneaking her in but decided against it. The next best option, of course, was to call my mum.
No doubt there is research out there somewhere about the tens of thousands of animals that end up living with mum and dad. Mum was due to retire, had lots of outdoor space for Trixie to roam around and roll in, and best of all, I could still see her whenever I wanted.  I saw her yesterday actually, but I must admit (as cats are wont to do) her affection for me has waned and is now firmly lodged with my mother. But that’s OK because she is happy and healthy where she is. But if I’m completely honest, part of me still pines to have her back living with me – especially now that it’s winter so she could keep me warm under the covers.
Nicola McDougall is media and communications manager for the <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Queensland</a>. This article originally appeared on the<a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_self"> REIQ blog</a>.
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And your little dog too: When pets and property are incompatible

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There has been plenty of talk of late about the bottom of the Queensland property market and whether it is here or indeed has already passed. It is almost like a mythical beastie that everyone tries to identify but in reality few actually do. This is because – just like coming face to face with an ogre masquerading as a human – it can be quite a scary proposition. Well, it was the time I thought I caught a glimpse of one.
I have always said everyone has different bottoms (chortles inserted here please). That is what makes the world such an interesting place. When it comes to the property market, some people might wait for a time when they believe prices have bottomed out and when activity is usually also low. Others might wait for prices to start to increase marginally or wait for activity to increase ever-so-slightly.
Whichever timing is the best for you, buying property is usually the biggest financial decision you will make in your lifetime, and there is likely to be a certain amount of stress involved, regardless of when or how often you buy.
In January this year, I took the plunge and bought an off-the-plan investment property. It was in an enviable location close to the city, had strong capital growth and rent potential and, well, the design was funky – I am a woman, after all. At that point in time, I thought the bottom of the market had arrived. From talking to agents it seemed there was a little more confidence in the market, more people were venturing out to open homes, and the remnants of last year’s natural disasters were nearly a calendar year behind us.
I signed on the dotted line within a few days of first seeing the plans and after doing so much extra research I thought that my eyeballs or my brain might fall out on my desk. Thankfully neither of those things happened otherwise it would be very difficult for me to write this column. I acted quickly because – just like my first property purchase – I had a good feeling about the development and it ticked all the boxes when I considered the various investment property criteria.  Was I nervous? Yes. Did I know with 100% certainty that I was buying at the bottom of the market? No, but I was prepared to give it a shot. So were plenty of other buyers I found out, with the development almost selling out within the March quarter.
Five months on from that decision, the diggers have moved in and soon the development will start to take shape. I am a little jealous that I will never live in it, because it does have primo views across the river, but apart from that I am happy with the decision I made. When it comes down to it, it is only you who knows when it is the right time to buy and in the end which bottom you would prefer.
Nicola McDougall is media and communications manager for the <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Queensland</a>. This article originally appeared on the<a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_self"> REIQ blog</a>.
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The bottom of the property market – and the best time to buy – differs for everyone

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

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Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

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Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

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Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

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The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of living landscapes.

"We've always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren't there," Hameister says.

"In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that's concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.

"The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Nicola McDougall

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