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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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/commercial-property-finance-different-to-residential/2011071950847">Last week </a>we looked at the reasons why lenders view commercial property in a different league to residential property when it comes to finance.
And then we moved to the various aspects of a project commercial lenders look at as far as risk is concerned.
However, what you really want to know is: How do these considerations affect the price for your loan?
Unfortunately, the answer is significantly.
The precise way in which different lenders price in risk is proprietary knowledge they tend to guard the closely. Therefore, it can vary markedly between lenders.
As a result, larger loans with low perceived risks can be priced at very close to residential mortgage rates, whereas smaller deals (but with higher risk factors) will often attract far higher interest rates.
Basically, you need to follow the same steps as you would in choosing a property intended to provide you with a good long-term return. And help you, these are:
<ul>
<li>Purchase high-quality properties that would easily be re-leased if they become vacant.</li>
<li>Buy properties with sufficient time left on the lease, to allow a reasonable loan term (preferably at least three years).</li>
<li>If it is a long lease, make sure there are regular market reviews – so you aren't left with an asset that is under-let for a long period.</li>
<li>Make sure there is good tenant security. This can be achieved by way of personal and corporate guarantees (which is most appropriate depends on the nature of the tenant – a corporate guarantee from Coles is sufficient, but is not from a small business). Bank guarantees or significant funds bonded in trust also provide good security against default by the tenant.</li>
<li>Financially strong tenants are attractive to lenders. For this reason, publicly listed? (or otherwise well-known) companies always appeal to lenders.</li>
<li>Properties with several alternate uses are generally perceived as being lower risk than more specialised assets (e.g.: There are more alternative uses for an office than for a motel).</li>
<li>Where the asset has a specialised use, it is important there is very strong demand for that style of property. The quality of the tenant and lease are also more important in such circumstances.</li>
<li>A strong rental return providing for a significant coverage of the interest cost.</li>
</ul>
Again, many thanks to <a href="https://his-best.biz/2011/05/25/financing-the-deal/">Perry Finance</a> for these valuable insights into the financier's world of commercial loans.
Chris Lang is a commercial property investor and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a target="_blank" title="Chris Lang's blog" href="https://his-best.biz/" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: underline; color: #6888b1;">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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chrislang-EQKojcgJPV

How to get the best financing for your commercial investment

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Shopping centre fund Centro Properties Group is seeking buyers for its Centro Albion Park shopping centre in Albion Park, a suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region of NSW.
The shopping centre has a book value of $15.2 million.
The property, on the corner of Terry and Russell streets, is being sold by Colliers agent Heath Crampton by expressions of interest closing on August 23.
The shopping centre is one of three in an $83 million syndicate Centro is looking to wind up in order fund redemption requests made by investors.
The other two, which have not yet been listed for sale, are Centro Townsville and Centro Newcomb, valued at $35.5 million and $26.5 million respectively.
The listing of the Albion Mall follows research from Burgess Rawson that has found that the average yield on supermarket transactions has contracted from 9.5% in 1991 to just 7% in 2011.
A 3,300-square-metre Woolworths supermarket in Umina in regional NSW, about 8o kilometres north of Sydney, was recently sold to a private investor for $18.25 million at a yield of 7%.
Crampton has told Property Observer he has received a “reasonable number of enquiries” to date and is expecting the mall, which has a gross leasing area of around 5,570 square metres, to generate a yield of between 8.5% and 9% on a fully leased basis.
The shopping centre has a book value of $15.2 million and brings in $1.48 million per annum when fully leased. More than half of this income comes from anchor tenant Woolworths. It serves a population of about 25,000.
Beside anchor tenants Woolworths and The Reject Shop, Albion Park centre has 12 speciality tenants including Millers Fashion Club, Horizon Credit Union, Michel’s Patisserie, Subway, Civic Video, Illawarra Mutual Building Society, one ATM and a freestanding Woolworths Petrol station. 
The 20-year Woolworths lease (including four renewal options of five years) commenced in November 1998 when the mall opened and is due to expire in November 2018. 
Woolworths pays gross rent of $860,000 per annum to lease 3,200 square metres of retail space.
Crampton says shopping centre investment activity is expected to pick-up significantly in the second half of the year, primarily due to the introduction of several new institutional managed wholesale funds with a focus to acquire sub regional and neighbourhood assets with a capital value of sub $100m.
“This sub $100m market has predominantly been limited to private investors in the last 24 months,” he says.
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Centro seeking buyer for Illawarra shopping centre

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Retail entrepreneur Brett Blundy’s investment company has spent $44.5 million buying a bulky goods centre on Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula from Mirvac. The sale was just below its most recent $45 million valuation as at December 2010. The acquisition follows Blundy’s purchase in February of the Caringbah Homemaker Centre in Sydney for $49 million.
With 32,000 square metres of gross lettable area, the property at 29 Mornington Peninsula includes tenants Clive Peeters, Lincraft, BCF, Snooze, Officeworks, Repco, Early Settler, Bed Shed, Retravision, Betta Electrical and Fernwood.
It has been bought by BB Retail Capital, a private investment company with interests in a number of global retail brands, bulky good shopping centres and equity investments. Brett Blundy established BB Retail Capital in 1980 when he opened his first retail store.
The Peninsula Lifestyle Centre is located on the corner of Nepean Highway and Bungower Road in Mornington, about 15 minutes south of the Frankston CBD.
The group’s largest acquisition was $61.5 million in 2008 for the Kotara Homemaker Centre in the district of Newcastle, one of the largest homemaker centres in the country at more than 61,000 square metres. The group had previously spent $17 million at Kotara in 2007.
The Savills valuation for Mirvac reflected a 9.75% cap rate.
The BB Group has seven major centres with a total value of more than $400 million. Its chief executive officer is Darren Holland, who has been with the group since 2004. Previously Holland played a role in the development and management of 13 Christie Homemaker centres throughout Australia.
“BBRC also owns the Cranbourne Homemaker Centre 25 kilometres away, so there will be good synergies in managing and promoting the two centres together,” Holland says.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Brett Blundy buys Mornington Peninsula bulky goods centre

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The troubled Sunshine Coast residential market is expected to recover at a slower pace than the Brisbane market, according to research by PRDnationwide.
During the past six months, the Sunshine Coast has recorded an annual softening of 1%, culminating to a median price of $475,000.
Currently the market is characterised by a shortage of purchasers and excess stock, with fears about rising interest rates and increasing cost of living creating uncertainty and deterred potential purchasers.
In comparison BIS Shrapnel predicts the Brisbane market will turn around this financial year with an impending mining boom. Analyst Angie Zigomanis is tipping Brisbane's median house to increase 15% from $440,000 to $505,000 over the next three years.
Josh Brown, research analyst at PRDnationwide, expects the Sunshine Coast market will remain flat at least until the end of the year.
“One of the key differences between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane markets is that many markets within the Sunshine Coast are viewed as holiday markets such as Noosa, Coolum and Caloundra,” he tells Property Observer.
“This is why the Sunshine Coast was so strongly affected during the GFC, as people began liquidating their non-primary assets such as holiday apartment and houses.
“The local economy of the Sunshine Coast is also seen to be affected by the strong Australian dollar and slow tourism sector, which makes up a larger part of its economy than Brisbane,” he adds.
And despite the change in RBA interest rate sentiment and forecasts of a possible rate cut rather than increase as a possible next move, Brown says the issue remains the “increased debt aversion of households” reflected in the average household savings rate increasing. “People’s attitudes have changed, and it will take a while before they regain confidence in the market. The RBA’s seemingly new stance on interest rates is a step in the right direction, though sales volumes will likely remain at lower levels over the short term,” Brown says.
According to PRDnationwide the Sunshine Coast housing market has been in a “strong and sustained downturn” since the GFC unfolded in 2008, with sales volumes and house prices falling.
Analysis by PRDnationwide reveals that Sunshine Coast home owners who before the GFC saw greater capital growth than those who held onto their houses and sold within the past two years, where capital values have softened.
<img src="/images/stories/prdjuly26.jpg">
The only respite for the Sunshine Coast market occurred following the introduction of the government’s First Home Buyers Boost (between October 14, 2008 and December 31, 2009) in tandem with the RBA cutting interest rates from 7% to a record low of 3.25% from September 2008 to April 2009.
Following the transition from the incentive-driven period in 2009 to the six-month period ending December 2010 sales activity has softened by 31%, taking the volume of settled transactions on the Sunshine Coast to its lowest level in the past decade, with only 2,089 transactions.
Analysis of the most active price points during the six months to December 2010 shows 23% of houses sold were under $400,000. This was followed by the $400,000 to $449,999 price point, which represented 17% of total transactions. Over the six months to December 2010, the most significant tightening in sales activity occurred houses under $500,000.</body></html>

Sunshine Coast market recovery to lag behind Brisbane: PRDnationwide

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What’s the chance of losing money when you buy a home? Or, put another way, what percentage of all people who buy and sell suffer losses before accounting for costs? As simple as these questions may sound, they are not easy to answer. There are only a handful of organisations with the data and capabilities required to run this type of analysis. 
Addressing this question is also important if you want to better understand individual property level risk, which is something that I have written about for years. In <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/observers/not-as-safe-as-bricks-and-mortar/2011071150768">this column</a>, I showed that the volatility of a home is akin to that of the sharemarket, and three to five times riskier than a broad-based house price index. 
Commencing our analysis in 1990, Rismark’s team of PhDs collected 3.7 million purchase and sale pair transactions pertaining to the same home. We call these “repeat sales”. In total, there were 7.3 million transactions. Of course, there are going to be many people who bought homes during this period but who have yet to sell. They are, by definition, excluded. 
The team then calculated the buy-and-hold annual compound capital return (excluding imputed or explicit rents). These are, to be sure, gross returns and do not account for the many transaction costs associated with holding a home. They also do not control for alterations and additions (viz., renovations), which are undertaken to offset the physical depreciation of the asset, or simply to improve it. 
Several years ago we took the ABS’s alterations and additions data and tried to estimate its impact on annual capital growth. The number we arrived at was about 0.55% per annum, which has been confirmed by other analysts. 
The results of the first cut of our research are illustrated in the chart below. The median capital return to property owners since 1990 has been 7.8% per year.
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/joyejuly261.gif"><img src="/images/stories/joyejuly261thumb.gif"></a>
This is interesting for a couple of reasons.
First, it is exactly the same compound annual growth rate we get when we look at RP Data-Rismark’s hedonic house price index over the last 10 years, which is a completely different methodology.
Secondly, it just happens to accord with the return we get if we calculate the compound annual growth rate attributable to a very simple “median” house price index over the last 28 years. 
Observe in the chart above that the distribution of buy-and-hold returns looks to be right skewed: more people are realising high returns relative to very low returns. 
In particular, 9.3% of all home owners traded their property for a loss (note that these are pure capital returns, and ignore the rental income that you would have got along the way). This is also gross of all transaction costs, so you can be sure that the net number is higher. Ipso facto, about 90% of owners realise positive gross capital returns on their homes before accounting for rents and costs. 
The next diagram breaks out this analysis by capital city so that we can get a feel for relative performance over the last two decades. And the results are fascinating. Perth and Adelaide are the two best-performing cities, generating compound annual capital growth rates of 10.3% and 9.5%, respectively. The worst performer was <city><place>Sydney</place></city>, which has yielded about 1% per annum less than the national average of 7.8% per annum.
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/joyejuly262.gif"><img src="/images/stories/joyejuly262thumb.gif"></a>
Two other things to think about. 
First, these returns reflect the change in the capital value of a home over time. What they do not tell us is what the home owner’s actual equity, or geared return, would have been. We can comfortably assume that the equity returns are far higher (likewise the losses for the one in 10 folks who get unlucky). 
Second, as discussed, this analysis excluded gross rents, which are currently around 4% to 5% per annum. It also ignores all transaction costs, which sum to around 1% to 2% per annum for the average home owner who stays in a property for seven to eight years. 
In closing, what are reasonable growth expectations going forward? A simple benchmark is national disposable incomes. If we take the ABS National Disposable Income estimates, and divide by the number of households to control for population growth, we get a useful per household growth estimate.
Based on this measure, Australian disposable incomes per household have risen by 4.9% per annum since 1993, which is about 25% higher than wages growth. The differential could be attributable to the advent of multiple-income households, the tendency for marginal tax rates to decline, stimulatory government subsidies, such as middle-class welfare, and as a result of the better portfolio diversification households are getting via superannuation.  
Looking ahead, one might reason that disposable income growth will be a bit lower. This in turn implies that house price growth might be less than the circa 7% to 8% annual rate that it has compounded at over the last three decades.
Christopher Joye is a leading financial economist and works with <a target="_blank" title="Rismark International" href="https://www.rismark.com.au/" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: underline; color: #6888b1;">Rismark International</a>. Rismark and RP Data provide house price analytics products, and solutions that enable investors to go long and/or short the housing market. The above article is not investment advice.
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chrisjoye-JYhJsTrNRC

The home buyers' losers club

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Two-thirds of Gen Y borrowers are willing to eat less, while nearly half are willing to miss out on a holiday in order to buy their first investment property, research compiled by Mortgage Choice has found.
According to the mortgage broker, 43% of Generation Y first-time property buyers will buy an investment property as their first purchase, foregoing the first home owner grant and first home buyer concessions to “build a nest egg rather than build a nest”.
The 2011 First Time Property Investors Survey found that buyers in Gen Y – those buyers born between 1980 and 1994 – do not conform to the commonly held stereotype of wanting everything delivered on a platter.
Instead they are willing to make significant lifestyle sacrifices in order to buy an investment property.
The findings come as first-home buyer numbers continue to fall, with just 20,000 (16% of buyers) buying their first property in the March 2011 quarter according to research by the Real Estate Institute of Australia and Deposit Power.
Two-thirds of Gen Y borrowers say they will cut back on general day-to-day spending, while 40% say they will spend less on alcohol to get onto the property ladder.
A quarter will delay buying a car, take a higher-paying job, take an additional job or delay having children to help fund their first purchase.
Mortgage Choice spokeswoman Kristy Sheppard says the findings call into question the concept of the “Great Australian Dream” for people under 30.
“Is it still a home, is it property in general – whichever type they can afford – or is it simply about investing in an asset they expect to bring in income and/or appreciate in value?”
Property analysts such as Margaret Lomas have commented on the increasing trend among Gen Y borrowers to make their first home purchase an investment property.
Lomas told SMH there is a group of young investors who elect to rent in the inner city and then deploy their discretionary income to "get an investment property somewhere else that is cheaper, has better [rental] yield than the inner city and a better prognosis for future growth".
According to Sue Prestney, a tax specialist with the Institute of Chartered Accountants, there are “a hell of a lot of” young investors on good salaries who are paying some board and “happily buying their [first] investment property”. 
The increasing desire among Gen Y to buy an investment property is in line with a key finding of the survey that the renter-investor market is set to nearly double over the next two years.
Out of the 1,060 respondents who plan to buy their first investment property over the next two years, 19% will be first-time buyers.
More than a quarter of respondents (28%) were classified as Gen Y, with a fifth of these saying they are likely to rent out one or more rooms in their houses to help cut costs.
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Gen Ys willing to miss out on food and alcohol to buy investment property

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It seems we’re in for a “spring of discontent”. The release of the long-awaited carbon tax details were intended to produce an element of certainty. It’s been spruiked as a simple effective plan ensuring pollution is reduced “at the lowest cost to the economy”, with a large spoon of sugar for us “ordinary folk” designed to sweeten the pain and lessen any complaints. The question is simply one of trust. As any good sales rep understands, you don’t sell the product, you sell trust. And let’s be honest – with questions and retaliations flying from the right and left, we’re doing little more than swimming against a tide of economic uncertainty.
There’s a good degree of wisdom behind the saying “seeing is believing”, because until the model has been tested, tax cuts granted, bank accounts debited and credited, no one is going to fully grasp the implications of this policy or believe the spruiked outcome. The economic model produced by Treasury already has a large question mark because there has been little, if any, consultation with companies in control of dictating price rises, and now we find the results were modelled on a $20 per ton estimate, not the $23 per ton reality. The truth is, no one really knows how much prices will rise – and more importantly, it seems the majority have little trust in those who sit at the controls.
It’s inevitable that the cost of building will increase, and as a consequence, be passed onto the purchaser.   HIA has estimated an increase of roughly $6,000 to the average house-and-land package – and this doesn’t begin to factor in providing internal facilities such as fridges, furnishings and other such essentials. Even with the tax benefits, first-home buyers will be hit hard. It’s been suggested that prices may increase in Canberra’s market as staff recruited to administer the new “tax” place extra demand on the inner city ring supply. Across the rest of the market affordability and consumer sentiment will continue moderate price rises, and as a consequence the rental sector will likely continue to fall under high demand. Gross yields across Australia have already risen to 5% (according to RP Data), and predictions point to a further increase.
However, whether fear and uncertainty will keep us in the atmosphere of what has widely been spruiked as a “buyer’s market” is questionable. Lending to home buyers rose 4.4% in May after a 4.6% rise in April, agents are starting to report dwindling stock supplies, and the seasonal change from winter to spring will likely result in a greater optimism as the traditional buying season commences. It could be the first light on the horizon for vendors, many of whom have been forced to moderate expectation if they wanted to sell during the first half of 2011.
The arguments surrounding the carbon dioxide tax, should not focus on the scientific evidence, but rather the policy changes we’re facing. Although everyone has a desire to reduce harmful emissions and create a better world for future generations, we have a natural adherence to authoritative dictation on how we should conduct our lives. It’s fair to suggest that any reduction in carbon emissions will result in some element of short-term pain and therefore not be popular – but the question mark should be over how much pain our largest employer (small business) can take.
The RBA has already indicated that interest rates will most likely remain flat, indicating we’re suffering tighter economic conditions than previously expected as we lead into the second half of the year, however none of this is likely to provide much assistance to home buyers.
Our worm’s-eye view is hardly going to present us with the answers we require, however we’ve had flat interest rates since December 2010, continued low rates of unemployment, strong growth in the wage sector, and the effects of the commodities boom will soon be felt. Although we’re not looking at sharp price rises any time soon, and caution will prevail, rising rents and population increases in the inner- and middle-ring suburbs of our most populous cities will keep the property wheel turning – and over the long term, prices rising.
We’re already starting to see small upswings in the property market as the shift between supply and demand gradually moves in favour of the seller. With education and guidance it’s possible to purchase well in any market, however it’s always preferable to enter in while negotiation is taking place behind closed doors, rather than in the public arena of “deepest pockets wins”.
There will be some interesting times ahead.
Catherine Cashmore is a senior property adviser and buyer advocate for <a href="https://www.jpp.com.au" title="JPP" target="_blank" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: underline; color: #6888b1;">JPP Buyer Advocates</a> – the largest dedicated buyer advocacy in Melbourne. With extensive experience in all matters regarding real estate, JPP successfully purchases and negotiate more than $100 million worth of property each year for clients.
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catherinecashmore-6LXia3pPQj

Now is the spring of our discontent

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More than half of Australia’s million-dollar suburbs are located within NSW, despite the softening of the market in recent times.
There are a total of 81 million-dollar suburbs in New South Wales, with a further 40 knocking on the door of this now not-so-exclusive club, according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales.
“NSW is the jewel in the Australian crown when it comes to million-dollar suburbs,” REINSW chief executive Tim McKibbin says.
There were 34 suburbs in New South Wales with a median house price of $1 million plus in 2006, which reflects a sharp 138% increase.
“Not only has the number of million-dollar suburbs increased, so too have the number of properties attracting million plus price tags,” McKibbin says.
“In the first quarter of 2006, a total of 1,525, million-dollar sales were recorded, while in 2011 this has grown by 52% to 2,322.”
At $4.35 million, Vaucluse’s median house price made the suburb most expensive in the country in March 2011.
Top 10 most expensive suburbs
<table width="312" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
Rank
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
March 2011 Median 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
1
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Vaucluse
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$4,350,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
2
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Bellevue Hill
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$3,650,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
3
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Dover Heights
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$3,010,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
4
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Church Point
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,725,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
5
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Clovelly
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,300,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
6
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Mosman
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,250,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
7
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Bayview
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$2,060,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
8
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Northbridge
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$1,997,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
9
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
East Lindfield
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$1,965,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="83">
10
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="115">
Haberfield
</td>
<td valign="bottom" width="114">
$1,935,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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More suburbs join the million-dollar club in NSW

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Did you know that more than 400,000 jobs were created in Australia last year?  Did you know that this is more than in the US (with its huge population) for the same period?
Did you know that Australia has had 20 years of positive growth?  And did you know that no other country has been able to do that?
Did you also know that Australia has 4.9% unemployment rate (in a world where 5% is considered full employment)?
In the second half of this year, Queensland will be in a far different and position than it has been recently.  Insurance monies from the January disasters (floods and cyclone) are coming through, monies from government infrastructure begins to flow as well as the welcomed flow-on effect from the Queensland mines once again being fully operational after the destruction of the floods.
There’s no doubt that mining (and mining services) are the driving factor of our economy right now.  Macquarie Bank is now reporting that companies are expanding their staff again.  I often read things about the “two-speed” economy, where those in mining are laughing while the rest of us aren’t, or we are experiencing a “patchwork” economy.  I looked into the past and found that this isn’t uncommon at all – even this decade some states have been on fire while others have been in the slow lane.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has predicted growth next year of greater than 4%. The Australian dollar is high. Australians are now saving 12.7% of their income (the highest since the 1970s).  This has meant that the RBA has not yet needed another interest rate hike – in fact it has probably stalled it for some months.  In the low-interest rate world of the PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain) their policies are restricted: interest rates have bottomed and if something happens, they can’t lower rates any further and the cost of borrowing will be high. If we have another “shock” out of Europe, our government is unlikely to find the money for another spend like it did when it handed out spending dollars – but it can reduce rates.  This is something that other countries are not able to do.
Because the money hasn’t been flowing (but will again shortly) confidence was hit, probably compounded with the carbon tax scare (although I grudgingly admit that Australia is positioning itself for the time when the world adopts and trades carbon credits) and the hint of an interest rate hike hasn’t helped.   However, with the money soon to be flowing again, confidence will return quickly and we will once again see the kinds of cycles of the past.
China has $1.3 trillion to spend. Chinese are now consumer oriented. India doesn’t want to be left behind (its economy was stronger than China’s only last decade) and is now spending on infrastructure.  Resource and energy companies are spending big on investments here in Australia that will last for at least 30 years.   Australia will reap the benefits as it enjoys a huge resource boom.  Queensland and WA are the lucky states for sure, but WA wasn’t beaten up by the floods and cyclone that we Queenslanders experienced earlier this year which delayed the benefits and stalled us for probably 6-8 months. The time is getting close. Banks are now talking of adopting “confident” rather than “cautious” approaches. When the commodity cycle kicks, once again the Queensland population will increase and all our property markets will improve but particularly the Sunshine Coast (which can service fly-in/fly-out for miners) will benefit and where prices took a large drop. Australia is very lucky compared to the rest of the world.  It’s a time when the strong get stronger and the weak get weaker.  There’s a saying that “fortune favours the brave”.
The property clock looks a bit like this:
<img src="/images/stories/clock-generic6oclock.jpg">
Where are we exactly?  It is just about to turn six o’clock. And while investing now takes a bit of confidence, it just makes logical, economic sense to me. Perhaps it does to you too.
Jennifer Carr is director and co-principal of<a href="https://www.rwnoosa.com.au/" title="Richardson &amp; Wrench Noosa" target="_blank"> Richardson &amp; Wrench Noosa</a>.
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jennifercarr-yxgetrjHei

Ignoring the naysayers could be the wisest purchasing move

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Unit holders are expected to vote against a management takeover of the Charter Hall A-REIT when they gather on Wednesday (July 27) in Sydney.
The vote will be held at 10am at the Grand Ballroom of Sheraton on the Park on Elizabeth Street, Sydney.
Hedge fund Orange Capital is proposing a resolution that Moss Capital Funds replace the existing Charter Hall Office management team as the responsible entity of listed trust.
Orange leads a consortium of hedge funds that collectively hold 20% of shares in the A-REIT.
Charter Hall has already written to its unit holders urging them to vote against the resolution.
It rejects an assertion by Orange Capital that the board of Charter Hall Office management has an inherent conflict of interest and is incentivised to favour the interests of Charter Hall and not make decisions that are in the best interests of unit holders.
The hedge funds are seeking a management takeover so they can sell off the assets held by the fund and cash in on their investment.
In a letter to unit holders, Roger Davis, chairman of Charter Hall Office REIT, says the current management strategy is to “drive earnings growth and reduce the discount between the trusts stated net tangible asset backing and the trading price of its units”.
A vote against the resolution is unlikely to deter the hedge funds, with the AFR reporting that they may shop out their 20% stake to a hostile investor.
Orange Capital has been calling for a management change since the start of the year.
Over this time shares in the REIT have been trading strongly and have risen from around $2.90 in January to around $3.40 currently, though still at a substantial discount to its net tangible asset backing of $3.93 per share.
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