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]

Joel Robinson

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 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of living landscapes.

"We've always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren't there," Hameister says.

"In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that's concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.

"The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

What does it really mean for a building to be 'green'?

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>

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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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Housing affordability has been in the headlines again, but this time around some seriously good research is the cause.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/themes/housing_affordability/">study</a> for AHURI (Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute) strongly suggests that the traditional method of calculating housing affordability is outdated and should be considered in conjunction with other ways of weighing up whether people can afford their mortgage or rent.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We have been banging on about this for close to a decade, and this missive pulls together some of our thoughts on this matter.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The most commonly used benchmark to determine whether housing is affordable is if it costs less than 30% of a household’s income.  However, few know that the 30% benchmark was established at the government’s 1992 National Housing Strategy and was intended to apply to lower-income households only.  However, it is more often than not now quoted in reference to all households – even those on higher incomes.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Another point of contention is the source of the “household income” information.  Most commentary on this issue uses median weekly family income.  A family is defined as a married couple with or without dependent children.  Such a definition is quite prescriptive and precludes a large number of home buyers.  No consideration is given to age, for example, which provides a much better basis on which to analyse housing affordability.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Also contentious is that the income data is derived from the ABS census and updated on the basis of movements in average weekly earnings.  We remain sceptical about certain elements of the census and the income data concerns us the most.   One in eight households across Australia do not state their income on their census form, resulting, we believe, in a lower median household income than is really the case.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">In our experience, using income figures sourced from the Australian Tax Office provides a more accurate picture.  And the statistics here don’t lie, with median household income across Queensland, for example, being 21% higher when measured by the ATO against the census.  In short, it is harder to lie to the ATO than it is to the statistical bureau.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Some better measures

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The first one looks at income left over after debt servicing.  This approach paints a different picture to that obtained simply by calculating the proportion of income devoted to repayments.  Rising incomes have allowed households to meet rising loan repayments while maintaining, and often increasing, living standards.  Rising household incomes mean that the 30% traditional affordability benchmark is now outdated.  In fact, given higher income levels now, households can devote as much as half of their income to debt servicing, while maintaining the same standard of living.  The AHURI study found similar results.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Another approach recognises the shortcomings of using median incomes of all households (or families) and instead considers the incomes of households in the age bracket of typical first-home buyers.  In this case, this relates to households in the 25 to 39 age bracket.  When looking at the proportion of residential sales by price range and taking into account interest rates and borrowing capacity, the typical first-home buyer could afford to buy one-third of the dwellings for sale across the country.  We estimate that this figure lifts to just under 40% for Queensland.  Now, while this is down on the long-term average of 45%, housing affordability measured by this series appears far less stressed than the traditional measures.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The big problem here is that first-home buyers these days want everything that opens and shuts in their first home.  A recent ABS study shows that three out of four first-home buyers bought either three- or four-bedroom dwellings last year, with 26% buying a property with four or more bedrooms – as their first home!  It probably had fully ducted air, secured off-street parking and a swimming pool, too.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A third of first-home buyers are couples and another 25% live alone.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The last measure involves taking into account investment assets and income.  Ratios of household debt to assets have been much more stable over recent years than the ratios of debt to income.  It needs to be noted that traditional measures of affordability fail to take into account investment income.  When you do so, affordability measures appear far less stretched.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">These three measures suggest that housing affordability is not as dire as many fear.  This is borne out by Australia’s very low housing loan arrears rate.  While the housing loan arrears rate has risen over the five years, it still remains low by international comparison.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Anecdotal evidence also suggests that housing affordability is not as constrained as some would have us believe.  If you remain sceptical, spend a few hours in a major shopping centre and watch how many potential first-home buyers are spending up – and big.  Or visit your local airport on the weekend and see how many young couples are off for a weekend away.  The same applies when dining in some of our better restaurants.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Housing affordability is at nowhere near crisis level in this country.  Instead of the government giving ‘hand outs’ to first-home buyers – which only lifts price – policy should address structural factors that lead to excessive housing demand and/or inadequate supply.  And please don’t get me started on the baby bonus!

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">In the meantime, some “plain speak” is needed.  Potential first-home buyers need to be told that buying your first property is not easy; it involves sacrifice and compromise to your current lifestyle.

<p style="margin-bottom: 6pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">To renters (and first-home buyers alike) paying 30% of your income for shelter is not outrageous.
Michael Matusik is the director of independent property advisory Matusik Property Insights. Matusik has helped over 500 new residential developments come to fruition and writes the weekly  <a title="Matusik's Missive" target="_blank" href="https://matusikmissive.wordpress.com/">Matusik's Missive</a>.
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michaelmatusik-49YzLvdmNv

Housing affordability in Australia is not as dire as you think

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Greater Dandenong is the feeling the most housing stress in Melbourne as renters and home purchasers struggle with high housing costs across the region, according to the latest Australians for Affordable Housing report.
In Greater Dandenong 21% of households experienced housing stress, as did 19% of residents in Hume and Melbourne local government areas.
In Greater Dandenong 31% of mortgagees and 38% of those in private rentals experienced housing stress.
Residents in the municipalities Bayside and Nilumbik experienced the least amount of housing stress, at only 9%.
“Housing is the single biggest cost of living pressure in Australia. When low-income households spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs they are officially in housing stress. This means they have very little left over to cover other costs like food, transport, bills or money for emergencies,” says AAH spokesman Sarah Toohey.
The report found renters tended to have a harder time than mortgagees with renters experiencing greater stress that mortgagees in every area surveyed.
Click to enlarge
<img src="/images/stories/stress.gif">
Toohey used the report to call for a government focus on cheaper housing.
“Urgent action is needed by both the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, with a proper housing strategy that includes more than releasing land on the city fringe,” she says.
“Premier Ballieu needs to invest in more affordable housing options close to jobs and services to reduce the squeeze on weekly budgets.”
 
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awalsh-7Ub9EypybQ

Greater Dandenong tops list of Melbourne suburbs with most housing stress

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Well, 2011 will be remembered as the year the property market slumped. It didn’t crash like many property pessimists predicted, but it stalled in some areas, dropped a little in others, while prices fell significantly in a few spots.
Ongoing economic uncertainty, the worry of rising interest rates for much of the year, decreasing affordability and political uncertainty were a volatile mix that stalled the property markets.
To see what really happened over the last year here are the latest figures from RP Data:
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="348"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
HOUSES
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
 
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
UNITS
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
City
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
Median Price
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
Growth last yr
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
Median Price
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
Growth last yr
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Sydney
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$550,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-2.3%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$457,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
1.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Melbourne
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$483,500
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-5.7%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$425,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
-5.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Brisbane
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$425,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-8.8%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$360,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
-2.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Adelaide
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$387,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-4.2%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$315,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
-4.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Perth
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$453,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-4.4%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$390,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
-0.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Darwin
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$495,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-0.9%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$405,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
-0.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Canberra
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$537,500
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
0.8%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$410,050
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
0.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Hobart
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$330,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
NA
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$266,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
NA
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="85">
Australia
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="99">
$465,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="87">
-4.5%
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="100">
$415,000
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="93">
-1.5%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: <a href="https://www.rpdata.com.au/">RP Data</a>
The markets are fragmented
What these figures don’t show is how fragmented the markets really are.
Did you know that the median home price in 80% of Sydney suburbs has actually had capital gain of around 1% over 2011? It is only the most expensive suburbs in Sydney, the more affluent areas, which have been the hardest hit and have suffered price declines. In these suburbs prices fell around 3.2% over the year.
And the markets are similar right across Australia. The most expensive homes across the country experienced the biggest capital losses and the lowest priced homes have dropped in value much less.
By the way… there is nothing unusual about this – the lower end of the market has always been less volatile.
What I call “investment grade properties” – good properties in the middle price range (say $450,000 to $950,000), in prime locations and with an element of scarcity are still selling well and holding their values, even though there is clearly less interest from both owner occupiers and investors than there was before.
On the other hand “B” and “C” class properties are not selling well. Some have dropped in value by 10% or more and some can’t be given away. Well, it’s not really as bad as that, but you’d have to give a very steep discount for someone to buy in areas like the Gold Coast.
And all the key indicators suggest the slow down will continue well into the first half of 2012. The number of properties on the market is high, properties are remaining on the market for longer and many buyers are still nervous about making a decision.
2012 – the year ahead 
I’ll cover myself with my first prediction being that most predictions will be wrong. 
Just look at what happened in 2011… 
For much of the year we thought interest rates were going to rise and they’ve fallen. We thought Europe would sort out its financial problems and things got worse. And many people predicted Australia’s property market would crash – and it didn’t! 
Looking forward I think 2012 will be a better year for property – but not by much. 2012 will be another year of crises. But if you think about it, every year has its crises. 
The European Debt Crisis will still dominate over the first few months of 2012. The US economic recovery is likely to slowly continue, but many of its property markets will fall further. China’s booming economy will slow a little and the Australian economy should chug along nicely as strong business investment spending will counter the lower growth in consumer spending and housing activity. 
Interest rates have come down twice over the last two months and it looks like they’ll drop further in 2012. This will increase housing affordability and slowly entice buyers back into the market. 
When the Government tried to stimulate our property markets in previous downturns, it combined rate cuts with first home owners grants (2001 and 2009) and this caused people to rush into the markets. I can’t see a first home owners boost being brought back in 2012. 
My observation is that the recent rate cuts have increased confidence in buyers, but many are still sitting on the sidelines waiting for something else. 
Some are waiting to see how the problems in Europe play out, others are interested to see what happens in our local political scene and yet others want confirmation that property prices won’t fall any further. They don’t want to buy in a falling market. 
In the meantime, many savvy investors are back picking the eyes out of the market. I was interested to read John Gandel, one of Australia’s biggest property investors, is on the look out to buy again. There must be a lesson in that somewhere. 
It is likely that the average home buyer won’t need to see a lot of price growth to regain confidence; they just want to know that home values won’t fall further. Meanwhile they are stashing their cash waiting for someone to ring the bell that the market has bottomed. 
Of course, no one will do that, so I like to remind buyers that they are not buying “the market” but an individual property in the market. 
If they buy well and purchase a good property below it’s intrinsic value, they will be covered, even if the market drops a little further. And when they look back in a few years' time they’ll be pleased they took action while others waited for the “bell to ring”.
Michael Yardney is the director of <a href="https://www.metropole.com.au/">Metropole Property Investment Strategists</a> , a best-selling author and one of Australia's leading experts in wealth creation through property. He also writes the <a href="https://www.propertyupdate.com.au/">Property Investment Update</a> blog.
 
 
 
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myardney-DFoGhGbSJX

The year that property markets slumped

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See-sawing investor appetite for new houses fell sharply in October, according to the latest ABS housing finance figures.
Construction finance to investors decreased 26.2% over October, to be 2.1% lower in trend terms as the total value of loans for the purpose of building new houses decreased by 9%. Demand from investors for construction finance has risen and fallen sharply over the past year, and has been broadly flat since mid-2008.
Owner-occupier construction finance was 2.7% lower in the month.
<img src="/images/stories/absdec12.gif">
Source: ABS
The October decline follows a similar decrease in September taking the value of construction finance 8.9% lower than levels a year earlier, highlighting both the depressed current state of new housing and the poor outlook for 2012.
According to the most recent HIA - JELD-WEN New Home Sales Report, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-home-sales-recover-modestly-in-october-hia/2011120852759" target="_blank">the total number of new homes (detached and non-detached) sold was down 8% over the three months to October</a>.
For tips for buying your first investment property, <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-how-to-buy-your-first-investment-property" target="_blank">download Property Observer’s free eBook</a>.
 
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Investor interest in new housing fell 26% in October: ANZ

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Australia's ageing pool of workers need greater flexibility to ensure they can stay in work, a report into senior Australians says, adding that housing needs an "urgent shake-up" to cope with looming demographic changes.

A report released yesterday entitled Realising the economic potential of senior Australians notes that the percentage of Australians aged over 55 is expected to rise to nearly 20% by 2050, up from 16% nowadays.
"While participation rates for people over 55 have risen significantly, barriers still inhibit older workers' participation," the report, written by the Panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians, says.
"These barriers directly affect the living standards of Australians, with the cost of not using the skills and experience of older Australians already at an estimated $10.8 billion a year."
"These barriers also directly affect the ability of individuals to contribute, with two million older Australians outside the workforce wanting to work, some because of financial necessity."
But the report - written by National Seniors Australia chair Everald Compton, former deputy Prime Minister Brian Howe, and Professor Gill Lewin - says the country's shift to a knowledge-edge based company, from a manual-based society, leaves Australians better placed to work longer.
"This move away from physically demanding work opens up more opportunities for older workers. It coincides with a looming skills shortage in key industries (mining, construction and services), increasing the opportunity for older workers to retrain for new careers or to backfill in sectors depleted by the movement of more mobile workers," the report says.
It also praises the increase in the retirement age to 67 and the removal of the age limit on superannuation guarantees as developments likely to keep older workers in paid work – although this shift requires support from industry, employers and governments.
The report recommends:
<ul>
<li>Extending flexible work arrangements for people aged 55 and over, allowing this group great time for volunteering and babysitting commitments, for example.</li>
<li>Looking at the affordability of income protection for people over 60.</li>
<li>Appointing a cabinet minister for maximising the potential of the ageing population.</li>
<li>Increasing housing supply by removing stamp duty.</li>
<li>Reviewing planning regulations and removing regulatory impediments to new developments and promote greater mobility.</li>
<li>Reviewing how income payments affect seniors' housing decisions.</li>
<li>Get governments to embed age diversity within workforce.</li>
</ul>
Speaking on the prospect of abolishing stamp duty after the report was released, Treasurer Wayne Swan said he was meeting with state treasurers to discuss state taxes.
"If there are impediments in the tax and transfer system that stop older Australians from contributing to the labour force, we should do something about that," Swan added.
He also called on business to "recruit many of those greying Australians who are looking for a job but have had difficulty getting one."
This article originally appeared on<a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/index.php" target="_blank"> SmartCompany</a>.
 
 
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cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

Housing needs “urgent shakeup”, and older workers need more flexibility: Report

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On a seasonally adjusted basis, new house starts declined by 2.5% in the September quarter to 22,290 following a fall of 1.6% in the June quarter, according to the latest dwelling commencement figures released by the ABS.
This was the seventh straight quarter that new housing starts have declined, reflecting the current depressed state of new house construction.
The last time new house starts increased was in the December 2009 quarter, when they rose to just under 29,900 new starts.
In raw terms, the largest rises in private sector house commencements were experienced in the Northern Territory (11.4%), Queensland (10.8%) and Western Australia (5.3%), while the largest falls occurred in Tasmania (-17.8%), South Australia (-14.9%) and the Australian Capital Territory (-12.1%).
The more volatile other residential building (flats, units, attached townhouses, villas and terrace houses, etc) declined by 12.2% in the September quarter to 12,198 properties following a fall of 6.1% in the June quarter.
Overall, the construction of new housing fell by 6.2% in the September quarter.
In raw terms, the total number of dwelling units commenced fell 3.3% in the September quarter to 37,000.
Queensland (+16.4%) and the Northern Territory (+30.7%) were the only states or territories to experience an increase in dwelling unit commencements this quarter.
The largest decreases were seen in Tasmania (-18.5) and the Australian Capital Territory (-9.5%)
 
 
</body></html>

New house starts decline for seventh straight quarter: ABS

<html><body>
 
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="385"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
Postcode
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
Suburb
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
Median house price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
820
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">BAYVIEW</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$1.215,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
820
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">FANNIE BAY</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$883,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
820
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">PARAP</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$805,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
810
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">LYONS</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$775,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
810
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">NIGHTCLIFF</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$759,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
820
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">STUART PARK</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$700,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
812
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">MARRARA</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$690,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
810
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">RAPID CREEK</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$660,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
810
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">JINGILI</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$585,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="64" nowrap valign="bottom">
812
</td>
<td width="228" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">LEANYER</a>
</td>
<td width="93" nowrap valign="bottom">
$575,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: RP Data
</body></html>

Top 10 most expensive suburbs in Darwin for houses: RP Data

<html><body>
Yesterday we read Paul Sheehan in the Sydney Morning Herald <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/four-pillars-bashed-but-holding-firm-20111211-1opk5" target="_blank">arguing</a> that Australia’s major banks “look like ports in a storm”, and were prudent in hesitating to pass on the RBA’s cuts. 
Sheehan claims that “reflexive calls for our banks to pass on the Reserve Bank's interest rate cuts, in full, are now double-edged… A healthy bank is far preferable than a stressed bank. They may need their fat for harder times.” 
In case you missed it, his op-ed’s title conveyed the message even more crisply: “Our banks aren't so greedy after all." 
Sheehan was accompanied by a second SMH piece, ironically produced by an economic consultant to the banks, which <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/no-need-for-banks-to-pass-the-cut-20111212-1oqv4" target="_blank">posited</a> that we should, in fact, only ever expect the banks to pass on 80% of any RBA move. Again, the article’s pithy title told you all you needed to know: “No need for banks to pass the cut.” 
Sheehan’s insinuation that we should prioritise major bank profitability over competitive considerations is not novel. He is merely trotting out the very standard RBA and Australian Bankers Association (ABA) line on the purported trade-off between “financial stability” and “competition”. The two are supposedly mutually exclusive, which necessitates a more concentrated financial system. Privately, serious policy thinkers know that both the RBA and APRA would prefer fewer banks to regulate rather than more. 
To this line of logic, more competition means lower margins, which means less profitable and hence less “stable” institutions. It’s that crude. And it's wrong. 
Sheehan would have almost certainly been worded up by someone in the RBA- Treasury-ABA-major bank network to present the “other side” of the bank bashing story. 
Oh, and rest assured, this is an “insiders' network”, much like the “financial oligarchy” that MIT’s Simon Johnson famously identified as the source of so many problems in the US. 
A former head of Treasury and director of the RBA, Ted Evans, is chairman of Westpac. 
His successor as head of Treasury and a director of the RBA, Ken Henry, has just been appointed to NAB’s board. 
The governor of the RBA between 1996 and 2007, Ian MacFarlane, joined ANZ's board once his term at the RBA expired. 
David Morgan, a long-time Treasury official who rose to become 2iC, left to join Westpac, which he led as CEO during the 1990s and 2000s. 
Another former RBA official, Andrew Mohl, was until recently chief executive of AMP. 
And I fully expect the outgoing deputy governor of the RBA, who was well-known as a defender of the banking oligopoly, to end up on some bank board. 
If during your career as a (relatively) lowly paid regulator or public servant you have one eye on a lucrative banking job to secure your retirement nest egg, it’s hard to believe that this does not in some way contaminate your ability to exercise independence. 
The Washington-Wall Street-like crossover between Australian banks and the bureaucracy may be one reason why domestic regulators have been so keen to protect the majors from the reforms their peers overseas are being subject to following the GFC. 
After all, according to the local oligarchy’s narrative, luck had little role to play in Australia’s success in skirting the crisis. It had nothing to do with our leverage to Asia, extraordinary endowments of resources, high population growth, 20 years of rising real GDP, or the fact that our banks had not expanded overseas due to their focus on servicing the high growth domestic economy. 
In Sheehan’s words, “we can thank good government policy and good banking.” No sight of providence in this play!
 
This may explain why the RBA has been pushing hard to have the major banks exempted from the extra capital charge that the world’s 30 largest banks will be hit with under BASEL III, even though the majors rank among this list. 
The argument goes that Australia’s banks don’t have significant overseas exposures. But is it not the explicit corporate strategy of the CEOs of two of the four majors to expand into foreign territories? Of course it is. We’ve even had the newly appointed CEO of the Bank of Queensland claim that Australian banks should use their (taxpayer-underwritten) pricing power to buy cheap assets overseas. 
The dysfunctional regulatory-banking nexus is also possibly one reason why our banks have been exempted from holding the standard “liquid assets” that all other global banks will be required to keep. The official explanation was Australia has little government debt to satisfy this requirement. 
Yet Australia’s unique solution involved the RBA offering all banks a so-called “Committed Liquidity Facility”, which for a cost of just 0.15% per annum will give banks an immediate line of credit whenever they face funding stress. That is, they can swap illiquid assets with the RBA for cash and thus directly cauterise their solvency concerns. 
One of the reasons I have argued consistently for better pay in the public sector is so that officials feel less need to leave and seek lucrative private sector gigs. (And officials do use this explanation when asked why they are taking on such jobs.) 
The financial stability/competition trade-off that guides so much banking policy thinking in Australia is actually a sham. To demonstrate why, I put to you this idea. 
The four major banks’ combined market capitalisation is an extraordinary $250 billion (that’s about 20% of the national GDP). 
Imagine, for a moment, if we could replace the majors with, say, a larger number of smaller institutions. That is, if we took this quarter of a trillion dollars and spread it across, say, 10 smaller, safer banks – with no offshore expansion plans, with no “non-core” banking activities – worth, say, $20 billion to 30 billion each. Think of 10 different versions of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. 
Our financial system would no longer have four “too-big-to-fail” legs, and all of the long-term moral hazard problems that these government-guaranteed institutions engender. Instead, it would have 10 smaller pins across which to apportion the economy’s risk. This is just smart diversification. 
How might one achieve this? You could begin by introducing a financial transactions tax that became much more punitive as an institution’s size – measured by its assets as a share of the system’s total assets – rose beyond a certain, unacceptably high threshold. 
You would basically be signalling that if you want to become a mega, too-big-to-fail bank, you are going to have to pay taxpayers a hefty price for the explicit and implicit catastrophe insurance. 
And if you think I am being melodramatic about taxpayers bailing out banks, I would encourage you to refer to Standard and Poor’s independent perspective. In assessing the creditworthiness of the major banks this month, Standard and Poor’s commented that their funding costs were substantially lower because of the assumption of taxpayer support. Specifically: 
 “Our counterparty credit rating on CBA is two notches higher than the [stand-alone credit rating], reflecting our view of a high likelihood of extraordinary government support in a crisis. This reflects our view of CBA's high systemic importance in Australia, and our assessment of the Australian government as highly supportive of institutions core to the national economy." 
And if you want a lighter take on everything I have argued today, have a glance at this online <a href="https://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12784379/leaked-secret-video-of-two-major-bank-ceos-chat">cartoon skit between two of the big banks CEOs</a>.
Christopher Joye is a leading financial economist and a director of Rismark International and Yellow Brick Road Funds Management. The above article is not investment advice.
</body></html>

chrisjoye-JYhJsTrNRC

Bashing the banks is A-OK: Christopher Joye

<html><body>
The inner city of Perth, which has about 15,000 residents, is experiencing the second highest rate of housing stress of all Perth municipalities, according to a new report by lobbying group Australians for Affordable Housing. 
AAH defines housing stress as being the lowest 40% of equivalised household incomes who spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. 
Nearly one in five (17%) inner-city Perth residents fall into this category (as well as an equal proportion in Mosman Park, Mandurah and Victoria Park) in a list headed by Kwinana, a suburb about 30 kilometres south of the CBD. 
These five suburbs make up the top five housing stressed council areas, according to AAH. 
<table style="width: 470px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="142" colspan="2" valign="top">
Housing Stress
</td>
<td width="132" colspan="2" valign="top">
Mortgage Stress
</td>
<td width="141" colspan="2" valign="top">
Private Rent Stress
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
LGA Name
</td>
<td width="142" colspan="2" valign="top">
%          Number
</td>
<td width="132" colspan="2" valign="top">
%         Number
</td>
<td width="141" colspan="2" valign="top">
%          Number
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Kwinana (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
20
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
2219
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
20
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1047
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
38
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
938
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Mosman Park (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
734
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
9
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
83
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
35
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
552
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Perth (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
1397
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
216
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
26
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
985
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Victoria Park (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
2575
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
468
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
32
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1806
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Mandurah (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
4885
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1419
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
42
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2945
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Wanneroo (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
16
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
9041
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
4965
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
37
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
3388
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Armadale (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
16
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
3610
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1621
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
40
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1654
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Belmont (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
16
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
2458
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
14
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
667
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
30
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1314
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Swan (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
16
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
6453
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
3375
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
34
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2359
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Gosnells (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
16
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
6169
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
17
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
3015
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
35
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2580
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Subiaco (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
15
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
1366
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
7
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
130
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
30
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1071
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Fremantle (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
15
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
1996
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
12
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
441
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
32
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1039
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Bayswater (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
15
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
3934
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
13
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1149
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
33
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2327
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Stirling (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
15
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
12852
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
13
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
3455
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
32
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
7671
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Canning (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
15
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
4908
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
14
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1656
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
32
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2613
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Cockburn (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
14
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
4949
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
14
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
2214
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
34
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2083
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Bassendean (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
14
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
866
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
13
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
313
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
34
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
424
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
South Perth (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
13
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
2598
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
534
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
28
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1723
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Vincent (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
13
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
1807
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
7
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
330
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
26
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1240
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Kalamunda (S)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
12
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
2483
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
14
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1258
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
33
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
1010
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Claremont (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
11
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
486
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
100
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
31
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
344
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
East Fremantle (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
11
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
320
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
102
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
33
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
184
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Joondalup (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
11
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
6480
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
12
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
3125
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
30
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2904
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Melville (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
3918
</td>
<td width="57" valign="top">
11
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
1354
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
29
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
2010
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Cambridge (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
9
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
927
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="57" valign="top">
8
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
257
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
27
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
592
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Nedlands (C)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
9
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
725
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="57" valign="top">
10
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
221
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
25
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
397
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Cottesloe (T)
</td>
<td width="63" valign="top">
8
</td>
<td width="78" valign="top">
270
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="57" valign="top">
8
</td>
<td width="76" valign="top">
60
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
18
</td>
<td width="75" valign="top">
171
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="187" valign="top">
Peppermint Grove (S)
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="63" valign="top">
8
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="78" valign="top">
49
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="57" valign="top">
2
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="76" valign="top">
3
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="66" valign="top">
29
</td>
<td style="text-align: left;" width="75" valign="top">
44
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 “The high cost of housing in Perth is not new, but these figures show where the pain is being felt,” says AAH campaign manager Sarah Toohey. 
“Households in Kwinana are suffering the most, with 20% experiencing housing stress, while Mandura has the highest proportion of people in the rental market in housing stress (42%)”. 
“Areas such as Kwinana, Armadale, Mandurah and Wanneroo all have rates of rental stress over 36%, as well as high rates of mortgage stress with over 17% of home buyers in those areas under financial pressure.” 
“Housing is the single biggest cost-of-living issue in Australia. When low-income households spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs they are officially in housing stress. This means they have very little left over to cover other costs like food, transport, bills or money for emergencies.” 
“The WA government has produced an excellent housing strategy for the state. Now we need the state and federal governments to work together to fund that strategy and deliver the housing system that WA needs.” 
The lobby group is urging Perth residents in housing stress to join the campaign to convince governments to work together to address the housing crisis. 
“We need collective action at all levels of government to ensure that we fix our broken housing system, and take the pressure off families struggling with high housing costs and lack of affordable options,” Toohey says. 
Outside of the most stressed suburbs, the most recent REIA/Deposit Power Housing Affordability Report found that Western Australia recorded the largest improvement in housing affordability across the country, with the proportion of family income required to meet home loan repayments decreasing 2.3% to 23.9%. 
Western Australia is the third most affordable state or territory in which to buy a home. Over the year, housing affordability improved by 4.1%. 
The median family income increased 6% and the average monthly loan repayments decreased 3.2% during the September 2011 quarter, contributing to the improvement in housing affordability.
Rental affordability improved over the September quarter, with the proportion of income required to meet median rents decreasing 0.7% to 19.3%. Over the year, rental affordability improved by 1.8 percentage points.
 Picture by Michael Coghlan
 
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Mandurah residents among those with most housing stress in Perth

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McGrath Estate Agents has defied the current gloom in Sydney’s market by posting record sales in November led by a 55% increase in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. 
The agency’s Eastern Suburbs office posted 140 sales with a cumulative value of $170.5 million, with 10 sales over $2 million. The office accounted for almost a quarter of the total sales achieved across the group in November. 
In total the agency recorded 758 sales worth $723 million during the month, surpassing the previous record set in March 2010 ($635 million from 572 transactions). 
Prestige eastern suburbs sales in the $2 million-plus category include a five-bedroom California bungalow in Cottingham Avenue in Kensington, which sold on November 4, marketed by McGrath agents Peter Delimitrou and George Faris.
McGrath chief operating officer Geoff Lucas says the strongest sector is the price range between $500,000 to $1.5 million, with 444 sales. 
“This has been a popular sector of the market driven largely by first home buyers and investor activity.” 
“Currently first home buyer activity comprises 16.4% of the market while investors hit a peak of 38.4% of the market in November according to AFG. 
“While there has been increased buyer activity in some regional areas such as Ballina, Byron and the Central Coast, our long standing Sydney metro offices have achieved some impressive gains while growing their market share”. 
Other regional offices to record strong sales growth over November included McGrath Inner West, which reported $75.7 million from 75 sales, with three sales over $2 million, (+21%) McGrath Lane Cove, which reported $32 million from 22 sales, with five sales over $2 million (+68%) and McGrath Cronulla, which reported $29.1 million from 34 sales, with one sale over $2 million (+9.9%). 
A returning confidence in the market has resulted in a record number of listings by the group in the past month with 1,019 listings across the network, compared with 651 for the corresponding period last year. 
Current average auction days on market were 36 for the group.
 
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