<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> has lodged plans for a $750 million, three-tower mixed-use precinct that would complete the long-running redevelopment of Carlton's former Carlton United Breweries site.

The proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/185-195-queensberry-street-carlton-vic-3053">46-78 Bouverie Street and 185-195 Queensberry Street</a> spans a 6,468 sqm site, the last remaining undeveloped parcels within the former brewery's 2007 masterplan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the development will comprise two purpose-built student accommodation towers and a third build-to-sell apartment tower above a shared commercial podium and basement.

Across the three towers, SP Setia is proposing 606 build-to-sell apartments and 1,499 student accommodation units containing 2,009 beds.

The apartments will sit in the tallest tower, which will rise nearly 200m and 55 storeys. It will become&nbsp;one of the more substantial new build-to-sell apartment projects at the northern edge of Melbourne's CBD.

The apartment mix is weighted toward smaller inner-city product, with 188 studios, 206 one-bedroom apartments, 192 two-bedroom apartments and 20 three-bedroom apartments

<img alt="First look: SP Setia plans three-tower finale for Carlton’s former CUB precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8271bc87-1b0a-41b7-ac73-a425ee375261" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/3_2.png?VersionId=G4lw23o90B1boX4k4dj7rdz2ZEajS9wy" />

Part of the precinct will be a large-scale&nbsp;3,684 sqm supermarket and a further 2,198 sqm of speciality retail, creating close to 5,900 sqm of new commercial space within the precinct.

But one of the biggest components of the proposal is what sits between the buildings.

Around 4,650 sqm, or roughly 72 per cent of the site, will be publicly accessible open space, incorporating plazas, pedestrian connections, landscaped laneways and retail spill-out areas.

The ground plane is intended to finally complete pedestrian connections envisaged when the CUB masterplan was first approved nearly two decades ago, stitching together Victoria Street, Queensberry Street, Bouverie Street and Swanston Street through the former brewery precinct.

Urbis said the development would "complete the CUB precinct", with the public realm providing important north-south and east-west connections through what is currently the final undeveloped portion of the masterplanned site.

SP Setia is also exploring a new linear park within the Bouverie Street road reserve, with the concept to be developed further with the City of Melbourne through the planning process.

The proposal is being pursued through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program under Clause 53.23 for significant residential development with affordable housing.

The planning report acknowledges the proposed heights exceed those contemplated under the original Comprehensive Development Plan and masterplan, but argues the built-form context has changed considerably over the past two decades.

Urbis said the three towers would instead create a stepped transition between Carlton and the Hoddle Grid, rising progressively from the 94.1-metre Tower One along the Queensberry Street edge to the 199.44-metre Tower Three closer to the established CBD-scale buildings to the south.

<img alt="SP Setia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e885a07a-592c-40fc-bf82-e6dbaf32da54" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-21%20at%208.52.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7s_ErUkSKAdY1mAWp3GRZgMNCGtwhk5m" />

SP Setia plans to deliver the development across three stages.

Stage One would deliver the basement, podium and retail areas for the entire precinct alongside the first student tower. Tower Two would follow in Stage Two, before the 606-apartment Tower Three is delivered as the final stage.

If approved and delivered, the project would close out a redevelopment process that has been underway since the former brewery masterplan was approved in 2007, adding more than 2,600 student beds and apartments to a precinct already home to Swanston Central, the Barak Building, RMIT Design Hub and several large student accommodation developments.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

SP Setia plans three-tower finale for Carlton’s former CUB precinct

Melbourne developer Lowe Living is seeking to add to its growing bayside apartment pipeline, filing plans for a boutique eight-residence development in tightly held Middle Park.

Lowe Living, which has built much of its development portfolio across Melbourne's affluent bayside and south-east suburbs, is behind the plans for the 730 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/123-125-erskine-street-middle-park-vic-3206">123-125 Erskine Street</a>, just off Armstrong Street and within the Armstrong Street Neighbourhood Activity Centre.

The developer is seeking approval for a five-storey residential building above two basement levels, with just eight large-format apartments and 18 car spaces.

“This is a deliberately very different proposition for us,"&nbsp;Tim Lowe, Co-Founder of Lowe Living, said.

"Eight residences is exceptionally boutique, but that's precisely what this site calls for.

“There is a strong community in Middle Park and the surrounding suburbs who have spent decades building a life here. They no longer want the maintenance of a large period home, but they aren't prepared to compromise on space, quality or location. We think there is a real opportunity to capture that hyper local market. A site like this rarely comes to market.”

<img alt="Lowe " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="875fe572-0f14-4d90-9e11-55b28dd07731" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-21%20at%208.42.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GDNQRv9BfpR9r1zkZ5UDyUM4ZvpIksut" />

The low-density proposal has been designed by Cera Stribley and is being progressed through the Victorian Government's Great Design Fast Track pathway, having already secured eligibility from the Minister for Planning.

The Office of the Victorian Government Architect supported its eligibility after finding the proposal demonstrated consistency with the program's seven design principles, while the project's financial feasibility has also been independently confirmed by Invest Victoria.

The project is targeting the downsizer market, with the planning documents describing the homes as larger-format residences and noting the two penthouses could otherwise have been configured as four separate apartments.

<img alt="Lowe 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="60ab0987-2da6-4175-adac-315dcf6053c6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-21%20at%208.43.15%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=bOCPH0B2MFwlmaRW.TTCF9TzyifgVoQI" />

The site has dual frontage to Erskine Street and Canterbury Place and currently comprises a collection of commercial buildings used as offices, including a former heritage bakehouse, a former stable, a later gabled addition and a central courtyard.

It sits within the Commercial 1 Zone and the Armstrong Street Commercial Precinct heritage overlay, with the existing property classified as a contributory heritage place.

Heritage has subsequently played a significant role in Cera Stribley's design.

The front section of the former bakehouse facing Erskine Street will be retained, including its return walls, street-facing hipped roof and chimneys, while the Erskine Street façade and part of the western return wall of the former stable will also be incorporated into the new development.

Levels four and five will be set back five metres from the retained stable façade, while bricks removed through demolition are proposed to be salvaged and reused within the new building where possible.

<img alt="Lowe 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e97927a9-a2de-4a0f-83b6-65451238abfa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-21%20at%208.43.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VR44AChLrX9q1XPB9GvVQV.ALXXbe4gC" />

Rather than presenting as a single five-storey building to Erskine Street, Cera Stribley has broken the development into a series of distinct forms.

A three-storey infill element will sit between the retained bakehouse and stable façades, with the upper levels recessed behind the heritage fabric. Canterbury Place will similarly feature two three-storey podium forms, separated by a central pedestrian accessway, before the upper two levels step back from the street.

A pedestrian through-link will run through the centre of the project between Erskine Street and Canterbury Place, creating entrances from both sides of the site and introducing landscaping and communal areas through the ground plane.

Landscape architect Acre has designed planting across the ground level, private terraces and upper levels, including a feature canopy tree at level three and integrated planting and arbours across the level four terraces. Five existing Erskine Street trees are proposed to be retained.

Sustainability is also a significant component of the Great Design Fast Track application. The apartments are targeting an average eight-star NatHERS rating, with no residence below 6.5 stars, while the project has achieved a 75 per cent BESS score. Seven of the eight apartments are designed for cross-ventilation, with the remaining residence using mechanically assisted natural ventilation.

The plans also incorporate an 8kWp rooftop solar system, a 5,000-litre rainwater tank and infrastructure allowing future electric vehicle charging for every residence.

Lowe has a strong portfolio across Melbourne's blue-chip suburbs. They recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House by Lowe Living</a> in Camberwell, their first development in the Stonnington LGA.

Lowe Living unveils Middle Park apartment development

Article summary

<ul data-end="888" data-start="289">
	<li data-end="442" data-section-id="8tsh6o" data-start="289">DVB Projects is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway at 137 Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach.</li>
	<li data-end="573" data-section-id="1nyxl3e" data-start="443">The 34-level tower will comprise just 49 ultra-luxury residences, including half-floor, full-floor and penthouse apartments.</li>
	<li data-end="717" data-section-id="oiyimj" data-start="574">The launch follows strong demand at DVB's nearby Sea Glass project, which is more than 50 per cent sold and currently under construction.</li>
	<li data-end="888" data-section-id="epk9o9" data-start="718">The development adds to the transformation of Old Burleigh Road, with premium beachfront apartment projects continuing to reshape the tightly held Broadbeach strip.</li>
</ul>

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dvb-projects">DVB Projects</a> is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway on the Broadbeach site as the Sydney developer moves closer to bringing the ultra-luxury project to market.

The 34-level tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/137-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">137 Old Burleigh Road</a> will comprise just 49 residences, ranging from half-floor apartments through to full-floor homes and a penthouse. The launch follows the strong sales performance of DVB's nearby Sea Glass development. More than half of the apartments at Sea Glass, on the other side of Broadbeach, have been snapped up, well ahead of its late 2027 completion

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2944b4be-c84e-4b54-8dc1-c712e76704c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E02_Exterior_Street%20Level%20Entrance.jpg?VersionId=YoNig7pRdrE3HCue7sUj78LzJteeQf3H" />

The start of demolition at 137 Old Burleigh Road signals DVB Projects’ underlying confidence in the Gold Coast’s luxury beachside apartment sector.

“We see the Gold Coast as one of the most compelling lifestyle markets in Australia, particularly at the premium end where demand continues to deepen,” said Dean Brown, Managing Director of DVB.&nbsp;

“This project has been carefully designed to respond to that demand - delivering large-format residences with a level of quality, privacy and amenity that is still relatively rare in the apartment market on the beachside."

Brown says the site itself is "exceptional."

"Old Burleigh Road is one of the most tightly held beachfront strips, and opportunities to deliver a project of this scale and calibre in this location are extremely limited.”

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="398f377a-c037-455e-9250-0c5e0d84c35b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/I12_FF%20Balcony.jpg?VersionId=NwOiRWGMubR1c8wthuEfggklcja7al9." />

The project will comprise 40 half-floor residences of approximately 260 sqm, alongside eight full-floor residences spanning around 524 sqm.

A single penthouse will crown the building, featuring a private pool, barbecue area, indoor gym and dedicated entertaining spaces.

Residents will have access to a resort-style suite of amenities, including a 20-metre pool with daybeds, a gymnasium, hot and cold plunge pools, a sauna, and private residents’ lounge and dining facilities.

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1642bb0-9a66-4427-a022-dfc0988c6287" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/A02_Pool%20to%20View.jpg?VersionId=c0IXPyn_Gp_Kn3XCwzMrqIVkAdCEwVXP" />

Sales agent Todd Matheson, of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a>, which is marketing both 137 Old Burleigh Road and Sea Glass, said 137 Old Burleigh Road would address a clear gap in the market for genuine luxury products.

“There are very few opportunities on the Gold Coast where buyers can secure a residence of this size and quality in a new building,” Matheson said.

“What we’re seeing is a growing cohort of downsizers and interstate buyers who still want space - they’re not willing to compromise on living area, entertaining or finishes.

“This project has been designed with that buyer in mind. It offers the scale of a home, combined with the convenience and security of apartment living, in one of the coast’s most desirable positions.”

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59aae0ca-5639-4320-8aca-d0bf60f48e43" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E01_Exterior%20Hero.jpg?VersionId=DS8Zfy2WtgUEtdfe0TEUuf1W1GfcZq8S" />

Located on a 1,156 sqm site one block from the beachfront, the development will replace an ageing walk-up building and is expected to contribute to the ongoing transformation of the Old Burleigh Road strip into one of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious residential corridors.

With the development moving into the delivery phase, 137 Old Burleigh Road is slated to hit the market later this year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145141]

DVB Projects to launch second Broadbeach apartment tower as demolition commences

<a data-end="327" data-is-only-node="" data-start="250" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/norus-projects" rel="noopener" target="_new">Norus Developments</a> has lodged plans for a new apartment development in Clayton that would add further momentum to the suburb's emerging Green Street corridor.

Plans have been lodged for the consolidated site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1359-1365-centre-road-clayton-vic-3168">1359-1365 Centre Road</a>, where Norus is seeking approval for 218 apartments across a 12-storey apartment building designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/life-architecture-and-urban-design">Life Architecture</a>.

The proposal sits within the Clayton Major Activity Centre at the threshold of the planned Green Street corridor, a landscaped pedestrian connection intended to improve links through the precinct towards Clayton Railway Station.

The development would replace the site's existing collection of low-scale residential and commercial buildings with a single consolidated building, introducing significantly greater housing density to this part of Centre Road.

A retail tenancy is proposed at ground level to activate the Centre Road frontage, accompanied by transparent street interfaces and landscaping intended to create a more pedestrian-focused edge to the development.

<img alt="First look: Norus Developments plans landscape-led apartment project for Clayton’s emerging Green Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a5a763a-d9e9-4253-af2f-88008de27ebf" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Clayton%20a.png?VersionId=S2WJJbat1XVkZwB9SnYtygirXgWHiklX" />

The building has been designed with stepped massing and upper-level setbacks to manage its transition towards surrounding residential properties. The planning report describes the approach as one that integrates the building into the landscape rather than treating landscaping as a secondary element.

"A strong landscape and public realm strategy underpins the proposal," Urbis states in the planning report.

"Public benefits include an affordable housing contribution, a new pocket park, generous landscaped setbacks, deep soil planting and integrated Water Sensitive Urban Design."

The report adds that these elements are intended to create "a permeable, pedestrian-focused ground plane that enhances walkability, supports urban cooling and reinforces the emerging Green Street character."

Biophilic and passive design principles extend through the residential levels, with planting, daylight, natural ventilation and views towards landscaped areas forming part of the amenity strategy.

Parking would be concentrated away from the public realm, with 145 car spaces proposed from the rear laneway rather than dominating the Centre Road frontage.

The proposal follows an extensive pre-application process with the City of Monash. Three formal meetings were held between the project team and Council from December 2025 to March 2026, with the scheme evolving through several concept iterations before the current design was lodged.

The project arrives as Clayton prepares for substantial change around its established activity centre and the wider Suburban Rail Loop precinct. Its position on Centre Road places the development within an existing concentration of shops, services and public transport, while the Green Street connection is intended to strengthen pedestrian access towards Clayton Railway Station.

First look: Norus plans landscape-led apartment project for Clayton’s emerging Green Street

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gardner-vaughan-group">Gardner Vaughan Group</a> has officially commenced construction on Bronze on Chevron, celebrating the sod turning of its first-ever Gold Coast development and marking a significant milestone in the company's continued expansion across South East Queensland.&nbsp;

Following the successful delivery of premium residential developments throughout Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bronze-on-chevron-8-mawarra-street-chevron-island-qld-4217">Bronze on Chevron</a> represents Gardner Vaughan Group's entry into the Gold Coast market. Bronze will deliver 119 one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments above two ground-level retail tenancies.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367193]

The recent sod turning ceremony was attended by Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel, President of the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club, Cassandra Sedgman, project consultants, purchasers, project partners and invited guests to celebrate the commencement of construction.&nbsp;

Gardner Vaughan Group Chief Executive Officer Simon Betteridge said Bronze on Chevron represented an exciting new chapter for the business.&nbsp;

"We've spent almost four decades building homes that respond to the way people want to live, and we're excited to bring that experience to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chevron-island-qld-4217">Chevron Island</a>," Betteridge said.

"Bronze on Chevron is particularly significant because it marks Gardner Vaughan Group's first development on the Gold Coast following many successful projects across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367183]

Betteridge said the ground breaking is a proud moment for the&nbsp;team and their purchasers, who can now see their future homes beginning to take shape.&nbsp;

"As both developer and builder, we're able to oversee every aspect of the project from design through to construction, ensuring the quality and attention to detail Gardner Vaughan Group has become renowned for."&nbsp;

Designed by acclaimed architectural practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a>, Bronze on Chevron has been thoughtfully designed to complement Chevron Island's evolving streetscape while embracing its relaxed coastal lifestyle.

The development will offer generous residences with refined interiors, premium finishes and resort-style amenities, with completion anticipated in early 2029.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=107520]

The development will offer generous residences with refined interiors, premium finishes and resort-style amenities, with completion anticipated in early 2029

Gardner Vaughan Group breaks ground on first Gold Coast development, Bronze on Chevron

Sydney’s property market is known for high prices, competitive bidding, and mounting pressure on first home buyers. But change is on the horizon.

From late 2025, eligible first home buyers in New South Wales will have access to a new federal government initiative aimed at addressing affordability: the Help to Buy Scheme.&nbsp;

<h2>What is the Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

The program introduces a shared equity model intended to reduce the upfront cost of entering the property market, particularly in high-demand urban areas such as Sydney.

The scheme operates under a shared ownership structure in which the federal government takes an equity stake of up to 40 per cent for new homes, or 30 per cent for existing dwellings. This arrangement allows eligible buyers to significantly reduce their loan size and avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Under this model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required. The government’s contribution is not a loan but a co-ownership stake in the property. As such, there is no interest or rent charged on its portion.

Because the government’s equity combined with the buyer’s deposit typically meets or exceeds the 20 per cent threshold, LMI does not apply. The remaining balance, generally between 60 and 70 per cent of the property’s value, is financed through a standard home loan with a participating lender.

The government's equity in the property remains in place until the buyer chooses to repay it voluntarily or until the property is sold. Buyers can buy back the government’s share over time, in increments of at least five per cent, depending on their financial situation.

There is no fixed repayment timeline, but the amount to be repaid will be based on the property's market value at the time of repayment, not the original purchase price.

<h2>How do you qualify for the&nbsp;Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

To qualify for the Help to Buy Scheme, applicants must meet the following conditions:

<ul>
	<li>Be an Australian citizen at least 18 years of age.</li>
	<li>Be a first-home buyer who does not currently own property.</li>
	<li>Intend to live in the property as their primary residence.</li>
	<li>Earn less than $100,000 per year for individuals, or $160,000 for couples.</li>
	<li>Purchase a property within the regional price caps, currently $950,000 in Sydney, though this is expected to rise to approximately $1.3 million ahead of the program’s launch.</li>
</ul>

While the Help to Buy Scheme does not solve affordability challenges across the board, it does offer a more accessible pathway for a defined segment of the market, particularly younger buyers with moderate incomes who have been priced out of traditional lending routes.

The scheme is expected to commence in NSW in late 2025, as part of a national rollout.

Under the new model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required

Help to Buy Scheme: What first home buyers in NSW need to know

The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a government initiative designed to help eligible first-time home buyers by offering financial assistance towards the purchase or construction of a new home.

While the FHOG is a nationwide program, it is administered separately by each state and territory, meaning the eligibility criteria, grant amounts, and property requirements can vary depending on your location. This means that the amount available and the conditions attached to the grant will differ, so it is important to check the specific guidelines for your state or territory.

It’s important to note that the FHOG is just one of several incentives available to first home buyers. In most states and territories, the grant is not linked to stamp duty exemptions or concessions, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The FHOG is typically a one-off payment, reducing the overall cost of purchasing or building a new home before any stamp duty concessions are applied.

Below, we provide a breakdown of the First Home Owner Grants available across Australia, outlining the specific details for each state and territory.

<h2>New South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $600,000. For land purchases and owner-builders, the threshold extends to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Provides full stamp duty exemption for homes valued up to $800,000, with concessions available for properties up to $1 million.

<h2>Victoria South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides a $10,000 grant for first-home buyers purchasing or building new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Offers full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $600,000, with concessions available up to $750,000.

<h2>Queensland First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025. The FHOG applies to new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Provides additional concessions for properties valued up to $800,000.

<h2>Western Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

&nbsp;

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 in the southern regions and up to $1 million in the northern regions.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides up to $15,000 for new homes, including houses, apartments, and townhouses. As of 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for eligibility.

Stamp Duty Relief: Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.

Stamp Duty Exemption: Between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026, first home buyers of established homes valued up to $750,000 receive a full exemption on property transfer duty.

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.

Stamp Duty Exemption: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).

Eligibility criteria and application processes differ across states. Prospective buyers should refer to their respective state revenue offices for full details on grant availability, conditions, and additional concessions.

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable architecture and environmentally conscious design, systems and ratings in place can help determine the energy efficiency of residential buildings in Australia.

Australia has multiple building rating systems that evaluate energy efficiency and sustainability in existing and new building designs.

Some systems assess individual building components, while others provide an overall rating for the entire structure.

A rating system ensures that homes are comfortable and energy-efficient, whether you are buying, renovating, or building.

NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) is a common way for new homes to meet energy efficiency requirements.

As new developments continue to shape the urban environment, understanding NatHERS ratings becomes essential for developers and homeowners. This article delves into the concept of NatHERS ratings, their significance, and how they contribute to creating energy-efficient homes.

<h2>What is NatHERS?</h2>

NatHERS is a national initiative implemented by the Australian government to promote energy efficiency in residential buildings. The scheme aims to provide a standardised method for assessing the thermal performance of homes, considering factors such as insulation, orientation, ventilation, and building materials.&nbsp;

NatHERS ratings are the most common way new homes meet the National Construction Code's (NCC's) minimum energy efficiency requirements.&nbsp;

NatHERS assessments provide thermal and whole-home ratings for new homes, townhouses, and apartments.

The rating helps evaluate the energy performance of buildings, guides homeowners and developers to make informed decisions about the energy efficiency of their properties, and encourages the construction of more sustainable, comfortable, and cost-effective homes.

<h2>How NatHERS Ratings Work</h2>

NatHERS ratings are determined through four accredited software tools (AccuRate, BERS Pro, FirstRate5, HERO) using a calculation engine CSIRO developed to predict building temperature based on various factors.

The tools can model complex effects of building mass, insulation, window size, and other elements.

The outcome is a star rating that reflects the building's overall thermal efficiency, indicating how well it can maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without excessive reliance on heating or cooling systems.

The star rating scale ranges from 0 to 10, with a 6-star rating being the minimum requirement for compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC).&nbsp;

Achieving a higher star rating demonstrates a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability, as the building is better equipped to minimise its environmental impact and reduce long-term energy costs.

Anyone can use NatHERS tools, but accredited assessors can provide certified ratings and professional advice.

<h2>Benefits of Higher NatHERS Ratings</h2>

Energy Efficiency: Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings are more energy-efficient, requiring less heating and cooling energy. This reduces the structure's carbon footprint and lowers occupants' energy bills.

Cost Savings: Homes with higher NatHERS ratings are generally more energy-efficient, resulting in reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling. This translates to lower energy bills for homeowners, making sustainable living environmentally friendly and economically viable in the long run.

Environmental Impact: Lower energy consumption directly translates to a reduced environmental impact. Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings contribute to the overall goal of mitigating climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling systems.

Improved Comfort: Buildings with high NatHERS ratings offer better thermal comfort to occupants. Proper insulation, well-designed ventilation, and optimal orientation maintain a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature, providing occupants with a more enjoyable and healthier space.

Market Value and Desirability: Higher NatHERS ratings can enhance the market value of a property. As energy efficiency becomes a more significant consideration for homebuyers, a well-rated building may attract a premium price and stand out in the real estate market.

Compliance with Building Codes: NatHERS ratings are a vital component of the National Construction Code (NCC), and compliance with these ratings is often a mandatory requirement for new developments. Local councils and planning authorities may set minimum energy efficiency standards that must be met to obtain development approval.

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is a crucial initiative shaping the future of energy-efficient, resilient, and cost-effective homes. With its recent upgrades, NatHERS has evolved into a world-leading tool for the building sector, supporting the global commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Staff Writer

What is a NatHERS rating in new off the plan apartment developments?

Mixed-use developments have gained significant popularity across Australia in recent years due to their unique blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

Unlike traditional single-purpose developments, mixed-use projects offer a harmonious integration of various functions within a single locale.

Residential units seamlessly coexist with commercial establishments, retail outlets, dining venues, entertainment hubs, and recreational facilities, with the combination not only enhances convenience but also fosters a vibrant lifestyle and a sense of community.

<h3>Convenience and accessibility</h3>

Mixed-use developments are designed with convenience in mind. They often integrate residential units with commercial spaces, retail outlets, restaurants, and recreational facilities, creating a self-contained community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=204874]

The proximity allows residents to enjoy the convenience of having essential amenities and services within walking distance. Whether it's grabbing a cup of coffee, going grocery shopping, or accessing healthcare services, everything is conveniently located, saving residents time and effort.

<h3>Vibrant lifestyle and community</h3>

One of the major advantages of mixed-use developments is the vibrant lifestyle they offer. With a diverse range of amenities and communal spaces, residents have ample opportunities to interact, socialise, and build a sense of community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107714 project_image_fid=214122]

The presence of parks, community centres, and shared spaces fosters a lively atmosphere, encouraging residents to engage in various activities and events. The vibrant lifestyle within these developments creates a unique sense of belonging and camaraderie among the residents.

<h3>Potential for higher rental yields and property value appreciation</h3>

Mixed-use developments tend to attract a broad range of tenants and buyers due to their versatile nature. This high demand can result in higher rental yields for investors and potentially lead to property value appreciation over time.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139989 project_image_fid=212887]

The integration of commercial and retail spaces attracts businesses, which can provide a stable rental income stream. Additionally, the popularity of mixed-use developments often drives up property values, making them a potentially lucrative investment in the long term.

<h3>Enhanced security and maintenance</h3>

Mixed-use developments typically have comprehensive security measures in place. With controlled access points, CCTV surveillance, and professional security staff, residents can enjoy enhanced safety and peace of mind.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108019 project_image_fid=212658]

Additionally, these developments often have dedicated maintenance teams responsible for the upkeep of common areas, landscaping, and infrastructure. This ensures that the overall appearance and functionality of the development are well-maintained, creating a pleasant living environment for residents.

<h3>Live-work-play balance</h3>

One of the key attractions of mixed-use developments is the ability to achieve a desirable live-work-play balance. The integration of residential and commercial spaces allows residents to live closer to their workplaces, reducing commuting time and improving work-life balance.

The proximity to various amenities and recreational facilities encourages an active and healthy lifestyle. Residents can easily access fitness centres, parks, restaurants, and entertainment options, all within the same development, leading to a more fulfilling and convenient way of life.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

The top five reasons to buy in a mixed-use development

When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.

Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.

It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C32BWkB5--c" title="YouTube video player" width="660"></iframe>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

In some circumstances, you may get an exemption. For some states, you won’t have to pay for stamp duty if you are a first home buyer or a pensioner for houses under a particular price. There are also stamp duty concessions, where you may be entitled to a discount.

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

Each state has different rules which affect how much you need to pay. These rules can affect the rate you pay, and the timeframe you will need to pay in. Before you buy land or a property, make sure you check the up-to-date information for your state’s stamp duty.

You can use a free stamp duty calculator online to see approximately how much you’ll need to pay. Find out if you’re eligible for an exemption by enquiring on a project via Urban!

Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1">How much your land/property is worth</li>
	<li aria-level="1">Where your land/property is located</li>
	<li aria-level="1">What type of land/property it is</li>
</ul>

Want to find out more? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@UrbanAustralia?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=Video&amp;utm_campaign=Subscribe&amp;utm_id=Subscribe">Subscribe to our YouTube channel</a> for more property videos.

Ellen Walker

Off-the-plan property explained: What is stamp duty?

National Australia Bank (NAB) has brought forward the timing of the first RBA cash rate cut by three months.

NAB is now expecting a cut in February, in line with ANZ and Westpac, having initially thought a cut wouldn't come until May.

Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest lender, still thinks the first cut will come in December.

NAB changed its call following the August monthly inflation figures that were released at the end of September, showing it had dropped to 2.7 per cent.

"The risk has been skewed to a first cut earlier in 2025, and today’s change acknowledges the balance of risks has likely shifted sufficiently for the RBA to feel comfortable cutting a little sooner than we earlier expected," NAB noted in its latest update.

They added that the cadence of the cuts may be faster than its central profile.

"Domestic inflation pressures are cooling, but only gradually, and we continue to expect the conditions for a cut will not be in place this year.

NAB believes the easing cycle will end at 3.1 per cent by early 2026, which is five cuts from the current 4.35 per cent cash rate.&nbsp;

CBA also thinks 3.1 per cent will mark the end of the cutting cycle, while Westpac is forecasting 3.35 per cent, and ANZ is the most pessimistic at 3.6 per cent, which would be just three interest rate cuts.

<h2>What would a rate cut in February look like for borrowers?</h2>

According to&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn%3Du001.IVvjJ-2BPT0A8C3VxtqKc6e3bj5hBuw27WFEYqovsYs7kPsgFulYrdOzeP8gI7CybJOya3_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20hPXdLlPP9yD7DvFFDBM5yrTqxvcCiMfAsW1onD-2FcriL628eYdhNQE7bwzYrxcOYnmaYfRhGl-2FEHQ6eK2uQcLxs6Cbu6Dx0bYvpi5A6enmxMWU5TkcRYrP6Z8GbXZYtc5qSoKu6eWFBQR9K7fsjXwHMmby3D3X6Yx-2BxcDcdRruTG&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727774368149000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vK2ujS77CHs9VRvSSXzLC" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.IVvjJ-2BPT0A8C3VxtqKc6e3bj5hBuw27WFEYqovsYs7kPsgFulYrdOzeP8gI7CybJOya3_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20hPXdLlPP9yD7DvFFDBM5yrTqxvcCiMfAsW1onD-2FcriL628eYdhNQE7bwzYrxcOYnmaYfRhGl-2FEHQ6eK2uQcLxs6Cbu6Dx0bYvpi5A6enmxMWU5TkcRYrP6Z8GbXZYtc5qSoKu6eWFBQR9K7fsjXwHMmby3D3X6Yx-2BxcDcdRruTG" target="_blank">Canstar</a>, if there is a cut in February, a borrower with a $600,000 loan today and 25 years remaining would see their monthly repayments drop by $92.&nbsp;

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="3">
			Impact of 0.25% pt cut in February 2025
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Current loan size
			</td>
			<td>
			Drop in monthly repayment
			</td>
			<td>
			New monthly repayment
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$600,000
			</td>
			<td>
			-$92
			</td>
			<td>
			$3,907
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$750,000
			</td>
			<td>
			-$114
			</td>
			<td>
			$4,884
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$1M
			</td>
			<td>
			-$153
			</td>
			<td>
			$6,512
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="3">
			Source:&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn%3Du001.xWMOP9hChsvn-2BC9O-2FebBihXIZ4cEzbiuENdxm-2Bx3-2FYEEgYMhZlKWNj5Zzy1YZ56RuASD_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20v2akwr6-2BqLyRrlEgkJ4J-2BCCyY0x189xEHZA4Ylf8c7ChBqNIkhmftZzoFuZKFn43pw3oJVg2o1gumrpdA-2B7MB-2FBtmL2rFCI-2FXORATQHySCLVOMg7Vywv-2BqnnQUAtDz6XkvpwxdHFXh70VwKazzhJsICilEYOvP4ju0sIfi5g6TL&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727774368149000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qVnp6oqATgqDUi2Frm22q" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.xWMOP9hChsvn-2BC9O-2FebBihXIZ4cEzbiuENdxm-2Bx3-2FYEEgYMhZlKWNj5Zzy1YZ56RuASD_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20v2akwr6-2BqLyRrlEgkJ4J-2BCCyY0x189xEHZA4Ylf8c7ChBqNIkhmftZzoFuZKFn43pw3oJVg2o1gumrpdA-2B7MB-2FBtmL2rFCI-2FXORATQHySCLVOMg7Vywv-2BqnnQUAtDz6XkvpwxdHFXh70VwKazzhJsICilEYOvP4ju0sIfi5g6TL" target="_blank">www.canstar.com.au</a>. Starting rate is the RBA existing average owner-occupier variable rate of 6.36%. Assumes banks pass the cash rate cut on in full the month after the meeting.
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Canstar Data Insights Director, Sally Tindall, says if core inflation continues to track in the right direction, or unemployment starts to accelerate significantly, we could well see a cash rate cut as early as February of next year.

“All four big banks now believe the RBA will be ready to cut the cash rate in just over four months’ time, if not before, in the case of CBA.

“However, the outlook for both inflation and unemployment is still highly uncertain. A couple of wobbly sets of inflation data could see the RBA holding for longer, particularly if unemployment remains relatively steady."

&nbsp;

Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest lender, still thinks the first cut will come in December.

NAB bring forward first RBA cut to February 2025

<html><body>
The consensus among economists is for at least one more rate cut in 2012 following yesterday’s unsurprising decision by the RBA to leave the cash rate unchanged at 3.5%.
Post-decision analysis focused on RBA concerns about China and the global economy while also noting comments from RBA governor Glenn Stevens that in Australia, “most indicators available for this meeting suggest growth has been running close to trend” while mortgage rates remain encouraging for borrowers, running currently “a little below their medium-term averages”.
Westpac chief economist Bill Evans is tipping a 25-basis-point rate cut at the RBA's November board meeting, but also expects a further rate cut in December.
“Broadly speaking the assessment of the global economy appears to be more downbeat, while there is little evidence of any change in the view on the domestic economy,” says Evans.
Evans highlights that “the outlook for China is more uncertain and that the terms of trade have declined significantly”.
“We expect that accumulating evidence that the domestic economy is losing momentum; the labour market is genuinely weakening; financial conditions are tightening due to the divergent behaviour of the terms of trade and the Australian dollar; and the global growth environment remains uncertain will ensure that a convincing case for a further monetary ease is apparent by that November meeting.
“The bank is clearly keeping its options open despite the fact that we assess that it is markedly closer to a rate cut stance than it was a month ago. However, the evidence on the domestic economy will need to make a stronger case for a rate cut than has been the case over the last few months.”
Commonwealth Bank economist John Peters says the bank has retained its view of a 25-basis-point rate cut in the fourth quarter, with the main pressure for lower rates comes from global downside risks.
“If anything the RBA now sees the international growth outlook as a little more subdued as was the case a few months ago. Probably the most crucial line in the RBA’s statement accompanying today’s decision is some recent (international) indicators have been weaker, which has added to uncertainty about near-term growth,” says Peters.
Australian Financial Review economics editor Alan Mitchell says the big concern is the Australian dollar, which he says is not playing its role in cushioning the economy by falling with the terms of trade.
“A weaker dollar would be good for marginal mining projects and for the manufacturers and trade-exposed services,” Mitchell says.
“Currency experts are predicting that the dollar will adjust to the new and more sombre Chinese economic reality, but if it doesn’t, the Reserve Bank will have to weigh in with a reduction in the official cash rate.”
Fairfax columnist Malcolm Maiden says the RBA’s inclination to cut rates “has grown” since the last statement, with the focus on global growth being “no more than average pace” but with the added phrase that the outlook is “still on the downside”.
Maiden says RBA commentary on China’s growth has also become more cautious than a month ago.
He says the cash rate could be cut as early as October if local economic signals and overseas signals don’t improve.
HSBC Australia and New Zealand chief economist Paul Bloxham describes yesterday’s statement by governor Glenn Stevens as “more hawkish then expected” with “concerns about the 'death' of the mining boom were nowhere to be seen”.
“Having gotten rates down ahead of the recent weaker data from China and Europe, and the fall commodity prices, they clearly felt they have time on their side. Getting 'ahead of the game' early has this pay-off."
Bloxham adds that the statement also repeated an earlier mantra – heard at the RBA's recent parliamentary testimony – that is too early to judge the full impact of the rate cuts that have already been made.
Bloxham is tipping another 25-basis-point cut before year-end, but believes that the 100 basis points of easing priced in over the next year is overdone.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian says it is clear the RBA is happy to remain on the interest rate sidelines – “at least for the time being”.
"Policymakers seem comfortable with domestic economic conditions but continue to watch the global situation carefully. Europe, the US and Asia have slowed and the central bank seems particularly focused on the slowdown in China, given its importance to Australia’s growth profile."
He says the variable housing rate is applying modest stimulus to the economy, at present at 6.85% below the 15-year average of 7.20%.
ANZ economists Ivan Colhoun and Justin Fabo describe the decision as “widely expected”, with much of the governor’s statement “very similar to recent public pronouncements”.
“Overall, our views on the Australian policy outlook and economy are largely unchanged. “We continue to expect the RBA to end up changing its mind about interest rates, probably by November."
Colhoun and Fabo say the disappointing response of the sharemarket yesterday was likely a reaction that suggests the RBA “continues to read the economy in a slightly too optimistic way and evolve its view slower than the underlying economy”.
“The current trend to reduced resource investment (albeit more an issue for growth in 2014 and beyond) and the continuing downward trend for job advertising (the ANZ job ads series has now fallen for five months in a row) suggest at least one easing before the end of 2012 and further easing over 2013, perhaps more than our currently factored 50 basis points in total."
The next RBA board meeting is on October 2.
</body></html>

lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

At least one more RBA rate cut tipped by economists for the year, with focus on China and exchange rate

<html><body>
As the housing market emerges from the traditionally quieter winter period and with dwelling prices generally flat at present, the RBA’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged  was the right move.
Despite figures from Deloitte this week perhaps surprisingly showing better than expected retail sales for the first half of the year, there is little doubt that a steady interest rate environment is essential for the ongoing health of the economy in general and the housing market specifically.
There is still a degree of caution among consumers, and sentiment remains subdued in most discretionary categories.
This caution extends to the housing market, and as such the decision to leave rates unchanged is an important platform for confidence to improve going forward.
Having said this, it is encouraging to see activity appearing to improve with the onset of spring. Traditionally the strongest selling period of the year, this spring takes on extra importance given the subdued transactional activity in the year to date.
The good news is clearance rates in the Sydney market have improved in recent weeks, and genuine buyers are emerging with a greater determination to secure their desired property.
Vendors who have waited for spring to go to market can expect well presented, realistically priced properties to be the subject of stiff competition.
The more affordable markets are attracting substantial interest from owner-occupiers as well as investors seeking to capitalise on the low interest rate environment, while the prestige market appears to have stabilised in recent times.
Current market conditions appeal to a broad range of buyers.
Despite the banks continuing to apply tight lending criteria, for those with the financial capacity the current market presents some compelling opportunities.
Investors are increasingly recognising the positive fundamentals, while first-home buyers’ incentives are still applicable for certain properties. In particular, those looking to upgrade have a significant opportunity to capitalise on the closing price differential between the middle and top-end markets, with prestige prices stabilising.
Leanne Pilkington is general manager of<a href="https://www.laingsimmons.com.au/" title="Laing + Simmons" target="_blank"> Laing + Simmons</a>
</body></html>

lpilkington-GWhcD9raad

The RBA's decision to leave rates on hold will improve housing market confidence

<html><body>
RBA governor Glenn Stevens has released a statement today regarding today's RBA decision to leave the official cash rate on hold at 3.5%. 
"At its meeting today, the board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 3.5%," Stevens says.
"Having picked up in the early months of 2012, growth in the world economy has since softened. Current assessments are that global GDP will grow at no more than average pace in 2012, with risks to the outlook still on the downside. Economic activity in Europe is contracting, while growth in the United States is only modest. Growth in China remained reasonably robust in the first half of this year, albeit well below the exceptional pace seen in recent years. Some recent indicators have been weaker, which has added to uncertainty about near-term growth. Around Asia generally, growth is being dampened by the more moderate Chinese expansion and the weakness in Europe.
"Markets for key natural resources are adjusting accordingly. Some commodity prices of importance to Australia have fallen sharply in recent weeks. The terms of trade peaked a year ago and have declined significantly since then, though they remain historically high," Stevens says.
"Financial markets have responded positively over the past couple of months to signs of progress in addressing Europe's financial problems, but expectations for further progress are high. Low appetite for risk has seen long-term interest rates faced by highly rated sovereigns, including Australia, remain at exceptionally low levels. Nonetheless, capital markets remain open to corporations and well-rated banks, and Australian banks have had no difficulty accessing funding, including on an unsecured basis. Share markets have generally risen over the past couple of months, on very light volumes.
"In Australia, most indicators available for this meeting suggest growth has been running close to trend, led by very large increases in capital spending in the resources sector. Consumption growth was also quite firm in the first half of the year, though some of that strength was temporary. Labour market data have shown moderate employment growth, even with job shedding in some industries, and the rate of unemployment has thus far remained low.
"Inflation remains low, with underlying measures near 2% over the year to June, and headline CPI inflation lower than that. The introduction of the carbon price is starting to affect consumer prices in the current quarter, and this will continue over the next couple of quarters. The bank's assessment is that inflation will be consistent with the target over the next one to two years. Maintaining low inflation will, however, require growth in domestic costs to remain contained as the effects of the earlier exchange rate appreciation wane.
"As a result of the sequence of earlier decisions, interest rates for borrowers are a little below their medium-term averages. The impact of those changes is still working its way through the economy, but dwelling prices have firmed a little and business credit has picked up this year. The exchange rate has declined over the past month or two, though it has remained higher than might have been expected, given the observed decline in export prices and the weaker global outlook.
"At today's meeting, the board judged that, with inflation expected to be consistent with the target and growth close to trend, but with a more subdued international outlook than was the case a few months ago, the stance of monetary policy remained appropriate," Stevens wrote.
</body></html>

po-LsXgBTHBmX

Dwelling prices have firmed a little: RBA governor's September 2012 meeting statement

<html><body>
The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the official cash rate on hold at 3.5% today at its September meeting saying, as a result of the sequence of earlier decisions, interest rates for borrowers are a little below their medium-term averages.
Its the third consecutive meeting with no adjustment.
"The impact of those changes is still working its way through the economy, but dwelling prices have firmed a little," the bank said.
The last time the RBA adjusted its cash rate setting was in June, when it reduced the cash rate by 25 basis points from 3.75% to 3.5%.
In mid-August NAB changed its outlook on interest rates and is now the second lender forecasting interest rates to rise by mid-2013.
Before today's meeting, Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said "additional interest rate relief will be required to ensure robust growth of the Australian economy during 2013".
Tim Lawless, the RP Data national research director said from a housing market perspective, the RBA’s decision to keep rates on hold comes as no real surprise.
Based on the RP Data-Rismark Home Value Index we have now seen capital city property values remain in the black over three consecutive months with a 1% increase over June, 0.6% in July and no change in August.
"The improved market conditions over winter are a decent indication that conditions across the Australian housing market, at least from a macro perspective, is starting to stabilise. 
"While a further rate cut would be a welcome development from the industry, the RBA would be conscious of not overstimulating the housing market, in fact, stable home values are probably exactly what they are hoping for with the current interest rate setting.
"We may start to see the current interest rate setting start to flow through to other areas of the housing sector; dwelling approvals remain very low and we are yet to see a sustained improvement in transaction numbers despite the improvement to housing affordability," Mr Lawless said.
 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

RBA keeps interest rates on hold in September

<html><body>
Property Observer has scoured the most well-known mortgage comparison websites to determine the lowest variable rate home loan and one- and three-year fixed home loans currently available.
The following results are based on advertised mortgage rates listed by <a href="https://www.ratecity.com.au/" target="_blank">ratecity.com.au</a>, <a href="https://mozo.com.au/" target="_blank">Mozo.com.au</a> and <a href="https://www.infochoice.com.au/" target="_blank">infochoice.com.au</a> as of September 3:
Lowest variable rate offerings:
<table width="470" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="158" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="151" valign="top">
Loan name
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="132" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="158" valign="top">
UBank (NAB)
</td>
<td width="151" valign="top">
UHomeloan Refinance
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
5.62%
</td>
<td width="132" valign="top">
5.62%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="158" valign="top">
Loans.com.au
</td>
<td width="151" valign="top">
Dream Catcher
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
5.65%
</td>
<td width="132" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="158" valign="top">
My Mortgage Freedom
</td>
<td width="151" valign="top">
Low Rate +
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
5.66%
</td>
<td width="132" valign="top">
5.97%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="158" valign="top">
Mortgage View
</td>
<td width="151" valign="top">
Mortgage View Pro Pack
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
5.7%
</td>
<td width="132" valign="top">
5.71%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Lowest one-year fixed-rate offerings
<table width="470" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
Loan name
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
My Mortgage Freedom
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
Residential fixed one year
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.44%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.06
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
CUA
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
Residential fixed one year
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.5%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.22%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
Newcastle Permanent
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
Residential fixed one year
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.59%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.24%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="137" valign="top">
IMB
</td>
<td width="123" valign="top">
Platinum Residential fixed $200k+
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
5.64%
</td>
<td width="114" valign="top">
6.58%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Lowest three-year fixed-rate offerings
<table width="470" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Loan name
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="108" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="133" valign="top">
My Mortgage Freedom
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
My mortgage freedom. fixed rate
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.44%
</td>
<td width="108" valign="top">
6.06%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Newcastle Permanent
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Three-year fixed rate
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.59%
</td>
<td width="108" valign="top">
6.24%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Resi Home Loans
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
FlexiFix 75 three-year
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.69%
</td>
<td width="108" valign="top">
5.94%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="133" valign="top">
Suncorp
</td>
<td width="133" valign="top">
My Home Package
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.72%
</td>
<td width="108" valign="top">
6.46%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
*A comparison rate includes both the interest rate and the fees and charges relating to a loan, combined into a single percentage figure.
For information on refinancing, watch our free webinar <a href="/news">Refinancing and the Interest Rates Riddle</a>
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Twelve of the lowest mortgage rates, fixed and variable, from 5.62%

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The AFG mortgage broking group processed more home loans in August than any month since March 2009.
The company processed $3,071 million worth of mortgages in August – an increase of 10% on July figures and 7.4% on August 2011.
AFG has 10% of the total national mortgage market.
The lending data showed that the proportion of new borrowers choosing fixed interest rates rose from 16.8% in July to 19.9%, as one in five new mortgage holders chooses to lock in rates.
August is  traditionally a strong month for mortgages, according to Mark Hewitt, AFG general manager.
"What’s different about this year is that borrowers have remained relatively active during the winter months – July was also a very strong month for us.
"There is a sense that conditions for property buyers are quite positive in terms of pricing and affordability.
"And a lot of existing borrowers are also taking advantage of heavy competition amongst banks on fixed rates," he notes.
The level of mortgages processed for investors was highest in New South Wales, at 44.7% of all new home loans  in August.
August's next strongest state for investors was Queensland, on 36.6%, then Victoria on 35.2%, South Australia on 29.5% and WA on 29.1%.
WA was the strongest state for first-home buyers, where 20.7% of new home loans were arranged for them, compared with 17.7% in Victoria, 13.4% in South Australia, 13.1% in New South Wales and 13% in Queensland.
The relative market share of major vs non major lenders held steady, with majors accounting for 77.8% of all new home loans and non majors 22.2%.
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Property investors dominate NSW August mortgage activity, with first-home buyer strongest in WA: AFG

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Over the next few weeks a lot of readers will be receiving tax refund cheques. According to the ATO, the average refund issued between 1 July 2012 and 20 August 2012 was $2,217 – not a small amount.
What should you do with it?
First job/tertiary student: If your credit card balance is getting close to the max, a tax refund should be applied to it. If your credit card is looking OK, you should make this money earn more money, without locking it away for the six months or a year of most bank term deposits. There are high-interest savings accounts that allow you to take out the money when you want, but check the fine print: many of these high-interest rates drop once your money has been in there for four to six months.
House savers: If you are saving a deposit for a house, a tax refund is best placed in your high-interest savings account, so long as you don’t have significant credit card debt or a high-interest car loan. For example, if you are paying 15% for your cards, and only getting 5% in your savings, perhaps use the tax refund to control your debt.
Mortgage payers: In most variable-rate mortgage accounts, once you’ve been paying it for 18 months or more, you are starting to pay down principal. Paying lump sums into the mortgage at this stage can noticeably accelerate the pay-out. Be warned: there’s no point doing this in most fixed-rate mortgages, and many variable-rate home loans won’t allow you to put in lump sums. So check your mortgage first.
Mortgage payers with kids: People with mortgage and kids have so many competing priorities for a windfall that there could be 20 places to put a tax refund cheque. My advice is to not absorb it into the general bank account: tag the money and make it work for you. And if you’re stressed and overworked, consider putting that tax refund into a holiday.
Business owner: Business owners can reinvest a tax refund straight back into the business or use it to pay down personal debt, depending on where the refund accrues. Either way, a tax refund shouldn’t be squandered.
Pre-retirees: People in their 50s are still working and paying mortgages, but also preparing for retirement. Look at topping up your superannuation, having first checked with an adviser about the benefits and latest rules. A tax cheque could also be placed into a high interest bearing account, or could buy high-yielding shares (that deliver dividends). A tax refund cheque into the mortgage is a good bet.
Retiree: In retirement investors looking for very stable, high-yield places to put their money. If you’re lucky enough to have a tax refund look at a high-interest account. There’s no point in banking this cheque in your bank transaction account – you’ll be receiving either a zero interest, or an interest rate so low that the monthly account fees wipe it out.
Mark Bouris is executive chairman of <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ybr.com.au/">Yellow Brick Road</a>, a financial services company offering home loans, financial planning, accounting and tax, and insurance.
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What mortgage holders should do with their tax refunds: Mark Bouris

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Federal Housing and Homelessness Minister Brendan O'Connor has ruled out changes to negative gearing for property owners.
O'Connor said more needed to be done fast to promote housing affordability, speaking on Friday after meeting with state counterparts at a COAG meeting on housing and homelessness.
He said removing tax incentives for investors was not an option.
"Some people say [negative gearing has] attracted capital to the housing sector, which has increased housing stock," O'Connor said.
"Others talk about the lack of capacity for people to enter the housing market.
"But we've ruled out reviewing negative gearing (because) we believe it has been effective in some ways."
O'Connor said there were now better opportunities for owner-occupiers to enter the market with lower interest rates, low inflation and cooling house prices.
But it did not detract from the need to build more affordable housing for those on lower incomes.
"Eighteen per cent of people who use homeless services are under the age of 10," he said.
"We have too many women and children sleeping in cars."
Releasing more land was key to the supply of affordable housing, a states' responsibility, he said.
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Negative gearing will remain: Brendan O'Connor 

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A mortgage broker in Nelson Bay, the most mortgage delinquent suburb in Australia, agrees the blame on its unenviable record rests with impulsive holidaymakers.
A recent report by Fitch Ratings found<a target="_blank" href="/news"> the NSW Hunter region town has a delinquency rate of 7.8% for mortgages more than 30 days in arrears</a> – five times the national average of 1.6%.
Local broker Ben Eick of Hunter Home Loans Solutions in Nelson Bay says the local residents aren’t to blame for the rate,<a target="_parent" href="/news"> echoing comments by local agents to Property Observer last week.</a>
 “My understanding is that the properties are bought basically from people coming up here on holiday, liking the area, seeing an apartment or unit that looks fantastic,” he told Australian Broker Online.
 He says holidaymakers bought a slew of properties in 2005 and 2006 gambling on prices going up.
 “[They thought] these places would keep appreciating … and of course what they’ve done since then is depreciate. And that’s where they’ve come unstuck.”
 Eick says changes in the rental market have made it harder for investors to rent the property out for most of the year.
 “The rental market up here isn’t especially strong, as opposed to other areas that are driven by the mining industry further up the valley.”
 “It can have a direct effect on whether they can pay their mortgage,” he says.
Local agents say the problem is due to people out of town letting their mortgage slip. They say the rate has also been driven up by a series of unit developments which have gone into receivership.
“There are a number of developments throughout the area which were highly geared and commenced or completed construction too late to benefit from the last boom, and the loan value is so high that the borrowers have experienced higher-than-average days on market to achieve a suitable sale,” agent Daniel O'Meara says.
The Fitch report blamed the high delinquency rate on “stagnation in the local housing market, which led to an accumulation of arrears in the 90+ day bucket”.
“The stagnation in the local housing market has increased the time required for foreclosed properties to sell, leading to an accumulation of arrears in the 90+ day bucket (4.57% as of March 2012).
“Furthermore, properties that are in arrears tend to be high-value properties, where the mortgage balance is on average almost three times the average loan balance in Nelson Bay,” says Fitch.
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Nelson Bay mortgage arrears due to starry-eyed holidaying buyers: local broker

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Over the last three years of negotiating with the ATO to achieve an ATO-approved product ruling for our Property Investor Trust ® (PIT®) we have learned a few things that we thought was interesting to share.
Firstly some background information:
The use of privately held trusts in Australia has had a long history dating back many decades. Over the years many taxpayers inadvertently began using trusts incorrectly and in some cases exceeded the boundaries beyond what was acceptable in the eyes of the ATO.
This national exposure led four years ago to the ATO reviewing their position with a specific focus on hybrid trusts. As a result in March 2009 a tax determination was issued TD 2009/17.
Unfortunately the 2009 determination TD 2009/17 created significant confusion and lack of certainty regarding eligible interest tax deductibility in the marketplace at a client, advisor and accounting professional level.
In short it stated that the uncommercial use of trusts could lead to the denial of full interest deductibility on borrowed funds.
Many well-meaning and respected commentators, including accountants, interpreted that to mean that all hybrid trusts were illegal, and many practitioners ceased using hybrid trusts. This was compounded by the fact that many banks also ceased lending to hybrid trusts.
Commerciality means that there must be a motive to make a profit. Some trust deeds were written where they would never make a profit and thus never need to pay tax.
For example, when the property went from negative gearing to positive gearing and tax was due to be paid, some trust deeds allowed an event to occur such that the positive rental was driven else where and no tax was ever payable.
While many hybrid trust deeds did not do this, the ATO took a blanket view and the tax determination in 2009 created sufficient confusion that most people ceased using hybrid trusts. This was a great way for the ATO to win the war without the battle.
While our legal advice, backed up by Queens Counsel was that a properly constructed hybrid trusts was fine and certainly our Property Investor Trust® fell into that category, the tax determination created sufficient confusion that many accountants and commentators argued among themselves. We were divided into two camps: Those for hybrid trusts and those vehemently against hybrid trusts.
In the meantime Andrew Forrest (Twiggy) of Fortesque fame took the ATO to court on a similar matter in respect to his hybrid trust.
Three High Court judges ruled in Forrest’s favour, ruling that interest was fully deductible for monies borrowed to buy income units in his hybrid yrust. However, the ATO argued that apportionment (which was not in its draft ruling issued at the time) was not considered in the Forrest case and retained its position in the final tax determination TD2009/17.
Apportionment is when interest deduction is not fully allowable and maybe restricted to the net rental received by the taxpayer where the unit holder was not entitled to both income and capital.
A tax determination is not law, and it’s simply the judges’ view.
Of all the thousands of cases that end up in court it’s been reported that the ATO only wins approximately 50%. That excludes the thousands of cases where the taxpayer had simply conceded without a fight even though they may have been legally correct but did not have the financial means to see it through the courts.
 However the tax determination created enough confusion that those who were conservative in nature simply followed the tax determination and the ATO would have succeeded in stopping something that would have taken years to pass through Parliament.
Tax determinations, whether they are legally correct or not, is a cost-effective and practical tool for the ATO to achieve its means.
The ATO product ruling granted to the Chan &amp; Naylor Property Investor Trust® brings certainty to the community and opens the way for others to pursue this course if they believe that holding a property in a trust is for them.
This will have also opened the door for many banks to once again begin lending to hybrid trusts. Certainly the banks are lending to our PIT®, with the evidence of an ATO approved product ruling behind it.
This will have huge positive ramifications for property investors in Australia.
Is a “product ruling” the same as a “private ruling?”
A “product ruling” is NOT the same as a “private ruling”. While some have been able to achieve a private ruling for themselves this is not automatically transferable to another taxpayer. Relying on someone else’s private ruling in the hope that the ATO will also see your situation in the same light and the same facts is not recommended.
A private ruling is specific to the individual taxpayer and may not be relied upon by another taxpayer.
A product ruling such as the Chan &amp; Naylor product ruling on the Property Investor Trust® is an approval on the product itself and is applicable for all who own a Property Investor Trust Deed® as long as the ATO conditions are followed strictly.
Our negotiations with the ATO have reviewed some major points (among many smaller ones) they wanted to see in one’s trust deed:
<ol>
<li>There needed to be a fixed entitlement to both income and capital. Many trust deeds were not clear and left open the ability for the trustee to distribute income and capital at their discretion.</li>
<li>The income units needed to have some capital/market value attached to it</li>
<li>The ATO would apportion the interest deduction if there was not a definitive fixed entitlement to both income and capital, meaning they would not allow interest deductions in full and maybe restrict it to the net rental income of the property.</li>
<li>There must be commerciality in your dealings, meaning there must be an intent to make a profit, albeit it could be at a later date. </li>
</ol>
In summary, the ATO will apportion the interest deduction if someone other than the taxpayer can or will benefit from the transaction.
We hope this article helps you understand the background to the ATO’s challenge to hybrid trusts and in so doing assist you in structuring your affairs correctly.
 Ed Chan is a founding partner of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chan-naylor.com.au/">Chan and Naylor</a> accountants and a leading property tax specialist. He has co-authored three best-selling books as a seasoned property investor who understands the relationship between property investment and tax.
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