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First home buyers are struggling to buy property because of a lack of savings, not because of competition from property investors, according to a survey by mortgage broker Loan Market. 

 
In an online survey, its 450 brokers were asked: ‘What is the No.1 issue keeping first home buyers out of the market. 68% of brokers blamed low deposits and savings and 21% blamed a lack of government incentives. 

 
Loan Market director Mark De Martino said that with the property market running hot, first home buyers were competing with other buyers armed with equity and savings. However, with the right preparation and guidance, first home buyers could level the playing field, he said. 

 
“The biggest disadvantage most first home buyers have is they’re often younger and haven’t had the same amount of time to build up equity and savings as those purchasing their second or third homes,” De Martino said. 

 
“What first home buyers need to do early is save for a deposit. A larger deposit doesn't necessarily mean you can borrow more and buy a bigger property, it means you can have equity in your home from day one and also avoid loan costs like lenders mortgage insurance,” he said.  

 
De Martino said most first home buyers at Loan Market were meeting with a mortgage broker before they started inspecting properties. This means they can understand how certain loan products work and the savings they can make if they have a bigger deposit. 

 
“A variety of loan products benefit first home buyers, however, they aren’t all equal and depend on your savings level. The product you initially thought was for you, may not be as competitive if your deposit size changes,” De Martino said. 

 
De Martino stressed the importance of first home buyers getting pre-approval for a home loan before they start their property search. 

 
“Pre-approval gives a first home buyer the confidence to attend an auction and bid on it with the peace of mind that they can afford the property and the repayments,” he said. 

 
Only 6% of the brokers surveyed said property investors were the main reason first home buyers were being kept out of the market. 

 
“Property Investors certainly have the benefit of existing equity in their home and certain tax advantages. First home buyers can best compete with them by building up their savings and deposit sizes,” De Martino said.  
 
 
 
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staylor-63KgDrKwoY

Savings holding back first home buyers

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It’s a case of good news and bad news for eligible Victorian first time property buyers from today.
The first-home owner grant is increasing from $7000 to $10,000 for those buying new homes, but is cut completely for buyers of existing homes.
Along with the boost to new home grants the state government will fast-track stamp duty cuts, bringing them in six months ahead of schedule.
These will increase from 30 to 40% on homes valued up to $600,000. The combination of a $10,000 First Home Owner Grant and stamp-duty cut means buyers of new home for $400,000 or less will save more than $16,500.
Treasurer Michael O'Brien forecasts the move will help create more jobs in the housing-construction sector.
"Targeting the grant to newly constructed homes - whether in regional Victoria, Melbourne's growth corridors or new CBD apartments - will stimulate the economy and create jobs in the construction sector," Mr O'Brien says.
"These measures will promote more housing construction, leading to more employment, greater housing supply and reduced residential price pressure for Victorian families."
First-home buyers looking to buy established property for, say, $450,000 will benefit only from the stamp duty concession worth $7588, which the Government says offsets the $7000 grant previously available.
Last Nevember the Real Estate Institute of Victoria chief executive Enzo Raimondo says the majority of first-home buyers would not receive the grant.
"I think that first-home buyers should be treated equally," he said.
"I understand that the Government is trying to stimulate construction but most first-home buyers buy established homes and it is unfair that they will miss out on the full savings."
“Overall, the cut is good news for those buying their first home and it will be worth an additional $2377 on a home valued at $530,000.  
‘’This will bring the total stamp duty cut on the median priced home from $4754 to $7131,” Mr Raimondo said.
But Mr O'Brien said the changes will boost construction and ease housing pressures.
"We want to see more jobs and we also want to make sure we have more housing stock to meet the needs of a growing population," he says.
Mr Raimondo says first home buyers should realise that homes bought with 60 day settlements are eligible to benefit from the lower stamp duty because they pay stamp duty on settlement – not when they sign a contract.  
“Settlement occurs on the day the balance of the purchase price is paid and the property’s title document is handed over to the buyer.’’  
“This is unlike the First Home Buyer Grant, which applies from the date the contract is signed.’’
From September 1, 2014, all first-home buyers will benefit from a 50% stamp duty concession.
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New financial year brings mixed news for Victorian first-home buyers

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Buyers should be able to pinpoint reasons why a particular property will appreciate in value and, if they can’t, they should give it a miss.  
Perth property researcher Gavin Hegney, founding director of LMW Hegney, says this is particularly relevant now as many older buyers – often through their SMSFs - base their retirement incomes on, hopefully, rising property values.  
Presently, growth in the self-managed super funds and their frequent use as property-buying vehicles – perhaps in over 70% of transactions - has prompted some commentators to say they are helping create a property ‘bubble’.  
While property investing is an acknowledged ‘super’ strategy, it can only be judged on the income a property generates and its increase in value over time.  
Mr Hegney says that, to generate a decent income, a property has to have a good reason to grow in value. Investors should be able to identify that - or those - reasons before buying.  
‘’My thoughts are not so much the volume, but that often the SMSFs are buying the wrong types of properties,’’ he said.  
‘’Regardless of the ownership of the property, be it in a private name or a SMSF, its financial success relies on one thing: that the property goes up in value and that, when combined with the rental return, that it creates wealth for the owner or beneficiaries over time.  
‘’History has shown that, to create wealth during the early and mid section of the property cycle, there must be a realistic and identifiable reason why a property will increase in value, and the owner must have a best guesstimate as to what that value should be.  
Mr Hegney said experience and research can help identify these points.  
He said significant developments in most capital cities will have a knock-on effect on the values of property in surrounding areas. For instance, in Sydney it may be the effect of the Barangaroo development and its flow-on effect to specific pockets of Sydney, or, in Perth, it may be the City Link and waterfront developments and their knock-on effects.  
‘’There are numerous examples in most cities which simply require an identification of major changes and then an answer to the question: ‘What would this property be worth if this new development or infrastructure was in place?’  
‘’One concern I do have is where a SMSF simply buys a new apartment that has very little identifiable reason to increase in value, and then holds onto that property for 10-20 years .  
‘’Typically, that new apartment of, say, $600,000 becomes worth, say, only $450,000 as a 20-year-old apartment in today’s dollar terms.  
‘’That difference in value must be made up in value terms, plus a reasonable growth factor as well, before the owner of the new apartment creates real wealth.  
‘’If it has a real location reason to increase in value it may be worth buying, but, without it then the prospect of real growth may be very difficult.’’  
Mr Hegney said this situation ‘’becomes very interesting’’ considering that SMSFs today control about $200 billion in property investments with gearing of around $2.4 billion.  
‘’If they decided to gear up then this sector could increase over 100-fold in today's dollars. Let’s hope most of them get it right.’’    
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SMSF investors should be able to pinpoint reasons for property rises before they buy

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The Australian Security and Investments Commission’s goal to improve the standard of advice being given to prospective self-managed super fund trustees, has been welcomed by the SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA).
This includes ensuring SMSF advisers have competencies and skills to better inform potential trustees about the suitability of SMSFs to their circumstances, said CEO Andrea Slattery, while outlining her stance on advisor training and education in SPAA’s submission to ASIC.
The SPAA represents professionals providing a range of services in the SMSF field. It is an advocate for the highest professional standards and competence to ensure SMSF trustees receive the best possible advice.
“In line with this, SPAA has consistently argued that the proposed updated training of advisors should include a specialist SMSF topic if advisers wish to provide advice on SMSFs. This is the reason SPAA has built an SMSF profession,’’ Slattery said.
“We are surprised that ASIC had not suggested an additional, specific topic, in light of recent statements and research by them showing concern for advice practices.
“Similarly, it is surprising ASIC has not sought specific SMSF competencies in the updated RG 146 (regulations) when it has concerns regarding the quality of disclosures made to potential SMSF trustees about the risks of being a trustee.
“We believe that including an SMSF topic in RG 146, and recognising it as a specialist area of superannuation advice, will increase professionalism and understanding among financial advisers who advise on establishing and operating SMSFs leading to increased consumer protection.”
Slattery says that improving SMSF competencies towards potential SMSF trustees would be a significant factor in improving SMSF disclosures. “In particular, SPAA’s SMSF professional accreditation program allows consumers to seek specialist SMSF advice to meet their needs,” she said.
<a target="_parent" href="mailto:staylor@propertyobserver.com.au">staylor@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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SPAA backs ASIC plan to strengthen advice standards

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Leading figures in the retirement property industry say there needs to be more transparency in the sector to attract institutional investment now and in the long term.
Tim Russell, managing director of Retire Australia, said the sector was a poor performer that was being held back by not having a large, publicly listed, sector-specific company in which to invest.
“Some of the institutional capital that has been attracted to the sector has been let down by poor performance,” Russell told UK Property Week in a recent issue.
“Capital is still attracted [to the sector] but there are issues around pricing and transparency.”
According to Russell, the biggest opportunities will come when one of the larger operators lists.
“I hope we will have a large, listed, sector-specific operator in the next few years, as that will increase transparency for investors,” he said.
Russell compares the Australian retirement landscape with that of New Zealand, where he says several large sector-specific operators are on the public market — and all of which, he says, trade at a premium to their asset values.
However, Russell is hopeful that a large retirement operator will list in the next few years, noting that FKP Property Group is considering spinning off and listing its retirement arm and that the interest shown in the small-cap Ingenia shows the appetite is there.
A big challenge for the operators in the sector is moving from providing accommodation and maintenance to also providing care packages.
Derek McMillan, chief executive officer of Australian Unity’s retirement living, said there was great opportunity economically for retirement villages to provide care packages because of the concentration of numbers at each village.
He added that this would give operators another source of income and smooth out bumpy cash flows as a result of having a model that only really made money when units were resold.
He hopes the new federal government will ‘’cut some of the red tape’’ that prevents retirement village operators from providing care.
“It was very frustrating with the last government,” McMillan said. “While they had a philosophical approach towards improving access to care … they made a lot of noise but there was no real movement.”
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Greater transparency in retirement property industry required to attract institutional investment: Retire Australia

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It’s a tale of two cities: Home loan approvals in September were the highest since October 2009 - yet the month had the lowest proportion of first home borrowers in two decades.
Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the first quarter of the financial year had 12% national growth in loan approvals over the previous year and 13% year on year growth for September.
This comes on the back of record low interest rates, high clearance rates and a boost in the number of properties for sale.
However, increased investor activity – and a noticeable rise in cashed-up foreigners - has forced first home buyers out of the race, with their numbers falling from 13.7% of buyers in August to 12.5% in September.
The proportion of first home buyers in the number of owner-occupied housing finance commitments is now one in eight - the lowest since data was collected in July 1991, the Real Estate Institute of Australia says. It is far lower than the long-run average of 20.15%, despite eight interest rate cuts since November 2011.
In contrast, owner-occupied finance approvals rose 12.6% for the 12 months to September and investors took out 5.2% more loans in September than in August.  
"With the proportion of first home buyers at historic lows and figures indicating no bubble in lending, the Reserve Bank Board should be taking a ‘steady as she goes’ approach in December," said REIA president Peter Bushby.  
Changes to the first home buyers’ grants - which in Victoria is $10,000 for the purchase of new homes after July 1 this year but none for established homes – is being blamed for keeping first home buyers behind the eight ball. Pressure on them is further compounded by investors having greater equity in existing property and being able to borrow more at cheaper rates - without the need for mortgage insurance.  
But state treasurer Michael O’Brien said loan approvals for new dwellings in Victoria were the highest of any state. "Victoria contributed 29% of national loans for new dwellings in September which is above its population share of 24.8 %.
"The Coalition government is supporting first home buyers by increasing grants for new homes and bringing forward a major cut in stamp duty.
"Since July 1, more than 6,500 new home buyers have received the stamp duty concession, which amounts to almost $36 million in benefits to first home buyers.
"Targeting the first home owner grant to newly constructed homes – whether in regional Victoria, Melbourne’s growth corridors or new CBD apartments – will stimulate the economy and create jobs in the construction sector." He said the move "brings Victoria into line with New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia".
Loan Market director Mark De Martino said that the first quarter of the financial year was off to "a very hot start" with low interest rates and a recovering property market helping boost activity in the home finance space.  
"Nearly every state is showing double digit growth for the first quarter" De Martino said.  
The 51,938 home finance approvals in September were a rebound from the August figures which saw the first month-on-month drop in approvals in 45 months.  
High auction clearance rates this spring point to a continuing upward trend in market activity.  
De Martino said pre-approvals were helping buyers get a ‘leg up’ over the competition at auctions, although he agreed first home buyers were struggling to enter the market. "As the prospective pool of buyers grows, it’s only a matter of time before first home buyers return. 
"They are competing with cashed-up investors and upgraders who have significant equity in their properties. Building a sizable deposit and understanding their borrowing power with pre approval will give them the best chance to compete in this market."  
Number of Home Finance Commitments September 2013: ABS  
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
State
</td>
<td>
September 2013 v 2012
</td>
<td>
Quarter v Quarter
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
NSW
</td>
<td>
9%
</td>
<td>
11%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
VIC
</td>
<td>
17%
</td>
<td>
15%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
QLD
</td>
<td>
11%
</td>
<td>
12%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
SA
</td>
<td>
19%
</td>
<td>
16%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
WA
</td>
<td>
11%
</td>
<td>
8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
TAS
</td>
<td>
6%
</td>
<td>
8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
NT
</td>
<td>
-1%
</td>
<td>
-11%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
ACT
</td>
<td>
24%
</td>
<td>
23%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Australia
</td>
<td>
13%
</td>
<td>
12%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/2013/11/06/jc-insights.png" width="140" height="150" alt="jc-insights" style="float: left;">PROPERTY INSIGHTS
<a title="Falling first home buyers numbers the result of state government FHB grant meddling" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/falling-first-home-buyers-numbers-the-result-of-state-government-fhb-grant-meddling/2013111166285?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=jonathanchancellor'spropertyinsights">Falling first home buyers numbers the result of state government FHB grant meddling</a>
"The decline in FHB numbers follow the re-targeting of the originating FHB grants and/or stamp duty exemptions across the states to encourage FHBs to buy new homes not established homes."
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Home loan approvals soar while first home buyer proportion sinks

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Vacancy rates across Sydney’s popular inner and middle suburbs have tightened as first home buyers, struggling to afford properties, look to rental accommodation.
The October 2013 Real Estate Institute of New South Wales Vacancy Rate Survey shows availability across the Sydney metropolitan area is steady at 1.7%.
REINSW president Christian Payne said the rate was the lowest the middle suburbs had experienced in 18 months. "It is yet another indicator of how the abolition of incentives on existing properties for first home buyers is causing issues across the marketplace."
Other figures are:
• Inner suburbs (0-10 kilometres from the CBD) are down 0.1% to 1.7%
• Middle suburbs (10-25 kilometres from the CBD) fell 0.2% to 1.6%
• Outer suburbs (more than 25 kilometres from the CBD) are up 0.2% to 1.7%
"First home buyers who can’t afford to buy their dream homes are putting substantial pressure on the
rental market," Payne said.
"Middle suburbs, including Auburn, Burwood, Hunters Hill, Parramatta and Ryde are some of the hardest places to find accommodation in Sydney."
Outside Sydney, the Hunter fell 0.1% to 2.9% despite Newcastle’s increase of 0.7% to 2.4%. The Illawarra remained steady at 2.0% even though Wollongong’s vacancy rate rose 0.4% to 2.3%.
In regional areas, Albury is the hardest place to find rental accommodation after a decline 0.2% to 1.8%. Orana, which had previously held the title, jumped 0.6% to 1.9%.
Northern Rivers’ availability rose 0.2% to 3.1% and New England was up 0.5% to 2.9%.
Meanwhile, the easiest place to find rental accommodation in the state is the Central West after a rise of 0.3% to 4.1%. South Eastern NSW added 0.5% to 4.0%. Coffs Harbour’s availability leapt 0.8% to 3.8%.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:staylor@propertyobserver.com.au">staylor@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
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Struggling first home buyers pushing down Sydney's inner and middle suburb vacancy rates

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Cedar and lush grazing land attracted the early settlers to Wollongong in the early 1800s, but coal mining and the establishment of heavy industry 100 years later laid the framework for the city’s future.
Now – post job shedding as steel industry tariff cuts bit hard - the city of 292,000 has established a niche for itself as a broad-based industry, university and tourism town ready for a new chapter.
And <a target="_blank" href="/news">Wollongong</a> is holding its own in the property market despite fears that prices would tumble in a high-unemployment period.
Dr Andrew Wilson, of Australian Property Monitors, said the city – NSW’s third largest – had shown resilience despite the job-shedding issues in the steel industry in the nineties which were supposed to be significant. "It seems to have picked up Sydney’s energy with solid prices that appear to be rising," he said.
"Regional areas often tend to follow price cycles, reflecting the economic draw-downs flowing from big cities, and this seems to be happening at Wollongong, whereas there were expected to be problems."
Wilson said government compensation to soothe the effects of job losses had helped moderate fallout. "Wollongong is an emerging lifestyle market, too," he said, pointing to the cliff-side weekenders north of the city. "That’s part of the real estate market driver."
Covering 714 square kilometres on a narrow coastal strip bordered by the Royal National Park to the north, Lake Illawarra to the south, the Tasman Sea to the east and the Illawarra escarpment to the west, the name Wollongong originated from the Aboriginal word woolyungah meaning five islands.
According to the city’s public records, Aboriginals lived there for at least 30,000 years, with Wodi Wodi their tribal name. In 1815 a doctor, Charles Throsby, drove cattle down from the Southern Highlands to a lagoon of fresh water near South Beach, beginning permanent European settlement.
The area's first school was established in 1833 (Wollongong City Library), and a year later the Surveyor-General arrived from Sydney to lay out the township of Wollongong on Dr Throsby’s property.
The steel industry began in 1927 when Charles Hoskins entered into an agreement with the state government to build a steelworks at nearby Port Kembla. Operations began in 1930 with a blast furnace of 800 tons capacity. In 1936, BHP acquired Australian Iron and Steel Limited and production at Port Kembla increased rapidly. The steel industry was a catalyst for growth for many decades, and laid the foundations for the city's economy, lifestyle and culture.
But changing economics meant diversification became the key to the city’s future, with construction of the Sea Cliff bridge to the north adding focus to the tourism industry, and information technology, hospitality, health services and telecommunications becoming key industries in the region. The university has 22,000 students.
These far-sighted measures have laid the foundations for a resilient property market. Paul Abrahams, of Century21 Wollongong, said the city was having "record sales across the board" – especially in the sub-$400,000 price bracket.
"We’ve had properties selling within two weeks of opening," he said. “I’ve even sold one at the first open house."
Properties selling for under $300,000 are "walking out the door; those around $400,000 are taking a bit longer to move and those $700,000-$1 million are taking their time". Abrahams said buyers of this latter range can afford to be choosy: they know the costs of buying and selling – up to $100,000 - and might choose to put in a new kitchen or install a pool.
The large number at open-for-inspections – 12 people here; 14 there – puts pressure on potential buyers and pushes up prices. People are scared of missing out.
A common denominator is the high number of investors - perhaps three quarters of the total – and they’re mostly from Sydney. "They point to the minimal time taken to get here – about an hour and 15 minutes for the 82 kilometre trip – as well as the beautiful scenery and the beaches. And Sydney is very expensive."
Abrahams said the government had "got it wrong" giving incentives to investors rather than making it easier for first home buyers to get into the market. "The first home buyers are almost gone now," he said. "They used to get a $7000 grant and were exempt from paying stamp duty, which meant they needed less to buy a home and were at least in the race with investors who already had equity and who could arrange cheaper interest rates and lock them in."
He said giving grants to first home buyers of new property was "doing it the wrong way around".
"New homes take too long to build: you’ve got to clear the land and seal roads and they’re always a long way from infrastructure such as schools, roads and transport.
"The government shouldn’t worry about the more established buyers because they doing ok already: assisting them is going the wrong way about it because they don’t need handouts, whereas young people are battling with lower wages and job insecurity," said Abrahams.
 
staylor@propertyobserver.com.au
 
 
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Suburb spotlight: Wollongong's resilience attracts interest

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Would you? Could you? Perhaps you have already ...
Falsify your address just to get your little ray of sunshine into the family’s school of choice, that is.
Some parents do it; others scheme about it and those secondary schools in their sights – such as McKinnon, Balwyn and Canterbury Girls' – put strategies in place to make sure it doesn’t happen (often).
The pressure on some high-achieving parents to get children into schools of choice leads them to drastic measures. Some are said to fudge their addresses by bribing relatives, others change their mobile phone billing data, some wealthy parents buy a second property – with no intention of living there – just so they can have a postal address for school documents. Others make false statutory declarations – or rent properties for six months and then leave them vacant.
It seems nothing is too much trouble when a place in a class in the best school is on the line.
Getting in on the front foot, McKinnon Secondary College says it "strongly advises prospective parents to contact the college before securing a leased property, or purchasing a property, to discuss enrolment options."
It’s a serious issue with strict criteria, such as the <a href="https://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/the-mckinnon-zone/" target="_blank">boundaries designated by McKinnon Secondary College</a> (pictured below).
<img src="/images/stories/2014/01/21/mckinnon-jan-21-one.jpg" alt="mckinnon-jan-21-one" height="458" width="470">
Source: McKinnon Secondary College
Only houses on the inside of boundary roads are deemed to be in-zone. If the zone is amended, the school says it will signal changes on its website and in the local press.
Enrolling students must live with their parents. Staying with a relative or friend does not qualify a student as a "resident". And guardianship is not a criterion for enrolment unless supported by relevant papers endorsed by the Family Court of Australia.
Balwyn High School says its expectation is that a family will remain permanent residents within the zone for the duration of their child’s education. It says it cannot guarantee a child’s continuing enrolment if their residential status changes during that time.
It has been a long-term requirement that new enrolments sign a residency declaration stating the family’s intention to remain permanent residents in the zone as long as their child is enrolled there.
The purchase of property in certain areas to guarantee entry is taking its toll on some schools who simply cannot find a place for them. Balwyn High School says it is "constantly liaising" with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development regarding its "acute accommodation problem". It says it is investigating the possible placement of new students into other government schools as a means of alleviating its "accommodation crisis".
But Victorian Education Department spokesman Liam Carter said there was no review and no state government policy in place to prevent parents falsifying information for school enrolments. "It’s not much of an issue in Victoria as most schools take students from out of their zones anyway," he said. "Only a few schools have specific zones and they manage the issue themselves."
As an aside, he said he had heard of one principal who would go around to addresses he was sceptical of and check that a certain student did, in fact, live there. This is verified by an entry on the McKinnon Secondary College website stating: ‘’ Documentary proof of residence is required, and applicants may be personally visited without warning to verify habitation claims.’’
That’s one way to check. Other ways include providing evidence of the purchase of a property in the zone or a property lease from a licensed real estate agent for at least 12 months. The property and lease must be under the parent's name. Copies of a driver's license, utility bills – all in the parents’ names - are other items asked for as proof of address.
Article continues on next page. Please click below.
 
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School zoning is also a dividing feature in the UK where a Parent Power survey, commissioned by education charity Sutton Trust, found a third of professional parents deliberately moved to an area with good schools, while one in five moved to the catchment area of a specific school.
The claims were made in the Mail Online which found that one-in-20 parents could afford to buy a second home just to use the address when applying for enrolment. This was more than double the 2% among parents in general.
Around 6% – double the average – admitted using a relative’s address on application forms. And one in 10 said they had started going to church to get their child into a faith school compared with one in 16 among parents in general.
And one in 20 – 5% - said they bought a second home to use the address when applying for a place at a specific school. This is more than double the 2% among parents in general.
Hocking Stuart Bentleigh’s Fran Harkin said property was "definitely more expensive" in the McKinnon school zone which reflects the fact that parents will pay more for the privilege of sending their children there. Salesman Anton Zhouk said anecdotal evidence was that some parents bought second properties in the zone for a legitimate address to present to the school regarding their child’s enrolment.
"You hear of it going on but, of course, it’s never talked about," he said. "Some buy land - without a house on it - just to qualify."
"The zoning requirements have a marked effect on prices," Zhouk confirmed. "Centre Road divides the zone and properties on the ‘right’ side may cost $150,000 more. It’s certainly a good selling point."
Melissa Ryan, of Hodges Bentleigh, said "very specific buyers, such as the Chinese, come to Australia to give their offspring a quality education" and this has a big effect on school zone land prices.
"They want their children to stand out amongst the rest and an Australian education has cache. So, in order to get their children into a good school, they will pay extra for it."
Ryan said the value of the Aussie dollar played a part in their strategy. "When the dollar was high Chinese buyers left the market, so that houses in the school zone were selling for less than those outside. Now, with the dollar low, they are back in."
The return of the Chinese is certainly affecting prices, with Ryan saying they were "even outbidding developers" on property where the minimum to buy in is around $1 million. "Over the past two years – when the dollar was high - this has not been the case."
Agent sbelieve that buyers of Asian origin – who make up 80%-90% of buyers in the area – are especially keen to send their children to select schools. Many can afford to pay cash for their new homes.
Ryan said the McKinnon/Bentleigh market was strong. "This time of year people buy cars and houses. Anything that is still on the market is being snapped up quickly."
John Pollard, of Woodards Bentleigh, said school-catchment zones "had a huge pull" on buyers and put a 10% premium on sale prices. "And it is usually the starting point of the marketing campaign."
Pollard said planning ahead could pay dividends. He said a Chinese couple from Thomastown with a pre-school age daughter recently bought a rundown property in McKinnon – in the school zone, of course – planning to rent it out until their daughter is ready for year 7, when they will move in.
NSW schools are equally strict about their enrolment criteria. Popular Willoughby Girls’ High School in the inner north lists ‘residential proximity’ as the main criterion for entry, with proof of a student's address to include originals of different documents, such as a council rates notice or residential lease and electricity bills with their parents’ names.
The school lists nearby suburbs in priority order according to their distance from the school, which is defined as a straight line point to point from the school to the nearest point on the suburb boundary. Parents can access a <a href="https://www.wghs.nsw.edu.au/WGHS/assets/File/Residential%20Proximity%202%5b1%5d(1).pdf" target="_blank">residential proximity</a> map to see how far they are from the school.
Artarmon Public School – a few minutes away on Sydney's lower north shore – is reportedly the fifth-best primary school in the state. And that’s a sound reason for parents to buy in the suburb, says Jason Georges, of Ray White Willoughby. "There are only a limited number of streets in the catchment and property there is always in demand, with three bedroom houses usually going for around a million dollars."
Killara High School – like all NSW public schools – has enrolment criteria insisting that children are designated to a particular school based on the permanent residential address of their primary caregiver.
It has to - as one of the few non-selective public schools to rank in the top 100 high schools in the state it has massive enrolment pressures.
The president of the Parents and Citizens Association, David Jordan, told Fairfax newspapers that growing housing density was putting huge pressures on the school. "You're getting a massive increase in population in the area but there's no money going into infrastructure in the schools. Basically, the school was designed for about 900 students. It's over 1500 now. We just can't afford to have out-of-area kids."
In 2002, only about half the students at Killara came from the local area. Now it is nine out of 10, he said.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
 
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School zones: How far would you go to get into the best schools?

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Would you? Could you? Perhaps you have already ...
Falsify your address just to get your little ray of sunshine into the family’s school of choice, that is.
Some parents do it; others scheme about it and those secondary schools in their sights – such as McKinnon, Balwyn and Canterbury Girls’ – put strategies in place to make sure it doesn’t happen (often).
The pressure on some high-achieving parents to get children into schools of choice leads them to drastic measures. Some are said to fudge their addresses by bribing relatives, others change their mobile phone billing data, some wealthy parents buy a second property – with no intention of living there – just so they can have a postal address for school documents. Others make false statutory declarations – or rent properties for six months and then leave them vacant.
It seems nothing is too much trouble when a place in a class in the best school is on the line.
Getting in on the front foot, McKinnon Secondary College says it ‘’strongly advises prospective parents to contact the college before securing a leased property, or purchasing a property, to discuss enrolment options’’.
It’s a serious issue with strict criteria (take in map <a href="https://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/the-mckinnon-zone/">https://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/the-mckinnon-zone/</a>): Only houses on the inside of boundary roads are deemed to be in-zone. If the zone is amended, the school says it will signal changes on its website and in the local press.
Enrolling students must live with their parents. Staying with a relative or friend does not qualify a student as a ‘’resident". And guardianship is not a criterion for enrolment unless supported by relevant papers endorsed by the Family Court of Australia.
Balwyn High School says its expectation is that a family will remain permanent residents within the zone for the duration of their child’s education. It says it cannot guarantee a child’s continuing enrolment if their residential status changes during that time.
It has been a long-term requirement that new enrolments sign a residency declaration stating the family’s intention to remain permanent residents in the zone as long as their child is enrolled there.
The purchase of property in certain areas to guarantee entry is taking its toll on some schools who simply cannot find a place for them. Balwyn High School says it is ‘’constantly liaising’’ with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development regarding its ‘’acute accommodation problem’’. It says it is investigating the possible placement of new students into other government schools as a means of alleviating its ‘’accommodation crisis’’.
But Victorian Education Department spokesman Liam Carter said there was no review and no state government policy in place to prevent parents falsifying information for school enrolments. ‘’It’s not much of an issue in Victoria as most schools take students from out of their zones anyway,’’ he said. ‘’Only a few schools have specific zones and they manage the issue themselves.’’
As an aside, he said he had heard of one principal who would go around to addresses he was sceptical of and check that a certain student did, in fact, live there. This is verified by an entry on the McKinnon Secondary College website stating: ‘’ Documentary proof of residence is required, and applicants may be personally visited without warning to verify habitation claims.’’
That’s one way to check. Other ways include providing evidence of the purchase of a property in the zone or a property lease from a licensed real estate agent for at least 12 months. The property and lease must be under the parent's name. Copies of a driver's license, utility bills – all in the parents’ names - are other items asked for as proof of address.
School zoning is also a dividing feature in the UK where a Parent Power survey, commissioned by education charity Sutton Trust, found a third of professional parents deliberately moved to an area with good schools, while one in five moved to the catchment area of a specific school.
The claims were made in the Mail Online which found that one-in-20 parents could afford to buy a second home just to use the address when applying for enrolment. This was more than double the 2% among parents in general.
Around 6% – double the average – admitted using a relative’s address on application forms. And one in 10 said they had started going to church to get their child into a faith school compared with one in 16 among parents in general.
And one in 20 – 5% - said they bought a second home to use the address when applying for a place at a specific school. This is more than double the 2% among parents in general.
Hocking Stuart Bentleigh’s Fran Harkin said property was ‘’definitely more expensive’’ in the McKinnon school zone which reflects the fact that parents will pay more for the privilege of sending their children there. Salesman Anton Zhouk said anecdotal evidence was that some parents bought second properties in the zone for a legitimate address to present to the school regarding their child’s enrolment.
‘’You hear of it going on but, of course, it’s never talked about,’’ he said. ‘’Some buy land - without a house on it - just to qualify.’’
Cashed-up Asians – who make up 80%-90% of buyers in the area – are especially keen to send their children to select schools. Many can afford to pay cash for their new homes.
‘’The zoning requirements have a marked effect on prices,’’ Zhouk confirmed. ‘’Centre Road divides the zone and properties on the ‘right’ side may cost $150,000 more. It’s certainly a good selling point.’’
Melissa Ryan, of Hodges Bentleigh, said ‘’very specific buyers, such as the Chinese, come to Australia to give their offspring a quality education’’ and this has a big effect on school zone land prices.
‘’They want their children to stand out amongst the rest and an Australian education has cache. So, in order to get their children into a good school, they will pay extra for it.’’
Ryan said the value of the Aussie dollar played a part in their strategy. ‘’When the dollar was high Chinese buyers left the market, so that houses in the school zone were selling for less than those outside. Now, with the dollar low, they are back in.’’
The return of the Chinese is certainly affecting prices, with Ryan saying they were ‘’even outbidding developers’’ on property where the minimum to buy in is around $1 million. ‘’Over the past two years – when the dollar was high - this has not been the case.’’
Ryan said the McKinnon/Bentleigh market was strong. ‘’This time of year people buy cars and houses. Anything that is still on the market is being snapped up quickly.’’
John Pollard, of Woodards Bentleigh, said school-catchment zones ‘’had a huge pull’’ on buyers and put a 10% premium on sale prices. ‘’And it is usually the starting point of the marketing campaign.’’
Pollard said planning ahead could pay dividends. He said a Chinese couple from Thomastown with a pre-school age daughter recently bought a rundown property in McKinnon – in the school zone, of course – planning to rent it out until their daughter is ready for year 7, when they will move in.
NSW schools are equally strict about their enrolment criteria. Popular Willoughby Girls’ High School in the inner north lists ‘residential proximity’ as the main criterion for entry, with proof of a student's address to include originals of different documents, such as a council rates notice or residential lease and electricity bills with their parents’ names.
The school lists nearby suburbs in priority order according to their distance from the school, which is defined as a straight line point to point from the school to the nearest point on the suburb boundary. Parents can access a <a href="https://www.wghs.nsw.edu.au/WGHS/assets/File/Residential%20Proximity%202%5b1%5d(1).pdf" target="_blank">Residential Proximity</a> map to see how far they are from the school.
Artarmon Public School – a few minutes away on Sydney's lower north shore – is reportedly the fifth-best primary school in the state. And that’s a sound reason for parents to buy in the suburb, says Jason Georges, of Ray White Willoughby. ‘’There are only a limited number of streets in the catchment and property there is always in demand, with three bedroom houses usually going for around a million dollars.’’
Killara High School – like all NSW public schools – has enrolment criteria insisting that children are designated to a particular school based on the permanent residential address of their primary caregiver.
It has to - as one of the few non-selective public schools to rank in the top 100 high schools in the state it has massive enrolment pressures.
The president of the Parents and Citizens Association, David Jordan, told Fairfax newspapers that growing housing density was putting huge pressures on the school. "You're getting a massive increase in population in the area but there's no money going into infrastructure in the schools. Basically, the school was designed for about 900 students. It's over 1500 now. We just can't afford to have out-of-area kids."
In 2002, only about half the students at Killara came from the local area. Now it is nine out of 10, he said.
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Hot topic: Buying property to secure children a school place

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

Stephen Taylor

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