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Marshall Baxter has listed Goulburn’s grand Bishopthorpe Manor for sale, after a decade at the 21-hectare estate.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-goulburn-125289558" target="_blank">32 Bishopthorpe Lane</a> is a landmark rural property of historical significance, having been carved from bluestone in 1870 as the residence for the first Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Goulburn. It retains a chapel housed in the original stables, as well as monks quarters.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/04/28/rsz_manor.png" alt="">
The home has previously enjoyed extensive renovations to be transformed into a boutique guesthouse in both 2003 and in 1999, and provides a minimum of 7 bedrooms – 5 of which come complete with gas fireplaces and each with a full bathroom ensuite and spa bath.
It is has also been reincarnated over the years as a girls’ school, the home of Yarralumla Station owner Frederick Campbell in 1913, a conference centre, boutique guest house, and as the host of the 2005 Celebrity Overhaul reality television show.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/04/28/rsz_bedroom.png" alt="">
First National Real Estate Goulburn agent Barry McEntee is marketing the listing as luxurious and full of character, with its multitude of living areas including a grand foyer, formal dining room, billiard room, casual living rooms, library and study.
Located 2 hours' drive from Sydney and an hour to Canberra, other benefits of the Manor are district views, climate control, and a manager's residence comprising a fully self-contained 2 bedroom apartment.
Baxter, an executive running the Baxter’s Boots business his great-grandfather acquired in 1885, originally bought Bishopthorpe in 2007 from liquidators for $2.3 million.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Marshall Baxter lists Bishopthorpe Manor 

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The federal budget has taken positive steps toward infrastructure commitment by the government, but it still is a missed opportunity to capitalise on low bond rates and a triple-A credit rating, according to a senior industry executive.
Megan Motto, chief executive of built-environment body Consult Australia, welcomed the direction of the 2017/2018 Federal Budget but declared it a missed opportunity to capitalise on historic low borrowing rates.
Consult Australia represents 49,000 consulting firms in the built environment.
The government plans to spend $75 billion on development and upgrade of infrastructure, which includes a potential buy-out of the Snowy Hydro scheme from the states. Also included is a $20 billion rail line upgrade.
Major projects like Snowy Hydro, Inland Rail, a National Rail Program, and Western Sydney Airport, all point to a government that understands the long-term nature of infrastructure projects. But real spend on infrastructure delivery would fall as share of GDP from 25.5% to 25.2% in 2020-21, Motto said. 
Yet, “historically low bond rates and a triple-A credit rating means it has never been a better time to borrow, to take on more good debt,” Motto said.
 “This is an Infrastructure Budget 1.0 that begs for an Infrastructure Budget 2.0 to better connect the strong sense of direction to implementation and the opportunity for Australia to maintain future economic growth,” said Motto.
“This was a budget big on planning for longer-term infrastructure dividends.” 
“It recognised infrastructure as a tool to increase productivity, the importance of business case development to get the right projects off the ground, and the role of government in being able to drive economic growth.
“Over $14 billion of direct government equity in major infrastructure delivery and financing agencies,” she said.
But Motto added that “in the short term there is a sense of missed opportunity”.
Motto also lamented the foreign worker levy for businesses that will make it harder for them to bring in skills needed to deliver Australia’s infrastructure agenda.
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Budget fails to capitalise on historic low borrowing rates

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The latest research from Sydney Units Cityscope shows that apartment sales in Sydney’s CBD have increased both in number and total sales value in the last quarter.
For the three months to April 2017, there were 133 sales at a total value of $164.3 million, compared with 113 sales at a total value of $128.8 million for the previous quarter.
However, the yearly figures have decreased in total sales value and number, with 723 sales at a total value of $969.6 million for the 12 months to April 2017, compared with 821 sales at a total value of $972.9 million for the previous year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Sydney Units Cityscope:
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/26/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-26%20at%2010.25.12%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/04/26/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-26%20at%2010.25.12%20am.jpg" alt="">
Notable sales in the April 2017 update of Sydney Units Cityscope include:
    The long term leasehold of Unit 25, Macquarie Apartments, at 155-161 Macquarie Street, Sydney, a three bedroom 189 sqm apartment with balconies on level 13 and four car spaces on basement level four, which was sold for $4.75 million through City Living;
<ul>
<li>Unit 23, Bennelong, at 5 Macquarie Street, Sydney, an 186 sqm apartment including balconies on level two and a 32 sqm car space on basement level five and a five sqm storage space on basement level four, which was sold for $4.15 million through Morton Circular Quay;</li>
<li>The long term leasehold of Lot 2, known as Borrowdale, Reynall Terraces, at 185 Gloucester Street, The Rocks, a split level residential apartment with 98 sqm on level three and 103 sqm on level four and a 32 sqm car space on level one, which was sold for $3.9 million and</li>
<li>The long term leasehold of Lot 4, known as Charlotte, Reynall Terraces, at 185 Gloucester Street, The Rocks, a split level residential apartment with 113 sqm on level three and 112 sqm on level 4 and a 40 sqm car space on level 1, which was sold for $3.85 million;</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/26/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-26%20at%2010.25.42%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/04/26/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-26%20at%2010.25.42%20am.jpg" alt="">
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Sydney apartment sales increase in value and number: Cityscope

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A premier six bedroom property known as Cintamani in the Noosa hinterland has been repriced to $5.7 million.
The elevated single level residence at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/430-sunrise-road-tinbeerwah-qld-4563-2013141176" target="_blank">430 Sunrise Road</a>, Tinbeerwah, is located 15 kilometres from Noosa. 
It offers panoramic views of Noosa Heads, ranging from the coastline to Double Island Point, and the waterways of Noosa River.
Positioned on 35 hectare estate, highlights include a secure gated entry opening on to a long private driveway, chefs kitchen, helipad, tennis court, cinema and commercially equipped bar.
The grounds provides landscaped botanical gardens, an established nursery, barbecue pavilion, poolside terraces, fully equipped gym, billiard room, machinery sheds and separate maids quarters.
The property was last sold in 1994.
Garvan Institute chief operating officer Philip Knox and wife Marianne recently sold Lagoona House, their contemporary Noosa Heads weekender.
Australia's 7-Eleven co-founder Beverley Barlow and husband Douglas recently sold their Paul Clout designed Noosa waterfront that cost the couple $535,000 in 1999.
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Premier hinterland property Cintamani listed at reduced price

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With the deadline for the new superannuation rules set to take effect from July, retired Australians should focus on a strategy to claim capital gains tax relief on investments such as property that become partly taxable as a result of the new rules.
And the transfer from super savings from a pension to an accumulation account must be done by June 30. 
CGT relief is available for self-managed super funds (SMSFs) to provide temporary relief from certain capital gains that might arise as a result of individuals complying with the transfer balance cap, and Transition to Retirement Income Stream (TRIS) reforms, commencing on 1 July 2017, says the Australian Taxation Office website.
CGT relief allows profitable investments in super pensions, currently tax-free, to have their cost bases reset to a higher value.
The transfer balance cap is $1.6 million at the moment, and it limits the amount of capital individuals can transfer to the retirement phase of their superannuation accounts. This in turn, limits the amount of superannuation fund earnings that are exempt from taxation, says the ATO.
Retirees who will be affected by the rule change are those who have, or are deemed to have, a pension interest in a total super balance that exceeds $1.6 million, as well as anyone with profitable investments in transition to retirement income streams (TRISs). From July the earnings generated by TRISs will no longer be tax free.
CGT relief could be worth many tens of thousands of dollars to retirees or TRIS holders. It's also an entitlement that many might delay or forgo because of the complexity. But not using the opportunity of the concession window could lead to regret down the track, says an article in The Australian Financial Review.
If you haven't already drafted a plan, now is the time, says self-managed super strategist Darren Kingdon of Kingdon Financial Group. 
An action plan should involve being aware of the capital gains that exist for each investment you own in a super pension and where the new rules will oblige you to transfer assets to an accumulation account. Once in accumulation, assets will be either fully or partly taxed, albeit concessionally.
The plan should also involve having an estimate of the additional tax that will need to be paid because pension assets will no longer be tax free and the impact this will have on a retiree's overall income. 
Earnings on assets rolled to an accumulation account will be taxed at 15 percent and capital gains at either 10 percent or 15 percent, depending on how long they are held for. 
An action plan will require being aware of the procedures that need to be  followed in order to implement CGT relief, a task not helped by the fact that important documents, such as an approved form on which the assets in question must be recorded, are not yet available.
Investments should be assessed on an asset-by-asset basis, says Kingdon in the post in AFR. For investment property and interests in investments owned through trusts, up-to-date valuations will be needed.
To illustrate how CGT relief might work, a 65 years-plus retired reader asks about his $4 million SMSF pension portfolio that is broadly made up of two $2 million commercial property units that are wholly dedicated to paying a pension. The properties each cost about $1 million.
Even though the reader will only be allowed to have $1.6 million of investments in a pension account from July 1, he expects both properties will remain in super because stamp duty will prohibit him from moving them elsewhere, even if he wanted to.
The reader asks if he will be able to commute property A to an accumulation account after having its tax base reset to $2 million under the CGT relief rules shortly before midnight on June 30.
And, in the case of property B, can he designate 80 percent of its value, or $1.6 million, as being in the pension phase and 20 percent, valued at $400,000, as being in accumulation phase and reset the cost base to $2 million as at June 30? And how would this property be taxed if, in two years' time, it was sold for $3.5 million?
Unfortunately, says Kingdon, it is not possible under Tax Office guidelines for an SMSF to partially segregate a single asset in the manner described for property B. Tax accountant Gordon Cooper of Cooper and Co says this is because you can't split the ownership of a single asset within the same legal entity.
In order to trigger an entitlement to CGT relief for both assets, a "cessation event" must occur between November 9, 2016  and  June 30, 2017.  
In order to claim CGT relief and reset the value of each property from $1 million to $2 million, the reader will need to commute the total excess of $2.4 million back to an accumulation account on or before June 30 and use what is known as the proportionate method to calculate tax for the remainder of the 2016-17 financial year, and in future years. 
This approach locks in the CGT relief to $2 million. If property B is later sold for $3.5 million, the notional $1.5 million gross capital gain is reduced to $1 million under the one-third CGT discount available to SMSF assets owned for more than one year, or one year beyond the CGT reset date.
But that's not the only calculation that must be performed.
Under the current rules, 100 percent of the $4 million pension is exempt from tax. Under the new rules, because only $1.6 million of $4 million is in tax-free pension phase  – or 40 percent – and 60 percent will be in a taxable accumulation account, this proportion will apply to any future CGT liability.
It means 60 percent of the $1 million gross gain, or $600,000, will be added to the fund's taxable income. It will be taxed at 15 per cent, resulting in a $90,000 tax bill. Without the CGT relief, the notional gains will be $2.5 million, discounted to $1.675 million. With 60 per cent or just over $1 million taxable, the tax liability will be around $151,000.
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You only have two months to plan for the CGT relief on super pensions 

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A luxurious country estate sitting on 40 hectares in Mia Mia, Victoria has been listed for sale with a price guide of $1.3 million. 
The interior-designed four bedroom main residence at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-vic-mia+mia-7879978" target="_blank">359 Wild Duck Road</a> and two bedroom guest house have been built to capture the stunning outlook across to Wild Duck Creek.
Mia Mia is a picturesque area located 119 kilometres north of Melbourne and 56 kilometres south of Bendigo. It is largely an area of broadacre farms raising cattle and sheep.
The residence features a glass enclosed hallway, family room, and office with a marble topped chef’s kitchen facing an open plan dining and living room to the Jetmaster fireplace.  Touches of double oak-doors, travertine marble and black butt floors have been included throughout.
A main bathroom is finished in floor to ceiling tiles, under floor heating, double shower, vanity and a bath. The master bedroom offers a walk in robe, Belgian linen curtains, frameless windows leading onto the wooden deck.
The two bedroom guest house showcases lime washed oak floors, marble bathroom with feature shower and underfloor heating, as well as floor to ceiling frameless windows and custom made doors.
Established native gardens are set against the backdrop of the rolling hills and creek frontage.
A three bedroom residence at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-mia+mia-118528219" target="_blank">61 Valley Road</a> sold for $325,000 in December 2016.
The property is offered through Pat Rice and Hawkins agent Bart O'Sullivan. 
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Mia Mia country estate listed 

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Henzell Construction is set to build a $15 million residential development overlooking the new Pelican Waters marina on the Sunshine Coast.
The Carlyle Terraces will feature 25 three bedroom, double storey terrace homes sized from 200sqm to 254sqm.
Mclean Henzell of Henzell Construction said Carlyle Terraces was the first terrace home project for the masterplanned Pelican Waters community.
<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/2017/04/4/CT01M2.jpg" alt="">
“Its prime location at the gateway to the emerging town centre and marina means a vibrant mix of waterfront dining, shopping and professional services is a short 100m stroll away, accessible by private pedestrian access from each residence,’’ he said.
"Priced from $540,000 to $660,000, the terrace homes would appeal to retirees, downsizers, professionals and small families.
“The terrace homes offer the choice of upstairs or downstairs master bedrooms, water and marina views, low maintenance pet-friendly yards plus shared facilities including elevated tropical pool, private putting green and barbecue with kitchenette.
Other nearby features include Pelican Waters Golf Course, bowls club, local supermarkets, Caloundra CBD, patrolled beaches, numerous parks and waterways, health services, a range of primary and secondary schools and easy access to the Bruce Highway.
<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/2017/04/4/f02.jpg" alt="">
The Carlyle Terraces features 21 superbly-crafted three-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom terrace homes and four villas and is presently being sold off the plan, with construction expected to be completed by 2017.
<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/2017/04/4/f24.jpg" alt="">
Visit The Carlyle Terraces onsite sale office at Coral Sea Drive Pelican Waters, open daily except Friday from 10am to 4pm.
For more information visit <a href="https://www.thecarlyle.com.au/">https://www.thecarlyle.com.au/</a>
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Henzell Construction launches $15 million residential sanctuary The Carlyle Terraces

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Franklin in the ACT has plenty of opportunities to purchase a house at around a $780,000 median, according to Investar’s latest report of the most active sale suburbs.
The property investment firm says that the median price of a house at Franklin sits around $789,000.
This is followed by Crace with $770,000 and Forde with $729,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
Current median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Franklin
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2913
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$789,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Crace
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2911
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$770,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Forde
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2914
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$729,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Nicholls
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2913
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$699,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Palmerston
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2913
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$670,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Harrison
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2914
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$660,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Gungahlin
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2912
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$658,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Amaroo
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2914
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$638,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Monash
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2904
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$635,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="74">
Bonner
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2914
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$632,500
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A four bedroom house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-franklin-124864510" target="_blank"> 79 Patrick White Circuit</a>, Franklin (above) was sold March this year for $782,000.
Similarly a four bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-franklin-121929114" target="_blank">6 Gavin Long Street</a>, Franklin (below) was sold March last year for $760,000.
<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/2017/04/18/6%20Gavin%20Long%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Franklin ACT median house price around $789,000: Investar

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Dora Creek has the fastest median price growth for houses in New South Wales, according to a recent Investar report.
The property investment firm says that the median house price in Dora Creek has grown by 52 percent in the past year.
This is followed by Green Point with 51 percent and Airds with 46 percent.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
Current median price
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
Median price 1 year ago
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
Growth in 1 year
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Dora Creek
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2264
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$579,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$379,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
52%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Green Point
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2428
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$750,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$494,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
51%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Airds
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2560
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$563,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$385,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
46%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Dural
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2158
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
5
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$2,298,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$1,600,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
43%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Barrack Heights
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2528
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$637,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$460,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
38%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Culburra Beach
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2540
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$484,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$350,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
38%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Leumeah
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2560
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$420,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$310,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
35%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Warners Bay
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2282
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$499,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$377,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
32%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Suffolk Park
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2481
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$1,187,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$899,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
32%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Manyana
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2539
</td>
<td valign="top" width="70">
4
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$695,000
</td>
<td valign="top" width="83">
$526,500
</td>
<td valign="top" width="71">
32%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A two bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-culburra+beach-124872850" target="_blank">5 Plimsoll Place</a>, Culburra Beach (below) was sold in April this year for $487,000.
Similarly a two bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-culburra+beach-124954410" target="_blank">2 Mowbray Road</a>, Culburra Beach (above) was sold in March this year for $460,000.
<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/2017/05/11/2%20Mowbray%20Road.jpg" alt="">
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Culburra Beach ranks sixth behind Dora Creek for fastest NSW median house price growth: Investar

<html><body>
While the financial position of households has been fairly resilient, vulnerabilities persist for some highly indebted households, especially those located in the resource-rich states, the recent RBA's Financial Stability Review has noted.
Household indebtedness (as measured by the ratio of debt to disposable income) has increased further, primarily due to rising levels of housing debt, although weak income growth is also contributing.
Rising indebtedness can make households more vulnerable to potential income declines and higher interest rates.
This is of most concern for households that have very high levels of debt.
Low interest rates are helping to offset the cost of servicing larger amounts of debt and hence total mortgage servicing costs remain around their recent lows (Graph 2.5).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/13/Graph%202.5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/04/13/Graph%202.5.jpg" alt="">
In this regard, lenders have tightened mortgage serviceability assessments in recent years to include larger interest rate buffers, which should provide some protection against the potential effects of higher interest rates.
Prepayments on mortgages increase the resilience of household balance sheets.
Aggregate mortgage buffers – balances in offset accounts and redraw facilities – are high, at around 17 per cent of outstanding loan balances or around 21⁄2 years of scheduled repayments at current interest rates.
However, these aggregate figures mask significant variation across borrowers, with available data suggesting that around one-third of borrowers have either no accrued buffer or a buffer of less than one month’s repayments.
Those with minimal buffers tend to have newer mortgages, or to be lower-income or lower-wealth households.
Weak economic conditions, and declining housing prices, continue to present challenges to the financial health of households in regions with large exposures to the mining sector.
For example, the rate of personal administrations in Western Australia increased further over the second half of 2016.
While commodity prices have increased, this seems unlikely to translate into significantly improved labour market outcomes in these regions in the near term.
If housing prices continue to decline in these locations, then banks may face additional losses on their mortgage portfolios.
Find the RBA's latest Financial Stability Review 2017 <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Households continue to have high levels of debt: RBA warns

Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Staff reporter

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