<html><body>
The Tasmanian north-west coastal market is steady while other regional locations are performing well, according to a recent Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
"Devonport, Ulverstone and Penguin have some confidence," the valuation firm said. 
"Burnie is steady to slightly positive but still could use a few more people."
The report notes that holiday townships such as Bridport, St Helens and Orford are continuing their strong march from 2018 as people continue to seek that beach side holiday home.
A three bedroom home located in seaside resort Orford recently sold for $545,000.
The modern home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-orford-130631902" target="_blank">12 Nautilus Drive </a>(pictured above) comes with three bedrooms, entertainer's kitchen with adjoining dining and family area, and large deck. 
Other features include secure back yard with plenty of parking, one bedroom teenager retreat or granny flat and single garage. 
It was last sold for $85,000 in 2013. 
"The town to be careful of is George Town as Temco has just announced a review of the ongoing operations of their smelter at Bell Bay," HTW said.
"The result of the review won’t be released until October.
"There are 300 jobs on the line and it is one of two industrial plants the town has been historically dependent upon." 
<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/2019/7/10/george%20town.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom brick veneer house in George Town was sold for $139,000 in June. 
Sitting on a large level block, the house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-tas-george+town-130142482" target="_blank">5 Jacobs Avenue </a>(pictured above) comes with three bedrooms, one bathroom a and small garden shed. 
It is within easy walking distance to the sports grounds and the IGA supermarket. 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Regional Tasmanian holiday homes performing well: HTW residential 

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
People experiencing homelessness and poor mental health are among Australia’s most vulnerable citizens. Without secure housing and an accessible mental healthcare system, recovery from mental illness is seriously compromised.
And the upcoming <a href="https://rcvmhs.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">Royal Commission</a> into Victoria’s Mental Health System will be judged by how it responds to this crisis of mental health and housing.
In recent weeks, we conducted a <a href="https://www.launchhousing.org.au/site/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Appendix3_Cooccurentmentalhealthhomelessness.pdf" target="_blank">census of data</a> from the Melbourne-based community agency, Launch Housing, and found 44% of the 2,023 clients were experiencing mental illness. Only half of these clients were receiving support from a mental health service.
Our interviews with these clients show how the Victorian mental health system repeatedly fails this group. Without exception, these clients emphasised the significance of safe and long-term housing to mental health stability and recovery.
One person told us:
"you’re homeless and that’s the most important thing […] your mental state, it’s just got to be put on hold […] you don’t want to go and see anybody about your mental state because you need housing and that’s all you’re really concentrating on: where am I going to sleep tonight?"
People often cycle through the mental healthcare system. This system includes primary health care services, and specialist community based and inpatient services in hospitals. Many then exit this system into homelessness, only to return repeatedly to hospital-based care, and sometimes the prison system.
In Victoria, for instance, more than 500 people are being <a href="http://chp.org.au/five-reasons-why-victorias-mental-health-royal-commission-must-examine-the-role-of-housing-and-homelessness/" target="_blank">discharged from acute mental healthcare</a> each year into rooming houses, motels and other forms of homelessness. And discharging someone into <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/homelessness-services/specialist-homelessness-services-2017-18/contents/contents" target="_blank">homelessness</a> is unacceptable.
Tragic consequences
These failures of the mental health and housing systems sometimes lead to tragic consequences.
A review of Launch Housing’s client <a href="https://www.launchhousing.org.au/site/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Appendix7_Adverseeffectsonclients.pdf" target="_blank">death register</a> shows there were 45 known deaths of current or former clients for the period of June 2018 to June 2019.
Not all deaths are directly attributable to mental health. But of the 45 people who died of different causes in this period, mental health was a contributing factor to many of them. Thirty-seven people had a self-disclosed mental illness and 18 were in contact with mental health services at the time of their death.
These are not new problems, and past reviews of Australia’s <a href="http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/media-centre/news/national-review-of-mental-health-programmes-and-services-report-released.aspx" target="_blank">mental health system</a> have resulted in missed opportunities for action. Fortunately, there are known solutions.
Here are three steps Australia can take to <a href="https://www.launchhousing.org.au/housing-is-good-mental-healthcare/" target="_blank">significantly improve</a> the mental health of people experiencing homelessness.
1. Sustain rental tenancies
Programs such as those sustaining a rental tenancy when someone has a mental health episode are immensely valuable.
They help households with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness by providing financial and practical assistance to establish and maintain their private rental tenancies.
With a persistent shortage of affordable private rentals and a gross under-supply of social housing in Victoria, sustaining tenancies is critical.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/283442/original/file-20190710-44453-1kh594d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/283442/original/file-20190710-44453-1kh594d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Akemi, a Launch Housing tenant who is living with a mental illness, says accessing mental health services while he was experiencing homelessness was virtually impossible. Author provided
2. Improve support from hospital with appropriate housing
During the transition away from hospital after a mental health episode, people should be supported with appropriate housing.
It’s common for adults experiencing homelessness and mental illness to be hospitalised and then discharged without a safe place to live, such as the hundreds of Victorians who left mental healthcare and landed into a form of homelessness.
What’s more, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK144194" target="_blank">American research</a> from 2013 into intermediate care for people experiencing homelessness showed that medical respite programs reduce future hospital admissions, inpatient days, and hospital readmissions. They also result in improved housing outcomes.
Medical respite programs provide a supportive, home-like environment and services to people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, such as The Sister Francesca Healy Cottage (<a href="https://stvincentsmelbourne.blog/2016/08/03/the-cottage-2/" target="_blank">The Cottage</a>) in Melbourne. Sadly in Australia, such important services are in short supply.
3. Provide permanent supportive housing
Currently, people’s housing needs are “invisible” to the mental health system and there’s a presumption that patients are adequately housed.
So it’s important to boost the number of permanent supportive housing for people experiencing episodes of mental illness, and who are also heavy users of health and criminal justice services, crisis-related homelessness services and emergency housing services.
It also makes financial sense for the Victorian government to evaluate the need for permanent supportive housing.
This was recently shown by the Brisbane Common Ground <a href="https://issr.uq.edu.au/brisbane-common-ground-evaluation" target="_blank">initiative</a>. They found that each year, governments can save more than A$13,000 per person if the chronically homeless had access to secure, long term housing and relevant support services.
Launch Housing provides a Common Ground service in Melbourne, but it warrants expansion, as <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/lord-mayoral-frontrunner-proposes-lockers-and-housing-in-homeless-plan-20180404-p4z7s5" target="_blank">promised</a> by Lord Mayor Sally Capp in 2018.
The Royal Commission has the opportunity to recognise the research evidence showing homelessness and poor mental health outcomes are connected, and to recommend to the state government solutions that are known to work.
Such recognition will provide the Victorian state government with policies to make housing a feature of a reformed mental health system.
Without a place to live it’s nearly impossible to take care of your mental health needs.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119883/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;">
Tony Dalton, Emeritus Professor, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University
Andrew Hollows, Senior Industry Fellow, RMIT University
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/from-hospital-to-homeless-victorias-mental-health-system-fails-the-most-vulnerable-119883" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

From hospital to homeless: Victoria’s mental health system fails the most vulnerable

<html><body>
There are certainly opportunities in the current 2019 market to pay less than the last price.
But is there really such a thing as buying a bargain when it comes to property? And where are they?
This series of articles looks are specific examples of sale price or asking price falling. 
We take a look at where and if possible why this is happening.  
We came across this property for consideration.
A Tuart Hill, West Australia villa on the border of Joondana has seen it's listing slashed by $110,000 since 2016. 
Originally listed for $299,000 - $339,000, the asking price was reduced 5 times over the course of 2 campaigns which ran through 2016 and 2019.
Simon Pigliardo of Ray White is marketing the listing which is currently priced at $229,000 to $249,000.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-villa-wa-tuart+hill-123424114" target="_blank">3/98 Tyler Street</a>, the villa is one of eight in a small complex.
Set on 64 sqm, it is at the top end of Tuart Hill.
Built in 1978, the property has a history of selling in under two weeks and below the listing price. 
The time the property spent on market during previous campaigns is significantly lower than the current median days on market in Tuart Hill, which is 53 according to CoreLogic. 
When listed for $120,000 in 2001 the property sold in 11 days for $119,000, similarly when last sold in April 2003 after just 5 days on market it sold for $140,000 with an asking price of $147,500.
The trend has continued even in it's most recent sale, the home was listed for just 3 days in December 2003 before transacting for $147,500 despite seeking $152,000.
First listed as a rental in 2011 and 2012, the villa had an asking price of $300/pw and $330/pw respectively.
More recently in January 2017 and February 2018 the property was marketed for rent at $240/pw.
CoreLogic has the median asking rent for Tuart Hill at $300/pw, $55/pw more than what the vendors last sought in February 2019 when the property was listed as a rental for $245/pw.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/10/Tuart%20Hill%202.JPG" alt="">
Property Observer advise that it is up to you to determine if the offering is a truly beneficial bargain.
Remember buying at the bottom of the cycle is fraught – as you can't really precisely pick the bottom nor know just how long until you see some price growth.
Be aware you could be buying a poor quality property in an area with ongoing issues of oversupply of stock.
The oversupply could be also putting downward pressure on rents.
Other price declines could be because the vendor needs a quick sale or paid way over the top on its last purchase chase.
Property Observer suggests property purchasing really does need to be a very well considered proposition with a long term mindset.
As a part of this series, we've already had a look at properties in <a href="/expert-insights/buying/bargain-property-at-mount-eliza-home-at-2-million-discount">Mount Eliza</a>, and <a href="/expert-insights/buying/bargain-property-in-central-geelong-sale-price-dips-after-one-year">Central Geelong</a> and <a href="/expert-insights/buying/bargain-property-in-east-perth-near-new-apartment-makes-150-000-loss">East Perth</a>.
</body></html>

Bargain Property in Tuart Hill? WA villa listing reduced $110,000 in 3 years

<html><body>
Joint venture, LEPC9, has lodged its first development application within its master plan-approved site, currently the Nine Network’s headquarters in Willoughby on Sydney’s lower north shore.
The DA includes provision for 40 apartments and associated parking as well as the creation of a public piazza at the corner of Scott Street and Artarmon Road. 
It is being designed by architects of CHROFI, and <a href="/expert-insights/investing/channel-nines-willoughby-hq-site-comes-to-market">the development is being offered to market</a>.
The site received concept approval earlier this year in January 2019 for 460 apartments across ten mid-rise buildings; public piazzas and an extensive publicly accessible open green space.
The DA submission by LEPC9 is the next stage of the approval process while negotiations progress with a number of parties from the expressions of interest process. 
It is projected that construction will commence in 2021.
In the erstwhile Channel Nine will continue to lease the site until a later point next year. 
Colliers International National Director, Development Sites, Residential, Guillaume Volz said despite contrary speculation in the media, demand for the site has intensified and negotiations are continuing with parties on the site well over $220 million. 
“It is a complex project/site and this has resulted in protracted negotiations as parties continue to develop their understanding of this significant trophy site,"
“Market drivers such as the further interest rate cut to 1 per cent by RBA as well as signs of the Sydney market recovering and gearing up for the next cycle, have contributed to the continued strong interest in the site,”Mr Volz concluded.
</body></html>

Stage 2 DA lodged for Channel Nine's Willoughby headquarters

<html><body>
Ben Cannon, who was at Ray White, has joined McGrath Estate Agents in its Brisbane office at Bulimba.
Cannon has been an agent for 16 years having worked in the Inner South East of Brisbane for his entire life.
He is a licensed agent and auctioneer. 
Cannon has been ranked an Elite Performer Ray White Group for three recent financial years.
He was ranked in the network's top 2% of agents in Australia.
Ben is joined by fellow property specialist Jade Loch and Gunther Behrendt in his transition to McGrath Bulimba. 
</body></html>

Ben Cannon quits Ray White for McGrath in Brisbane

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVATION
The Grattan Institute has been caught out contradicting itself in its attempts to undermine the super guarantee.
Despite releasing research only a few weeks ago that claimed increasing the super guarantee to 12 per cent would not ease the burden on the age pension, today they are claiming that an increase will leave workers poorer, because it will reduce the amount they are entitled to through the pension.
Both can’t be true. Not only does one completely contradict the other and make a mockery of the claims, the modelling Grattan relies on to peddle these myths is deeply flawed.
Under their modelling, the effect of the superannuation guarantee on wages, pension indexation and taxation is incredibly overstated, and assumes women, low-income and self-employed workers don’t exist.
They double count salary sacrifice contributions, and overestimate voluntary contributions and the amount of age pension paid.
In short, they are wrong. Industry Super Australia analysis conducted by former senior Treasury official Phil Gallagher found the Grattan Institute’s modelling:
Overestimates the effect of a super guarantee increase on wages, pension indexation and taxation:
1. The Grattan analysis ignores the fact that only 57 per cent of people with employer contributions are likely to receive an increase in superannuation. A significant number of workers either receive contributions higher than 11 per cent, or lower than 7 per cent, meaning an increase from 9.5 per cent to 12 per cent will not affect them.
2. Of 12 million employed people, only 6.1 million are likely to get a rise in super contributions. Exclusions of self-employed, public servants, academics, politicians, people under 18, employees earning under $450 per month and people over 74 impact the population.  It also assumes the Government has taken action on unpaid super when it hasn’t.
Overstates the amount of age pension paid and average life expectancy:
3. The Grattan analysis only includes the single rate pension which is 25 per cent more than a married rate pension for one partner.  Since the majority of pensioners are married, this produces a massive uplift in pension paid and a false conclusion that retirement incomes are more than adequate.
4. Grattan assumes that everyone lives until they are 92, getting far more pension than occurs if there is a distribution of life expectancy.
Overestimates superannuation contributions:
5. The Grattan analysis assumes continuous careers from age 30 to age 67, ignoring the fact that people take time out of the workforce for a range of reasons, most notably for parental leave.
6. There are no women in the model and no-one becomes self-employed in the model. 
7. Grattan double count salary sacrifice contributions and do not represent underpayment of super which affects 30 per cent of employees.
The Grattan Institute had been caught out contradicting itself, making its argument obsolete.
One week they’re claiming an increase in super won’t reduce the age pension, the next they claim people will be worse off because they will miss out on the age pension if they retire with more money.
Both can’t be true. This proves their analysis simply doesn’t stack up. Despite this, they continue to use deeply flawed modelling to peddle incorrect and misleading claims about the superannuation guarantee.
Any attempt to wind back the proposed super increase or freeze it altogether would not only affect Australians’ quality of life at retirement, it would increase the burden of the age pension on the budget.
MATTHEW LINDEN is the Acting Chief Executive of Industry Super Australia
</body></html>

Grattan Institute contradicts itself on super claims: Industry Super Australia's Matthew Linden

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVATIONS
Geordan Murray, a Senior Economist at HIA, said the home lending figures released by the ABS today show the number of loans to households building new homes grew modestly in May.
Overall housing finance commitments for construction and purchase of new homes grew in the month of May by a modest 2.3 per cent but remain 11.7 per cent lower than the same month last year.
The credit squeeze that emerged from mid-2018 has seen lending for the construction of new homes contract sharply.
This month’s data suggests that these conditions have started to ease.
The improvement in lending in May is stronger than we had anticipated and reflects an increased level of borrowing from first home buyers.
This is the strongest month of borrowing by first home buyers this year.
There has been an improvement in housing market sentiment in the weeks following the federal election.
When combined with the RBA’s rate cuts and easing of APRA restrictions, there is cause to be optimistic that lending activity could improve as the year progresses.
However REIA President Adrian Kelly believes the May 2019 Lending to Households and Business figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the number of loans for housing, excluding refinancing, continues to decline, but at a slower rate.
Mr Kelly said, overall the figures for May 2019 show, in trend terms that the number of owner-occupied finance commitments, excluding refinancing, decreased by 0.5 per cent –the twenty first consecutive month of decreases and the lowest since August 2012.
The value of investment housing commitments, excluding refinancing, decreased by 1.5 per cent in May. This is down 27.8 per cent from a year ago and is at its lowest level since March 2009.
The number of loans to first home buyers increased by 0.8 per cent and is the highest since November 2018 whilst the proportion of first home buyers, as part of the total owner-occupied housing finance commitments increased in May to 18.8 per cent from 18.2 per cent in April.
Whilst the total number of finance commitments for May show a continuing, but modest, decline it needs to be remembered that the Federal election was held in the middle of the month with considerable uncertainty regarding the outcome and concern about changes to property taxation and its impact should there be a change in Government. 
With the post election boost in confidence in the real estate market as evidenced by higher levels of enquiry, two cuts in interest rates and changes in APRA’s requirements May will most likely mark the bottom of the lending cycle.
</body></html>

Conflicting opinions on the strength of housing lending strength: HIA & REIA

<html><body>
The Sydney suburb of Randwick is set to be host to the highest volume of auctions this weekend.
It has eight properties set to go under the hammer, according to CoreLogic.
Pascoe Vale in Melbourne also has eight properties going to auction, followed by Reservoir, also in Melbourne, which has seven.
This week, the number of auctions scheduled to take place across the combined capital cities is expected to fall, with 789 currently being tracked by CoreLogic, down from the 953 auctions held last week at final results.
Both Melbourne and Sydney are expected to see a decrease in activity of 17% this week, with 322 homes scheduled for auction across Melbourne, while Sydney is set to host 297 auctions, decreasing on the 388 and 359 auctions held last week respectively.
The smaller auction markets will also see a lower volume of homes auctioned week on week with the exception of Brisbane where auction volumes are set for an increase.
Total auction volumes are also down on a year ago as this time last year a higher 1,178 homes went under the hammer across the combined capital cities over the same week.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/11/CL%20JULY%2011-1.JPG" alt="">
The busy auction weekend in Randwick sees <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-randwick-131374058" target="_blank">36 Cook Street</a> (pictured top) offered for sale.
The classic full brick 1890's Victorian terrace has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/11/CL%20JULY%2011-3.JPG" alt="">
Another example of the breadth of auctions taking place in Randwick is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-randwick-131416414" target="_blank">3/2 Ethne Avenue</a> (pictured above).
The two bedroom, one bathroom apartment has a price guide of $725,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/11/CL%20JULY%2011-4.JPG" alt="">
A third property going to auction in Randwick this week is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-randwick-131361990" target="_blank">5/76 Wentworth Street</a> (pictured above).
The three bedroom, one bathroom villa has a price guide of $620,000 to $670,000.
</body></html>

Randwick set to be busiest weekend auction hotspot

<html><body>
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said the government wanted to assure everyone they know there is a problem with building regulation. 
"We know there's a gap in legislation. We allowed the industry to self-regulate and it hasn't worked," she told reporters on Wednesday.
"There are too many challenges, too many problems and that's why the government's moving to legislate."
 Berejiklian spoke after it was revealed that a Zetland apartment block had been evacuated late last year and has sat vacant for the last eight months.
The Garland Lofts complex, comprising 30 warehouse conversion-style apartments, had a number of problems, most notable the waterproofing issues.
Phillip Bartlett, one of the directors of the now liquidated developer Garland 204 Pty Ltd, noted in an issued statement that "an insurance claim was settled."
"I have a legal obligation to comply with the insurers’ requirements," Bartlett continued.
"There were a number of parties involved and I am unable to make any further comment."
The SMH reported today in 2011, the owners' corporation launched a claim against the builder, Garland Builders Pty Ltd, and the joint developers of the project, Garland 204 Pty Ltd and Garland 204 Retail Pty Ltd.
<div class="_1665V undefined">
They settled an insurance claim in March 2018 for $1.7 million, on the condition the insurance company was released from all further liability.
</div>
<div class="_1665V undefined">
A few months later a contractor embarked on $1.2 million worth of repairs, but in August 2018 owners received a letter advising "unanticipated structural and fire defects" had been discovered by the contractor.
In October the new law firm acting for the owners' corporation, Chambers Russell, circulated a letter calling for the "urgent" evacuation of the building which happened in November.
Water damage had "significantly compromised" the corridor and the separations between units, essential for fireproofing the building.
"The structural integrity of the building has also been brought into question," the letter said.
</div>
<div class="_1665V undefined">
"Significant timber decay and steel corrosion may result in premature structural collapse in the event of fire.
<p data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-6236702_632="1562803658255" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-6236702_632="1562803658255" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-6236702_632="4000" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-6236702_632="1">"Experts have unequivocally stated the strata scheme is not suitable for habitation in its current state as it poses a serious risk to the health and safety of all occupants."
At an information night, residents were told that with the newly discovered defects was "likely to be in excess of $5,000,000 and potentially substantially more".
</div>
</body></html>

Gladys Berejiklian says the government 'know there's a problem' around building regulations

<html><body>
Rental prices for Sydney houses and units fell over the June quarter and are down year-on-year, the recorded fall broke a 15 year record for annual rental prices in Sydney, according to Domain's latest quarterly rental report.
Sydney unit rents fell by 0.9 per cent in the quarter and 4.5 per cent over the year. Despite this fall, Sydney remains the most expensive capital city to rent a unit by a significant margin. Ongoing strong construction of new housing has weighed on rents, and also contributed to the vacancy rate increasing to 3.2 per cent in June, up from 2.4 per cent one year ago.
Rents held up the best on the Central Coast and on Sydney's north shore, but fell in other Sydney regions. Due to significant property price falls over the past year, rental yields have risen slightly in Sydney.
Domain found, despite experiencing a fall in rental prices, Canberra remains the nation's most expensive capital to rent a house, followed by Sydney. Canberra unit rents have grown 18 per cent over the past three years, despite an apartment construction boom.
Weekly rents for houses in Darwin have now fallen from $700 in 2014 to $490, while Darwin unit rental prices have dropped over the past five years from $570 to $385.
Perth remains the most affordable capital city to rent a house in Australia.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/11/Domain%20q2%20rental%20report.JPG" alt="">
Melbourne
Domain said, "Melbourne house rents fell 2 per cent in the June quarter, but remained unchanged over the year at $430 per week, while unit rents increased by 2.4 per cent over the year. Rent on a typical unit has grown 14 per cent over the past five years to $420,  despite the city's biggest apartment construction boom occurring during this time."
:House rents also increased 13 per cent during this timeframe." "Strong population growth, which has averaged 2.6 per cent a year since 2013, has created ongoing demand for rental properties. Melbourne's vacancy rate remains low, but has increased to 1.7 per cent from 1.3 per cent a year ago." "Over the past year, house rents grew fastest in the Mornington Peninsula and in Melbourne's inner-south, but were unchanged in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Rents grew by more than 5 per cent in most regional cities over the past year." "Rental yields have risen for houses and units due to significant price falls over the past year."
Brisbane 
Domain researchers said, "rental prices for houses in the Greater Brisbane region fell in the June quarter but remained unchanged year-on-year."
"Unit rental prices were unchanged over the quarter but grew by 2.7 per cent over the year."
"The typical house is now rented at $400 per week and a typical unit $380 per week."
"Unit rentals have held up well in recent years, even as a large supply of new apartments have been built."  "Brisbane's rental vacancy rate fell from 2.6 per cent to 2.2 per cent over the past year, which is a sign of a strengthening rental market." "House rents were steady in most parts of Brisbane over the past 12 months, but unit rents increase 6 per cent in the inner city."
"House and unit rents grew by about 2 per cent on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast." "Rental yields for Brisbane units have risen slightly due to prices falling over the past year, whereas yields for houses have been steady."
Adelaide
According to the report, "house rents in Adelaide fell 1 per cent in the June quarter, but increased by 2.7 per cent over the year. Unit rents increased by 1.7 per cent over the year."
"The typical unit in Adelaide rents for $305 per week, which is the cheapest across all capital cities."
"Adelaide's vacancy rate remains low, and has declined to 1 per cent from 1.2 per cent a year ago." "Rents increased modestly in most parts of Adelaide, but in the north of the city house and unit rents remained flat." "Rental yields have risen modestly for units, but yields for houses have been steady."
Perth
Domain experts wrote, "Rental prices for both Perth houses and units have increased over the past year."
"House rents increased by 4.3 per cent over the year to $365 per week, which is $15 above the low points reached in 2017 and 2018."
"Nonetheless, Perth is still the most affordable capital to rent a house. Unit rents increased by 3.3 per cent in the quarter to reach $310, the highest since 2016." "Over the past 12 months, rents for houses and units increased in all areas of Perth, except for the south east." "In another sign of a strengthening rental market, Perth's rental vacancy rate has declined from 3.8 per cent to 3 per cent over the past year. Perth's rental market is rebounding off the back of an improving Western Australian economy and a pick-up in population growth." "Rental yields have risen for Perth houses and units due to price falls over the past year and rents rising."
Hobart
Domain analysts stated, "Hobart's rental market is under significant pressure. House rents increased by 9.8 per cent over the year, and unit rents increased by 5.6 per cent."
"House rents have now increased from $350 to $450 per week since 2016 (a 30 per cent rise), while units have jumped $80 to $380. Hobart's rental vacancy rate also remains extremely low, at only 0.4 per cent in June 2019 (this means there were only an estimated 110 vacant properties in Hobart on June 30)." "Despite the rapid growth in rents, Hobart still remains quite affordable compared to other capital cities. New housing construction is increasing -- Tasmanian building approvals are 26 per cent higher than the previous year -- which should help slow rental price growth in the coming year." "Rents increased strongly in all parts of Hobart over the past year, but particularly in the south and west parts of the city. Launceston rents also grew by 10 per cent in the past 12 months." "Due to strong property price growth, rental yields only increased modestly for houses and were steady for units."
Canberra
Domain said, "Canberra has retained the title as the most expensive capital city to rent a house."
"Canberra house rents fell 3.5 per cent in the June quarter, but were unchanged over the year at $550 per week, while unit rents increased by 4.4 per cent over the year and now sit at $470."
"Unit rents have now grown 18 per cent over the past three years, which has occurred despite Canberra's ongoing apartment construction boom." "Strong population growth, which has averaged 2 per cent a year for the past two years, has created ongoing demand for rental properties. Canberra's rental vacancy rate remains low, but has increased over the past year to 1.3 per cent (from 0.8 per cent)." "Rents increased in all Canberra districts over the past year, except for house rents in North Canberra, which fell slightly." "Rental yields for Canberra houses and units have risen modestly due to prices falling over the past year."
Darwin
In regards to Darwin, Domain experts stated, "Darwin house rents fell by 2 per cent over the past year, while unit rents fell by 3.8 per cent."
"Weekly house rents have now fallen from $700 in 2014 to $490, while units have dropped from $570 to $385."
"Following strong population growth during the mining boom, Darwin's population has declined, which has meant less demand for rental properties."
"Darwin's vacancy rate has fallen recently, but remains elevated at 3.5 per cent." "Rental yields have fallen for houses but remained steady for units."
Key findings from <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/research/rental-report/june-2019/" target="_blank">Domain's Q2 Rental Report</a>: Houses
<ul>
<li>Despite experiencing a fall in rental prices, Canberra remains the nation's most expensive capital to rent a house, followed by Sydney. </li>
<li>Rental prices for houses in the Greater Brisbane region fell in the June quarter, but remained unchanged year-on-year.</li>
<li>It is more expensive to rent a house in Hobart than Melbourne. Hobart remains the fourth most expensive city to rent a house behind Canberra, Sydney and Darwin.</li>
<li>Weekly rents for houses in Darwin have now fallen from $700 in 2014 to $490, reflecting less demand as the city’s population decreases.</li>
<li>Adelaide house rents continued to rise in the June quarter, with gross yields remaining steady.</li>
<li>Perth remains the most affordable capital city to rent a house in Australia.</li>
</ul>
Units
<ul>
<li>Sydney remains the most expensive capital city to rent a unit, despite prices falling by almost 5 per cent over the year.</li>
<li>Melbourne house rents remained unchanged over the year at $430 per week, while unit rents increased 2.4 per cent over the year. </li>
<li>Brisbane unit rents increased by 6 per cent in the inner city, and by 2 per cent on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.</li>
<li>While Adelaide unit rents have increased by 1.7 per cent over the year, the typical unit rents for $305 per week, making it the cheapest across all capital cities.</li>
<li>Canberra unit rents have grown 18 per cent over the past three years, despite an apartment construction boom.</li>
<li>Darwin unit rental prices have dropped over the past five years from $570 to $385.</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

Annual Sydney rents fell the biggest amount in 15 years: Domain

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