Melbourne developer Spacious Group has completed Voyage Altona, one of the closest new apartment developments to Altona Beach.

Off the plan purchasers have started moving into the 49-apartment project on Pier Street, with the remaining move-in-ready one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting from just over $500,000.

Display apartments have now been fitted out, allowing prospective buyers to inspect the completed residences by appointment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=372638]

The completed apartments feature open-plan living and dining areas which extend onto private balconies and terraces, while full-height glazing maximises natural light throughout the interiors.&nbsp;

Hybrid timber-look flooring, stone benchtops, Miele appliances, porcelain-tiled bathrooms and generous storage feature throughout the building which also features landscaped communal areas, expansive shared terraces, lift access and secure on-grade parking.

Drawing inspiration from its bayside setting, Voyage adopts a restrained palette of warm neutral tones and textured finishes. Many of the apartments take advantage of views across Port Phillip Bay, while the indoor-outdoor living spaces have been designed to make the most of the coastal outlook.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=3286]

Voyage was developed to address what Spacious Group identified as an undersupply of higher-quality apartment product in Altona, with a focus on owner-occupiers looking to remain within the bayside community.

"Voyage responds to very strong local buyer demand for quality, owner-occupier-focused product," says Barry Plant Projects Director Jarrod Farey, who has handled sales since the project's launch.

"The project delivers an elevated lifestyle proposition, with its design and quality of finish far exceeding anything previously produced in the area, as well as its proximity to Pier Street Village and the beach."

The majority of purchasers have been local downsizers and owner-occupiers looking to stay within the Altona community but who previously had limited opportunities to buy a brand-new apartment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112195]

Joel Robinson

Spacious Group completes Voyage Altona in Altona's beachside precinct

Homecorp has secured approval for a $360 million apartment development at Budds Beach, paving the way for one of the Gold Coast's most amenity-rich residential projects to launch later this year.

Gold Coast City Council has approved Lýon Residences, a 32-level tower that will deliver 178 two and three-bedroom apartments across a prominent corner site at 8-10 Acacia Avenue and 25-27 Oak Avenue.

The approval comes as developers continue to invest in premium lifestyle-driven apartment projects on the Gold Coast, where owner occupiers are increasingly prioritising amenity as much as apartment size and location.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/l-on-residences-25-27-oak-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Lýon Residences</a> has been designed around a resort-style wellness offering, headlined by a Moroccan-inspired spa precinct featuring treatment rooms, a Nordic sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a soaking pool and a residents-only juice bar.

The rooftop will include a heated infinity pool and spa, residents' lounge with private kitchen and bar, gymnasium, yoga and Pilates studio, outdoor entertaining areas and barbecue facilities overlooking the Surfers Paradise skyline.

<img alt="Lyon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d3e29af-8793-486e-a684-52cef862241f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-15%20at%204.32.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ayG2zpLf3SS6Zy8XmKDcQods4kVWb0gm" />

Homecorp Founder and CEO Ron Bakir said Budds Beach provided the ideal location for the company's latest luxury apartment project.

"Budds Beach represents one of the most unique and sought-after pockets of the Gold Coast, and Lýon Residences has been designed to reflect that sense of rarity and refinement," Bakir said.

The project arrives as wellness continues to become a defining feature of new residential developments both in Australia and internationally.

The latest Global Wellness Institute figures show wellness real estate remains the fastest-growing segment of the global wellness economy and is forecast to exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030. Australia continues to rank among the world's 15 largest wellness real estate markets, with developers increasingly integrating health, recreation and community facilities into apartment projects.

Queensland is also experiencing strong population growth, with the Gold Coast continuing to outperform many other Australian cities as demand for new housing remains elevated ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bakir said the project had been designed to respond to that shift in buyer expectations.

"Strong population growth and sustained demand across the Gold Coast continue to highlight the need for well-designed new housing supply. Lýon Residences responds directly to this demand while setting a new benchmark for residential living," he said.

Each apartment has been designed to maximise views across the coastline, the Nerang River and the Gold Coast hinterland.

Located just minutes from Surfers Paradise beach and the Broadwater, the development also offers easy access to the light rail network, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.

Early site works are underway, with construction expected to commence later this year.

Homecorp approved for Budds Beach apartment tower, Lýon Residences

New apartment developments with uninterrupted, north-facing views over Perth's Swan River are exceptionally rare.

Recognising just how limited those opportunities are, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/edge-visionary-living">Edge Visionary Living</a>, one of Perth's most respected builder-developers, targeted <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/applecross-wa-6153">Applecross</a>, assembling an unrepeatable 6,342 sqm riverfront site on the corner of Moreau Mews and Canning Beach Road to create one of Perth's only new north-facing apartment developments directly overlooking the Swan River.

Today, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/riviere-residences-applecross-59-canning-beach-road-applecross-wa-6153">Rivière Residences</a> offers buyers a unique opportunity to choose between completed residences ready to move into now and off-the-plan homes in the final stage, Rivière West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3823]

Across the completed East and Central buildings, residents are already enjoying the development's luxury amenity, while two of the precinct's hospitality venues are now open.

The completed component of the development gives buyers the advantage of experiencing the finished product firsthand, including its uninterrupted river views, while still having the opportunity to secure a residence in the final stage.

"People are wowed by the view and the quality of the apartments,"&nbsp;Edge Visionary Living Sales Executive, Holly McSweeney, says.

"They're looking for the convenience of lock-and-leave living, but they're not looking to downsize on quality."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3826]

The rarity of the development hasn't been lost on prospective buyers, McSweeney says.

For McSweeney, it all comes back to a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate.

"Location, location, location," she says. "We are nestled right on the front of the Swan River. You can never get built out, so wherever you are in Rivière Residences, you've got views of the river forever."

The unique waterfront position has resonated particularly strongly with local downsizers. McSweeney says many buyers are long-time Applecross residents looking to transition from large family homes into a luxury apartment without sacrificing space, quality or the lifestyle they've enjoyed for decades.

<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/N_FowNW0wu8?si=vb25XFq1wZ-iufAW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

A major focus for Edge in recent years has been resident amenity. Across its apartment portfolio, from beachfront developments in Scarborough to luxury towers in South Perth, the developer has increasingly invested in the spaces beyond the apartment itself.

The strategy has largely been shaped by downsizer demand. Many buyers are moving from large family homes with swimming pools and established gardens. While they're looking to leave the maintenance behind, they don't want to compromise on lifestyle.

At Rivière, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hillam-architects">Hillam Architects</a> designed the resident facilities as an extension of each apartment. A 25-metre heated swimming pool takes advantage of the north-facing river outlook, complemented by a large gym, sauna and steam rooms, private dining spaces, residents' lounges, a cinema, games room, and dedicated wine and whisky rooms.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=372542]

The waterfront location has also proved to be a major drawcard. Residents are within walking distance of the Raffles Hotel, South of Perth Yacht Club, the Heathcote Cultural Precinct and the cafés, restaurants and boutiques along Ardross Street.

Beyond the location and amenity, McSweeney says many buyers take confidence from Edge's fully integrated development model.

Having delivered apartments across Perth for decades, Edge now designs, develops and constructs its projects in-house, giving the company greater control over quality, delivery and the finished product.

"What I love is when people walk through their apartment for the first time and say, 'This is better than what we imagined,'" McSweeney says. "We hear that all the time."

Completed apartments in the East and Central buildings are now available to inspect by appointment, while Rivière West, the final stage of the precinct, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=28384]

North-facing Swan River views drive demand at Rivière Residences in Applecross

Nearly 60 per cent of apartments at McNab Group's $220 million The Tannery development in Brisbane's West End have sold ahead of the project's public launch, including a suburb-record $2.57 million sale for a two-bedroom apartment.

The early sales campaign has secured buyers for 50 of the project's 87 apartments, highlighting continued demand for larger owner-occupier apartments that combine generous floorplans with premium lifestyle amenities in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374768]

McNab Group Executive Chairman Michael McNab said selling more than half the project before launch reflected changing buyer expectations.

"Selling more than half the project before public sales open tells us buyers are actively seeking apartments that offer something genuinely different," McNab said.

"Today's buyers are looking beyond four walls. They want homes that genuinely enhance the way they live, with spaces that support health, connection and everyday wellbeing."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374767]

A key point of difference for the project is the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed Dixon's Tannery building, which will become The Retreat, a residents-only wellness precinct rather than being redeveloped into additional apartments.

The Retreat will feature a sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a commercial-grade gym, Pilates studio, cinema, library, co-working spaces and private dining room. Rooftop amenities will include a swimming pool, landscaped gardens, outdoor entertaining areas and dog-friendly spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374760]

Designed by Cottee Parker Architects with interiors by Tom Mark Henry and landscape architecture by Aspect Studios, The Tannery comprises 87 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 11 levels overlooking the Brisbane River.

Cottee Parker principal Dee Passenger said preserving the original tannery building had been central to the project's design.

"The easy option would have been to maximise the site's development potential with additional apartments. Instead, McNab has chosen to preserve the original tannery as a shared wellness retreat, ensuring this important piece of Brisbane's history remains at the heart of the community."

Passenger said sustainability also played a key role in the design, with materials from the original industrial site salvaged and repurposed throughout the development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374761]

Motiv CEO Carly Cottam said buyers had responded strongly to the combination of larger apartments, wellness facilities and the West End lifestyle.

"We are seeing more buyers looking for homes in the sky that provide the space and functionality of a traditional home, while benefiting from the convenience and lifestyle that apartment living brings," Cottam said.

She said purchasers included both owner occupiers and investors, with demand coming from local buyers as well as interstate purchasers.

Coinciding with the public launch, McNab also announced a partnership with Queensland Ballet, whose neighbouring Thomas Dixon Centre shares historical ties with the original Dixon family.

Located on a 4,465 sqm site at 439 Montague Road, The Tannery overlooks the Brisbane River and is around 10 minutes from the CBD.

Construction is underway, with completion expected in the second half of 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143337]

More than half of residences sold before public sales as McNab announces significant partnership with Queensland Ballet

McNab's The Tannery nears 60 per cent sold before public release, sets two-bedroom West End record

Iwan Sunito's vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Sydney's Inner West has taken a major step forward, with approval granted for the $1.9 billion Five Dock development first unveiled earlier this year.

The approved scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/one-global-capital">One Global Capital</a> will deliver an 80,500 sqm mixed-use precinct comprising 840 apartments, integrated hotel accommodation, commercial and retail space, alongside publicly accessible open space designed to create a new destination for the growing suburb.

"This is a significant milestone for One Global Capital and for the future of housing delivery in Sydney," Sunito said.

"The Housing Delivery Authority was established to identify major housing projects capable of delivering meaningful supply more efficiently, and we are delighted that Spencer Street has been recognised as one of those projects.”

He said the declaration reflected the rapid progress achieved since acquiring control of the site.

"In less than seven months we have progressed from taking control of the site to securing entry into one of the NSW Government's most important planning pathways. It reflects the experience of our team, the strength of our consultant group led by Urbis, and our long-term commitment to delivering transformational projects that contribute to Sydney's future."

When the project was revealed earlier this year, Sunito described the opportunity as one of the strongest development sites he had worked on.

"I probably hadn't appreciated the uniqueness of the site until more recently when putting together the concept plans," Sunito said.

"The proximity to the water, and the golf course opposite, is unlike any other part of Parramatta Road. We have a unique position and view corridors over the water that makes this one of the best sites I've worked on."

The development has evolved since its initial announcement, with the approved plans increasing the residential component from the originally proposed 750 apartments to 840 homes while retaining the project's focus on creating an integrated neighbourhood rather than a standalone residential development.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/a-city-within-a-city-iwan-sunito-flags-1-5-billion-mixed-use-precinct-in-five-dock">"A city within a city": Iwan Sunito flags $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct in Five Dock</a>

The precinct will combine apartments with hotel accommodation, commercial workplaces, retail offerings and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment intended to serve both residents and the broader Five Dock community. The proposal also continues the collaboration between One Global Capital and internationally recognised architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada</a>, whose previous work with Sunito includes Infinity, Arc and Skye North Sydney.

Takada previously said the design was driven by a philosophy of integrating nature into the built environment.

"The concept for this development is born from our design approach to naturalising architecture," Takada said.

"The public realm benefits from biophilic design that integrates generous landscaping, and the development is optimised for natural daylight, airflow and water views to foster wellbeing, sustainability and spaces that foster community interaction."

Sunito has consistently described the project as a "city within a city", with a strong emphasis on creating a destination that extends beyond housing.

"We want to create a development that's not only to be seen, but to be experienced by the whole local community," he said.

The approval comes as Five Dock continues its transformation ahead of the opening of the Sydney Metro West line, with the new Five Dock station set to significantly improve connections between the Inner West, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.&nbsp;

The precinct will also benefit from its proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor, nearby waterfront parklands and established retail and dining offerings that have made Five Dock one of Sydney's most tightly held Inner West suburbs.

Iwan Sunito secures approval for $1.9 billion Five Dock mixed-use precinct

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

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

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

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

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

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

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

Staff Writer

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

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

alisonwarters@gmail.com

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

When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.

Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.

It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C32BWkB5--c" title="YouTube video player" width="660"></iframe>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

In some circumstances, you may get an exemption. For some states, you won’t have to pay for stamp duty if you are a first home buyer or a pensioner for houses under a particular price. There are also stamp duty concessions, where you may be entitled to a discount.

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

Each state has different rules which affect how much you need to pay. These rules can affect the rate you pay, and the timeframe you will need to pay in. Before you buy land or a property, make sure you check the up-to-date information for your state’s stamp duty.

You can use a free stamp duty calculator online to see approximately how much you’ll need to pay. Find out if you’re eligible for an exemption by enquiring on a project via Urban!

Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1">How much your land/property is worth</li>
	<li aria-level="1">Where your land/property is located</li>
	<li aria-level="1">What type of land/property it is</li>
</ul>

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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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EXPERT OBSERVER
The immediate impact of the coronavirus shutdown is striking in its magnitude, its speed and its concentration on a small set of industries.
My attempt to identify where the virus and the shutdown will have the biggest effect suggests that in February 2020 about 2.7 million workers were employed in the most exposed industries.
And while it won’t be possible to know for sure until April 16 when we get data from the Bureau of Statistics on the labour force in March, I believe it’s reasonable to think the jobs of about 900,000 are already under threat.
Which jobs are most at risk?
In the table below I list those whom I think are most at risk.
For one group of about 1.4 million workers – primarily in industries involving eating out, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and air travel – the loss of work is the inevitable result of government shutdowns.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/323200/original/file-20200326-133027-18tpnci.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/323200/original/file-20200326-133027-18tpnci.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> February 2020, <a class="source" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6291.0.55.003" target="_blank">ABS 6291.0.55.003</a>
Another group, comprising about 900 thousand workers, are in retail trades (non-food) and personal services, where the effect on jobs is coming from consumers cutting spending apart from on essential items.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/323198/original/file-20200326-133027-bfmy9v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/323198/original/file-20200326-133027-bfmy9v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> February 2020, <a class="source" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6291.0.55.003" target="_blank">ABS 6291.0.55.003</a>
Workers in both at-risk groups are predominantly young. More than half are under 35 years of age. Six out of seven are employees. About one in every seven is an owner/manager or works in a family business.
A slightly higher proportion are female than male. They are evenly split between full-time and part-time.
Some industries will grow
Some industries are seeing rapid increases in demand due to the coronavirus. They include the retail grocery trade and associated logistic services, and the supply of office essentials needed to work at home.
In a relatively short period there is also likely to be an increase in demand from the health care and health services industries.
Other areas where increased demand seems likely are the home delivery of goods bought online, cleaning services and services usually undertaken by volunteers and government agencies who are occupied dealing with COVID-19.
The total workforce will shrink
So far there has been little impact of the supply of workers, but it will happen.
It is beginning to occur as schools and childcare centres close and workers withdraw in order to care for their children, and it is accentuated by parents not wanting to risk outsourcing the task to grandparents.
In the coming weeks, there will be further hits to labour supply as illness from COVID-19 causes workers to need to take leave and other workers withdraw to provide care for family members who become ill.
It is difficult to be precise about the magnitude of withdrawal from the labour market, but it is potentially large.
To start with, most of the impact is likely to come from withdrawal for caring or to avoid illness.
As an indication of the potential scale of withdrawal, in 2019 there were <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6333.0" target="_blank">1.21 million</a> families with children aged from 0-9 years in which either a sole parent or both parents were in paid work.
In 2016 there were <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/2016" target="_blank">634,500</a> people aged 65 to 84 doing voluntary work.
Workers becoming ill might also have a substantial impact on labour supply.
Under a (hopefully pessimistic) scenario that COVID-19 continues its current rate of growth over the next three weeks, with those infected in the previous two weeks then unable to work, this would be about 67,500 persons out of work due to illness.
COVID-19 has already had a dramatic effect on employment – that much is evident from news images of queues at Centrelink.
Further impacts are almost certain in coming weeks.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/323194/original/file-20200326-133016-13rn33f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/323194/original/file-20200326-133016-13rn33f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> February 2020, <a class="source" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6291.0.55.003" target="_blank">ABS 6291.0.55.003</a>
The scale and speed of what’s happening is creating the most serious labour market policy challenge of the post-war era.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/134680/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeff-borland-1079" target="_blank">Jeff Borland</a>, Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">University of Melbourne</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-jobs-are-most-at-risk-from-the-coronavirus-shutdown-134680" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Which jobs are most at risk from the coronavirus shutdown?  Jeff Borland

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A Mexican/ vegan restaurant has taken a new lease on Lygon Street, Brunswick East in a deal brokered by Teska Carson’s Reece Israel.
The Shop 1, 457-459 Lygon Street property comprises a 127 sqm former restaurant/bar/cafe premises with parking for one car via rear access and a wide street frontage.
The property was let on two year term with a two year option at $30,000 per annum net plus GST. 
Mr Israel said the modern premises was ideal for the tenant’s proposed use given its food and dining related fit-out and its location within a renowned dining and entertainment precinct. 
"The property provides a brilliant location for a food and/or beverage related business in Melbourne’s popular inner north including great street exposure and fantastic access to public transport facilities.
"It really did present as an ideal opportunity for a restaurateur in a precinct with such a well-established dining reputation,’’ Mr Israel said.
The lessor is a Melbourne based investor. 
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Mexican/vegan restaurant moves into Lygon Street 

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EXPERT OBSERVER
While Victoria and NSW have been hardest hit by the health crisis, Queensland’s job market has fared worst.
The Sunshine State’s unemployment rate was the highest in Australia at 8.8 per cent in July – a 19-year high. And 144,500 jobs were lost between February and July as international and state border closures impacted tourism. 
Of the 20 regions with the highest unemployment rates in the land, Queensland had the highest representation with nine in July. Leading the way was Wide Bay, where the jobless rate rose by 8.2 percentage points - the second most in the nation - to 17 per cent. Next was the Queensland Outback (10.9 per cent), followed by Brisbane’s Moreton Bay South (10.5 per cent), Ipswich (10.1 per cent) and the Sunshine Coast (9.8 per cent). 
But Western Australia also featured prominently. Apart from Mandurah’s nation-topping 18 per cent jobless rate, Perth’s North-West lost the most jobs (-30,200) between February and July. And Western Australia’s unemployment rate of 8.3 per cent is the second highest in Australia - now at 20-year highs. 
Since the economy re-opened from the first virus lockdown in May, most jobs have been added or reinstated in Sydney’s Parramatta (+20,600) and Ryde (+14,600) with the NSW Central Coast (+14,400) the third best performing region. But the data excludes the impact of Victoria’s level four restrictions, which will feature prominently in the August update.
What are the implications for investors? 
After the historic plunge in Aussie jobs due to first virus lockdown in April, the labour market is showing tentative signs of improvement as restrictions are eased and the economy (outside of Victoria) is gradually reopened. 
The July labour force report surprised on the upside, beating economist expectations of an addition of 30,000 jobs. In fact, employment rose in the month by 114,700. 
But the nascent recovery in the job market is incredibly uneven. While Victoria is likely to lose the most jobs because of lockdown 2.0, Queensland and Western Australia - which have both enjoyed more success at containing and suppressing the virus - aren’t faring much better. Queensland is highly dependent on interstate and international tourism. And Western Australia continues to be captive to the fortunes of mining. 
That said, with iron ore prices straddling 6½-year highs on the back of the Chinese industrial-led recovery, the Western Australian economy is well positioned to recover first from the COVID-19 recession. Already 19,100 jobs were added or reinstated in July with skilled job vacancies up by 11.3 per cent. 
NSW is managing to keep Sydney’s virus flare ups at bay for now. NSW - which has lost 134,300 jobs since February - added 56,800 jobs in July. Jobs are returning in Parramatta, Ryde and the nearby NSW Central Coast. But unemployment is high in NSW tourism and retiree ‘lifestyle’ regions, such as Coffs Harbour-Grafton (11.6 per cent) and Newcastle &amp; Lake Macquarie (9.7 per cent). Policymakers certainly have a delicate balancing act addressing disparities in joblessness nationally. 
China’s industrial recovery continues with the country on track to rebound quickest of all major economies from the virus economic contraction. While stimulus is feeding through to construction, manufacturing and infrastructure activity, policymakers remain wary given high debt levels. China’s Loan Prime Rates have been stable - keeping mortgage and corporate lending rates anchored at low levels - but the State Council has said that it will cut rates again to support still-weak domestic demand, if necessary.
Ryan Felsman is a Senior Economist at CommSec
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Double-digit regional unemployment rates: CommSec's Ryan Felsman

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<div class="WordSection1">
The Makris Group is set to divest two Adelaide retail assets, including Rundle Mall’s City Cross Shopping Centre and office complex fronting Grenfell Street.
The offering will also include the North Adelaide Village neighbourhood shopping complex and an adjoining site at 85-87 O’Connell Street.
CBRE’s Simon Rooney and James Douglas have been appointed to steer the sale campaign on behalf of the Makris Group, South Australia’s largest privately-owned retail property group. 
The the Makris Group has a large, diversified portfolio across retail, commercial and maritime sectors.
Mr Rooney said the properties, which will be offered for sale individually or in-one-line, were expected to generate significant interest. 
“Investors will be attracted to the location of City Cross within Adelaide’s tightly held CBD, and the affluent locale of North Adelaide Village,” Mr Rooney added. 
The City Cross Shopping Centre (pictured above) and office complex is the largest of the two offerings, providing a gross lettable area of 10,512sqm.
The centre offers extensive frontages to Rundle Mall – the retail heart of the Adelaide CBD and Grenfell Street, the city’s core commercial address for corporate and Government tenants.
The thriving CBD centre includes anchor tenants Harvey Norman, Rebel Sport and Australia Post, alongside 57 specialty tenancies, including a highly productive food offering.
Mr Rooney noted that City Cross provided the opportunity to acquire a major retail CBD holding, with multiple mixed-use development opportunities. 
The existing centre services an expansive metropolitan trade area population of over one million, a worker population of 117,600 and a visitor market of over eight million per annum.
The trade area retail expenditure pool is $15.1 billion, including $7.9 billion in the primary trade area. 
Rounding out the portfolio is the thriving North Adelaide Village Shopping Centre and the adjoining 85-87 O’Connell Street. 
Situated just 3km from the CBD, North Adelaide Village is in one of Adelaide’s most affluent catchments, in close vicinity to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval and revitalised Riverbank Precinct. 
The main trade area population of 32,370 is projected to increase to 41,320 persons by 2036, reflecting average annual growth of 1.4% per annum. 
The centre benefits from a diverse tenancy mix and a focus on convenience, lifestyle, service and fresh food. It is anchored by a strong performing Romeo’s Foodland on a long-term lease until 2033 with a further 25-year option, alongside a Goodlife Gym, 34 specialty tenancies and four office tenancies.
The corner site offers future mixed-use development potential of up to six-storeys – subject to the relevant council planning approvals.
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South Australian billionaire Con Makris to sell high profile retail portfolio

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Norwest master developer Mulpha has secured two major tenancies by leading specialist medical innovators for its landmark timber building The Bond at Norwest, Sydney. 
Mulpha has secured commitments for over 30 per cent of the building ahead of construction commencing later this year. 
Genesis Oncology has taken 1050 sqm of space to set up a world class cancer treatment centre in the Hills District, and Dr Antony Lighten has taken 735 sqm of space for his IVF Clinic and reproductive surgery. Space has also been taken up by orthodontic, obstetrics and gynaecology practices.
Mulpha Developments Executive General Manager, Tim Spencer said:  
“We are thrilled that such leading-edge medical innovators have shown strong commitment to Norwest as it transforms into a major residential, commercial and retail hub in Sydney’s economic growth corridor along the Metro Norwest. 
“Both companies are a natural fit for The Bond, given its focus on wellness, sustainability and innovation, and proximity to the Norwest Private Hospital. These are exactly the calibre of tenants we are attracting– knowledge and innovation companies that themselves want to attract and inspire the best staff and offer an appealing environment for clients.
“We are seeing strong interest from the medical sector, which is expecting demand to remain highly resilient in the face of COVID-19 and will always require quality workspaces for administration, treatment and consultation.”
GenesisCare Chief Executive Officer, Dan Collins, said: “We are proud to be designing a world class cancer treatment centre here at The Bond so that patients in the Hills District and Western Sydney can access high quality oncology care close to home.
“The Hills district in North West Sydney is one of the fastest growing regions in NSW, so it’s important to invest in the right healthcare infrastructure to meet local community needs for today and the future. 
“The team at Mulpha Norwest share our commitment to developing sustainable healthcare solutions to meet the demands of Australia’s ageing population and addressing infrastructure gaps in areas of need. 
“We were immediately drawn to The Bond’s innovative and sustainable design and its proximity to Norwest Private Hospital which means cancer patients will be able to access comprehensive cancer care, including surgery, medical oncology and now radiation therapy, close by.” 
Dr Antony Lighten, a fertility specialist and IVF and reproductive surgeon who has a five-month waiting list for new clients, said he was drawn to The Bond because of the beauty in the wood, the glass design and green credentials, all contributing to a health and wellness environment.
“The Bond is going to be a landmark building in Bella Vista. I think it will be a beautiful, relaxing space for the Day Surgery and IVF Clinic. I have been waiting specifically for this building to start construction because of its uniqueness.
“Although I was affected by the NSW government enforced cessation of all elective surgery and IVF procedures due to Covid, we are now seeing good numbers of patients returning. There does not seem to be any significant effect on patient numbers moving forward.” 
The Bond, located on the corners of Elizabeth Macarthur Drive and Norbrik Drive, will be a landmark timber building at the gateway of Norwest’s commercial precinct, adjacent to the heritage-listed Bella Vista Farm and connected by on-demand shuttle buses to the Metro stations at Norwest and Bella Vista.
The Bond will comprise a ground floor retail lobby environment, six floors of commercial office building, childcare facility for 110 children, end-of-trip facilities, basement car carparking, short-term visitor parking and service vehicle and loading facilities. 
The building’s innovative design will offer flexible campus style floor plates, allowing for a range of workspaces to cater for all needs, including open plan working spaces and private offices.
The Bond has been designed using cross-laminated timber technology for the 1600 sqm floorplates, walls and stairs, as well as laminated timber columns and beams for the structural frame. 
In addition to offering design flexibility and unique aesthetics, this new-age timber technology has great strength and efficiency, and the potential to be carbon-neutral over its lifecycle.
Mulpha is an award-winning property developer with 25 years of experience across all property sectors from commercial, industrial, retail and residential, including land, homes, townhouses and apartments.
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Mulpha attracts medical innovators to The Bond, Norwest

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A commercial investment that is currently leased to Westpac in Rocklea has hit the market.    The property at <a href="https://ecomms.raywhite.com/collect/click.aspx?u=S2pTTTU1QjIzSWpRbHVsNm5QcVByejF0QkNqalVNd1pzbms3WXMwMmxHMTNUYWpDZ21uam4xL2ZKcmtWRkNHMXJDckpiTkttakRIbGxOMmRKdCtCVnpBSGJsdnBHaUpCWk0zdmVzV2FrQmhkT2MycXkxSHErK0pJeGR5OTRlWEFGRXlwNmNqM1YxTnZSdWZTR2ZPb01NdFlBeGNmRWl6TXo5UzJ3ZWE4SDNmTTJGamlZY3VYbnc9PQ==&amp;rh=ff0066ac5b7152f7c4bed30fc6449da68e160705" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">6/1311 Ipswich Road</a> comes with 546sq m* of building area.
It is leased until 2021 with ASX-listed Westpac, before Organicann PTY LTD takes over until 2026, with two five-year options after.   The property is being marketed by the award-winning Ray White Commercial Gold Coast team of Jared Johnson and Lachlan Marshall.   “The property is an investor’s dream – not only is it currently leased to an ASX-listed client – but it also comes with a brand-new lease lined up from 2021 onwards,” Mr Johnson said.
“The new lease, which runs to 2026 and has two five-year options, will provide $175,000 p.a. plus GST and all outgoings and also comes with a personal guarantee and a six-month bond.”   “It’s 10km* south of Brisbane CBD and takes advantage of exposure to high volumes of vehicle traffic along Ipswich Road and surrounding national and international retailers,” Mr Marshall said.   The property includes 17 exclusive-use car parks, annual increases, full building signage rights, modern-high quality premises, and a server room. The auction will take place on August 20 at Gold Coast Turf Club. 
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Rocklea Westpac investment hits the market 

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The Perth rental market’s vacancy rate has dropped to 1.6 per cent, which is the lowest it has been since March 2008.
REIWA President Damian Collins said a vacancy rate around three per cent is generally considered to create a good balance between supply and demand.
“The vacancy rate has remained below three per cent for 21 consecutive months, which has ensured rents generally started to stabilise after the post mining boom downturn,” Mr Collins said.
“However, with it now sitting below two per cent, we are starting to see the impacts of limited stock, and it is only a matter of time before rents rise. In some areas, agents are reporting rents are already on the move up.
“We are also seeing vacancy rates decline in the regions, with some areas experiencing a vacancy rate lower than Perth, such as Albany and Kalgoorlie which are now at 0.9 per cent.”
In July, there were 3,553 properties for rent on reiwa.com, which is 50 per cent less than what was available in July 2019 and it is creating competition amongst prospective tenants.
“There are a number of factors that may have contributed to lowering the vacancy rate, such as the lack of new supply due to investors staying out of the market, expats returning back to WA, and investors selling their investment properties,” Mr Collins said.
According to reiwa.com data, there were 726,688 searches conducted for rental properties in WA during July demonstrating rental properties are in high demand, with Scarborough the top searched suburb (16,029 searches), followed by South Perth (12,341), Mandurah (11,901), Joondalup (11,792) and Subiaco (11,609).
With the review of the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020 coming up, it’s vital that the government remove all restrictions and limitations for non COVID-19 affected tenants.
“Investors are concerned about returning to the market due to the limitations on their ability to put rents to market and evict tenants who do not pay their rent. While we’d prefer to see the legislation lapse in its entirety, if there is an extension, it must be for the very small number of tenants still affected,” Mr Collins said.
“If we don’t encourage investors back into the market, then the rental shortage will only get worse.”
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Perth's rental vacancy rate drops to 12-year low: REIWA

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There are the Boxing Day sales, and there was this week’s rush of extremely cashed-up investors desperate to get a slice of this week’s rare 31-year government bond auction.
What’s a bond? What’s a bond auction? We’ll get to those shortly.
First, just know that the government received <a href="https://www.aofm.gov.au/program/forthcoming-transactions/pricing-new-june-2051-treasury-bond" target="_blank">A$36.8 billion</a> of bids, <a href="https://www.afr.com/markets/debt-markets/new-30-yr-government-bond-attracts-over-20b-of-bids-20200727-p55frl" target="_blank">$20 billion</a> of them within hours of opening the two-day auction on Monday.
It had been wanting to move <a href="https://www.aofm.gov.au/program/forthcoming-transactions/pricing-new-june-2051-treasury-b" target="_blank">$15 billion</a>, and could have moved that much again.
$15 billion makes it the third biggest bond sale in Australian history. The two bigger were recent – a $19 billion ten-year bond sale in May and a $17 billion five-year bond sale in July.
Each sale nets the government money it won’t have to pay back for five, ten or 31 years at rates of interest that until recently would have been unthinkably low. 
The 31-year bond went for 1.94%. That means the foreign and Australian investors who bought them (including Australian super funds) were prepared to accept less than the usual rate of inflation right through until 2051 in return for regular government-guaranteed interest cheques.
Investors who bought ten year bonds were prepared to accept only 0.92% per year, investors who bought five year bonds, only 0.40%.
<h2>What’s a bond?</h2>
Even bond traders find it hard to get a handle on what bonds are. In his novel <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/306424.Bombardiers" target="_blank">Bombardiers</a>, author Po Bronson writes a scene where a bond trader refuses to work any more and demands to see an actual bond, “any kind of bond”.
He tells his boss he can’t sell bonds “if he’s never seen one”.
Like many things that used to exist physically, they’re now mainly numbers on screens, but it helps to get a picture.
This one is a US 27-year bond from 1945.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350098/original/file-20200729-33-u4eet9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350098/original/file-20200729-33-u4eet9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> <a class="source" href="https://www.theherbstmancollection.com/dedication" target="_blank">The Joe I. Herbstman Memorial Collection</a>
The biggest part of the paper is a promise to repay the US$1000 it cost, in 27 years time.
The smaller rectangles are called coupons, and each year the owner can tear one off and take it in to get 2.5%.
If the owner wants to sell the bond to someone else (and bonds are traded all the time) it’ll be sold with one coupon missing after one year, two coupons missing after two years, and so on.
<h2>When rates fall, prices rise</h2>
The price of a bond will vary with what’s happening to interest rates. If they are falling, an existing bond, offering returns at old rates, will become more expensive and can be sold at a profit. If they go up, an existing bond will become worth less and have to be sold at a loss.
It leads to confusion. When bond rates fall, bond prices rise, and visa versa.
For half a decade now bond rates have been falling. They’ve fallen further during the COVID crisis, making bonds a doubly good investment. They offer superannuation funds and others certainty at a time when everything seems uncertain, and if rates continue to fall they increase in value.
It is an indictment of our times that so many investors want them. The government’s <a href="https://www.aofm.gov.au/" target="_blank">office of financial management</a> is going to need to sell an extra $167 billion over the coming year. The rush to buy suggests it could sell more.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143598/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-martin-682709" target="_blank">Peter Martin</a>, Visiting Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/crawford-school-of-public-policy-australian-national-university-3292" target="_blank">Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-has-just-sold-15-billion-of-31-year-bonds-but-what-actually-is-a-bond-143598" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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The government has just sold $15 billion of 31-year bonds

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Older women have been recognised as the fastest-growing group of homeless people in Australia in recent years.
Yet until now we have not known exactly how many older women are at risk of homelessness. Our research, released today, finds about 240,000 women aged 55 or older and another 165,000 women aged 45-54 are at risk of homelessness.
The startling data from our research give us a much better picture of the scale of the problem. We also quantify the impacts of the various factors that may increase women’s risk of becoming homeless.
Effective policy is grounded in quantifying the nature and complexity of issues. To date, a limited but <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/age-discrimination/publications/older-womens-risk-homelessness-background-paper-2019" target="_blank">growing number</a> of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.aag.asn.au/documents/item/2234" target="_blank">studies</a> have highlighted the experiences of older women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. But few studies quantified the numbers at risk and the factors that increase the risk.
<h2>What puts women at risk? 
</h2>
Older people are generally considered to be at less risk of homelessness because of their <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/home-ownership-and-housing-tenure" target="_blank">higher rates of home ownership</a>. But increasingly <a href="https://cepar.edu.au/resources-videos/research-briefs/housing-ageing-australia-nest-and-nest-egg" target="_blank">unaffordable housing</a> has added to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/home-ownership-now-the-great-divider-of-australian-society-20190919-p52syz" target="_blank">concerns</a> about the circumstances and living situations of older people who do not own homes, have limited wealth and savings and do not have the benefit of living in social housing. These households rely on the private rental market and are at considerable risk of <a href="https://www.anglicare.asn.au/research-advocacy/the-rental-affordability-snapshot/docs/default-source/default-document-library/rental-affordability-snapshot-2020" target="_blank">housing affordability stress</a> and hence homelessness.
To examine risk profiles, we constructed an empirical model of risk of homelessness since the 2007-09 Global Financial Crisis using data from the <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda" target="_blank">Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey</a>. The modelling included people who hold a mortgage or pay rent in private or public housing and are aged 45 or older.
This work found older women are more likely to be at risk of homelessness if they have one or more of the following characteristics:
• have been at risk before
• are not employed full-time
• are an immigrant from a non-English-speaking country
• are in private rental housing
• would have difficulty raising emergency funds
• are Indigenous
• are a lone-person household
• are a lone parent (but little evidence for those never married).
We estimated these profiles using a statistical model to analyse the relationship between homelessness risk and the characteristics of interest. We controlled for other characteristics that are likely to influence the risk of becoming homeless but which were not the focus of the study.
<h2>Risk factors compound each other</h2>
Multiple factors compound the risk of being homeless. While noting sampling limitations (small samples in subgroups of the data and annual volatility), the HILDA data for the post-GFC period suggest:
<ul>
<li>
for women aged 55-64 in a private rental, about 28% are likely to be at risk
</li>
<li>
for women who are also not employed full-time the percentage at risk increases to about 34%
</li>
<li>
for those who are also a lone parent the risk rises to over 65%
</li>
<li>
the risk increases to over 85% if, in addition, they have experienced at least one prior occurrence of being at risk.
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349837/original/file-20200728-23-15z661u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349837/original/file-20200728-23-15z661u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Bar chart shows how a women's risk of homeless increases with each extra risk factor"></a>
Data: HILDA Survey, Author provided
Clearly, a person’s propensity to be at risk of homelessness is cumulative over time.
<h2>Why the numbers at risk will grow</h2>
Our estimates of the numbers of people at risk are accurate to within plus or minus 10%. Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3236.0" target="_blank">population projections</a>, it is clear that, without changes to policy, these numbers are likely to increase due to one important factor. The model shows a lone-person household is a dominant factor in increasing the likely risk of homelessness.
Lone-person households are expected to comprise 24-27% of all households by 2041. This equates to between 3.0 and 3.5 million Australians (of all ages). Female lone-person households are projected to increase by between 27.6% and 58.8% (ABS 2019b).
Australia has made <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-11/flat-wages-soaring-house-prices-australians-lifetime-renting/11898122" target="_blank">little policy progress on housing affordability</a>. We also have a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/306" target="_blank">severe shortage of social housing</a> to meet demand. This points to the need to pursue other avenues to improve the lives of older low-income households.
The Ageing on the Edge Older Persons Homelessness Prevention Project – funded by the <a href="https://www.eqt.com.au/philanthropy/jo-and-jr-wicking-trust" target="_blank">JO and JR Wicking Trust</a> and administered by Housing for the Aged Action Group (<a href="https://www.oldertenants.org.au/haag/about" target="_blank">HAAG</a>) – has worked over the past five years to give voice to these older women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The project works with interested agencies (government and non-government) to identify and promote early intervention and prevention strategies and to lobby for government policy change.
Of course, there is one simple answer to achieving long-term outcomes that allow people the basics of a decent older age: an appropriate affordable home.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142906/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/debbie-faulkner-1137108" target="_blank">Debbie Faulkner</a>, Senior Research Fellow, UniSA Business, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laurence-lester-1139402" target="_blank">Laurence Lester</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119" target="_blank">University of Adelaide</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/400-000-women-over-45-are-at-risk-of-homelessness-in-australia-142906" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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400,000 women over 45 are at risk of homelessness in Australia

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The total vacant space available for occupancy in Melbourne's CBD office market will be nearly 235,000 square metres over the next three years, however only 32,551 square metres is expected to be available in 2020.
That is according to the Melbourne CBD Office Market 2020 and Beyond report from M3 Property.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/8/5/M3%201.png" alt="">
The bulk – more than 91,000 square metres - will hit the market in 2021, and a further 66,350 square metres will become available in 2022.
The report found that while the market has already been hit hard by the Coronavirus, with many tenants delaying new requirements, it is new development space already under construction that will be the key upward driver of vacancy over the next six months.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/8/5/M3%202.png" alt="">
The good news, according to Director Commercial, Gary Longden, is that a potential blowout in backfill space, which may have dramatically amplified the vacancy carnage, now seems likely to have been averted by the extension of the JobKeeper program.
"There seems little doubt that employers would have faced the unenviable task of letting staff go without JobKeeper support and so the decision to prolong the package is pretty much a game changer, you might say, at least in the short term."
"In terms of vacancy it now seems more likely that we will see a much sharper upward trend over the next two years than we will see this year,'' Mr Longden added.
National Director Research, Amita Mehra, said tenants requiring space in the sub 3000 square metre range looked likely to punch above their weight in terms of their impact on the market's fortunes with the cohort responsible for the majority of tenant enquiries that had been put on hold indefinitely.
"This cohort contributed to a little more than 22 per cent of the total area required, but the indecision in that sector of the market may have a more profound short-term impact than those tenants with larger leasing requirements who, of necessity, need to plan much farther ahead"
"We expect requirements for space less than 3000sqm to be on hold for as much as 12-18 months with a potential increase in the probability of tenants exercising options over their existing leases,'' Ms Mehra said.
The report further found that the Business Services employment category - the second largest occupier of office space in the CBD - had the highest percentage of total jobs lost (7292) and that with current workspace space ratios in that sector at 17.36 square metres, the loss may result in 126,570 square metres of sublease or backfill space.
On the other hand the Finance &amp; Insurance sector has been least affected with no jobs lost for the same March 14 to May 2 period.
Mr Longden said trend unemployment rates across employment categories and their impact on a building's tenancy profile may well have a negative result on building values.
Ms Mehra said m3property's analysis of the Coronavirus's potential impact on the Melbourne CBD vacancy rate had raised three forecast scenarios according to potential variations in tenant demand, net absorption and potential backfill space availability.
"With Scenario 1 - based on current economic and employment forecasts - vacancy would first peak at 6.51% by the end of 2021 and reach a second peak by the end of 2024 at 6.90%."
"Under Scenario 2 – based on the long-term average net absorption – we expect vacancy will rise to 6.73% by the end of 2020 and reach a second peak by the end of 2024 at 7.83%, and under Scenario 3 – based on the previous downturn net absorption averages – we see vacancy continuing to rise from the end of 2020 (7.33%) and reach a peak of 9.50% by the end of 2024,'' she concluded.
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