<html><body>
Owners of units in Sydney’s beleaguered Opal Tower have lodged a class-action lawsuit against the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, which owns the land on which the complex was built.
The action was filed in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday led by owner Terry Williamson.
Lawyers for the owners have filed documents against the NSW government and Sydney Olympic Park Authority, claiming the building was not designed and constructed with due care and skill, and was not reasonably fit for occupation. 
The newly-built block in Sydney Olympic Park was evacuated on Christmas Eve after cracks were discovered in the building that briefly sparked fears it could collapse.
Owner investors are looking to claim lost rental income they can't claim from builder Icon due to a waiver that would forfeit their right to sue.
Dcuments lodged to the NSW Supreme Court by Corrs Chambers Westgarth seek access to designs and contracts relating to the design of Opal Tower.
Gladys Berejiklian has defended the right of owners to sue her government.
“I don’t blame anybody for taking legal action to defend their own rights,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian noted it was "an unfortunate set of circumstances."
"We inherited the system we have today and we’re aiming to fix it by the end of the year through legislation.”
Ms Berejiklian said the government will be announcing a new building commissioner “imminently” to oversee the problem-plagued construction industry.
“(The commissioner) will ensure moving forward that everybody in the industry not only is aware of their responsibilities, but delivers on those responsibilities to the nth degree,” she said.
In an update to residents in mid-July, the tower’s builder, Icon, said site works have been “progressing well” and structural works should be completed by the end of the month.
Residents of a further 40 apartments in Opal Tower are set to be allowed to return to their units on Friday after inspections are carried out.
The NSW government's reform plans for the state's building and construction industry are not enough to fix it, industry group, The Owners Corporation Network (OCN) submission to the government says.
"Good buildings are now going to be under suspicion until people satisfy themselves they are not defective. This is a GFC-style situation, where credit ratings and the risk for financial products came into question. In that case loss of confidence in the financial system became a contagion," the report states.
"The NSW government needs to step into the breach just as it did when HIH and FAI Insurance collapsed in March 2001."
 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Opal Tower owners sue the NSW government

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVERS
In low-rent outer suburbs, almost one in six households could not afford to keep their house cool and went without meals.<a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ashkelon-july-30a-poor-man-looks-116883439?src=pz36NnyfTHFCIB6ziBOFUg-1-1&amp;studio=1"> </a>
Private renting continues to expand at the expense of home ownership, newly released <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">ABS statistics</a> show. More than one in four Australians (27%) are now tenants of a private landlord (2017-18). Only one in five lived in private rental housing in 1997-98.
<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">Our research</a> looked at private renters in middle and inner suburbs and low-rent outer suburbs (200 private renters in each area, 600 in total) in Sydney and Melbourne. Geographical differences in income sources and deprivation rates might be expected. However, the variations in <a href="https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Report12_07_Deprivation_and_exclusion_in_Australia.pdf" target="_blank">financial stress</a> revealed by our study were startling. In low-rent outer suburbs, much higher proportions, for example, went without meals or had to pawn or sell something to get by.
<h2>Household incomes</h2>
Not surprisingly, tenants in the inner/middle suburb areas and the (low-rent) outer areas had a very different profile of income sources, as Table 1 shows.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285969/original/file-20190729-43109-1yvajhm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285969/original/file-20190729-43109-1yvajhm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
In areas with medium and high rents, wages or salaries were the main source of income for more than four out of five respondents (83%). In the outer suburban, low-rent areas, this was true for barely half (56%). A third relied mainly on state pensions or benefits.
In more than a quarter of tenant households (28%) in low-rent areas at least one member was an unemployed job-seeker. Only 8% of households in the medium/high-rent areas included an unemployed member.
Finally, once again indicating the typically more deprived situation of the outer suburb group, a much greater proportion of these tenants, 62%, received Commonwealth Rent Assistance compared to 21% in the other areas.
<h2>Signs of financial stress</h2>
Respondents were asked: “Over the past year, have any of the following happened to you/your household because of a shortage of money?”
We <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">found levels of financial stress</a> varied greatly between areas. Among low-rent (outer suburban) tenants almost two-thirds (63%) experienced at least one of the eight possible financial stress indicators listed in Table 2. That’s twice the proportion for the inner/middle-area cohort (32%).
Benchmarking both of these figures against the nationwide rate of 20% (based on the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&amp;HECS%20additional%20tables.xls&amp;4670.0&amp;Data%20Cubes&amp;4C08051315A91B1ACA257C6F000EC23C&amp;0&amp;2012&amp;24.02.2014&amp;Latest" target="_blank">all-tenure national comparator on the incidence of financial hardship</a>) illustrates the pervasiveness of economic stress among private renters in all areas of our major capital cities. But in outer suburban low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne the risk of financial hardship is more than three times the national norm among tenants. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08111146.2016.1272449" target="_blank">Our earlier research</a> also noted this.
Comparing the two tenant groups revealed statistically significant differences on every financial hardship indicator – see Table 2.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285972/original/file-20190729-43114-iry4ai.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285972/original/file-20190729-43114-iry4ai.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
Strikingly, almost one in six households living in low-rent areas went without meals. A similar proportion had to pawn or sell something to get by.
One in three tenants in these areas turned to family and friends for financial help. Almost one in four (23%) sought help from a welfare or community organisation.
Exposure to multiple forms of financial stress indicators was also much greater in low-rent areas. One in five (19%) tenants here reported enduring four or more financial stress indicators versus 6% in medium/high-rent areas. For households in this position, damaging impacts on their quality of life and probably <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2017.1344202" target="_blank">physical and mental health</a> are likely.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285974/original/file-20190729-43114-1cszm0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285974/original/file-20190729-43114-1cszm0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
<h2>A common theme to financial stress</h2>
We found that being reliant on government benefits was associated with multiple indicators of financial stress, irrespective of area. More than one in three (37%) such households experienced four or more of the financial stress indicators. Alarmingly, poverty resulted in 26% of this grouping going without meals in the last year.
Employment status was a significant factor irrespective of area. In households where a household member was either looking for work, out of the workforce or retired, 27% of these households had four or more financial stress indicators. In households where at least one person was employed full-time, only 5% had four or more stress indicators.
The ongoing trend of increasing housing cost pressures on lower-income Australians over the past decade provides the context for the high incidence of financial stress, particularly among tenants in low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">Latest ABS data</a> reveal that, for the least affluent fifth of households, typical spending on housing increased from 23% of income to 29% over that period. In contrast, typical spending on housing by the top fifth was unchanged at 10%.
<h2>The case for increasing benefits</h2>
Our study brings home that <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7269/" target="_blank">everyday life is an enormous battle</a> on various fronts for many benefit-reliant and other low-income tenants in Sydney and Melbourne. Even if they can find a tenancy in a low-rent area to keep housing costs down, their likelihood of after-housing poverty, including <a href="https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/energy-poverty-urgently-end-2/" target="_blank">energy poverty</a>, is high.
At the most extreme end of the scale are the one in five tenants in the outer low-rent areas (one in ten across all three areas) who experienced severe financial stress (four or more indicators of financial stress). After paying for their housing, many of them lack money for essentials.
Being located on the urban fringe, and therefore often remote from services and/or employment, compounds such hardship. Not surprisingly, the incidence of financial stress is highest among government benefit recipients. This finding highlights the urgent need to increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance to offset some of their housing costs, and also to increase key income support payments, such as <a href="https://www.acoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Raise-the-Rate-Explainer-1.pdf" target="_blank">Newstart and the Disability Support Pension</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120427/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-morris-13337" target="_blank">Alan Morris</a>, Research Professor, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969" target="_blank">Hal Pawson</a>, Associate Director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kath-hulse-228874" target="_blank">Kath Hulse</a>, Research Professor, Centre for Urban Transitions, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767" target="_blank">Swinburne University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/violet-xia-781289" target="_blank">Violet Xia</a>, Research Associate, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/private-renters-are-doing-it-tough-in-outer-suburbs-of-sydney-and-melbourne-120427" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Private renters are doing it tough in outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne

<html><body>
Mat Steinwede, the three time winner of the McGrath agent of the year award, has subsequently revealed that being number one in the network didn't mean much to him.
"For the first time, it's quite meaningless to me, and I don't quite know why" Steinwede said during his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-rPZ-0fRpM" target="_blank">podcast</a>, adding that "in the beginning I liked to be number 1, but... when you get there, there's not much there."
He expressed that what drove him was the purpose of doing a great job, and being number one became a side effect. It was in a podcast with Geoff Jowett the high performance mindset coach.
"It's sort of like what's going to drive me now," Steinwede said.
The father of six said that it was important to remain grounded and that his family, friends and leisure time were just as important to be balanced and effective.
During the podcast Mat agreed, you've gotta strive coming from love, not fear and that you have to be grateful for every opportunity. 
He emotionally expressed his gratitude during the 2017 McGrath Award presentation when he was announced as the agency's top performer.
"25 years ago I sent a video tape to John McGrath asking if he would meet with me" and that two weeks later when McGrath called me back.
"That meeting changed my life," he said in 2017.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/30/McGrath%20Awards%20Night%202019.JPG" alt="">
Steinwede describes his goals and challenges when he began with a passion.
"I remember when I first joined Mcgrath, I saw the top ten agents on a slide, and I got a copy of that slide and put myself as number one in my vision book. Not for any reason, I just wanted to achieve that." 
He says he faced innumerable hardships "bumps" on his road to becoming number one but his "goal was bigger than the challenges."
Despite being based in Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast, he has remarkably consistently outperformed agents across the McGrath Network, including the pricier Sydney eastern suburbs and lower north shore.
"Its not an easy thing to do, especially in a place like Terrigal.
"It's like being in a country town basket ball team and beating Michael Jordan in a way," he added jovially.
As a follower of Esther Hicks, he is a big proponent of '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaNCrB2rMH8" target="_blank">The Law of Attraction</a>'.
"If you can continually make sure you are on the upscale, passionate happy etc, your life has to go on the upside."
"You are the one in control of what comes to you, the world matches what you put out."
"You have the absolute ability to put out the right energy and have it come back to you," he firmly stated.
John McGrath himself speaks highly of Mat, "He's the real deal." 
</body></html>

Why Mat Steinwede says coming first at McGrath was meaningless to him 

<html><body>
Ramsay Pharmacy has decided to move to a bigger premises within the Tunstall Square shopping centre in Doncaster East.
Fitzroys Agency Manager, Jordan Ceppi negotiated the five-year lease with a five-year option for Shop 7, 41-63 Doncaster Road, Doncaster East at $215,000 per annum net.
The 186 sqm corner retail space is located amongst national tenants within the neighbourhood shopping centre that include Coles and Vintage Cellars, Chemist Warehouse, Baker’s Delight and Flight Centre.
Ramsay Pharmacy is part of Ramsay Health Care, Australia’s largest private hospital operator.
Ceppi said the versatile space attracted enquiry from a range of retailers looking to trade in a high exposure space within a convenience-based shopping centre, which have typically proven to be more resilient throughout retail headwinds.
“Much of Melbourne’s nation-leading population growth is being accommodated throughout the inner and middle-ring suburbs, and centred around the shopping and lifestyle precincts. People appreciate the convenience of medical and health care clinics, as well as fitness and personal services, being located nearby,” Ceppi said.
“Services have joined hospitality in increasing their presence throughout shopping centres across Melbourne in recent years, and it remains difficult for the online world to replicate those types of offerings.”
</body></html>

Ramsay Pharmacy now leasing larger Tunstall Square premises

<html><body>
Crown Group has secured ALDI as a tenant of its Eastlakes Live residential precinct which it is developing on the Eastlakes Shopping Centre site.
The supermarket will re-open with nearly 20% more retail space and a fresh new look when stage one nears completion.
The new Eastlakes Live lifestyle precinct will offer more than 500 luxury apartments and an array of new retail and dining offerings that will transform the area into a destination in itself.
Stage one of Eastlakes Live by Crown Group was launched in May 2018.
Construction is underway on stage one, which will comprise three buildings with a total 133 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and four penthouses.
It will also have a 2800 sqm retail area below offering 12 outlets including the new ALDI store, a second supermarket, bakery, butcher and chemist.
Residents will have access to sophisticated resort-style health and fitness facilities including a 25 m swimming pool and gym. They will also have a rooftop lounge, barbeque facilities, function room and landscaped gardens.
Crown Group Chief Operating Officer Pierre Abrahamse said having a new, bigger ALDI supermarket was a major milestone in creating the new town centre, which would become a drawcard attraction for residents.
Amended plans for Eastlakes Live stage two are pending council approval and include 399 new apartments across five buildings and a concept for a new town centre, with a retail and restaurant precinct that includes a full-line supermarket and eat street offering various restaurant and dining options.
Apartments are for sale from $680,000 to $1,755,000.
</body></html>

Crown Group secure ALDI as Eastlakes Shopping Centre tenant

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
The average weekly commuting time in Australia has increased considerably since 2002. According to the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda" target="_blank">Survey released today</a>, workers averaged 3.7 hours’ commuting time per week in 2002, but this had increased to 4.5 hours by 2017.
In 2017, workers in mainland state capitals (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth) had consistently longer commute times than those living elsewhere. These city workers typically spent more than an hour travelling to and from work each day. The average was about 66 minutes. This is a 20% increase from the average of around 55 minutes in 2002.
As in past surveys, Sydney had the longest average daily commutes (71 minutes). In 2017, it was followed by Brisbane (67 minutes), Melbourne (65 minutes), Perth (59 minutes) and Adelaide (56 minutes). Reasons for the increasing commute time vary among different cities but may include increased road congestion, urban expansion and poor public transport services.
Average daily commuting times across Australia also increased from about 49 minutes in 2002 to almost one hour in 2017.
<img src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/666/Mean.gif?1564036035" width="100%">
Workers in the Northern Territory had the shortest commutes in 2017, averaging close to 35 minutes per day.
The HILDA analysis covers all workers aged 15 years and older. This includes those with commuting times of zero (that is, who work from home).
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285781/original/file-20190726-136744-124z3od.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Daily commuting times are calculated by dividing the time spent travelling to and from work in a typical week by the usual number of days worked per week. Data source: HILDA
The survey, based on interviews with about 17,000 Australians yearly, also reveals that the share of people commuting two or more hours a day is increasing, from 12% in 2002 to 18% in 2017. Men are more likely than women to be long-distance commuters. And middle-aged workers (aged 25-54) are more likely to have long commutes than younger and older workers.
Interestingly, fathers of two children had the highest likelihood (27%) of having long commutes, while mothers with two children were the least likely (less than 13%). On the one hand, households with dependent children are more likely to live in suburban locations for the larger houses, potentially increasing commuting distance for workers in these households. On the other hand, female workers’ relatively lower wage rate and more household responsibilities, such as child rearing, may restrict them to choosing jobs closer to home.
Impacts on job satisfaction
According to the HILDA Survey, long-distance commuters (two hours or more a day) are less likely than short-distance commuters (less than one hour) to be satisfied with their working hours, work-life balance and even pay. Therefore, they have lower levels of overall job satisfaction. These long-distance commuters are more likely to quit or lose their jobs within the next year.
These results from the HILDA Survey align well with the findings of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0966692318307269" target="_blank">our research</a>. Our findings suggest longer commutes not only impose physical and mental strains on workers but may also affect their work participation, engagement and productivity.
Negative impacts go beyond work
A growing number of studies have found long-duration commuting can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856410000960" target="_blank">reduce the time a person has for other activities</a>. These other activities, such as physical exercise, time with family, social activities and so on, are important for psychological well-being.
Lengthy commuting also potentially increases <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9442.2008.00542.x" target="_blank">exposure to nuisances and hazards</a> such as traffic noise, crowds, congestion, pollution and uncomfortably hot or cold conditions. These can cause physical or emotional distress and have a direct influence on people’s physical and mental health.
What can policymakers do about this?
A better balance of jobs and housing within a smaller geographic area could help to shorten commuting distances and time. Planning policy such as polycentric cities – with multiple activity centres – have been proposed in Sydney and Melbourne, and could help achieve this.
Most Australians still rely on their cars for daily commuting. Aside from long travel distance, traffic congestion is another important factor in increasing commuting times. Encouraging alternative travel modes for commuting could potentially relieve congestion.
The HILDA Survey reveals that close to 28% of workers live and work in the same postcode. About 55% of workers live within 10 kilometres of their place of work. This suggests there is huge potential to promote active travel – cycling and walking – for daily commuting trips. Only for a minority (11%) are the postcodes of the home and place of work 30 or more kilometres apart.
High-frequency and reliable rapid public transport networks linking major residential and employment centres could encourage more medium and long-distance commuters to use public transport for daily commuting.
Finally, emerging transport technology, such as autonomous vehicles, is also promising to curb traffic congestion and reduce the “perceived” commuting time, if these vehicles are shared rather than owned by individuals.
Companies also have a role to play in helping to reduce commuting times and their impact on workers’ well-being. Flexible working times, which allow employees to avoid peak-hour travel, and a supportive company culture for working from home can help reduce weekly commuting time. In return, companies potentially benefit from improving employee job satisfaction and retention rates.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/runing-ye-646743" target="_blank">Runing Ye</a>, Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Design, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liang-ma-746823">Liang Ma</a>, Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063" target="_blank">RMIT University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-city-workers-average-commute-has-blown-out-to-66-minutes-a-day-how-does-yours-compare-120598" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Australian city workers' average commute has blown out to 66 minutes a day: Runing Ye & Liang Ma

<html><body>
South Hedland has the highest rental yield in Australia, according to the latest Investar suburb performance report.
The report suggests its median unit rent sits at $295 a week, with 23% yield.
This is followed by Moe with 13% and Kambalda East with 12%.
Yorkeys Knob ranked as the best rental yield in Queensland, with 12% yield. 
The valuation firm notes that a total of 16 localities across the country have seen over 10% rental yields over the past year. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/7/11/rental%20yields.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/2019/7/11/rental%20yields.jpg" alt="">
Source: Investar
A new listing in South Hedland is a fully furnished two bedroom apartment priced at $57,000.
Located in the Lawson apartment complex, the apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-south+hedland-131539302" target="_blank">403/17-21 Welsh Street</a> (pictured above) include two bedrooms, open plan lounge area kitchen with ample storage and undercover car space.
Other features include separate laundry area, air conditioning, and access to ground pool within the complex. 
<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/2019/7/11/south%20hedland%20rental.jpg" alt="">
A partly furnished two bedroom apartment in South Hedland has been listed for rent with a price of $250 per week.
Located on five minutes' walk from South Hedland CBD, the apartment at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-south+hedland-426907858" target="_blank"> 9/2 Scadden Road</a> (pictured above) comes with two bedrooms, functional kitchen, living areas, and front veranda area.
Additional features include wood look vinyl, linen cupboard for storage and single car space. 
<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/2019/7/11/ultimo%20sold.jpg" alt="">
A 45 square metre self-contained apartment in Ultimo was sold for $280,000 earlier this year. 
Located opposite Broadway Shopping Centre, the furnished apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-nsw-ultimo-129638958" target="_blank">2102/185 Broadway</a> (pictured above) features indoor spa, gym, and swimming pool.
Within footsteps to four popular universities, the Unilodge apartment is strata titled and managed by specialist student Accommodation Company.
 <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/2019/7/11/ultimo.jpg" alt="">
An Ultimo one bedroom apartment has recently been listed for rent with a price guide of $560 per week. 
Situated in a heritage listed building, the open plan apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-ultimo-418168006" target="_blank">99 Jone Street</a> (pictured above) comprises one bedroom, modern kitchen, full bathroom and internal laundry.
It is within walking distance to the CBD, Darling Harbour, Chinatown, the Fish Market, UTS and Broadway Shopping Centre.
</body></html>

From Ultimo to Yorkeys Knob: where can you find 10%-plus rental yields?

<html><body>
Morisset, a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, has seen the biggest stock increase in New South Wales over the last 12 months, according to the latest Investar report.
Investar says its sales stock has grown by 209%, from 22 houses this time a year ago to its current 68 offerings.
It is followed by Miranda with 208.7% growth and Edgeworth with 203.9% growth.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/3/15/NSW%20STOCK%20INCREASE.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge.
<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/2019/3/15/NSW%20STOCK%20INCREASE.jpg" alt="">
Source: Investar
A recently renovated four bedroom house in Merriest was priced at $545,000 (pictured below) and sold late last month at $505,000.
Set on a 450 square metre block, the<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-morisset-130768762" target="_blank"> 80 Awaba Street</a> house features new carpet, timber vinyl flooring throughout and family friendly floorplan.
It is within walking distance to schools, local shopping precinct and public transport.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/3/26/morisset%201.jpg" alt="">
Another four bedroom house situated on a 570 square mettre allotment has been listed for $555,000 (pictured below).
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-morisset-129689146" target="_blank">11 Kelowna Avenue house </a>comes with open plan living, media room, four bedrooms with built-ins, alfresco dining area and double car garage.
The family home is within walking distance to Morriset CBD.
<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/2019/3/26/morriset%202.jpg" alt="">
</body></html>

Morisset and Edgeworth stock triples year on year: Investar

<html><body>
Zuccoli, a relatively new suburb in the City of Palmerston, has experienced the biggest stock increase in the Northern Territory over the past 12 months, according to Investar.
Investar says its sales stock has grown by 80%, from 60 houses this time a year ago to its current 108 offerings.
It is followed by Muirhead with 49% growth and Gunn with 37% growth. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/3/28/zuccoli.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge:
<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/2019/3/28/zuccoli.jpg" alt="">
Source: Investar
A three bedroom Zuccoli home currently on the market is priced at $499,000 (pictured above).
Set on a 570 square metres, the nearly new house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nt-zuccoli-130765978" target="_blank">35 Myrtlewood Crescent </a>comes with three bedrooms, two living areas, well-appointed kitchen, and established gardens. 
It also features air conditioning throughout, solar power system and double lock up garage. 
<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/2019/3/28/zuccoli%202.jpg" alt="">
Another example is a four bedroom Zuccoli house priced at $475,000 (pictured above).
Built in 2015, the house at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nt-zuccoli-130597222" target="_blank"> 41 Brook Circuit</a> comprises four bedrooms, separate media room, living room, and large back verandah.
It's within close proximity to new schools and the local IGA.
</body></html>

Zuccoli experiencing NT's biggest jump in stock: Investar

<html><body>
South Gladstone ranks as the cheapest rental in Queensland, according to the latest Investar suburb performance report. 
The report suggests the median unit rent in this mining locality sits at $120 per week. 
It is followed by West Gladstone and Blackall with $150 per week median rents. 
The median rent of other locations within the mining area listed below: 
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top">
State
</td>
<td valign="top">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top">
Dwelling Type
</td>
<td valign="top">
Bedrooms 
</td>
<td valign="top">
Median rent 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
South Gladstone 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4680
</td>
<td valign="top">
Unit
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$120
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
West Gladstone 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4680
</td>
<td valign="top">
Unit
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$150
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Blackall 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4472
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
3
</td>
<td valign="top">
$150
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Mount Morgan
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4714
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$170
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Charleville
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4470
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$175
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Chinchilla 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4413
</td>
<td valign="top">
Unit
</td>
<td valign="top">
2
</td>
<td valign="top">
$180
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
Dysart 
</td>
<td valign="top">
QLD
</td>
<td valign="top">
4745
</td>
<td valign="top">
House
</td>
<td valign="top">
3
</td>
<td valign="top">
$180
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: Investar 
A current listing is a two bedroom ground floor unit in South Gladstone priced at $115 per week. 
Located in a quiet complex, the unit at 2/32 Elizabeth Street (pictured above) comes with two carpeted bedrooms, functional kitchen, open plan living and dining area, and renovated bathroom.
Other features include the deck, security screens throughout and undercover car park plus roadside parking.
<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/2019/7/11/blackall%20.jpg" alt="">
A fully fenced three bedroom house at Blackall has been listed for rent with a price of $150 per week. 
Located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-blackall-412143571" target="_blank"> 24 Daisy Street</a> (pictured above), the air-conditioned home comprises three bedrooms, one bathroom and carport. 
</body></html>

What rentals do Queensland mining town landlords get? Investar 

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News