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Corowa, Cowra and Deniliquin are the cheapest New South Wales localities to purchase a unit, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that units in those three localities average around $135,000.
This is followed by Jindabyne with $139,000 and Narooma with $142,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
Current median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Corowa
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2646
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$135,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Cowra
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2794
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$135,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Deniliquin
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2710
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$135,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Jindabyne
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2627
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
Studio and 1
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$139,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Narooma
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2546
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
Studio and 1
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$142,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Leeton
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2705
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$145,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Murwillumbah
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2484
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$145,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Ashmont
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2650
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$150,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Queanbeyan East
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2620
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
Studio and 1
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$150,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="104">
Lavington
</td>
<td valign="top" width="64">
2641
</td>
<td valign="top" width="81">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="122">
$160,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-corowa-125143070" target="_blank">2/8 Tower Street</a>, Corowa (above) has been listed for $140,000.
Similarly a two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-deniliquin-119861149" target="_blank">3/115 Fowler Street</a>, Deniliquin (below) has been listed for $105,000.
<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/2017/04/11/3_115%20Fowler%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Corowa, Cowra and Deniliquin units average at $135,000: Investar

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A Bruce, ACT house with views of Belconnen has been sold for $1.43 million making it Canberra's most expensive weekend auction sale.
Located at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/7-teakle-place-bruce-act-2617-2013475868" target="_blank">7 Teakle Place</a>, the property was built in 1985.
The four bedroom brick house has a broad northern aspect to the rear with expansive vistas.
Informal living areas interact with the outdoors and includes an updated kitchen with Miele electric oven, Kleenmaid electric hot plates and Panasonic mirowave oven.
<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/2017/04/09/7%20Teakle%20Place-2.jpg" alt="">
It has a tiled games room with a built-in bar plus a rumpus room with built-in BBQ and pavilion.
Other features include a tennis court and triple garaging.
It was last sold in 1994 for $464,000 and was then refurbished in 2002.
The property was offered through Peter Blackshaw Real Estate agent Peter Walker.
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1980s Bruce, ACT house sold for $1.43 million

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Proptech startup PEXA has merged three offices and over 200 staff into a new workplace in Collins Square, Melbourne, designed by Futurespace.
Futurespace, design director Gavin Harris said the workspace is built around a central café zone which acts as the thoroughfare for both sides of the office.
“PEXA wanted to move into a space that would encourage staff to socialise and to create positive energy.," he said.
“To help support the employees, we brought in sit-stand desks, designed collaboration or scrum spaces, and created an office that facilitates people working away from their desks.
“We also implemented a range of design tactics in the office to support employees.
"These included bringing in natural materials like climbing green walls, creating exposed ceilings, lining the walls with timber, introducing texture and colour through flooring and soft furnishings."
<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/2017/04/11/image003.jpg" alt="">
Rebecca Evans, chief people and culture officer, PEXA, said so far the feedback from employees has been overwhelmingly positive.
<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/2017/04/11/image005.jpg" alt="">
“Being in such a central location, with the entire Melbourne-based team under one roof is helping to create a stronger team for our growing business,” she said.
PEXA was ranked as the fifth fastest growing tech startup in the Deloitte 2016 Technology Fast 500.
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Growing startup PEXA merges three offices and 200 staff into new workplace

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The Outer West and Blue Mountains region had the highest number of auction clearance rate in Sydney, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that out of 10 auctions known to them 90 percent resulted in a successful outcome.
This is followed by North Sydney and Hornsby with 87.4 percent and City and Inner South with 87.2 percent.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-10%20at%2010.45.19%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/2017/04/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-10%20at%2010.45.19%20am.jpg" alt="">
Outer South West had the lowest auction clearance rate with only 43.8 percent of its auctions cleared.
A four bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-blacktown-124973270" target="_blank">12 Nerada Street</a>, Blacktown (above) was sold for $730,000.
Similarly a five bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-castle+hill-125020414" target="_blank">14 Banks Road</a>, Castle Hill (below) was sold for $4.8 million.
<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/2017/04/11/14%20Banks%20Road.jpg" alt="">
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Sydney's outer West and Blue Mountains scores 90 percent weekend auction clearance rate: CoreLogic

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Fifty five percent of first home buyers worry they’ll never own a home and for many the prospect is taking an emotional toll.
The findings come from a new study of 1,000 wannabe home owners by industry super fund-owned bank ME, in conjunction with clinical psychologist, Elizabeth Neal.
According to the study, as a result of not owning a home:
<ul>
<li>46 percent feel inadequate</li>
<li>43 percent self-blame, feeling they’ve made bad decisions financially or with money management</li>
<li>43 percent can’t imagine feeling fulfilled without owning a home</li>
<li>39% feel they have nothing to look forward to</li>
<li>38 percent feel envious or jealous when others reach the property ladder before them, rising to 50 percent of Gen Ys</li>
</ul>
Study co-author, Elizabeth Neal said negative emotions stemming from non-home ownership are understandable.
“Property is such a hot topic in Australia with constant reminders everywhere you turn, so it's unsurprising many feel somewhat cynical and experience low self-worth as a result.
“Worries about non-home ownership can easily turn into feelings of inadequacy or humiliation when we’re reminded every day – whether it’s through the media, friends and family, or via social media.
"I’m not surprised half of Gen Y’s who don’t own a home feel the most envious or jealous when others get on the property ladder before them – Instagram and Facebook feeds are likely to be dotted with photos of acquaintances smiling proudly outside their first home.
“But before you question your own life-decisions, remember every person’s situation is different,” said Ms Neal.
ME Head of Home Loans, Patrick Nolan, said “despite affordability pressures the ‘Great Australian Dream’ remains embedded in many Australians’ mindsets.
“The unfortunate reality is house prices have more than doubled in the past 15 years through several supply and demand factors.
“For those still striving to get their foot on the ladder, it’s important to stay positive and to consider alternative strategies, like buying an investment property, a unit instead of a house, joining forces with friends or family, or looking to neighbouring suburbs where properties may be cheaper.
ME’s research found Gen X was the hardest hit when it comes to the emotional toll of not owning a home.
Sixty eight per cent of Gen X respondents felt worried they won’t be able to get into the property market; 58% said they feel inadequate; 53% blame themselves and feel they’ve made bad decisions financially or with money management; and 35% said they felt humiliated; all significantly higher proportions than other generations.
Neal said the reason Gen X is hardest hit is related to their life stage.
“The need for security is fundamental to the human condition and our sense of belonging.
It goes back to Maslow's hierarchy of needs – physical safety is the base need, followed by our social and emotional needs.
“Gen Xers are at the ‘settling down’ stage of their lives and security has become a higher priority.
This generation grew up with the assumption that buying property is integral to becoming an adult.”
Some respondents saw positives in non-home ownership.
According to the study, as a result of not owning a home:
<ul>
<li>42 percent said they feel like they have the freedom to explore other opportunities and grow in other areas</li>
<li>34 percent feel liberated; like they have greater freedom</li>
<li>33 percent said it enables them to lead a better lifestyle</li>
</ul>
Nolan said not owning a home certainly doesn’t mean you’ve run out of options to build wealth.
“Housing is unaffordable in many parts of the world but people continue to find other ways to invest their savings to build wealth for the future, like contributing more to superannuation or using the monthly savings they might have paid to a mortgage for another type of investment.
“Australians have become fixated by property as a means of building wealth and it’s worth talking to a financial expert to understand and explore your options.
For many people not owning a home just opens another door.”
Reported negative impacts of not owning a home
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
Total
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Gen Y
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Gen X
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
I have felt worried that I won’t be able to get into the property market
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
55%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
63%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
68%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has made me feel inadequate
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
46%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
53%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
58%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Means I’ve felt I’ve made bad decisions financially or with money management
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
43%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
44%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
53%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
I can’t imagine feeling fulfilled in the future without owning a home
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
43%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
58%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
48%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has made me feel like I have nothing to look forward to
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
39%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
42%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
49%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
I’ve felt envy or jealousy when others get on to the property ladder before me
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
38%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
50%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
46%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has negatively affected my ability to build wealth
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
32%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
29%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
41%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has felt humiliating
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
29%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
33%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
35%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has negatively affected my retirement plans
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
27%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
23%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
30%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
I’ve experienced conflict with others on the topic of housing unaffordability
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
25%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
31%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
30%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has negatively affected my personal relationships
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
16%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
17%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
18%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="286">
Has negatively affected my family planning (i.e. having children)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
14%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
24%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
14%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Reported positive impacts of not owning a home
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="277">
 
</td>
<td valign="top" width="46">
Total
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Gen Y
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
Gen X
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="277">
Makes me feel like I have the freedom to explore other opportunities and grow in other areas
</td>
<td valign="top" width="46">
42%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
45%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
45%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="277">
Has made me feel liberated, like I have greater freedom
</td>
<td valign="top" width="46">
34%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
28%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
36%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="277">
Enables me to lead a better lifestyle
</td>
<td valign="top" width="46">
33%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
27%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="52">
39%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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Gen X holds the highest emotional toll of not owning a home

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The LJ Hooker-Seniors Housing Online survey found 38.3 percent of respondents were living in properties with two spare bedrooms.
Furthermore, almost one in five (18.6 percent) had three or more unused bedrooms in their family home. 
Incentivising seniors to downsize to more appropriate accommodation would benefit wider housing affordability, according to LJ Hooker and Seniors Housing Online.
Ahead of the release of a joint company white paper this month which canvasses the housing concerns of over-50s across Australia, the leading real estate network and retirement property portal encouraged the Federal Government to make downsizing more attractive in the May Budget, saying its benefits would extend far beyond seniors.
Mathew Tiller, LJ Hooker’s head of research said policy which gave seniors the confidence to move on from the family home to more appropriate lodgings would benefits the real estate market’s ‘ecosystem’.
“Supply is the centrepiece of affordability, and in 2016 there was a 9.2 percent reduction, year-on-year, in the number of properties which changed hands in Australia,” said Mr Tiller.
“New development helps supply but encouraging the sale of properties in the secondary market – where the market’s focus is - would make prices more sustainable.
It would help the real estate ecosystem, allowing second, third or fourth family home buyers to upgrade.
“Across Australia, there’s dust gathering in unused bedrooms of seniors who would rather be living in something that better suits their mobility and is more affordable, and would happily do so if their interests were considered.”
Preliminary findings of the LJ Hooker-Seniors Housing Online survey found three-quarters of respondents wanted to downsize.
Amanda Graham, Co-CEO of Seniors Housing Online welcomed the Treasurer’s speech, saying it was good to see recognition of how the housing market situation is impacting on retirees, including more older people renting, bigger mortgages taking longer to pay off, and the use of super to pay down mortgages.
“Downsizers play an important role in unlocking property supply with flow on benefits to those on every other step on the ladder, including first home buyers.”
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Downsizer incentives would aid affordability: LJH

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The $60 million Wellington development in East Brisbane has sold more than $28 million in new apartments since release.
The Wellington, from EPV Developments, features 127 one-bedroom and 32 two-bedroom apartments in a variety of floorplans priced between $354,000 and $615,000.
Karl Jameson, EPV Developments director said due diligence research showed that Brisbane’s inner south-east is increasingly becoming a lifestyle destination of choice, with The Wellington site perfectly positioned in an area of ongoing high demand.
“We want to make the most of this prime location by creating a development where residents can enjoy convenient and luxurious inner-city apartment living and captivating city views,” he said.
“Our vision is to create a unique central atrium with lush tropical terraces and courtyards to provide residents with a garden view and allow for natural light and breezes to flow throughout the apartments in The Wellington,” he said.
“Our design concept for The Wellington’s apartments is to create a sense of space, maximised by integrating accessories into a seamless, clean and contemporary style, offering a choice of light and dark colour palettes and selected upgrade options allowing owners to personalise aspects of their apartment.”
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/04/07/Adrian%20Parsons%20Denis%20Mackenzie%20%20Karl%20Jameson%201.JPG" alt="">
The Wellington apartments are 350m from Woolloongabba’s dining precinct, 600m from a Coles supermarket, 1300m from the Mater Hospital complex, 1800m from the South Bank Institute of Technology, and 2300m from the lifestyle destination of South Bank.
<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/2017/04/07/The%20Wellington%20-%20Rooftop%20Pool.jpg" alt="">
 
For sales information go to <a href="https://thewellingtonbrisbane.com.au/" target="_blank">https://thewellingtonbrisbane.com.au/</a>, phone TOTAL Property Group on 1300 393 855 or visit The Wellington sales office, open Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm opposite The Wellington development site at 30 Wellington Road, East Brisbane.
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East Brisbane's The Wellington records strong sales

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A Persian-inspired four bedroom house at East Ryde has been sold for $1.5 million.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-east+ryde-124987946" target="_blank">42 Melba Drive</a>, the property sits on a 575 sqm block with a leafy outlook and was built for the owner's wife.
Refurbishment or complete replacement of the house is a possibility.
Features includes a sunken lounge with dome ceiling, circular kitchen and a private backyard.
<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/2017/03/27/42%20Melba%20Drive-2.jpg" alt="">
There are also four bedrooms and two bathrooms along with a huge outdoor balcony that is perfect for entertaining.
A double lock up garage is also featured.
The property is a walk away to East Ryde shops and there are regular bus transports to the city.
The property was offered through Ray White agents Barrie Brown and Bryony Gilmour.
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Four bedroom East Ryde home sold for $1.5 million

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A Myrtle Bank house has been sold for $1.54 million, making it Adelaide’s most expensive weekend auction sale.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-myrtle+bank-124994662" target="_blank">2 Jenkins Avenue</a>, the property is set in landscaped gardens on its 700 sqm holding with wrought iron front fence.
The front windows overlook one of Adelaide’s oldest Crepe Myrtle trees.
Modern extensions has resulted in the kitchen/meals area featuring views of the rear gardens.
It comes with a north facing French Provincial courtyard protected by a limestone wall backdrop. 
<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/2017/04/09/2%20Jenkins%20Avenue-2.jpg" alt="">
There are four double bedrooms with the master bedroom featuring a gas fire place, designer walk-in robe and ensuite.
It last sold in 2012 for $1,253,500.
The property was offered through Toop &amp; Toop Real Estate agents Peter McMillan and Eloise McMillan.
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$1.54 million Myrtle Bank house tops Adelaide's weekend sales

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New South Wales’ Newcastle market is the strongest it has been in quite a while, according to Herron Todd White’s latest report.
The property valuation firm says that there is an argument to be made that the market has never been stronger - the number of coconut lattes being consumed in Newcastle by real estate types is an overwhelming tidal wave in its favour.
Recently there has been plenty of media attention repeating the mantra that Newcastle is an up-and- coming Sydney, with less population, less gridlock and lower property prices.
“Agents are fielding plenty of enquiries from out of town buyers and they can definitely compete favourably with the locals at auctions; when you sell your property at Sydney prices, its gives you plenty of dollars to spend at Newcastle prices,” the report stated.
"Take for example Mayfield East; houses in this suburb have smashed through the $500,000 barrier and powered up to join neighbouring suburbs in the $600,000 to $700,000 range.
"This is at a level beyond imagination a few years ago for the once humble home suburb of the former BHP workers.
“Gentrification of these areas is like a rampaging juggernaut which keeps Bunnings in business and cafes buying as much coconut milk as they can get their callous free organic hands on,” the report advised.
HTW's report pondered what’s driving this "real estate frothiness" – media hype has already been mentioned and it is a massive factor, but supply and demand is where it’s really at.
“With dozens of buyers lining up to inspect houses at open days, it’s open season for agents, like shooting fish in a barrel.
For the most part auction strategy is giving way to a feeding frenzy with suburb records occurring on what seems like a weekly basis.
Even if you are fortunate enough to make a bucket load of cash in the current market when you sell your house, how do you secure a new abode for yourself?” the report suggested.
"The typical house-hunting Novacastrian is tearing their hair out in frustration.
“What are the options? Stay put and wait for the market to plateau which we have been waiting almost 18 months for OR extend and renovate your current house.
It’s no surprise that tradies are in hot demand with waiting lists the norm.
Some are developing a taste for coconut lattes it appears,” the report commented.
HTW commented to not forget the unit market.
“If you bought a speculative unit off the plan in and around Honeysuckle back in 2015 then chances are you have already made money.
"The kicker is that the units are only just being handed over as we write this.
"It doesn’t always work out this way with units; it’s just that point in the market where it has.
Given the number of new units commencing construction, it remains to be seen whether the next batch of off-the- plan speculators fare as well,” the report stated.
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NSW's Newcastle residential market's frothiness: HTW

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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