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GUEST OBSERVATION
With its official cash rate now expected to fall below 1% to a new extraordinarily low close to zero, all sorts of people are saying that the Reserve Bank is in danger of “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-economy-rba-analysis/australias-shrinking-monetary-policy-arsenal-tests-rbas-orthodoxy-idUSKCN1S90CL" target="_blank">running out of ammunition</a>”. Ammunition might be needed if, as during the last financial crisis, it needs to cut rates by several percentage points.
This view assumes that when the cash rate hits zero there is nothing more the Reserve Bank can do.
The view is not only wrong, it is also dangerous, because if taken seriously it would mean that all of the next rounds of stimulus would have to be come from fiscal (spending and tax) policy, even though fiscal policy is probably ineffective long-term, its effects being <a href="https://www.mercatus.org/publication/why-fiscal-multiplier-roughly-zero-0" target="_blank">neutralised by a floating exchange rate</a>.
The experience of the United States shows that Australia’s Reserve Bank could quite easily take measures that would have the same effect as cutting its cash rate a further 2.5 percentage points – that is: 2.5 percentage points below zero.
<hr>
Reserve Bank cash rate since 1990
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/277841/original/file-20190604-69059-1j2m4r9.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/277841/original/file-20190604-69059-1j2m4r9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
<a class="source" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2019/mr-19-15" target="_blank">Reserve Bank of Australia</a>
In a report <a href="https://www.ussc.edu.au/analysis/lessons-from-quantitative-easing-in-the-united-states-a-guide-for-australian-policymakers" target="_blank">released on Tuesday</a> by the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre, I document the successes and failures of the US approach to so-called “quantitative easing” (QE) between 2009 and 2014.
It demonstrates that it is always possible to change the instrument of monetary policy from changes in the official interest rate to changes in other interest rates by buying and holding other financial instruments such as long-term government and corporate bonds.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/279752/original/file-20190617-118539-fe387p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Australia can learn form US mistakes. <a class="source" href="https://www.ussc.edu.au/analysis/lessons-from-quantitative-easing-in-the-united-states-a-guide-for-australian-policymakers" target="_blank">University of Sydney United States Studies Centre</a>
The more aggressively the Reserve Bank buys those bonds from private sector owners, the lower the long-term interest rates that are needed to place bonds and the more former owners whose hands are filled with cash that they have to make use of.
In the US the Federal Reserve also used “<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/timeline-forward-guidance-about-the-federal-funds-rate.htm" target="_blank">forward guidance</a>” about the likely future path of the US Federal funds rate to convince markets the rate would be kept low for an extended period.
It is unclear which mechanism was the most powerful, or whether the Fed even needed to buy bonds in order to make forward guidance work. However in a stressed economic environment, it is worth trying both.
As it comes to be believed that interest rates will stay low for an extended period, the exchange rate will fall, making it easier for Australian corporates to borrow from overseas and to export and compete with imports.
The consensus of the academic literature is that QE cut long-term interest rates by around one percentage point and had economic effects equivalent to cutting the US Federal fund rate by <a href="https://www.ussc.edu.au/analysis/lessons-from-quantitative-easing-in-the-united-states-a-guide-for-australian-policymakers" target="_blank">a further 2.5 percentage points</a> after it approached zero.
QE need not have limits…
Based on US estimates, Australia’s Reserve Bank would need to purchase assets equal to around 1.5% of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product to achieve the equivalent of a 0.25 percentage point reduction in the official cash rate. That’s around A$30 billion.
With over A$780 billion in long-term government (Commonwealth and state) securities on issue, there’s enough to accommodate a very large program of Reserve Bank buying, and the bank could also follow the example of the Fed and expand the scope of purchases to include non-government securities, including residential mortgage-backed securities.
It could also learn from US mistakes. The Fed was slow to cut its official interest rate to near zero and slow to embark on QE in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Its first attempt was limited in size and duration. Its success in using QE to stimulate the economy should be viewed as the lower bound of what’s possible.
…even if it becomes less effective as it grows
It often <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-16/interest-rates-are-going-down-but-how-low-can-they-go/11210682" target="_blank">suggested</a> (although it is <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/confs/2017/borio-hofmann" target="_blank">by no means certain</a>) that monetary policy becomes less effective when interest rates get very low, but this isn’t necessarily an argument to use monetary policy less. It could just as easily be an argument to use it more.
Because there is no in-principle limit to how much QE a central bank can do, it is always possible to do more and succeed in lifting inflation rate and spending.
Fiscal policy may well be even less effective. To the extent that it succeeds, it is likely to push up the Australian dollar, making Australian businesses less competitive.
US economist <a href="https://www.mercatus.org/publication/why-fiscal-multiplier-roughly-zero-0" target="_blank">Scott Sumner</a> believes the extra bang for the buck from government spending or tax cuts (known as the multiplier) is close to zero.
Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe this month appealed for <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2019/sp-gov-2019-06-04" target="_blank">help from the government itself</a>, asking in particular for extra spending on infrastructure and measures to raise productivity growth.
He is correct in identifying the contribution other policies can make to driving economic growth. No one seriously thinks Reserve Bank monetary policy can or should substitute for productivity growth.
But it is a good, perhaps a very good, substitute for government spending that does not contribute to productivity growth.
Three myths about quantitative easing
In the paper I address several myths about QE. One is that it is “printing money”. It no more prints money than does conventional monetary policy. It pushes money into private sector hands by adjusting interest rates, albeit a different set of rates.
Another myth is that it promotes inequality by helping the rich to get richer.
It is a widely believed myth. Former Coalition treasurer <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/economy/monetary-policy/murdoch-criticises-central-bank-stimulus-20141017-119n1f" target="_blank">Joe Hockey</a> told the British Institute of Economic Affairs in 2014 that: "Loose monetary policy actually helps the rich to get richer. Why? Because we’ve seen rising asset values. Wealthier people hold the assets."
But it widens inequality no more than conventional monetary policy, and may not widen it at all if it is successful in maintaining sustainable economic growth.
A third myth is that it leads to excessive inflation or socialism.
In the US it has in fact been associated with some of the lowest inflation since the second world war. These days central banks are more likely to err on the side of creating too little inflation than too much.
Some have argued that QE in the US is to blame for the rise of left-wing populists like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and “<a href="https://realconservativesunite.com/2019/03/07/ben-bernanke-the-father-of-extreme-us-socialism/" target="_blank">millennial socialism</a>”. But it is probably truer to say that their grievances grew out of too tight rather than too lose monetary policy.
QE has been road tested. We’ve little to fear from it, just as we have had little to fear from conventional monetary policy.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118843/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;">
Stephen Kirchner, Program Director, Trade and Investment, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney
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/below-zero-is-reverse-how-the-reserve-bank-would-make-quantitative-easing-work-118843" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How the Reserve Bank would make quantitative easing work

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A chicken farm located in the fast growing Penrith regionhas hit the market.
Set on a level 28,140 square metre block of rural land, the working property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-nsw-llandilo-202427414" target="_blank">338 Ninth Avenue, Llandilo</a> features a bush adjacent location.
<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/2019/6/13/llandilo%202.jpg" alt="">
It comes with a renovated five bedroom with pool and capacity for 12,000 caged and 2,000 free range chicken selection with approved egg licence under NSW Department of Primary Industry.
With potential with R2 re-zones on all sides, the property is within easy reach and connections to rail and the future airport at Badgerys Creek. 
It has been offered by Jason Salter from Liang + Simmons Projects.
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Penrith working chicken farm for sale

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ME Bank has announced a historic rate cut, slashing its 2 year fixed home loan rate to 3.43% p.a. – the lowest rate ever offered by the bank.
ME’s 2-year fixed rate is available to home loan customers with a Member Package (for owner occupiers paying principal and interest with an LVR &lt;80%).
The bank has made further rate cuts across its fixed home loan range by as much as 30 basis points.
The changes come into effect on the 18th June 2019.
ME Bank previously announced they will be passing on the full RBA rate cut to variable home loan customers.
The announcement came three days after the <a href="/expert-insights/finance/rba-cut-official-cash-rate-to-a-historic-low-1-25-at-june-2019-meeting">RBA rate decision</a> and was to come into effect on 27th June 2019.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/6/18/ME%20Bank%20new%20rates.JPG" alt="">
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ME Bank cuts fixed home loan rates to record low of 3.43 per cent

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Developed by Investa for Oxford Investa Property Partners (OIPP), Barrack Place at 151 Clarence Street in Sydney, has been awarded the Urban Land Insitute (ULI) Asia Pacific 2019 Award for Excellence.
The full development process of a project is reviewed as part of the award criteria, in particular the architecture and design of the building is considered along with its community impact, level of innovation and environmental protection and enhancement.
Mark Tait, Group Executive &amp; Head of Commercial Development at Investa said, “Investa is extremely proud of the excellent achievements and continued recognition received by Barrack Place. We would like to convey our appreciation to all of our consultants, contractors and stakeholders on the project, for their contribution and shared vision in bringing Barrack Place to life.”
Nicholas Brooke, ULI Asia Pacific Chairman said “Asia Pacific is home to many exemplary projects and all the winners of this year’s award demonstrate best practice in land use and continue to push the industry forward, while putting people first.”
<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/2019/6/18/Barrack%20Place%202.jpg" alt="">
The award ceremony took place in Shanghai, as part of the ULI’s 2019 ULI Asia Pacific Summit.
Representatives of both Investa and Architectus attended the Summit to accept the award on behalf of Barrack Place.
Architectus’ Managing Principal, Colin Odbert, said “it is an honour to receive this ULI Asia Pacific Award for Excellence for Barrack Place. The award represents both Architectus’ and Investa’s commitment to delivering developments that exceed expectations and showcase superior quality in design and architecture. Drawing inspiration from the heritage of the precinct, our focus was on creating a contemporary, commercial space that creatively reflects the history of the area, while providing a design solution that meets the needs of modern workers.”
The ULI Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence is the latest recognition received by Barrack Place, having recently been awarded the WELL Certified Platinum Rating.
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Barrack Place wins Urban Land Institute Asia Pacific Award for Excellence 2019

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Australian RMBS delinquency rates, which rose slightly over the three months ended 31 March 2019, will continue to increase over coming quarters, according to the latest report from Moody's Analytics.
They believed arrears will rise because of high debt levels, the conversion of a large number of interest-only mortgages to principal and interest loans and declining house prices.
They suggested however that delinquency rates will only increase moderately, given stable GDP growth, low unemployment and recent interest rate cuts.
The 30+ day delinquency rate for prime Australian RMBS was 1.58% in March 2019, compared with 1.54% in December 2018 and 1.48% in March 2018.
For prime RMBS issued by major banks, the 30+ day delinquency rate was 1.75% in March 2019 compared with 1.72% in December 2018.
For regional banks, the delinquency rate was 1.65% in March 2019, unchanged from December 2018, while for prime RMBS issued by other authorised deposit-taking institutions, the delinquency rate was 0.54% in March 2019, compared with 0.50% in December 2018.
The 30+ day delinquency rate for non-conforming RMBS was 3.75% in March 2019, up from 3.23% in December 2018 and 3.05% in March 2018.
Alena Chen, Vice President of Moody’s said, "over coming quarters, we expect Australia's record-high household debt, which amounts to almost 200% of annual gross disposable income, will contribute to a moderate increase in delinquencies."
"Meanwhile, a large number of interest-only mortgages are due to convert to principal and interest loans by the end of 2020, which will cause some delinquencies over this period. Banks originated a significant volume of interest-only loans in 2014 and 2015," she said,
The five year interest-only period for these mortgages will end in 2019 and 2020.
When interest-only loans convert to principal and interest, borrowers have to make higher monthly repayments, which can lead to delinquencies.
Commonwealth Bank saw a rise in arrears in their <a href="/news/cba-arrears-rise-but-home-loan-book-continues-to-grow-slowly">March quarter results</a>.
Banks have already started trying to limit a large impact of moving mortgage holders from interest only to P&amp;I.
This time last year ANZ had 26 percent of their loan book made up of IO loans. They <a href="/expert-insights/finance/anzs-home-loan-portfolio-shows-big-drop-in-interest-only-borrowers">reduced that number to 18%</a> as of May.
NAB have an unhealthier <a href="/news/nab-housing-lending-revenue-continues-to-drop-and-shareholders-pay-the-price">26% of their loan book</a> given to interest-only loans.
Chen said Moody's expect house price declines to lead to a moderate increase in mortgage delinquencies over coming quarters."
"House prices in Australia declined by an average of 7.3% in the 12 months to 30 May 2019, while in Sydney and Melbourne, prices declined by an average of 10.7% and 9.9% respectively."
"We expect prices to continue to decline moderately over the remainder of 2019." she said.
Mortgage delinquencies will only increase moderately, while defaults and losses will remain low, given that continued GDP growth, low unemployment and recent interest rate cuts will support borrowers' ability to meet their mortgage repayments.
Moody's Investor Service forecast's real GDP growth of around 2.5% in both 2019 and 2020.
Australia's unemployment rate was 5.2% in April 2019 and they expect it will remain relatively stable at 5.5% by the end of 2019 and 2020.
In early June, the Reserve Bank of Australia lowered the cash rate by 0.25 percentage point, which prompted most lenders to lower their floating-rate mortgage interest rates.
To see which banks decided to pass on the full rate cut, <a href="/expert-insights/finance/what-are-the-latest-home-loan-cuts-and-whos-making-them">click here</a>.
 
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Australian RMBS delinquency rates to keep rising: Moody's

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The owners of evacuated residential tower Mascot Towers in Sydney, who face an immediate $1 million rectification levy, decided last year to take legal action against the developer of an adjoining building Aland Developments and Bayside Council seeking compensation for slip-joint defects.
Owners started the process of pursuing Aland in the middle of 2018 to rectify cracks in the building and units said to be caused by the construction of the neighbouring apartment building Peak Towers at 27 Church Avenue.
The building management issued an update on Monday, saying that meetings are organised for Thursday to discuss reports about the structure.
The email confirmed that a claim on the building's insurance policy for temporary accommodation had been declined, as many of the Mascot Towers residents remain in limbo since Friday's evacuation.
Last Thursday Mascot Tower residents received a notice from Strata Choice outlining that planned installation of temporary building propping to help fix "a slip joint defect" in the car park had been brought forward.
But on Friday evening Mascot Tower residents received a second notice saying units would need to be evacuated that night by 9pm.
The building was constructed in 2008, more than six years ago, meaning owners are not covered under building and construction warranty.
The Mascot Towers, designed by architect Krikis Tayler and developed by the Elias family, sits above the train station, but State Transport confirmed there was no impact on the airport rail line or Mascot train station below the complex.
The Daily Telegraph reported details of the special levy on the 122 apartments that will 'perform urgent repair and maintenance."
 
<div class="_3MT_w"> </div>
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Mascot Towers started legal proceedings last year over cracks

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Creek Cottage, the home of the late noted author and conservationist Vincent Serventy and his wife Carol, has been listed for sale.
Serventy, who 30 years ago helped save the Great Barrier Reef from oil leases, and his wife Carol bought the Pearl Beach weekender in 1976 for $22,000, moving there permanently in the 1990s.
It returned to the market initially with <a href="https://www.centralcoastrealty.net/property/156/36-diamond-rd-pearl-beach-nsw" target="_blank">more than $1.5 million</a> being sought through Stuart Gan, but now the price guidance is $1.35 million to $1.45 million.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/24/Cottage%20Creek%202.JPG" alt="">
Situated at 36 Diamond Road, Pearl Beach the four bedroom two bathroom beach home is 100 paces from the beach.
Set on 670 square metres, the home features timber floors, high ceilings, large verandahs and guest accomodation.
With a fireplace and a carport the home is described as a "unique once in a generation opportunity".
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Conservationist Vincent Serventy's Pearl Beach home Creek Cottage listed

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A 410 square metre Surrey Hills block, occupied by a scout hall, will go under the hammer on June 22.
It has been listed by David Taylor and John Taylor from Fletchers Canterbury with a price guide of $1.3 million to $1.4 million. 
The wide frontage block at 7 Robinson Road offers the potential to create a low maintenance home on its own title. 
<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/2019/6/13/scout%20hall%202.jpg" alt="">
Situated between Chatham and Surrey Hills Stations, it's within walking distance to Surrey Hills Village shops, supermarket, cafes plus nearby Canterbury Sports Ground and Chatham Primary School. 
Scouts Victoria bought the property in 1955 and built the hall. 
<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/2019/6/13/scout%20hall%203.jpg" alt="">
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Surrey Hills scout hall to go under the hammer

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has raised concerns about Landmark’s proposed acquisition of Ruralco.
It is asking for stakeholder comment on the competition impact a merged national agency business might have on the agriculture sector.
ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said: “A merged Landmark-Ruralco would be by far the largest retail and wholesale supplier of rural merchandise in Australia, with Elders the only other large national chain.
“The combined entity would supply around 650 rural merchandise stores (including both corporate and member stores), which is approximately 45% of all rural merchandise stores nationally.”  
The ACCC has identified a number of local areas, including Broome (WA), Alice Springs (NT), Cooma (NSW) and Hughenden (Qld), where Landmark’s rural merchandise stores compete with Ruralco stores and there would be few remaining competitors.
"We're considering whether the proposed acquisition would reduce competition at the wholesale level, or whether the remaining wholesalers or buying groups (AIRR, NRI and AgLink) will provide sufficient competition," Keogh said.
"As well as examining whether a merged Landmark-Ruralco would be more likely to discriminate against retailers which are wholesale customers that compete with its retail stores."
The ACCC’s review has also considered overlaps between Landmark and Ruralco in the supply of wool broking, livestock agency and live export, insurance broking, financial services and real estate agency services.
Its preliminary view is that the proposed deal is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in these areas.
Submissions from interested parties on the statement of issues should be provided by 27 June 2019.
The ACCC’s final decision is scheduled for 15 August 2019.
The statement of issues is available at <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/public-registers/mergers-registers/public-informal-merger-reviews/landmark-proposed-acquisition-of-ruralco" target="_blank">Landmark - proposed acquisition of Ruralco</a>.
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ACCC raises concerns on Landmark's Ruralco acquisition

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After 120 days on market, a renovated double-storey home at Kalinga, Queensland has been sold for $1,725,000.
It was sold by Tyson Clarke and Joseph Lordi from Queensland Sotheby's International Realty. 
Nestled on a 794 square metres parcel of land, the circa 1920 Queenslander style home at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-kalinga-130478102" target="_blank"> 20 Woombye Street i</a>s surrounded by greenery.
It comprises open plan living and dining area, five large bedrooms, kitchen with butler's pantry, media room, study nook and covered raised entertaining deck.
<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/2019/6/11/kalinga%202.jpg" alt="">
Storage is across the entire layout, including in the upstairs reading area where there's a custom-made near bookcase. 
Other features include landscaped patio entry, in-ground swimming pool, polished timber flooring, high ceilings and large level lawn area.
<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/2019/6/11/kalinga%203.jpg" alt="">
It's just 12 minutes by car to Brisbane Airport and close to major road links accessing both the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. 
Kalinga and Melrose Parks are nearby. 
The home was last sold for $475,000 in 2011. 
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Restored Woombye Street, Kalinga home sells at $1,725,000 

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]

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