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Off the plan apartments are generally offered at a cheaper rate and provide investor incentives such as tax depreciation benefits and stamp duty savings.
However, for most buyers, the big picture goal is capital gain, so assessing the return potential of a new purchase from day one will help ensure success. Here are some key things to consider to get the most capital gain from an investment.
The first red flag? An oversupplied market
When a market becomes oversupplied, values can drop sharply, as can rental rates. New South Wales-based property investor <a href="/guides" target="_blank">Cameron McEvoy</a> says high market penetration occurs when too many large-scale development applications are approved by a council and are completed a few years later, resulting in an oversupply of housing stock in an area.
To avoid investing in a soon-to-be development jungle, investors should talk to local councils or visit the department of infrastructure website in their state to find out about projects that are underway or in the planning stage.
Heritage listed sites are a bonus
McEvoy says heritage listed sites are great things to look out for as heritage dwellings are not going to be bulldozed any time soon, therefore potentially making a desired apartment block as rare as hen’s teeth in that area.
“This in turn could result in your dwelling holding its value or increasing in value faster,” says McEvoy.
Get a demographic snapshot of the area
Understanding the population growth and job opportunities in an area is also an important tool in assessing capital gains, as it can give a snapshot of how an area is changing.
Principal of Sydney-based buyer’s agency 37 Property Group, Dean Berman, recommends comparing an old Australian Bureau of Statistics census against the most recent census to get a snapshot of how an area is changing.
Berman says to consider historical trends of vacancy rates and rental yields to gauge an understanding of the market.
“Investors could look at how vacancy rates have performed over the last five to ten years and that, sub two percent, is a good benchmark,” says Berman.
Owner-occupier appeal
Property Searchers managing partner Scott McGeever says a good investment needs to appeal to the owner-occupier market rather than the mass investor market.
“This will generally be done by investing in a larger floor area in a smaller complex, rather than a smaller one-bedroom unit in a high rise complex,” McGeever says.
One-bedroom units in high-rise complexes will fall into the trap of competing against a hundred other similar apartments in the same complex, which appeal to the same market.
Remember…
Before investing in an off the plan apartment, research is integral in assessing whether the development has the potential for capital gain. As mentioned, things to look out for include: avoiding an oversupplied market, a larger floor area in a smaller complex is better than a small space in a highrise development, and having a demographic snapshot of the area and its potential for change is crucial.
Off the plan apartments, like any other investments, are more likely to result in a positive investment if due diligence is taken in the research phase.
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How to: Access capital gain from a new apartment

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National vacancy rates increased during the month of December to 2.6% with 73,082 vacancies recorded nationwide, according to SQM Research.
This figure represents a 0.4% increase compared to November and a 0.3% increase year on year, but SQM says vacancy rates tend to rise at the end of each calendar year.
Melbourne currently has the highest vacancy rate out of the capital cities, recording 3.4% for the month of December; a 0.4% increase from the previous month but a 0.2% decrease year on year.
According to SQM, December was the fifth consecutive increase for Melbourne, which now sits above the market equilibrium of 3%.
Year on year, Perth experienced the biggest jump, increasing 1.2% from 0.9% in December 2012 to 2.1% in December 2013.
Brisbane and Canberra both increased 0.6% annual, recording a vacancy rate of 2.8% and 2.3% respectively.
SQM says the ongoing uptrend in the number of capital cities’ CBD locations is of significance, with the Brisbane CBD recording a vacancy rate of 5.4%, Melbourne CBD recording 5.8% and Perth CBD recording a 5.9% vacancy rate.
The surge in vacancy rates in capital cities’ CBD is a result of new supply on the market, with rates trending upwards since mid-2013, says SQM.
The asking price for rental properties remained flat during 2013, with the capital city average recording a 0.8% increase for houses and a 1% increase in asking rents for units, according to SQM Research’s Asking Rents Index.
Darwin experienced the biggest increase for housing, rising 5.9% for asking rents for houses and a 7.7% increase in asking rents for units.
Canberra recorded the steepest decline of 8.4% in asking rents for houses and a drop of 5.3% in asking rents for units.
Regionally, SQM recorded high vacancy rates in a number of resources based townships, including Karratha at 8% for the month of December, Port Hedland recorded 6.3%, Gladstone at 11.1%, Mackay at 6.8% and Townsville at 8%.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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National vacancy rate climbs to 2.6%: SQM Research

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When it comes to picking property winners that will benefit you from capital growth, there is no particular formula to follow. Every investment opportunity comes with risks, but Property Observer has asked a group of buyer’s agents to share a property they’ve bought that made an impressive capital gain and one they learnt a lesson from. Each agent was asked about the property and why he or she chose it. 
Read below for some tips for your next investment choice. 
 
Rich Harvey, buyer’s agent and managing director of <a href="https://www.propertybuyer.com.au/" target="_blank">www.propertybuyer.com.au</a>
Investors get confused between “Research” and “Search” 
We all dream of finding an amazing property deal that will provide incredible returns to give us financial freedom.  However, the reality is that property investment is a long term game and we need patience, fortitude and wisdom to do well.  I see so many investors get impatient and sell out too early and miss out on the best years of growth when a property cycle turns upward.  I also hear of investors rushing into new off plan deals because the brochure looks nice and they can see themselves living there when the market fundamentals do not stack up.
Property investment in the first instance is about picking the right area before drilling down to individual property type.  Investors get confused between “Research” and “Search”.  Research is about understanding the dynamics of the local area, the micro and macro factors that will drive a local market – i.e. demographics, population growth, infrastructure, employment, supply and demand.  Searching is about looking at what property types suit the local area and are in the highest demand. Then it’s about the individual characteristics of the property itself – construction type, floor plan, finishes and inclusions etc.
With over 15,000 suburbs to choose from investors can face an overwhelming challenge to pick the right areas.  Fortunately there are some clever research tools that we use as Buyers Agents to help shortlist both suburbs and properties.
I have bought a multitude of properties that have performed well over the long term.
As a buyers’ agent I regularly come across “off-market” deals via our extensive network of agents.  I purchased a property in Leichhardt in Sydney’s Inner West back in mid-2007 for $645,000.  It was a tri-level townhouse with four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a very rare double lock up garage.  At the time the rent appraisal was only $650 but I knew this was under-rented and with some minor renovations it could increase both yield and value.  The property was located very close to Norton Street, which is the main shopping strip of Leichhardt with the Italian Forum shopping centre, trendy cafes, bookshops and other boutique stores.  Although under the flight path, Leichhardt is close the CBD, with good road, bus and light rail links nearby.  The Inner West of Sydney is a solid performing area for capital growth and contains a good mix of property types.
I chose the property as it was located in a quiet street and in a small block of only five townhouses (low strata fees), close to schools and shops, and the double garage - which was a rare as hen’s teeth!  Internally, the property had a good layout with average size kitchen, living and diving and outdoor terrace, leading to a small grassy yard.  There was also a small study on the ground floor with its own courtyard.  On the first floor were three bedrooms and two bathrooms (main with ensuite).  On the third level was a huge open plan rumpus area which could be used as a teenagers retreat/ extra bedroom or fabulous home office.
It could be rented to a wide range of potential tenants and we never had any vacancy issues. We were able to raise the rent each year in line with market increases and got the rent up to $950 per week.  I recently sold the property for $1.03 million to pursue other investments, so made a solid capital gain of almost 60% over six years (i.e. 9.9% per annum).  I would have been happy to retain this property as part of my portfolio but there also comes a time when it is appropriate to sell and take a profit.
 
Jacque Parker, director of <a href="https://housesearchaustralia.com.au/" target="_blank">www.housesearchaustralia.com.au </a>
Smart buying occurs in the price range where the majority of residents in the area can afford to rent
 
I purchased a "bread and butter" freestanding house in Singleton at the end of 2001 for IP purposes.  Wanted to stay around the affordable/median price for the town (as I've done with all our residential investments) and searched for a property that would appeal to a wide variety of tenants (3x1x1 with decent yard and easy walk to town centre).
We chose this town as it was affordable for our budget - sub $100,000 - at the time. We had some familiarity with the area and knew the town was large enough to support more than one industry such as agriculture, defence force and mining. We also wanted something that lent itself to a renovation if we decided to increase value.  In the 12 years we've owned it, the rent has increased from $150 per week to $330 and the value has increased from $85,000 to $320,000. That's a 274% increase in 12 years, which we're happy with.
The property has consistently returned us an increasing positive cash flow, with very little added over the years in terms of costs.  We have repainted, conducted minor repairs and added new blinds only during this period. We have been fortunate enough to have an excellent caring tenant during the majority of our ownership and out of our entire portfolio, it has provided the least headaches. What we learnt from this investment is that smart buying occurs in the price range where the majority of residents in the area can afford to rent.  Doing our research beforehand certainly helped in ascertaining this, as well as having local knowledge of this particular area and town. It also has killed off the long-held myth that there is little capital growth to be had in regional areas!
 
Philippe Brach, buyer’s agent at <a href="https://www.multifocus.com.au/" target="_blank">Multifocus Properties and Finance</a>
Cash flow has to be manageable
I bought a three-bedroom townhouse in St Lucia in Brisbane in late 2004 for $320,000 that was rented to a coffee shop owner for $380 per week. He vacated three weeks later and ever since I have permanently three overseas students from the nearby Queensland University Campus (1.5km away) and the rent jumped to $500 per week straight away.
Currently, the property is valued at $600,000 and with the upcoming increase in prices in Brisbane I am confident that this will jump again. In addition, I now collect $630 rent per week. So it is a nice combination of being cash flow positive and great provider of capital gains.
The only property I bought that underperformed was an over 55s unit in Eagleby, south-east Queensland. It was an experiment for me. I paid $90,000 for it in 2005 and it is worth about $85,000 now. The rent is great – currently $250 per week – so it is comfortably cash flow positive, but capital growth is non-existent. I assumed at the time that, since pensions increase by 2% above CPI, capital growth would follow the same progression. It brings me some cash, but you are never going to get seriously rich with a cash flow alone!
My philosophy is that capital growth is definitely the name of the game, but cash flow has to be manageable. Buying a strongly negative cash flow property that promises great capital gains can be reckless unless you have too much cash to burn.
 
Damian Collins, managing director of <a href="https://www.momentumwealth.com.au/" target="_blank">Momentum Wealth</a>
Fundamental property principles - Land value is what goes up while buildings depreciate
We have purchased a number of properties that have performed exceptionally well for clients. One recently springs to mind is a client purchase that was just sold for a substantial profit. The property is in the Perth suburb of Kewdale.
We purchased the property for $515,000 in March 2011 and the client sold it in December 2013 for $761,500 without doing anything to it. This represented capital growth of 47.9% in the period of 2 and 3/4ths of a year when the Perth market median has grown only 5.1% over the same period. We have had a number of similar results for clients. Our research team had identified rezoning in the area and predicted a rapid re-rating in the market of any property with development potential. Our Buyers Agent team targeted this area for clients looking for development opportunity and many clients are up around 50% in around two years.
A property that I've purchased that underperformed would be a unit I purchased myself many years ago in the early 2000's. I sold it a few years later for a small profit, however it had underperformed the market. I realised quickly the importance of sticking to fundamental property principles - land value is what goes up while buildings depreciate. As long as you understand that you can make more informed property decisions.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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How buyer's agents pick the best performing properties

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Property development and investment group Tipalea Partners has splashed $11.8 million on an industrial property in Port Botany, amidst structural change in South Sydney, which will see 20% of the current industrial market removed.
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"South Sydney remains such a strategically important industrial market in Sydney and it's undergoing massive structural change,” says Scott Spanton managing director of Tipalea Partners.
“The most significant change is that around 1,000,000 square metres of industrial land and buildings is earmarked for residential and commercial redevelopment over the next five years. This will effectively remove 20% of the current industrial market," says Spanton.
Tipalea Partners bought a 6,600-square-metre six unit industrial property on Beauchamp Road with an 8.1% indicative rental yield.
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"We expect strong rental and capital growth potential will be created by the ongoing displacement of industrial tenants as the gentrification of South Sydney continues between now and 2020.
“It's the perfect storm of investment conditions, critical infrastructure assets are being expanded, demand for space is increasing but supply is shrinking,” says Spanton.
The site is fully leased with expiries ranging from 2014 to 2018.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Tipalea Partners snaps up Port Botany site for $11.8 million

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At the height of the mining boom back in 2011, Gladstone was touted by many as a hotspot; recording a vacancy rate of just 0.6% in the June quarter and settling in as Queensland’s top performer in August.
But after an injection of supply into the market from completed projects and QGC moving their staff to accommodation on Curtis Island, the vacancy rate has continued to climb.
Louis Christopher of SQM Research recently spoke to David Koch on Channel 7’s Sunrise and claimed that Gladstone is experiencing rental falls of 30% and a high vacancy rate around 7%; concluding that the Gladstone market is positioned to crash.
According to RP Data, rents have continued to trend downwards since February 2013 and the median weekly rental rate has fallen -7.3% for houses as of October 2013.
John Fieldus director of property management and leasing Ray White Gladstone says the vacancy rate got very close to 9% the week before Christmas but is currently back around 3.5%. 
“I’ve been a property manager for 25 years and it’s very sensational what is being said.
“Vacancy rates got very close to 9% the week before Christmas but that occurs every year in Gladstone.
“It’s like an ebb and flow effect, a lot of tenants do transfer, it’s a very transient sort of town,” says Fieldus.
Fieldus says that rental property in Gladstone accounts for around 40% of all dwellings.
“The vacancy rate has been less than 1% over the last seven years until a month ago. Some 4,000 houses have been built in the last year, and a large percentage of those are investor driven.
“There’s around 850 vacancies around the city at the moment, which is four times higher than what we’re used to. But I’m confident in the market absorbing a lot of the vacancy we have, it just takes sheer hard work,” says Fieldus.
Fieldus says rents in the area have come back 10-15% in recent times, which means existing tenants can get a better deal.
“Majority of the tenants are existing tenants in town looking for a better deal. They’re picking up on that 10-15% drop and can find something better,” says Fieldus.
Fieldus describes the Gladstone market as a funnel; too much is going into the top and it can’t be funneled through.
“It’s certainly not going to be a buoyant year but I don’t think the market has crashed it, I dispute that strongly.
“Our challenge is to absorb all those vacancies. I think over 500 would be self-contained units built and developed for the Curtis island project.
“The company then built their own accommodation on their construction site and now there are several thousand living in the companies own accommodation on the island, which has been detrimental to Gladstone.
“I think housing is nearly in balance and I think we can get it back to balance this year. Majority of the development has ceased here, so we’re trying to filter everything through the funnel but too much is going through the top."
In terms of the future market for Gladstone, Fieldus says it just needs a bit of elbow grease.
“It’s taken more than 12 months to absorb the vacancies and the town itself is in a little bit of semi shock.
“If you stand back and be objective, we’ll be in oversupply for a little while. It will just take some time, it needs some growth and there is still a lot of employment around,” says Fieldus.
Major projects currently under construction include the $2.5 billion port expansion of the Fisherman’s Landing Reclamation Area, the $2.5 billion Wiggins Island new coal export terminal and the $23 billion LNG production facility, among many others.
The median house value as of November 2013 was $495,000, a 10% drop from $551,000 in November 2012, according to Residex. They put the capitalised annual yield at 6%, with the median reflecting a 5% rental yield.
RP Data records the median rental yield of West Gladstone at 6%.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Is the Gladstone market positioned to crash? 

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Confidence in the property industry has reached record levels, increasing eight points since the same time last year to a new high of 140 points. 
According to the Property Council/ANZ Property Industry Confidence Index, every Australian market is in positive territory, with capital values expected to rise and construction activity set to increase.
“This is great news for the hundreds of thousands of Australians working in the property industry,” says Property Council of Australia chief executive Peter Verwer.
“Positive expectations about house price growth and significant expected increases in residential construction activity across the nation are driving a strong upturn in confidence for the property industry.
“The industry has been buoyed by strong staffing level increases across the nation over the last three months and is confident of further increases in staff hiring over the next 12 months,” says Verwer.
Verwer says the answer to boost economic growth and create jobs is a clear answer.
“The message from Australia’s largest business confidence survey is that it is property and construction, the industry that employs more people and contributes more to GDP than any other, that will lead the way to future prosperity.
“This is more than a bounce due to political events – this is Australia’s largest industry powering back up after a long period of consolidation,” says Verwer.
But outside the property sector, ANZ chief economist Warren Hogan says the improvement in business sentiment has been tentative and the near-term outlook for the Australian economy remains subdued.
“Mining investment is winding down from unsustainable highs and the public sector will likely detract from growth in the near-term.
“Hence, despite a solid recovery in the property sector, ANZ expects that Australia will experience below-trend growth over the next 12-18 months.
“For monetary policy, this suggests that we are in for an extended period of low interest rates. The future path of the AUD, however, will remain an important consideration for the RBA,” concluded Verwer.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Confidence in property industry reaches record high

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Sydney homeowners have the chance to have their home remodeled with bespoke Italian furniture worth up to $1 million. The only catch – your home will act as a living showroom for 12 months.
After a similar contest in New York, Venetian design group Design-Art has landed in Australia and is seeking an apartment/terrace around 150-200 square metres.
The homeowner will have the opportunity brief the Design-Art team on their design goals, and then work with Italian designers and local architects to transform their home.
The home will be decked out in hand crafted furnishings, 3D-printed lighting, floor coverings, kitchen and bath furniture and accessories, all incorporated into the homeowners design brief.
The redesign process will take approximately 14 to 18 months – the fit out process and then 12 months of showcasing the home to media and industry events.
Entries close on February 15 and details on the contest can be found <a href="https://design-apart.com/nyc-loft/sydney/" target="_blank">here</a>.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Sydney homes sought for $1m remodel

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Werribee South’s integrated marina and residential master-planned community Wyndham Harbour is soon to release its second apartment building, following the sell out of Marina Quays.
The Lighthouse - designed by SJB architects - will feature 137 apartments over five levels in a white façade at the end of Quay Boulevard.
“From the exterior individual apartments are not easily recognized – undulating rhythm of the structure both horizontally and vertically celebrates a sculptural composition over one of order,” says SJB director Oliver Mayger.
“The linear balustrade elements, slip in behind and alternate between sold and clear glazed materials, this format offers different views to the park and the distant CBD,” says Mayger.
On offer will be one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and a penthouse.
The sold out Marina Quays apartment is made up of 104 apartments and 1,000 square metres of retail space, with an expected completion date of May this year.
Wyndham Habour is set to be Victoria’s largest marina upon completion, featuring 1,000 marina berth, house and land packages, two beaches, 10 hectares of landscaping with cycling and walking trails and a cosmopolitan centre.
Some 142 land lots have been secured.
<a target="_blank" href="https://mce_host/news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au </a>
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Buyers to navigate towards Wyndham Harbour's The Lighthouse

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QM Properties has taken over the Doonella Noosa development from Stockland, which has secured 14 off-the-plan sales since launching to the public in December.
“We have always enjoyed a strong presence in Noosa, and have been looking for more opportunities there,” says QM Properties sales manager Damien Ross.
“Due to the Council population cap and restrictions on development, land is difficult to find in Noosa,” says Ross.
Only 12 home sites remain with land lots priced from $225,000 and house and land packages priced from $450,000 to $500,000 for a four-bedroom home.
Lots range in size from 600 square metres to 900 square metres and are surrounded by bushland and wildlife.
Residents will have access to walking trails, an outdoor meeting space and an organic community garden.
QM Properties says majority of sales have been to young families who are attracted to the Noosaville primary school and the catholic college in the estate.
The median house price in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Noosaville</a> is $715,000, a 7.1% change in the past year, according to RP Data.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
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QM Properties takes the reins for Stockland's Doonella Noosa development

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All 19 lots released in Places Victoria’s eco-industrial business park Logis in Dandenong were snapped up within a week of going to market, totaling $19.5 million.
The 154-hectare former Dandenong treatment plant site will become an industrial estate, generating around 5,000 jobs.
Places Victoria acting chief executive officer Peter Armstrong says 25 companies from Australia and overseas had competed for the land, including some who were vying for multiple lots.
Successful bidders included Australia’s largest tool distributor, Hobson Engineering.
Places Victoria’s residential estates in Epping and Officer also recorded strong growth, with sales in the final quarter up 100% on the previous year.
“We had to swallow a bitter pill last year, but the decisions made in early 2013 have resulted in a more focused and streamlined organisation that is demonstrating it can be a sustainable business entity,” says places Victoria acting chief executive peter Armstrong.
“Places Victoria’s mandate is to deliver urban renewal projects on behalf of the government and when possible to create opportunities for the private sector.
“Logis is a perfect example of this – it’s expected to attract more than $480 million in private sector investment by the time it’s finished from a public investment of less than half that,” says Armstrong.
Additional lots in stages six and seven will be released to the market early this year.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Places Victoria's Dandenong business park Logis a sell-out

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]

Nicola Trotman

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