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Colliers International has released its Asia Pacific Market Snapshot Q2 2020 report, highlighting that activity and investor interest in Asia Pacific property markets remained robust in the second quarter.
Large-scale commercial and industrial transactions in multiple markets helped offset weakness in some other sectors, according to the multi-sector report, which examines the previous quarter’s property market performance in 19 Asia Pacific markets and provides forecasts for the current and upcoming quarters.
“We have observed emerging and encouraging signs of recovery in the region, which has been reflected in investor appetite and investment activity remaining fairly firm in the past quarter. These are highly encouraging upward trends that transactions are picking up against a backdrop of economic volatility and uncertainty,” Terence Tang, Managing Director of Capital Markets &amp; Investment Services Asia at Colliers International, said. 
The industrials sector, both logistics and technology centres, will continue to appeal to investors given the strong uptake of e-commerce and accelerated digital transformation across the region, while interest in quality office assets in major cities remain high. We are anticipating investment activity to gain pace in the coming months as investors move to take advantage of the opportunities that will emerge as economies further stabilise and markets bounce back.” 
“We are expecting an increase in investment activity in the second half of the year,” John Marasco, Managing Director of Capital Markets &amp; Investment Services Australia &amp; New Zealand, said. “Demand for office assets in Australia’s key cities should remain high as companies activate ‘return to office’ policies, while investors are also looking to buy into New Zealand.”
Singapore logistics, office properties shine 
Confidence and stability are expected to return to the market in the coming quarters, helped by government support measures and improving stock market conditions.   Big-ticket transactions returned to Singapore’s commercial and industrial property sectors despite the implementation of tough ‘circuit breaker’ measures that dented overall transaction volumes for the quarter. 
Australia still an investor favourite 
The second quarter saw the completion of several significant transactions in Australia’s major cities, including an AU$145 million (US$100.6 million) office deal in Melbourne that demonstrated sustained investor appetite for commercial property. Deal flows are expected to increase in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in the second half of the year as conditions normalise, given Australia’s enduring appeal as a regional and global investment destination. 
Hong Kong residential property market expected to gain traction
Demand for residential property is likely to remain strong given continued limited supply, helping to balance a less positive outlook in the retail and hospitality sectors due to limited visitor numbers. However, while sentiment remains cautious, there were signs in the second quarter of mainland Chinese investors returning to Hong Kong’s property market as China emerged from lockdown. 
China policymakers move to support market
The second quarter saw a raft of policy measures from local and national governments in China that are likely to bolster the country’s property markets in the months ahead. These included the resumption of infrastructure real estate investment trust (REIT) pilot projects, and new high-profile industrial and business developments in major hubs like Shanghai and Guangzhou. 
Japan office markets hold firm 
Office properties in Tokyo and Osaka remained in relatively high demand in the second quarter, even amid lower participation by overseas investors. Logistics has a broadly positive outlook given a scarcity of quality stock near major urban centres and the rapid growth of e-commerce. The retail and hospitality sectors also continued to attract investor interest despite the lack of international tourism. 
Domestic investors active in Korea 
Strong interest from domestic institutional investors, particularly in Seoul’s Gangnam business district, helped push total office transactions in Korea for the quarter to KRW2.5 trillion (US$2.1 billion). The positive trend is expected to continue in the months ahead with several major office transactions in the pipeline and a generally supportive policy backdrop. 
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Asia Pacific property markets demonstrate resilience in Q2

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The median Adelaide rental yield has fallen slightly, according to the CoreLogic June 2020 quarterly rental review.
House yields in the South Australia capital sit at 4.2% (down from 4.3% 12 months ago), and unit yields sit at 5.3% (down from 5.4% 12 months ago).
The current combined median yield (for all property types) is 4.4%, down from 4.5% 12 months ago.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/7/29/cap%20cities%20yield.png" alt="">
This reflects a downturn of 0.2% month-on-month and 0.1% over the quarter.
For renters, this translates to a median rental price of $397 ($410 for houses and $343 for units).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/7/29/cap%202.png" alt="">
In the 12 months to June, rental yields fell across seven of the eight capital city markets. Perth was the only exception.
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Adelaide rental yields drop off in June: CoreLogic Quarterly Rental Review 

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EXPERT OBSERVER 
Urban Taskforce has welcomed the announcement by the NSW Minister for Planning, Hon Rob Stokes, of plans to progress the renewal and redevelopment of the Pyrmont Peninsula.
This is a welcome move forward after a poison combination of politics and bureaucratic in-fighting stymied development of this critical location last year with the IPC determining that the Star Casio / Ritz Carlton Hotel development was not supported by Strategic plans for the precinct late last year.
It is fantastic to see that the NSW Government has acknowledged the critical role that Pyrmont plays in the future of Sydney as a global city.
The release of ‘Directions for the Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy’ by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is a good start as it promotes the renewal and redevelopment of Pyrmont and its surrounds. 
The new “strategy” establishes the strategic framework for high rise development in Pyrmont and the logical extension of the CBD along the Pyrmont peninsular.
This change has come about following a comprehensive review of the Independent Planning Commission, the public intervention by the Treasurer and a review of the precinct by the GSC. 
The Department of Planning’s submission on the Star proposal as sent to the Independent Planning Commission last year was anti-jobs and anti-growth. This is exactly the opposite to what is needed given the recession we now face.
Urban Taskforce is pleased to see that the Minister for Planning has taken hold of this matter and established a plan for the development of this important precinct.
A change of mind-set is needed across the planning system.
All those involved in the planning system need to stop and re-set. We must continue to deliver improved amenity for residents, improved environmental outcomes and improved architectural built form. But the interests of local NIMBY groups must now to be considered against the greater need for economic growth, increased housing supply, jobs and employment. 
Now is the time to shift the focus away from Strategic Planning and for Minister Stokes to use the powers he has a the Minister for Planning to drive through a COVID Recovery State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) which suspends the need to conform with Local Strategic Plans and facilitates approvals as a matter of priority. Jobs and investment are what is needed. This is in the hands of the NSW Government.
The GSC, having completed its Strategic Planning mandate, should now focus all its efforts on supporting the Department in calling in projects and fast-tracking them for approvals.
With all the legislative powers at his hands, Minister can make a new SEPP any time (based on a location, a precinct, power to suspend the need for concurrences or the need for lengthy exhibition processes. Minister, this is the time to use those powers. 
While most Councils are flat-out setting up working from home arrangements and managing public health, rubbish collection and general order, this is the time for the NSW Government to step in and drive our economy forward so we are ready to go as soon as the current health crisis abates.
Tom Forrest is the CEO of Urban Taskforce. 
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Urban Taskforce welcomes release of Pyrmont plan: Tom Forrest 

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Households recorded almost record high financial comfort levels in June, but residential property owners expect to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 downturn until at least 2021, according to the latest report from ME Bank.
"Australian household financial comfort increased 3% to 5.76 (out of 10) in the past six months to June 2020 − just shy of its historical high of 5.78 recorded in December 2014," the July 2020 ME Bank household financial comfort report found.
"Contrary to expectations, financial comfort has jumped the most among typically struggling cohorts such as casual workers, the unemployed, low income households and single parent households (though their comfort levels remain a great deal lower than the average household and higher-income Australians)."
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/7/29/ME%20bank%20graph%201.png" alt="">
Despite this, the report found that more owner occupiers (25%) expect the value of their property to fall during 2020/21 than rise (22%).
This represents a significant change from just six months ago, when only 6% expected property prices to fall and 47% expected them to rise.
Furthermore, the report found that expectations vary significantly across major capital cities, with occupiers in Sydney less pessimistic than Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Perth owner-occupiers are highly pessimistic, with 40% expecting lower prices in comparison to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane expecting a fall of 22%, 29% and 27%.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/7/29/ME%20bank%20graph%202.png" alt="">
Investors are more optimist about dwelling prices than six months ago, 26% now expect the value of their investment property to rise in the next twelve months.
Across households, those most worried about debt include 51% of those paying off a mortgage compared to 21% of households that own their home.
"Financial comfort levels are up for now, but many households are on the cliff's edge," the report said. 
"Many eyes will be on what governments do in the final months of 2020 and into next year."
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Financial comfort rises but property owners remain pessimistic: ME Bank July household financial comfort report

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With a budget of $700,000, the best opportunities in the southern Gold Coast region are in areas such as Miami or Burleigh Waters, according to the July Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The valuation firm took a look at how a budget of $700,000 could be invested in property markets across the nation.
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"For your money, you could get a two- or three-bedroom duplex or townhouse in either of these suburbs," the valuation firm said.
Both these areas and properties offer a good opportunity to purchase a relatively good sized property at the entry level price for the suburb.
The report notes either an original three-bedroom or a renovated two-bedroom duplex or townhouse unit is achievable within the price bracket and can provide good investment returns.
The buyer profile for this area is generally couples purchasing their first investment or first property for renovation. 
The rental returns in the current market have significantly dropped from talking to local property managers but they are all confident there will be a rebound in the next six months.
"If you were looking to purchase multiple properties or achieve a good return, any purchase close to Bond University will ensure strong rental returns and if you have $700,000 to spend, there are opportunities to purchase two one-bedroom units around Varsity for about $300,000 each with rental returns of between $375 and 450 per week," the valuation firm said. 
A two bedroom, two bathroom townhouse at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-townhouse-qld-burleigh+waters-133875574" target="_blank">2/2 Barbet Place, Burleigh Waters</a> has recently been sold for $450,000.
The home comes with open plan living, upgraded kitchen, separate laundry and single lock up garage. 
It is situated within walking distance of beaches, local shops, schools and public transport. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/8/14/burleigh%20waters%20.jpg" alt="">
 A two bedroom, two bathroom unit at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-miami-134148946" target="_blank"> 63/7 Redondo Avenue, Miami </a>(pictured below) has hit the market with a price of $449,000.
The unit comes with renovated bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, and underground car park.
It is located within 100m to the beach. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/8/14/miami.jpg" alt="">
Covid 19 update:
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To date, the impact of the pandemic on the southern regions of the Gold Coast hasn’t translated into a downturn either in property sales or prices, the report noted. 
House prices remain firm, however some properties are staying on the market a little longer, although still transacting within a three-month period, with some properties as short as a few days.
"The rental market has been negatively impacted with heavy discounts being provided for new leases or pauses on current leases.
"This may see a downturn in future sale prices but this hasn’t been realised yet in sale prices currently being achieved," the valuation firm said. 
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What a lazy $700,000 can buy in Southern Gold Coast: HTW residential 

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Former Screaming Jets drummer, auctioneer and sales agent Craig Rosevear, aka ‘Rosie’, has taken the helm of The Agency’s Newcastle operation. 
Craig Rosevear, joined by his wife Belinda, have decades of property experience between them and are much-loved local identities. “I am so excited about Craig and Belinda Rosevear joining The Agency and representing us in Newcastle. Their varied creative talents, property market knowledge and community networks are quite extraordinary,” Matt Lahood, The Agency’s CEO, explains.
 “They are wonderful people with the community at heart and have been passionate about property for 20 years. Craig is an extremely talented auctioneer and licensed agent, Belinda has been successfully flipping houses for 15 years.” 
In the 90s Craig Rosevear travelled the world with the Screaming Jets, eventually landing in Los Angeles. 
Two things happened when Craig and Belinda Rosevear returned to Newcastle in 2005, they set up Rosie’s School of Rock to teach young people the art of music and give them confidence in life, and they purchased their first property in Hamilton North. This was the beginning of their love affair with property.  Rosie’s School of Rock grew to a team of 23 and became a local institution. Belinda Rosevear focussed on flipping Newcastle-based properties, while Craig Rosevear became a licensed agent and auctioneer in 2016, joining Damien Cooley’s highly-awarded Cooley Auctions’ team.
On top of all of this, Craig Rosevear also became a TV presenter on the 9NBN property lifestyle show, Location...Lifestyle...Living.
“Belinda and I have always been passionate about property, when Covid-19 took hold earlier in the year, we decided to close Rosie’s School of Rock and focus on real estate,” Craig Rosevear says. 
As Matt Lahood shares, the connection with Craig Rosevear was a fortuitous alignment, given Cooley Auctions became our key NSW auctioneering partner in July this year.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/8/24/Craig%20Rosevear%20Rosie%20Screaming%20Jets%20and%20now%20The%20Agency%20Newcastle.jpg" alt=""> “Craig had already been calling The Agency’s Newcastle auctions for some time, he was our first choice. Then Damien Cooley and his team became our official auctioneering partners in July, strengthening our already close relationship with Craig.
"And now, he and Belinda will be leading The Agency sales charge and building an amazing local team!” Matt Lahood says. 
Craig and Belinda Rosevear will be focused on building The Agency brand and team in Newcastle. The duo are already in discussions with key individuals who fit the premium property market they will be targeting.
According to Craig Rosevear, it was The Agency’s positive energy, vibrancy and close-knit team that drew him and Belinda to the brand.  “The agents connected with the brand have always seemed so supportive of each other and there’s a general ‘abundance’ mentality within the brand,” Craig Rosevear shares. 
“We’re Newcastle born and bred, but having lived in Sydney and LA, we truly understand the unique appeal of where we live. In recent years Newcastle has transformed from a town to a city and I’ve never been a prouder Novocastrian.
"Covid-19 has shown that you can successfully work remotely, or perhaps a hybrid of work from home and a couple of days in the office. Newcastle’s role as a satellite town to Sydney has never been more appealing.”
 
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Rockstar, auctioneer and agent Craig Rosevear leads The Agency Newcastle

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A 27-level high state-of-the-art commercial office building on Little Collins Street has been approved by the City of Melbourne.
It is set to redefine the traditional office space by creating a vertical community with a strong emphasis on sustainability, technology, health and well-being.
Developed by Golden Age Group and featuring an all-star design team by Cox Architecture, Hecker Guthrie and Jack Merlo, 130 Little Collins Street will combine retail and office spaces, including state-of-the-art amenities, private end of trip facilities and sustainable garden terraces throughout.
Golden Age purchased the site in 2019 from the Uniting Church, where it served as the Uniting Church’s Victorian and Tasmanian headquarters for the last 52 years since the building was built in 1967.
Golden Age Group Founder and Managing Director Jeff Xu said 130 Little Collins Street reimagines the typical commercial office building and in a post-COVID world, is more relevant than ever before.
“The typical commercial building has been turned on its head as a result of COVID; businesses have realised they can work efficiently outside of the corporate environment and they no longer want to share with hundreds of other tenants.
“Instead, we’re foreseeing a preference towards more boutique floorplans as a result of businesses scaling down their requirements for an office, coupled with something that greater emphasises lifestyle, which we’ve achieved through sustainable design, state of the art amenities and new-age technology.
“!30 Little Collins Street is more akin to a lifestyle hotel design than a typical commercial office tower,” he said.
On offer will be food and beverage offerings; a business centre; office spaces throughout; garden terraces; an airline lounge and a communal garden rooftop terrace.
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With an emphasis on sustainability and wellbeing, 130 Little Collins Street will look to target 5-Star NABERS, 5-Star Green Star Design &amp; As-Built, in addition to WELL Certification.
The project is set to launch to market in the coming months.
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Golden Age Group receives green light for new state-of-the-art commercial office building

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Albion Central, a fully leased new service and retail and medical centre boasting a 10-year WALE has been announced for sale. 
The property is being sold by JLL together with Morrison Project Consulting. 
JLL Senior Director and Joint Head of Retail Investments Australia, said Albion Central was of the most outstanding convenience retail centres in Brisbane’s affluent inner north.  
“The freehold interest provides a secure, long term income stream, in addition to a strong capital growth outlook and long-term re-development potential.” 
“At home on 2,400sqm, the centre caters to a high-profile demographic and has a tenancy mix to suit - all are on brand-new 10-year leases with fixed annual rent reviews of 3.50% or higher.
“Offering a 10-year WALE, Albion Central will provide the successful purchaser with a secure, long term income stream. Given the rental position, after 10 years the property will be producing a gross income of over $1,321,000 per annum.” 
The property occupies a corner position fronting the Albion Fiveways on the doorstep to the blue-ribbon suburb of Ascot, Clayfield and Hamilton, with exposure to over 80,000 passing cars per day. 
Just opened in July 2020, the centre is fully leased to seven boutique retailers, anchored by Albion Marketplace and Next Practice Medical.  
Albion Central is being offered For Sale via Expressions of Interest closing September 17.
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Albion Central, Brisbane’s inner north retail centre listed for sale

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The $1 billion mixed-use M-City development in Clayton has been completed by contractor Multiplex, on behalf of Schiavello Group.
The site is prominently located at 2109-2125 Dandenong Road, on the corner of Princess Highway and Blackburn Road.
Designed by the Buchan Group, M-City is one of the largest master-planned community single stage developments undertaken in Victoria to date.
"We are delighted to complete one of the most significant new developments in Victoria. M-City is a vibrant miniature city in itself delivering premium office, residential, retail and hotel accommodation. It will quickly become a new lifestyle destination in Clayton," said Graham Cottam, Regional Managing Director of Multiplex Victoria.
Multiplex commenced work on M-City in July, 2018 and construction spanned a two- year period, with up to 1,100 workers on-site during peak periods.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/7/29/M-city%202.jpg" alt="">
The 30,000 square metre site has a combined built area of over 18 hectares.
Four residential buildings have been built, ranging from three to 12 levels.
There are a total of 665 apartments.
The apartment towers feature rooftop gardens, tennis courts, a swimming pool and spa, a fitness centre, and BBQs.
M-City also features a 4.5-star international hotel that will be operated by Park Royal.
M-City has an eight-level commercial office tower providing 14,000 square metres of commercial space above a two-level retail podium.
The 30,450 square metre retail centre comprises 78 stores including Woolworths, K- Mart, Village cinema complex, a medical centre and a childcare centre with a two-level carpark providing 2,000 car spaces.
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Clayton's $1 billion M-City development completed

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GUEST OBSERVATION
But that revolution has long been thwarted by resistance – crucially from management concerned about productivity and performance.
It was <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/12/what-telecommuting-looked-like-in-1973/418473/?sf43013774=1">the case in 1974</a>, according to Jack Nilles, who led <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://dl.acm.org/doi/book/10.5555/540203">the first major study</a> to evaluate the benefits of “telecommuting” (by a team from the University of Southern California). It was still the case in 2019, according to researchers from San Jose State University, whose studies showed <a href="https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/1860-Prager-Flexible-Workplaces-South-Bay_0.pdf">managerial and executive resistance</a> were the major perceived obstacles to the expansion of flexible working practices.
Our own research with Australian public service managers in 2018 found extensive managerial resistance to employees working from home.
Wondering how the enforced experience of working from home might change such attitudes, we surveyed 6,000 Australian public servants (including 1,400 managers) in June and July, and found the seeds for a revolution.
Only 8.4% of managers rated their teams less productive when working from home, while 57% thought productivity the same, and 34.6% believed it higher.
These findings, along with others, suggest working from home, at least for part of the week, may become the norm.
Negative perceptions
It is difficult to estimate precisely how many people had the option of working from home prior to the pandemic. Australian Bureau of Statistics data <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6333.0">published in September 2019 </a> indicated about a third of all employed people regularly worked from home. But it is likely this number also includes workers catching up on work after hours.
In the public sector, about one-third of executives worked away from the office, but <a href="https://www.apsc.gov.au/sites/default/files/apsc_state_of_the_service_report_2018-19.pdf">less than 15%</a> of non-executive employees did.
Our 2018 research, involving focus groups with nearly 300 managers across four state public services, found extensive managerial resistance to allowing work from home despite supportive policies permitting it.
Public sector managers shared with private sector managers concerns about performance and productivity, and the difficulty of remotely managing workers. They often framed their resistance around concerns about technology or work health and safety.
But on top of this, public service managers were sensitive about agreeing to any working arrangements that might feed community stereotypes about public servants having it easy.
Key findings
The COVID-19 pandemic rendered those objections irrelevant. By the end of May, <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6764395/the-numbers-that-reveal-%20%20%20the-scale-of-the-public-services-response-to-covid-19/">57%</a> of Australian Public Service employees were reportedly working from home.
To compile our findings we worked with the Community and Public Sector Union, which distributed the survey on our behalf. The 6,000 respondents included about 20% non-union members and 22% managers, across a broad range of occupations and agencies.
As noted, three times as many managers thought team productivity and performance had increased as those who perceived a decrease, with the majority neutral.
<hr>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/354017/original/file-20200821-14-awgoce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/354017/original/file-20200821-14-awgoce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Manager perceptions of team performance working from home, by gender."></a> Manager perceptions of team performance working from home, by gender. The authors, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a>
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Female managers were slightly more likely to perceive greater productivity (36.7% compared to 31.1% of male managers), as were managers of teams larger than ten employees.
One manager noted “people are either productive or not, and it doesn’t matter where they work from”. Others said it had changed their management style for the better, forcing them to realise they did not need to micromanage to get results.
Nearly two-thirds said they intended to be more supportive of working from home in the future (though 2% said they planned to be less supportive). Male managers were the most swayed, with 68% saying they would be more supportive, compared with 63.6% of female managers.
One manager noted:
I had always accepted the department line that working from home is a privilege and not a real workplace. Also that working from home makes you unavailable and disconnects you from the workplace. Discovered that I couldn’t have been more wrong.“
Generally, our results show employees were mostly positive about working from home, with more than four out of five saying it gave them more time with their family, two-thirds saying they got more work done, and three in five enjoying having more autonomy over their work.
The downsides
There can be downsides to working from home, however. As one respondent put it: "I hate my house, it’s cold, and the kids are annoying, the dog stinks.”
The <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-just-the-isolation-working-from-home-has-surprising-downsides-107140">key issues identified by research</a> are social isolation, lack of feedback and loss of separation of work from home life.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/354027/original/file-20200821-18-16za4ti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Tired women using laptoop at night.">A quarter of workers reported working longer hours. Shutterstock
On the isolation and feedback front, our results were generally positive. Managers indicated communication technology enabled teams to stay in touch in multiple ways, from instant messaging to video conferencing. While just over 10% stuck to their usual meeting routine, the majority (about 60%) had increased their use of virtual meetings. This included scheduling social activities such as virtual coffee and drinks.
On the question of work-life balance, our results were more mixed.
Three-quarters reported they continued to work their usual work hours. But one in four reported working longer hours. Mostly this was due to increased workload, though almost 15% said they had been working more voluntarily because they were absorbed by their work. Many managers noted this increased motivation and mood.
Given the focus of the public service, this result is not necessarily one we can presume would apply across the entire workforce. That said, longer working hours do seem a feature of working from home during this pandemic. Based on data from more than 3 million in 16 cities, researchers found the average workday for those under lockdown <a href="https://theconversation.com/vital-signs-shorter-meetings-but-longer-days-how-covid-19-has-changed-the-way-we-work-143894">is about 48 minutes longer</a>.
These findings on longer hours potentially offset some of the positive perceptions of productivity improvements. The emergency conditions in which both managers and workers have been prepared to go the extra mile cannot become the baseline for expectations permanently.
Despite these caveats, and the need to point out that organisations still have much to do to embed flexibility in their cultures, our results add to the evidence that the great working-from-home experiment of 2020 has broken the back of decades of inherited managerial resistance. The revolution may have started.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144850/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-colley-22201">Linda Colley</a>, Associate Professor HRM/IR, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sue-williamson-104295">Sue Williamson</a>, Senior Lecturer, Human Resource Management, UNSW Canberra, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/with-management-resistance-overcome-working-from-home-may-be-here-to-stay-144850">original article</a>.
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With management resistance overcome, working from home may be here to stay

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

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The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

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Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

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Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

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Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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