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The first question that you need to be answering is whether this is even the right step for you. There are many reasons why you may consider this approach – perhaps you want to reduce your repayments, take advantage of a lower interest rate environment, are looking to purchase an investment or your life plans, or plans for that investment, have changed.
Every time your situation in life and your goals evolve, you’ll want to have a good look at how your mortgage currently stacks up for you. This may then prompt you to consider refinancing. One quick way to see whether you should be considering your options is to answer the 15 questions below.
If you answer “yes” to one, or more, of the questions, then you really should be considering your refinancing options. Consider this your mortgage ‘health check’.
1. Do you want to reduce your monthly repayments?
2. Are you looking to switch from a variable rate to a fixed rate? This may be due to the risk of higher repayments if interest rates rise in the future, or because you’d like more certainty around repayments.
3. Are you dissatisfied with the service provided by your current lender?
4. Is your current interest rate not as competitive as other lenders’?
5. Would you be better off with a cheaper rate with fewer loan features?
6. Would you benefit from changing to a loan with more features (e.g. offset account, re-draw facility) or perhaps you have features you are not using?
7. Would you prefer to pay off your home loan sooner?
8. Have your circumstances changed since you first took out your loan (e.g. you have started a family)?
9. Are you considering buying an investment property?
10. Do you think that debt consolidation might benefit you (e.g. consolidating your credit cards and personal loans)?
11. Are you planning any home renovations over the next few years?
12. Do you want to raise cash (by topping up your loan) so you can, for example, purchase a car, buy shares or take a major holiday?
13. Do you have a fixed-rate home loan that will expire soon?
14. Do you have a honeymoon rate that will soon revert to the standard variable rate?
15. Are you coming to the end of an interest-only loan term?
TIP: If you can avoid extending your loan term, then do so. Remember that if you signed up for a 25-year loan, and you’ve had it for five years, you’ll want to be asking about a 20-year loan term.  

<hr>
This article is from Property Observer's free ebook <a target="_parent" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-mastering-the-art-of-refinancing-12-tips-for-success-and-key-things-to-consider">Mastering the Art of Refinancing: 12 tips for success and key things to consider</a>.
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Should you refinance?

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Observer <a href="/news">Mark Bouris today wrote</a> "the low interest rate environment has been good for home buyers and those wanting to refinance, while not being so good for those who live on their savings."
He then goes on to examine the practicality of shifting from a variable rate to a fixed rate.
With interest rates at an all-time low are you considering making the switch?
<img alt="poll-results-oct-15" height="128" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/10/15/poll-results-oct-15.gif">
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Are you considering switching from a variable rate to a fixed rate?

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In a nutshell, refinancing is where you switch from your current mortgage product to a different product. This may or may not be with the same lender. Many investors and home owners consider refinancing at some point in their property owning life cycle.
However, just as getting a loan isn’t always as straightforward as it first appears, refinancing also has some of its own differences that you may not be familiar with. While some are tempted to stay with their loan until they sell, savvy property owners know that they should be reviewing the performance of their mortgage on a regular basis to see if they can get themselves a better deal.
Refinancing, in the right situation, can also improve your cash flow on a property that’s currently in your investment portfolio. This may make your loan-term longer, however for some this is preferable to selling.
Often, you could save yourself money in the long term and/or reduce the life of your loan by considering refinancing. Obviously, these are both positives for those seeking to improve their financial future. However, it may also be an option if you’re looking for a way to finance a renovation or a major purchase, such as an investment property or a car, by releasing some of your equity.
Refinancing commitments, according to July 2013 Australian Bureau of Statistics data, are on the increase. The trend of refinancing for owner occupied housing was up 1.8% in July, following a rise of 2.3% in June. This was mirrored by the seasonally adjusted figures of 1.7% in July and 3.7% in June. Clearly, refinancing is becoming a popular option as the property market heats up, interest rates decline, and property owners seek to maximise their returns.

<hr>
This article is from Property Observer's free ebook <a target="_parent" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-mastering-the-art-of-refinancing-12-tips-for-success-and-key-things-to-consider">Mastering the Art of Refinancing: 12 tips for success and key things to consider</a>.
 
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Mastering the art of refinancing

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It's becoming increasingly common that people get to a point where they say they don't want to spend another dollar to sell their property, according to our tweet of the day from Home Staging Brisbane's Imogen Brown.
She presents her case as to why sometimes it's worth a little bit more of an outlay.
"Either they bought 8 years ago and the price has come down, or they’ve bought off plan and the same has happened or they’ve bought as an investment and rented the property at a loss and the house is still worth less. Coming from this place a client will be averse to spending money on repairs, or repainting or upgrading fixtures or flooring," Brown writes.
"They will be tempted to go the ‘For sale by owner’  or 0% commission or low commission route. They will want to list and see, not spend money on  a marketing campaign."
She presents her case against this attitude in her blog.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When you don’t want to spend another dollar selling your house <a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/fLUwhrXk2O">https://t.co/fLUwhrXk2O</a>
— Imogen Brown (@HomeStagingBris) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/HomeStagingBris/statuses/389524216636518400">October 13, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
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The case for spending money when you sell

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of auction results in Adelaide for the weekend of October 12. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Adelaide.pdf" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 14px;">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's Adelaide auction results for October 12 weekend

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of auction results in Brisbane for the weekend of October 12. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Brisbane.pdf" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px;">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's Brisbane auction results for October 12 weekend

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of results from 570 auctions in Melbourne for the weekend of  October 12. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Melbourne.pdf" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px;">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's Melbourne auction results for October 12 weekend

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of results from 501 auctions in Sydney for the weekend of October 12. The clearance rate was 85.8%. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Sydney.pdf" style="font-size: 14px;">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's Sydney 501 auction results show a 85.8% clearance rate

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We've heard it discussed regularly, and it has been a point of contention for many: Melbourne's potential oversupply.
As usual, we went to our readers first and asked them their thoughts. As the poll doesn't give space for further comment, we were specific about focusing on apartments.
As it turns out, 44.8% believe there is an oversupply "but only in the inner city", while a further 37.3% voted that there is an oversupply generally.
<img width="421" height="239" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" alt="poll-results-oct-11-two" src="/images/stories/2013/10/11/poll-results-oct-11-two.gif">
We took the question to experts that have a vocal opinion about this topic, as well as some of those who have access to interesting data.
We asked the following:
Do you think there is an oversupply issue in Melbourne? Why/Why not?
Here is what they said: 
 
Robert Larocca - Victorian housing market specialist, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://rpdata.com/" target="_blank">RP Data</a>. <img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="larocca-profile" src="/images/stories/2013/10/11/larocca-profile.jpg">
DEMAND IS WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON
The Victoria property market has a high number of homes on sale right now, but that’s due to higher levels of supply and lower demand.
It’s often said that real estate is all about supply and demand, and to a large extent that’s true, which is why it’s very difficult to say the market is oversupplied.
You have to consider the demand side. It’s not a fixed amount and is affected by a range of factors including the state of the economy and population growth.
Over the past few years in Victoria there have been historically low levels of demand. Consumers have lacked confidence and stayed away from the market.
At the same time, there has been strong growth in supply. Between 2010 and 2012 there were 167,214 dwellings approved, in the three years before that it was 130,989 and in three years before that only 120,850.
In many ways builders have been increasing supply to counter the demand and this creates a surplus (and improved affordability).
Finally, active listings of homes for sale is running at 60,000 now, down from 64,000 seen last year but still higher than the 30,000 in 2007 which was the all-time high for transactions in Victoria.  
 
Johnny Barnard - Population forecaster, <a target="_blank" href="https://home.id.com.au/">.id</a> (informed decisions)<img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="bernard-profile" src="/images/stories/2013/10/11/bernard-profile.jpg">
YES, IN THE INNER SUBURBS
It certainly appears that there is in the inner suburbs.
Our organisation, (.id) has recently completed population and housing forecasts for the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Melbourne, Yarra, Port Phillip and Stonnington.  This involved assessing what has happened since the 2011 Census and what is likely to occur out to 2036. Aerial photography was analysed and all major housing projects assessed as to when they are likely to be constructed.
Based on our review of these sites, we estimate that there are somewhere between 9,000 and 10,000 apartments currently under construction in the four LGAs, the majority of which we estimate to be completed by the 2014-15 financial year. To provide some context, these four LGAs added 19,600 dwellings in the five year period between 2006 and 2011.
Certainly in the period we have been doing this work (15 years) we have not seen anything like the number of apartments now under construction in these four LGAs. Maribyrnong (Footscray area) and Moreland (Brunswick area) are also experiencing a significant number of apartment projects currently under construction, so these numbers actually understate the level of inner city apartment development occurring.
The major driver of population growth in Melbourne in recent years has been net overseas migration. Between 2006 and 2011, Victoria averaged around 63,000 persons per year. In the last two years, the number is likely to average around 56,000. So not much has changed in the last couple of years in terms of changed underlying demand. The fringe has dropped off in the same period but I can’t see a direct transfer of demand, the markets are too different.
It is probably too early to tell exactly what the impact will be of the peak in apartment construction. There are a number of things that could happen. Firstly, many apartments may not be able to be tenanted. Secondly, owners may decide to use their apartments as serviced or short stay apartments for a certain period of time until there is enough demand to absorb the new supply. Time will tell.  
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Monique Sasson Wakelin - Director, <a target="_blank" href="https://wakelin.com.au/">Wakelin Property Advisory</a><img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="wakelin-profile" src="/images/stories/2013/10/11/wakelin-profile.jpg">
MODERATE FOR HIGHRISE INNER CITY
The answer, in part, depends on how you define oversupply. Is it empty states and streets full of unsold, uninhabitable, decaying properties? Or a situation where there are large numbers of properties in a very tight geographical precinct that take longer to sell, often require price discounts to close the deal and deliver little if any capital growth over a several-year holding?
There are no empty estates in Melbourne. But using the latter criteria, there is a moderate oversupply of high rise property in the inner city locations such as Docklands, Southbank and St Kilda Road. Carlton is over-supplied with student accommodation and there are too many McMansion-type housing developments on the fringes of suburban Melbourne.
In contrast, demand exceeds supply for older style properties and for some boutique-sized new developments in the inner ring suburbs (around two-to-12 kilometres from the CBD). The market is balanced in the middle ring.
We’ve noticed that the oversupply of new apartments in places like Port Melbourne and Richmond has moderately dampened the established market in these localities – more in terms of capping rents rather than suppressing capital growth. That is an exception to the usual rule that established property and new developments are distinct markets. It may be that in certain localities, investors need to be more cautious.
By and large, much of the moderate oversupply is cyclical. Most of it will be absorbed by growing demand should the market recovery be sustained into 2014.  However, there are more structural challenges for the inner city and outer fringe market. Although Melbourne’s projected population growth should soak up current over-supply in a few years, it is inevitable that developers will continue to over-build, so expect the issue to persist.    
 
Todd Hunter - Director and location researcher, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wheregroup.com.au/">wHeregroup</a><img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="todd-hunter-profile-2" src="/images/stories/2013/10/11/todd-hunter-profile-2.png">
ABSOLUTELY, NUMBERS DON'T LIE
Absolutely… sure in some niche property types there may be a small shortage but the city tells a different story  
But don't let me try and convince you, there is a simply way to find out for yourself, simply google realestate.com and search the following locations. Leave the surrounding suburbs button ticked and don't put a price point in on houses, (by not putting a price point you are covering multiple price points of buyers, not just first home owners):
·     Werribee, Tarneit, Wyndham – 3,150 for sale
·     Pakenham – 2,000 for sale
·     Melton – 1,600 sor sale
·     Whittlesea, Mernda, Doreen, Sth Morang – 3,600 for sale
·     Point Cook – 2,300 for sale
·     Roxburgh Park, Craigieburn – 1,550 for sale
Then do the same for units and search Docklands - 1,800 for sale  
As you can see there are literally thousands of properties for sale.  
Now do the same exercise and search the same suburbs for properties for lease and see that there are literally thousands of properties for lease. This is why Melbourne currently has a very low yield on investment properties, there is simply too much choice. There are 2,300 units for lease in and around Docklands!  
Now to make that even scarier, many of the adverts advertise multiple properties in one add making those numbers even higher and with 15,000 more units due for construction in the inner city area, along with more land releases in the next two years, this problem is not going away any time soon.  
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Andrew Wilson – Senior economist, <a href="https://apm.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Property Monitors</a> <img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="AndrewWilson-profile" src="/images/stories/2013/10/04/AndrewWilson-profile.jpg">
SUPPLY MAKING PRICES MORE AFFORDABLE 
Melbourne remains Australia’s engine room of housing construction. Over the past year Melbourne has approved 38,394 dwellings for building or 32.4% of all capital city home approvals according to ABS data. This compares to Australia’s largest capital Sydney that accounted for just 26% of all dwelling approvals over the same period.
Melbourne’s supply-side advantage over the other state capitals through its outstanding construction performance has translated into relatively cheaper accommodation for its residents. Melbourne’s median house price is $150,000 lower than Sydney’s and also is lower than a number of the smaller capitals – Perth, Canberra and Darwin.
Melbourne’s tenant-friendly rental market is also a product of consistently solid levels of new supply. The latest median rent for Melbourne houses is $370 a week well below Sydney’s $500 and lower than all capitals with the exception of Adelaide and Hobart.
Melbourne has experienced an unprecedented surge in new apartment construction over the past two years particularly in the inner city and CBD precincts. High levels of apartment construction have been an important ingredient in keeping the local economy healthy.
Burgeoning numbers of new inner city and CBD  apartments may be moving ahead of demand with the prospect of an emerging oversupply similar to what that market experienced in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.
Low interest rates have activated the Melbourne housing market this year with house prices now at or close to their previous peaks recorded three years ago. Unit prices however remain 5% below those recorded in 2010.
Latest data reveals that Melbourne CBD unit prices fell by 10% over the six months ending September this year with Docklands down by 6.4% and Southbank unit prices also down, falling by 1.2% over the same period.
 
Enzo Raimondo - Chief executive officer, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a> (REIV)<img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="enzo-profile" src="/images/stories/2013/10/04/enzo-profile.png">
SHORT PERIODS OF OVERSUPPLY ARE NORMAL
The property market moves in cycles and from time to time, there can be short periods where supply can outstrip demand and vice versa. At the moment, the market as a whole is relatively balanced having readjusted from a broad oversupply in 2011 and 2012. There are still a few pockets, particularly in the inner suburbs that are still readjusting. Having said that, this balance could potentially change with the recent increase in demand and the continued slowdown in building activity.
The past two years of low transactions and moderate price growth is evident of a market that was readjusting from a general oversupply. Obviously there are many other factors at play such as consumer confidence, interest rates, unemployment, and broader economic developments but the supply and demand equation remains fundamental.
Victoria experienced a building boom in 2009-11, in part driven by government stimulus. We went from having around 40,000 building approvals per year in 2009 up to around 60,000 building approvals in 2011. This has now come down to around 50,000 approvals per year and continues to fall. Considering that the average household size in Victoria is around 2.6 people, we were building for around 156,000 new people at its peak.
On the demand side of the equation, population growth slowed down considerably during the building boom period. We went from having 120,000 new people in Victoria in 2009 down to around 80,000 people by 2011. The most recent population statistics show that growth has since increased and we have added around 100,000 people over the past year, the highest of any state. Victoria continues to be an attractive place to live and population growth is once again on the way up.
So is Victoria in an oversupply now? No, but it did just come through a period of oversupply and readjusted accordingly. The higher number of sales, price growth, and increase in clearance rates are all signs that demand is coming back into the market fairly strongly. Building activity is yet to pick up and if this continues to be the case, in time this balance could change.    
 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
Jeremy Sheppard - Head of research, <a href="https://hotspotcentral.com.au/about-us/our-team/" target="_blank">Redwerks (Hotspotcentral)</a>
<img width="125" height="150" style="float: right;" alt="sheppard-profile" src="/images/stories/2013/10/04/sheppard-profile.png">
MARKET STILL IN BALANCE AS A WHOLE 
I use the demand to supply ratio algorithm (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dsrscore.com.au/">DSR</a>) to gauge whether a residential property market in Australia has an oversupply or under-supply situation. This compares 15,000 suburbs against eight leading indicators of supply and demand  - property statistics like auction clearance rate -  gleaned from a variety public sources online.  
Just looking at the Melbourne city centre (comprising 16 suburbs) and not the entire Melbourne metropolitan area, the average DSR score for houses was around 22 and for units around 20 for September 2013.  
These figures are both considered to be within the "balanced" range. The ideal balance between demand and supply has a DSR score of 24 out of a maximum of 48. So the Melbourne city market is slightly below average but still in balance.  
The average DSR score Australia-wide for September 2013 was 22.4 so you can see that both the unit and house markets of Melbourne city can't really be considered oversupplied.  
However, looking at individual markets rather than the city as a whole shows a completely different picture. Dockland units have a DSR score of seven for September 2013. This is considered "very poor". In fact, this placed the Docklands unit market in the lowest percentile for the country by DSR score. The housing market for Docklands was a little better getting a DSR score of 11 which is still considered "poor".  
On the positive side both Carlton North houses and Kensington houses scored 29 in September by DSR. This places them in the 14th percentile country-wide which is comfortably above average.
So one could argue that 'Melbourne' is a balanced market but, like all markets, there are markets within a market that are both over-supplied and under-supplied to various degrees.
 
Michael Buxton - Professor environment and planning, <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au" target="_blank">RMIT University</a> <img width="125" height="150" src="/images/stories/2013/10/11/buxton-profile.png" alt="buxton-profile" style="float: right;">
NO OVERSUPPLY OF LAND AND NO HOUSING SHORTAGE 
The 2010 expansion of the urban growth boundary by 43,000 hectares doubled the outer urban land supply to 30 years at world’s lowest densities. However, even in 2003, doubling the then density of 11 lots per hectare would have increased outer urban land supply by 62% and the amount of greenfield land by 46%.  
A more important figure for greenfield land supply is the amount of land released and zoned for housing. This is largely controlled by a few development companies, who prevent an oversupply of land released. In 2008, the supply of urban zoned land in development corridors ranged from four to seven years. This was a sufficient supply in international terms, but the government took further measures to fast track further urban zonings far in excess of demand.  
The growth boundary expansion coincided with a fall in demand for outer urban housing from almost 26,000 dwelling approvals in 2009-10 to 19,000 in 2011-22. Yet multi-unit dwelling approvals rose from 14,221 to 17,412 over this period. There is an enormous amount of land available for redevelopment in Melbourne in both brownfield and redevelopment sites. When a city wide approach is taken, and higher density is factored in, dwelling land supply in Melbourne is almost unlimited. There is no state or national housing shortage. Claims to the contrary are based on a methodology which counted large numbers of people who did not possess the financial means, or intend to enter the property market.
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Melbourne's potential oversupply: The experts have their say

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This latest tweet, from the Aus Property Forum, says that there's something rotten in the Australian housing market. Pointing to Land Tax, the arguemnt in the forum link gets fairly heated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Something is rotten in the Australian housing market, and Land Tax is the answer: <a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/3dX4d76204">https://t.co/3dX4d76204</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/9MO0VpmBT6">https://t.co/9MO0VpmBT6</a>
— Aus Property Forum (@OzPropertyForum) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/OzPropertyForum/statuses/387949515766239232">October 9, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
"The problem with bringing in a land tax is that every existing land and home owner has already paid those costs and they won't be happy to pay them again. That's the political sticking point from my view. No one will ever vote for another tax, and which ever party brings it in against the wishes of the voters will be ousted at the next election," on person writes on the forum.
An interesting discussion ensues. 
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What is rotten in the housing market?

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.

Joel Robinson

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]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

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