Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Joel Robinson

Brisbane's next apartment price record? Pikos unveils Skye's exclusive penthouse collection

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 proposal to redevelop one of North Sydney's ageing commercial buildings has taken another step forward, with plans for a 38-storey mixed-use tower adding momentum to the long-awaited transformation of the Alfred Street precinct.

Now on public exhibition through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority-led State Significant Development pathway, the proposal for 271-273 Alfred Street would replace an underutilised commercial building with 95 apartments, ground-floor retail, commercial space and affordable housing. The proposal was submitted by&nbsp;Tara Shore Pty Ltd, acting for the John Taylor Family Trust.

While the project will deliver much-needed housing on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, it also represents another piece of a broader precinct that has spent years in planning limbo.

<img alt="First look: New public domain vision underpins 95-apartment North Sydney tower on Alfred Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e1ce1b4-38df-48ab-992f-386814d86308" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Alfred%20St%20da%20podium.png?VersionId=sC_h6w.A9VEoB98qsqowPlIoz__sBZBt" />

Despite its proximity to both North Sydney Station and the Victoria Cross Metro, redevelopment of Alfred Street has progressed slowly over the past decade as broader planning controls, zoning and building heights remained unresolved. The introduction of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway has provided a new avenue for projects to progress, allowing rezoning and development assessment to occur concurrently and unlocking sites that have long been earmarked for renewal.

Designed by Office of Cortese &amp; Gilder, the proposal seeks to do more than replace an ageing office building. The architects have positioned the project as the first stage of a wider public domain vision that would improve pedestrian connectivity and create a more cohesive mixed-use precinct as neighbouring sites are redeveloped over time.

The proposal includes a widened Alfred Street setback, new street trees, landscaping and outdoor seating, along with a landscaped through-site pedestrian link connecting Alfred Street with Little Alfred Street. The connection is intended to become the first section of a future east-west pedestrian network extending across the precinct.

<img alt="First look: New public domain vision underpins 95-apartment North Sydney tower on Alfred Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ea39ac3-46ad-4562-b4a0-b862e91c2dda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Alfred%20St%20da%20site.png?VersionId=K7umCd21KpetEFuVfsPlnJKhUOsmTTdV" />

The mixed-use tower would comprise retail space at ground level, commercial uses on level two and apartments from level three upwards.

In total, the development would deliver 95 apartments, including nine one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom, 56 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom residences. Twenty-one apartments, representing 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area, would be secured as affordable housing and managed by a registered community housing provider for at least 15 years.

Nine basement levels would provide 133 resident car spaces, seven motorcycle spaces and 111 bicycle spaces.

According to the Architecture and Urban Design Report, the public domain strategy is designed to transform what is currently an inward-facing commercial edge into a more active and connected pedestrian environment, creating a stronger relationship between the commercial core and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

Office of Cortese &amp; Gilder has also prepared a broader public domain framework spanning neighbouring properties between 263 and 283 Alfred Street, arguing that a coordinated approach to redevelopment will deliver better public spaces, improved tower separation and a more connected streetscape as the precinct evolves.

The proposal comes at a time where North Sydney is slated for future residential growth. Commercial developer FiveX has residential plans for the neighbouring site at 275 Alfred Street. They've proposed a 39-storey mixed-use tower with 184 apartments, while Freecity was recently approved for nearly 300 apartments across a 51-storey building on Walker Street.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-freecity-gets-green-light-for-mixed-use-apartment-and-hotel-tower-in-north-sydney">First look: Freecity gets green light for mixed-use apartment and hotel tower in North Sydney</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-plans-39-storey-residential-tower-in-booming-north-sydney">First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney</a>

&nbsp;

Alfred Street the latest North Sydney pocket to be transformed by residential development

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

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?

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

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 The City of Melbourne, Southbank and Docklands will continue to be the epicentre of high-density urban renewal projects in Melbourne until 2014, according to a new report compiled for the Property Council of Australia by consultants Charter Keck Kramer (CKC). 
However beyond 2014, CKC anticipates that there will be an increased provision of medium-density projects, “particularly across the established middle region, as well as continuing supply of smaller apartment projects”. 
The apartment push into the suburbs is already occurring in established middle-region suburbs like Dandenong, 30 kilometres from the CBD, where 43% of construction activity is currently for apartment projects. 
Apartment projects account for more than a third (34%) of construction activity in Box Hill, 28% of activity in Footscray and 22% of activity in Sandringham. 
CKC says it can be confidently predicted that residential urban renewal supply will slow considerably after 2014, “given the heavy influence of apartments within the urban renewal concept”. 
“The evident slowing in the established housing market since 2010, and the more pronounced reduction in off-the-plan apartment sales activity at the same time will translate through to lower future completion levels,” says CKC.
The report anticipates that 421 major residential urban renewal projects (including several multiple stage developments) will be completed between 2012 and 2014. 
Click to enlarge
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The projects are expected to deliver 34,440 dwellings, with 82% of these being apartments, with the higher concentration of supply in larger projects of more than 100 dwellings. 
Over this period, about 42% of new apartment buildings will have more than 10 levels, compared with 31% in the construction period from 2005 to 2011. 
High-rise apartments will remain concentrated within the established inner-city municipalities. 
The report notes that pattern of major residential urban renewal concentrated in the City of Melbourne (including parts of the St Kilda Road precinct), Southbank and will continue to prevail. 
However, it notes that though the City of Melbourne will account for a lesser concentration (29%) of overall activity than it has over the recent past. 
Stonnington and Yarra local government areas account for the greatest increases in relative supply between the recent past and forthcoming periods. Their shares of overall metropolitan activity will increase by 3 percentage points to 9% each. 
The CKC report ranks the City of Melbourne as the top urban renewal LGA from 2005 to 2011 (6,651 apartments) followed by Southbank (2,718 apartments); Docklands (1, 956 apartments, 2026 total dwellings); South Yarra (1,352 apartments) and Port Melbourne (1,070 apartments, 1,183 total dwellings). 
In total CKC identified 607 individual major urban renewal projects (including several multiple stage developments) that have been completed between 2005 and 2011, containing 39,355 new dwellings.
The report, Making the Numbers Stack Up, was released in response to Victorian government projections that over the 40 years to 2051, Victoria’s population will increase by 3.2 million to 8.7 million. 
Over the same period, Melbourne’s population is expected to grow to 6.5 million, while regional Victoria is projected to grow to 2.3 million. 
The report concludes that there is currently “strong alignment between policy and market preferences for supply into locations offering high amenity and transport connectivity”. 
“Metropolitan policy should reinforce this nexus and seek to minimise constraints to new development where such preconditions exist so as to optimise supply opportunities and maximise community benefits associated with urban renewal. 
“Locations that currently do not exhibit the necessary preconditions to support higher density outcomes must undergo a period of progressive step changes in market conditions and density before apartments can be supported. 
“Not every centre, nor every suburb, can be expected to accommodate higher-density urban renewal but those suburbs which have the necessary preconditions (transport, amenity and supportive house price structures) should be expected to provide opportunities for appropriate urban renewal to occur,” says the PCA.
Photograph courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>.
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Melbourne urban renewal to slow and spread to the suburbs from 2014: Charter Keck Cramer

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The nearing end of Victoria’s $13,000 first home bonus has helped national new home sales mount a partial recovery in April following a very weak end to the first quarter of 2012, the Housing Industry Association has reported.
The HIA - JELD-WEN new home sales report, based on a survey of Australia’s 100 largest builders, showed a 6.9% rise in total seasonally adjusted new home sales in April.
Detached house sales rose by 6.4%, while multi-unit sales were up by 10.3%.
New detached house sales increased by 17.2% in Victoria, ahead of the removal of the first-home bonus, the HIA noted.
Detached house sales also increased in Western Australia by 9.8% and New South Wales by 1.8%.
However, detached house sales fell by 5.9% in South Australia and by 5.5% in Queensland.
The increase in Victorian home sales was the first gain in five months, the CommSec chief economist, Craig James noted.
"The good news is that Victorian house sales soared.
"The bad news is that the upcoming expiry of the First Home Bonus probably had a lot to do with it.
"And unfortunately in economics it can get like that – on the one hand this, on the other hand that.
"However it is clear that home building is weak, certainly well below averages over the past five years," Craig James said.
It was in part that Australians lacked confidence to build, he added.
"Others are opting for shared accommodation, whether it be Gen Y renting apartments together or staying home with their parents. Or it may be that senior Australians are opting to live with their children and grandchildren.
"Certainly home occupancy has been rising over the past two years – something that hasn’t happened in over a century," Craig James said.
 
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HIA chief economist Dr Harley Dale says the April lift in new home sales of both detached houses and multi-is was an “imperative result”.
"Even with this latest improvement, the aggregate volume of both new home sales and local government building approvals imply that in the absence of a rapid and sustained recovery, national new home building is heading to a recessionary level in 2012.
“That’s an unfortunate fact which everybody needs to face and which requires further interest rate cuts and immediate government action,” Dale says.
“We keep hearing that Australia is one of the world’s strongest economies in aggregate.
“That’s a redundant concept if people on the ground aren’t feeling and experiencing that, and they haven’t been for quite some time,” he says.
"Further interest rate cuts are required, and the Reserve Bank should just get on with the job on June 5.
“However, rate cuts are not a panacea and the key to a housing recovery lies with governments at all levels.
“Job losses are mounting and governments need to collectively act to revitalise new home building through reducing the sector’s excessive tax burden and through an immediate injection of investment and funding,” the HIA press release says.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

New home sales partial recovery in April buoyed by Victorian first-home bonus deadline: HIA

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Canadian coffee chain Esquires Coffee House is expanding into Australia following an entry to the New Zealand market, spearheaded by a high-tech store concept. 
Founded in 1993 in Vancouver, Esquires has established a presence in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, China, Fiji and even New Zealand. 
In New Zealand, there are 47 Esquires stores. 
Now the franchise has turned its attention to Australia, confirming it will open its first flagship store in Sydney next week. The store will be located in the affluent suburb of Mosman. 
The company-owned store will be the model for future Australian outlets, with additional stores planned for not only NSW but also Queensland and South Australia. 
Esquires is part of the Retail Food Group family, which is also the local licensee of Donut King, Brumby’s Bakeries, Michel’s Patisserie, bb’s café and, most recently, Pizza Capers. 
RFG’s brand manager Khim Puseman admits it is “a little bit unusual” Esquires entered the New Zealand market prior to the Australian market.
 “It’s a brand that’s been out there for a little while... A couple of guys in New Zealand actually bought the rights to the New Zealand market, but it is a little bit unusual,” Puseman says. 
Puseman is quick to point out the store in Mosman is not the first Esquires store in Australia – there’s another store in Tweed – but it is the first concept store. 
“The Mosman store is the first concept store in that it embodies the new brand position of Esquires Coffee House,” Puseman says. 
In addition to a self-serve kiosk and free WiFi, each new store will be equipped with iPads for customers to use. 
“We’re really trying to embody more of a high technology standpoint. We’ll be launching online ordering, mobile orders, and we have self-serve kiosks,” Puseman says. 
“We are leaning towards targeting a younger age group but really anyone who has an appreciation for technology.” 
According to Puseman, a love of technology is also important among the chain’s franchisees, which are currently being sought out. Of course, franchisees also need to care about coffee. 
“It’s a high-tech brand but it’s also a coffee brand. We’re looking for franchisees or people who have a great passion for coffee,” she says. 
“They need to be focused on the utmost quality of the coffee and the service of the coffee.” 
“We want them to be able to speak to the target market, and align themselves with the brand in terms of the high-tech offering. Essentially, they need to be enthusiastic.” 
Puseman isn’t concerned the popularity of the brand will be compromised because it is foreign. 
“The whole range has been adapted to be best targeted to Australia. We haven’t just brought in an international brand, plopped it in an Australian suburb and hope it does well,” she says. 
“All our products have been custom picked and chosen because of local palates and local taste… For example, we’ve added more cold beverages because it gets a bit warmer [in Australia].” 
Meanwhile, Queensland-based coffee franchise Zarraffa’s Coffee has announced its plans to expand into NSW. Zarraffa’s currently has 52 stores. 
A drive-through site in the suburb of Fairfield will be the company’s flagship location in NSW, as part of a plan to open at least 11 new franchises this year throughout Queensland and NSW. 
Zarraffa’s chief executive Kenton Campbell told Franchising the company is moving away from traditional shopping centre locations to more suburban retail sites. 
“Developing a successful drive-through store model has been critical to these plans,” Campbell said. 
“Our primary focus is on building the financial health of all our stores, and delivering value and support to our franchisees.” 
“Expansion has always been executed in a financially responsible way, and 2012 is the right time for this move.” 
The news comes less than two weeks after a franchisee couple was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/franchising/billy-baxters-franchisees-win-%241.22-million-in-damages/201205156300">awarded $1.22 million in damages</a> after a successful appeal against franchisor Billy Baxter’s. 
Billy Baxter’s is a chain of licensed coffee houses, cafés and restaurants. 
Ross and Sue Pollard operated a Billy Baxter’s greenfield site in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg, but did not achieve the turnover anticipated by the franchisor’s representative, Phillip Mauviel. 
A Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal decision found there were no reasonable grounds for Mauviel to make the representations regarding turnover, resulting in a $1.22 million payout.
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartupSmart</a>.
 
 
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cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

Canadian coffee chain Esquires looks to Australia following NZ success

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Investors who borrow through their self-managed super funds to acquire property continue to breach the rules and risk being reported to the Tax Office, warns Heather Gray, a partner at law firm DLA Piper.
Her warning comes as the ATO revealed in its third-quarter update (to March 31) that it had prosecuted of more than 1,500 people for tax and superannuation offences, sending “a clear warning to tax cheats that they can expect to be caught”. 
Properties acquired by a SMSF <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/finance/clarity-for-smsf-property-investors-as-ato-defines-single-acquirable-asset/2012052454820">using limited-recourse borrowing rules</a> have to be acquired via a separate trustee with a custodian holding the legal title.
“Clients still get this wrong all the time,” said Gray at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia’s Business Forum 2012.
“They will ring you (their financial advisor) on a Monday morning all excited saying they have found a great property over the weekend for their super fund.
“They will tell you they have signed a contract and want to sit down to discuss how they will structure the investment in their fund,” says Gray.
But, she says, invariably the custodian has not signed the contract.
“In fact the client has not even thought about the custodian; it’s not even a twinkle in their eye as yet.”
“And they have paid the deposit, who knows from where – probably from some random banking account,” Gray says – not from the fund.
Such basic mistakes can result in investors breaching SMSF borrowing rules and being reported to the ATO.
“It is the super fund buying the property and the super fund that must provide the money,” explains Gray.
Furthermore it is the custodian, which holds the legal title, and it must be the one that signs the contract of sale.
Tax Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo says the March quarter ATO prosecution figures show that there are “significant risks and consequences for people who do not properly fulfil their legal and civic responsibilities in relation to tax and superannuation”.
"The year-to-date results to 31 March reveal that the ATO successfully prosecuted 1,106 individuals and 400 companies for tax and superannuation offences," he says.
“We have a range of measures in place to ensure we detect and deal with those who evade their obligations. This includes information sharing and working with other government agencies, and also with overseas counterparts.
"The ATO pursues tax cheats to the full extent of the law to ensure honest taxpayers have their interests looked after. Australians don't want to face an unfair burden when dishonest people avoid their tax obligations, and they expect the ATO to provide a level playing field,” says D’Ascenzo.
Last week the ATO finalising guidelines for what constitutes a single acquirable asset under limited recourse borrowing rules and clarifying what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/ato-ruling-specifies-allowable-repairs-and-renovations-for-smsf-property-investors/2012052454821">renovations and repairs are allowed to be carried out on properties</a> acquired through super.
 
 
 
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SMSF investors still making basic mistakes on property purchases as ATO cracks down on super ‘cheats’

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Amid all the recent doom and gloom, major global banks are quietly alerting their clients to prepare for a share market surge, if Greece exits the eurozone.
That's because they believe world authorities will be flooding international markets with massive liquidity.
And given the G8 Communique from Camp David, this may well occur anyway — just to keep Greece within the fold.
Last week, Ken Henry (former treasury secretary) predicted Australia could provide global appeal to investors:
“It's quite possible on this occasion Australia will be seen as offering something of a safe haven for global capital movements.”
And this is already being evidenced by strong demand for Australian bonds — where the yields for 10-year bonds fell to a new post-war low of less than 3.2%, during last week.
But there's some hesitancy.
There still seems to be a general confusion within the economy. And unfortunately, when people are confused, they tend to do nothing. Therein lies the current dilemma for Australia.
Even though our fundamentals are in vastly better shape than 80% of the rest of the world, most consumers are "feeling less wealthy" than they were several years ago.
This is mainly due to house prices having fallen and remained stagnant, as well as the volatility within the share market. Plus there are number of structural changes working their way through the economy.
But overall, employment levels are holding up, and in some areas, business investment is expected to increase by more than 20% this year.
Furthermore, imports should grow by 12% and the terms of trade are expected to improve by about 10% over the coming 12 months. Even Japan has notched up a 4.1% growth for the first quarter, and the US housing market looks as though it may have bottomed.
The latest OECD forecast has Australia growing at 3.1% in 2012 and reaching 3.7% during next year.
Still, pundits are a fearing a slowdown in China, but you really need to keep this in perspective:
<ul>
<li>China's growth has fallen from 9% to 8.1% — which is still remarkably high;</li>
<li>Its economic growth is driven by domestic investment, not exports to Europe; and</li>
<li>Resource-heavy investment into new roads, bridges, airports, officers and apartment blocks is still growing by over 20% per annum.</li>
</ul>
This is what will continue to underpin China's demand for Australian resources.
Bottom line: Taken together, all of this is clearly creating havoc for the forecasters. However, it certainly doesn't justify the level of caution being shown by commercial property investors at present.
Right now, if you do your homework in finding a modern property with a solid tenant on a four- to six-year lease,  you'll be able to snare a well-priced commercial property investment, offering you excellent growth over the next five years.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://bitly.com/IFf40C" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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chrislang-EQKojcgJPV

The predicted slowdown in China must be kept in perspective

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It’s been a while since we heard about the “top 1%”.  The protests that spread the globe earlier in the year have fallen under the radar in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> – buried deep below the Thompson affair and global “wows”.  However, according to recent reports, if you live in the <country-region><place>United States</place></country-region>, the 1% are busy bulk buying thousands of real estate foreclosures and taking full advantage of what’s becoming – in some states – a very tight rental market.
The once “American dream” that fueled a nation with a similar owner-occupancy rate to that of <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> is slowly turning into a rental nation.  It’s no secret that <country-region><place>US</place></country-region> recovery from the financial crisis has been little more than a halfhearted limp.  If owner-occupiers have managed to hold onto their homes, it’s been at a substantial capital loss. Aside from the large number of foreclosures – which according to a recent report in the <a target="_blank" href="https://nyti.ms/LedaiO">New York Times</a> has been in the order of some 4 million since 2007,   potential home owners now find it virtually impossible to access finance.  This, along with the pressures of record high unemployment, has begun to fuel an unparalleled rental boom.
For example, in <city><place>San Francisco</place></city> the vacancy rate has dropped to around 2% compared with 5% in 2009.  Property managers are charging fees simply for placing an <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/LeephV">application</a>, and rents have increased some 13% since last year.  As one report puts it – trying to access rental accommodation has turned into a <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/JESorm">‘competitive sport’</a>, and it’s a similar story in other cities such as <state>New York</state>, <city>Los Angeles</city> and <city><place>Boston</place></city>.
Whether the <country-region>US</country-region> buying market has bottomed out or not is debatable and like <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region>, it’s impossible to draw broad conclusions because each state suffers its own unique conditions. However, recently <a target="_blank" href="https://read.bi/LekCKw">Gary Anderson</a> reported in Business Insider that the number of bank-owned homes for sale in the most affected market of the <country-region>US</country-region> – <city><place>Las Vegas</place></city> – has fallen from 18,000 to just 1,600 in a remarkably short period of time.  The suggestion mooted by <city><place>Anderson</place></city> is that banks have been marketing these foreclosures for a period of 30 days at a “real” price, after which – if not sold – they are taken off the market and offered in bulk to investors, who enter a bidding war to purchase the homes at “wholesale” prices.  There is no evidence for this in the article and it’s also worth noting that <city><place>Las Vegas</place></city> has recently passed a bill requiring banks to use the more expensive “judicial foreclosure” process, which would add to the reduced figures.  However, there’s plenty of evidence that points towards a massive Wall Street buying spree of foreclosed homes which is creating a huge disparity in the market.
The <country-region>US</country-region> government is moving ahead with a trial project to sell big pools of foreclosed family homes owned by Fannie May, in some of the hardest-hit markets in <country-region><place>America</place></country-region>.  The initiative has created what Reuters report as <a target="_blank" href="https://reut.rs/LeqhQV">a "Wall Street investing craze”</a> and the L A Times suggests “Wall Street hedge funds and private equity firms" are " positioning themselves to snap up foreclosed homes and convert them into rental units”.
Of course, when you have a large number of investors purchasing affordable family homes that are the bread and butter of the owner-occupier market, you not only have speculation potentially inflating prices, you also have more distressed potential home buyers firmly stuck on the rental ladder.  It’s important to emphasise the <country-region><place>US</place></country-region> housing bubble resulted from a sub-prime lending crisis and not from large numbers of cash buyers looking for positive rental returns.  Therefore, it would be unwise to jump to any broad conclusions that this is the start of another potential boom-and-bust “bubble” cycle.  However, the market tipping in favour of investors over owner-occupiers has led to many wondering if the <country-region><place>America</place></country-region> dream has become just that – a dream.   Such is the outcry, some 15,000 realtors recently gathered in <place><city>Washington</city><state>DC</state></place><a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/MFJpwk">to protest</a> against the investor-dominated market.  As one realtor on the video states – “we’re here to protect home ownership and the American dream!”
More on pages 2 and 3
 
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Back to Australia, and although we have been fortunate enough to avoid the level of housing stress seen in America, I often wonder if we shouldn’t take time to learn a few valuable lessons in our own defense of the right to home ownership. The right not to be kicked out after a six-month or 12-month tenancy, the right to own a “share” of tangible Australian land, the right not to suffer from rent increases – and the right to feel secure.  The number of first-home buyer commitments nationally fell by 19% in the first three months of this year and is currently sitting some 24% below the five-year moving average.   Outside the east-west divide of those prospering from the mining sector, potential first-home buyers are becoming long-term renters and under current policy decisions I can’t see it improving.
Like <country-region>America</country-region> pre GFC, <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> has grown used to its reliance on a booming housing market.  Generous tax incentives such as negative gearing, first-home owner grants, capital gains benefits, borrowing against equity, restrictions on residential development, low interest rates and an insistence on keeping growth and job centers predominantly locked in capital city locations has pushed the cost of metropolitan accommodation to unsustainable extremes.  Household debt to income ratios sit at around 150% and while all the above policies have supported debt fueled growth in the past, it’s time we took steps to discourage our housing market from becoming a long-term investor-dominated paradise.
The drop in interest rates may be welcomed in so much as it eases the burden on the average mortgage holder releasing much-needed disposable cash.  However, lower rates primarily encourage investors to borrow more, leveraging interest-only loans against increasing yields in a very tight established housing market. Other policies such as negative gearing and poor urban planning encourage investors to take advantage of the bread and butter of the first-home buyer market.  Investors aren’t typically buying million-dollar real estate, they’re purchasing inner-city apartments – the “affordable” options, leaving first-home buyers unable to compete.  Investors have the upper hand in our housing market, and it’s assumed the asset will provide above-inflation capital growth, which the above government policy decisions all but guarantee.
A recent OECD Better Life index of 34 member countries looking at “housing, income, jobs, community, education, environment, governance, health, life satisfaction, safety and work-life balance” has voted <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> as “the world’s happiest country”.  It shouldn’t come as a shock when you consider the economic climate in the <country-region>USA</country-region> and <place>Europe</place>.  It doesn’t take a “Better Life” index to work out, when comparing <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> with nations currently on their knees with double digit unemployment, we’re going to come out top of the pile. Of course, Wayne Swan is having a field day on the news, and who can blame him?  There’s hasn’t been an abundance of good news in the Labor camp of late.  However, neither Wayne Swan nor a “Better Life” survey can hide the fact that in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region>, there is a widening gap between the rich and poor.
Last year, the OECD bought out its <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/MFS7e7">Divided We Stand: Why Inequality Keeps Rising</a> report.  It showed that since 2003, <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> has jumped some five or six places up the ladder in terms of inequality and currently sits in ninth pace.  Although we fare better than the <country-region><place>US</place></country-region>, since the year 2000 the rich/poor divide has been speedily increasing.  Studies conducted by the ABS have shown the top fifth of households hold some 62%of the country’s total wealth. We now boast the world’s richest woman (Gina Rinehart), whose fortune is estimated to be $29.17 billion.  Never is it more evident that the wealth of the mining boom simply does not trickle down than when you see reports such as <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/MFUOwe">"WA is moving away from the east"</a> and read from the 60,000 jobs created in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> over the last 12 months, some 50,000 of them were mining.  As the article clearly points out, the eastern and western states may be connected physically, but mentally our western state is fast becoming a closer partner to Asia than <city><place>Canberra</place></city>.
The rental market in <city><place>Perth</place></city> speaks volumes.  Vacancy rates are as low as 1.6% and over the past 12 months, the average rent has increased by 10.5%.  Yields are now coming in at 5.5% and expected to get higher. WA is taking a greater share of overseas migration than anywhere else in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region>, and the consequential stress on house prices will place pressure on those most vulnerable.  We may have low default rates in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region>; however, we can hardly hail it a healthy environment when over 50% of an average family’s income is spent on funding mortgage repayments.
More on page 3
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
A recent AHURI (Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute) study suggests 43% of mortgage holders are redrawing on their mortgage for “pressing financial needs”.  The report presents a compelling argument that <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> is moving into a “housing-based welfare system” with funds heavily invested in the “prospected” safety of bricks and mortar.  Falls in superannuation, a dramatic reduction in business investment, lower capital gains from investments and continual shocks of confidence as Europe threatens to do a Mount Vesuvius-style eruption have led to an over reliance on the mining boom and vain hope that China will continue to need us far into the future.  As long as <country-region>China</country-region> goes the course, we can prop up any prospected surplus and wave around figures that give the notion we’re all enjoying <state><place>Western Australia</place></state>’s increase in wealth.  The true picture is far more dangerous.
Most people don’t go through life looking for extreme riches; however most assume if they’ve worked hard, paid their taxes and invested wisely, they can at least rely on the government to set in place the potential to grow old in relative comfort.  Around 64% of the gross wealth of Australian home owners is locked in their housing.  The expense of housing ensures most of an average family’s income is given over to servicing high mortgage payments and hedging against prospected growth in overall household expenditure – investment elsewhere is therefore compromised.
Through various methods of manipulation, successive governments have done everything they can to inflate house prices and encourage over-investment in what should be viewed primarily as a commodity for shelter rather than a quick road to leveraged riches.  Housing is debt-fuelled and totally reliant on supply of credit and the ability of banks to prop up lending volumes. The mining boom may have protected the wealth of this country – however all “happiness” surveys aside, this wealth is not being distributed across the broader population – “haves and have-nots”.  As a consequence, many of today’s workers will enter retirement still paying off mortgages or servicing high rental fees.
Various studies have shown two thirds of residents under the age of 35 living in Sydney are locked out of home ownership altogether and considering Melbourne’s house prices are only baby steps behind Sydney’s, the stats are likely to be similarly mirrored.  The prospect of growing numbers reaching retirement locked out of home ownership is as frightening as an economy heavily leveraged against a debt-fuelled, rate-sensitive capital model. Our reliance on <country-region>China</country-region>’s continued need for Australian commodities is all but assumed, however various economists such as Satyajit Das have pointed out <a href="https://ind.pn/KVtA40">many</a> times that <country-region><place>China</place></country-region>’s economic picture may not be as sunny as it seems.  Should <place>Europe</place> collapse, the resulting consequences and looming dark clouds could reduce that demand a lot sooner than expected.
As it stands at present, there is nothing to suggest an immediate or quick deflation in house prices – however we should all keep a close eye on Europe fully understanding the consequences any dramatic fallout could have on commodity demand from <country-region><place>China</place></country-region>.  We are short on adequate affordable housing supply around the major job centers where the population is rising and demand for accommodation (buying or renting) is consistent.  However, housing should be a provision first and foremost for owner occupiers and models that encourage broad based investment in the established market (as in the US) need to be scaled back and pushed into increasing supply and infrastructure in newer suburbs in order to boost the supply and feasibility of affordable accommodation.
Options for secure long-term tenancy need to be investigated to provide those unable to purchase adequate affordable and secure shelter into retirement. And we must increase the supply of good quality public and social housing. <state>New South Wales</state> and <state><place>Victoria</place></state>’s decisions to cut back their funding for <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/LpMbAQ">public housing</a> is remarkably short sighted. The powers that be have their heads in debt-fuelled sand. Our banking sector has directly or indirectly invested around 80 per cent in housing. We’ve already seen finance tighten and income stagnating, not to mention the risks of a rising unemployment as small business’s struggle.  The housing crash in <country-region><place>America</place></country-region> – albeit caused by a landscape different to our own – is resulting in similar consequences, by ensuring increasing numbers will enter retirement firmly stuck on the rental ladder.  There will always be those who are unable to purchase, however can we call a system “just” if we’ve manipulated policies that advantage investors over owner-occupiers, potentially locking many out of home ownership all together?
Catherine Cashmore is a market analyst with extensive experience in all aspects relating to property acquisition. She is Channel Ten’s property expert on The <a href="https://ten.com.au/the-circle.htm">Circle</a> and a senior consultant for <a href="https://www.nationalpropertybuyers.com.au/">National Property Buyers</a> servicing the needs of property owners Australia wide.
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Just as the US after the housing crash, Australia is becoming a nation of renters

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Victoria narrowly pipped Tasmania and South Australia with the biggest percentage increase in properties newly listed for rent, according to RP Data. Victoria also has the highest number of listings of any state, with its 27,193 total listings some 8% higher than in May last year. Some 60% of Victoria's current rental listings are newly advertised. The 14, 553 fresh listings are well up on the same month last year, when there were 10,199 fresh listing.
For increases in new rental listings,Victoria was closely followed by Tasmania and South Australia, up 40% from 773 to 1,081 and 39% from 2,585 to 3,597 respectively.
Across Australia new rental listings for the month ending May 20 have increased 26% from 38,910 last year to 49,020.
Total listings Australia-wide were down 10% from 93,499 in May last year to 83,942 this May. New listings represent 58% of total listings in Australia.
Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania were the only states where total rental listings increased over the year.
For total listings the Northern Territory has experienced the biggest decline over the year. Total rental listings in the territory dropped 33% from 1,139 last year to 765 for the month ending May 20.
Total listings in WA decreased 21% over the year but new listings now represent 66% of total advertised properties.
"Total rental listings are now at their highest level in eight weeks," the report says.
"Although rental listings have risen, they are currently 10.2% lower than at the same time last year nationally and 6.2% lower across the combined capital cities.
"Across individual capital cities, rental listings are lower than at the same time last year in: Sydney (-8.5%), Brisbane(-23.3%), Perth (-22.7%), Darwin (-40.4%) and Canberra (-5.8%). On the other hand, rental listings are higher than a year ago in: Melbourne (7.7%), Adelaide (9.4%) and Hobart (19.2%)"
 
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Victorian rental listings increased 43% in past year, with Tasmania a close second: RP Data

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Approximately 99.7% of the earth’s people believe Australia is the strongest, wealthiest, most fortunate nation on the planet. The 0.3% who do not believe it are all Australians.
A lengthening list of authorities – including the OECD, the IMF and sundry consultancies that conduct surveys and write economic reports – all conclude that we are indeed the lucky country. We rank at or near the top for economic prosperity, standard of living and personal wealth.
That’s how it looks from the outside looking in. But Australians refuse to accept it.
We’re a boom nation with a recession mentality.
How did we get to be so pessimistic amid so many reasons be bullish? How did a nation that embodies confidence and success in so many spheres – notably in sport and in entertainment – manage to develop such a massive dose of the sulks?
Here’s a plausible explanation, one that speaks directly to the real estate industry.
We are infested with politicians, industry associations and business leaders who seem determined to talk us into a recession.
We have a federal government that has recently devoted more energy to internal fighting than to running the country. We have a federal opposition that appears unable to challenge the government without talking down the nation. We have state governments handing down austerity budgets at a time of economic prosperity. We have mining giants that use threats and scare campaigns as standard negotiating tools. We have business organisations that talk down their own industries to pressure governments. We have economists and others who peddle negativity to get media attention. And we a media immersed in an orgy of pessimism.
There is no greater example of the problem that the housing sector. This is the industry that has shot itself in both feet and is now pointing the gun at its head.
If insanity is defined as repeating the same mistakes while expecting different outcomes, then the Housing Industry Association is the craziest bunch in the nuthouse.
For years the HIA has been trying to extract concessions from government by pumping out “crisis” media statements on an almost-daily basis. We have an affordability crisis, a housing shortage crisis, a red tape crisis, a taxation crisis – the HIA has talked down its own industry day after day. Even positive data has been twisted into a tale of pessimism.
Australians are out there buying homes and investment properties again – and markets are rising. But they’re not building new homes, they’re buying existing ones. Why would anyone want to build when the HIA keeps telling them the industry is stuffed and their products are too expensive?
The negativity tactic has been running with increasing stridency for years. And it hasn’t achieved a single significant concession from any level of government.
So what’s the HIA’s response to this stark failure of its policy? Go even harder with the same strategy!
Now they’re saying the residential building industry is descending into recession. “New home building has collapsed,” says managing director Shane Goodwin. “We’re on the brink of recession … the worst conditions in decades.”
The only thing that’s collapsed is common sense and sound judgment at the HIA.
They should be selling the benefits of building new homes. They should be highlighting the areas in Australia where the economy is strong and business is good.
There are many such places. I get around the country a bit, and I’ve recently visited plenty where business is brisk for builders – including Gladstone in Queensland, the Hunter Valley in NSW, Whyalla in South Australia, Ballarat in Victoria and Toowoomba in Queensland.
The number of building approvals in Toowoomba, which benefits from its proximity to the Surat Basin resources province, rose 59% in the March quarter. Townsville, Rockhampton, Mackay and Gladstone have all seen building approvals double in the past year.
There are good news stories out there, if the industry only had the wit to tell them.
Builders won’t thrive until they start recognising themselves as part of the problem and stop blaming government for everything.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a> and can be <a href="https://www.twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">followed on Twitter</a>.
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The Australian property industry has shot itself in both feet and is aiming the gun at its head: Terry Ryder

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There is less than a month to go until five state home owners’ grants and one state stamp duty concession come to an end.
<img src="/images/stories/june302012.gif">
Victoria
On June 30 Victoria will end two bonus schemes aimed at first-home buyers – the $13,000 first-home bonus, which has run for three years, and the $6,500 regional bonus, which has run for two years.
These schemes will not be replaced.
Instead the government will increase existing stamp duty concessions for first-home buyers, as announced in the Victorian state budget.
From January 1, 2013 the <a href="https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/sro/sronav.nsf/LinkView/C88211C9E07486F0CA2578B70001025018E490D796850F8ECA2575C1008187C7">existing 20% stamp duty discount first-home buyers spending less than $600,000 on a house purchase will be increased to 30%.</a>
The stamp duty discount will rise to 40% on January 1 2014 and to 50% on September 1 2014.
To qualify for the stamp duty discount, first-home buyers must also qualify for the federal $7,000 first-home owners’ grant.
ACT
In the ACT, the <a href="https://www.revenue.act.gov.au/home_buyer_assistance/home_buyer_duty_concession/1_January_2012_-_30_June_2012">home buyer concession scheme (HBCS)</a> will end on June 30. The scheme provides stamp duty concessions on homes worth up to $470,000 and vacant land up to $260,000 and to qualify applicants must satisfy a combined income test for one year prior to the date of the grant starting from $120,000 for applicants with no children and up to $136,650 for applicants with five or more children.
No new schemes were introduced in the May 2011-12 ACT budget.
 
NSW 
The <a href="https://www.homebuyer.nsw.gov.au/newhomes.php">NSW government's home builders bonus</a>, which provides full exemption on stamp duty for new homes where the value does not exceed $600,000 and also applies to vacant land up to $400,000, will end on June 30. The scheme is available to everyone, including investors, who purchase a new house or apartment. For homes already under construction, a partial stamp duty reduction of 25% is available up until June 30.
The NSW state budget was handed down on June 12 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/tax/nsw-doubles-its-first-home-grant-for-new-homes/2012061255075">wit</a><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/tax/nsw-doubles-its-first-home-grant-for-new-homes/2012061255075">h changes announced affecting investors and first-home-buyers from July 1 and October 1</a>. The changes create a<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/landlords/nsw-property-investors-condundrum-take-the-%2422490-housing-bonus-now-or-just-%245000-after-july-1/2012061255081"> conundrum for property investors.</a>
South Australia
The <a href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/fhog/bonus8000">first-home bonus grant of up to $8,000</a> available to first-home buyers who qualify for the federal $7,000 first-home owner grant will be abolished from July 1, 2013. The first-home owners’ grant is not being phased out.
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Time running out for first-home bonuses and stamp duty concessions

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Rental yields have been increasing across most of Australia over the past 12 months and are better option than holding cash or government bonds, according to Janusz Hooker, executive chairman of real estate group LJ Hooker. 
Rising yields, he says, are being driven by softening property prices and increasing rents due to relatively low vacancy rates nationwide. 
“Given the forecast supply of rental stock and forecast demand for rental stock, rents look set to continue their five-year historical average growth of 5.8% per annum for apartments and 5.4% per annum for homes,” he says. 
“At present average gross yields for apartments in Australia are 5.2% (around 4.2% net of expenses) and for homes 4.5% (around 3.5% net of expenses). 
“If you look at real estate as a long-term asset class to hold, these yields are becoming increasingly attractive compared to cash and government bonds – not to mention the appreciation of the property asset,” Hooker says. 
“Typically more affordable housing has a higher yield. 
“Also property yields are often higher outside of the major metropolitan areas.” 
Hooker says the highest yields at present in Australia are in the mining boom towns in the Pilbara and central Queensland, where double-digit yields are achievable on rental properties.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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