<p>An entity directed by HSN's Rafi Assouline and Rebel Property's Allen Linz has filed plans for an impressive new precinct in Woolloomooloo.</p>

<p>The major mixed-use development would transform a prominent William Street site into a new residential village anchored by affordable housing and a large public park.</p>

<p>The proposal, submitted as a State Significant Development Application, covers 164-172 and 174-194 William Street, a 6,398 sqm site between Forbes Street and Dowling Street on the southern edge of Woolloomooloo.</p>

<p>Designed by fjcstudio in collaboration with Bangawarra, Studio Bright and Tribe Studio Architects, the scheme would deliver 227 apartments across four residential buildings ranging in height up to 18 storeys, alongside retail space, public domain improvements and a new publicly accessible park.</p>

<p><img alt="Rebel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0eb59b7c-914a-4a5c-b849-3a56749f5e93" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-12%20at%2011.18.51%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=mxM6EEqeoLjrCiTlCzTKTvzpKuh6kSkH" /></p>

<p>It's another design scheme for Rebel, who took <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-rebel-property-group-takes-woolloomooloo-precinct-to-nsw-government">concept plans to the NSW Gov late last year</a>.</p>

<p>The latest plans will be a mix of 167 build-to-sell apartments and 60 affordable apartments, with the affordable housing component representing 15 per cent of the project's gross floor area. The apartment mix includes 12 one-bedroom, 53 two-bedroom, 89 three-bedroom apartments and 13 penthouses, while the affordable housing component would comprise 42 one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom apartments.</p>

<p><img alt="Rebel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3b3d4553-8a8c-4af5-aa8c-519ffb1e28c6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-12%20at%2011.20.12%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=_Yb6ibN7eDnOtQjCNDK2eviORa4qzgv." /></p>

<p>Rebel Property is seeking to take advantage of the NSW Government's infill affordable housing bonus provisions under the Housing SEPP, which provide additional floor space and height in exchange for the delivery of affordable housing for a minimum of 15 years. The planning pathway allows a 30 per cent increase in floor space ratio and building height where 15 per cent of the development is dedicated to affordable housing.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the centre of the development is a 1,356 sqm sunlit public park designed to become a new community gathering space at the gateway to Woolloomooloo. The park would be complemented by a network of pedestrian laneways connecting William Street with the surrounding streets, improving permeability through what is currently a largely impermeable block.</p>

<p><img alt="Rebel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="257af931-a393-4007-8c6d-7219796df58d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-12%20at%2011.20.51%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=KAHy94GrhaReFsWTGDKfy39EDJ8gEEv4" /></p>

<p>The design team says the public domain has been heavily influenced by the site's topography and Aboriginal cultural heritage, drawing on the escarpments, gullies and landscape characteristics that historically defined the area before urbanisation. The landscape design has been developed in partnership with First Nations consultancy Bangawarra.</p>

<p>The project would be delivered across four separate buildings. The William Street East and William Street West buildings, designed by fjcstudio, would contain the majority of the apartments. Melbourne-based Studio Bright has designed the Forbes Street building, while Tribe Studio Architects is responsible for the Dowling Street building.</p>

<p>Rebel had secured approval for the concept plans late last year.</p>


Joel Robinson

First look: HSN, Rebel, advances Woolloomooloo precinct plans

<p>A locally heritage-listed furniture showroom on Water Street is set to become the centrepiece of a new mixed-use residential development as local developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/keylin-group">Keylin</a> seeks approval for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lotus-on-water-street-290-water-street-fortitude-valley-qld-4006">Lotus on Water Street</a>, a 15-storey project on the Fortitude Valley side of Spring Hill.</p>

<p>The proposal spans 290 Water Street and 137-141 Warry Street, combining several properties into a 2,869 sqm site that sits between Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill and the rapidly evolving Victoria Park precinct. Keylin's plans would deliver 132 apartments alongside new retail, hospitality and commercial space, while retaining and repurposing the historic Brunswick Home Furnishers Showroom that fronts Water Street.</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/jackson-teece">Jackson Teece</a>, Lotus on Water Street comprises a 12-storey residential tower rising above a three-storey podium and communal rooftop terrace. The development includes 76 apartments classified as multiple dwellings and a further 56 units proposed as short-term accommodation, designed to be flexibly used as either accommodation or permanent residences. The apartment mix comprises six one-bedroom, 54 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom homes.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Keylin unveils heritage-led Lotus on Water Street tower in Fortitude Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9822bb79-6c49-49c9-95ba-319e8c8d81c3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/fortitude%20valley%20front.png?VersionId=ioW8zbN4UVebbLetTFuv92t.HkdgfR5e" /></p>

<p>Residents would have access to an extensive rooftop recreation level spanning more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space. Plans include a pool, gym, sauna, infrared sauna, yoga area, library, private dining room, barbecue facilities and landscaped entertainment spaces, making the rooftop the project's largest shared amenity offering.</p>

<p>At street level, the proposal focuses on the adaptive reuse of the heritage buildings along Water Street, where 518 sqm of retail and commercial space is planned across shop, office and food and drink outlet uses. A permeable residential lobby would be positioned between the retained heritage buildings, creating a pedestrian connection between the historic streetscape and the new tower behind.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Keylin unveils heritage-led Lotus on Water Street tower in Fortitude Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="269cf3e0-7d13-48bf-a318-05a00deb5c10" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/fortitude%20valley%20podium.png?VersionId=DLXmTCLsp6GOcLpQ0h.0z7wKCw59EhN_" /></p>

<p>The heritage retention strategy is central to the scheme. The development application notes that the Brunswick Home Furnishers Showroom and adjoining heritage buildings will remain, with only non-significant structures on the site earmarked for removal under a previously issued Heritage Exemption Certificate. Levels one and two of the new podium are recessed behind the heritage façades to maintain their prominence within the streetscape.</p>

<p>Jackson Teece has drawn inspiration from the site's manufacturing history when designing the podium. The planning documents state that the façade incorporates perforated metal screening that references the woven and rattan furniture historically produced on the site. Cascading and climbing plants are integrated throughout the podium to soften the building's presentation and screen parking levels behind. The landscape strategy also informs the project's name, Lotus on Water Street, drawing on the historic Spring Hollow waterholes that once ran through Spring Hill and the blue water lilies associated with Meeanjin, Brisbane's traditional name.</p>

<p>The proposal also incorporates the neighbouring property at 141 Warry Street, currently occupied by a healthcare service. The existing building would remain, with nine dedicated parking spaces allocated within the new development to support its ongoing operation. In total, Lotus on Water Street proposes 117 car spaces, including 110 resident spaces and seven visitor bays, alongside 100 bicycle spaces.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Keylin unveils heritage-led Lotus on Water Street tower in Fortitude Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="70cf07bc-4fd8-4e70-92dd-be8b21c4e4f0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/fortitude%20valley%20site.png?VersionId=txlxrJImM0Sm_vTzHVKh5DDUkyL_CiiA" /></p>

<p>The site sits within the Spring Hill East Precinct of the Spring Hill Neighbourhood Plan and is positioned around 650 metres from both Fortitude Valley Station and Exhibition Station. It is also within walking distance of the King Street precinct, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston Quarter and Victoria Park, which is earmarked to become a major venue precinct ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.</p>

<p>Planning documents describe the location as a key gateway between Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley and highlight the area's increasing importance as new transport infrastructure and Olympic-related investment reshape Brisbane's inner north. The development team argues the project will contribute additional housing supply while activating a section of Water Street that has historically received less investment than other parts of the Valley.</p>

<p>Keylin has become increasingly active across Brisbane and southeast Queensland, assembling sites in strategic inner-city locations. They are currently selling and delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/oria-spring-hill-447-gregory-terrace-spring-hill-qld-4000">Oria Spring Hill</a>, just over 140 apartments due for completion in 2027.</p>


Keylin plans heritage-led Lotus on Water Street apartment development in Fortitude Valley

<p>Roseville is poised for a wave of new apartment development following the NSW Government's rezoning of land around Roseville Station under its Transport Oriented Development program.</p>

<p>The new planning controls have unlocked significant development potential within walking distance of the station, with a number of sites expected to be amalgamated and redeveloped in the coming years as developers seek to take advantage of the increased density allowances.</p>

<p>One of the more restrained developments in the precinct, and set among the first to be delivered having commenced well before the recent changes, is Hyecorp's Juliet. The boutique apartment project is already well under construction and remains on track to welcome residents by the end of the year, offering a markedly different proposition to many of the larger-scale developments now likely to emerge across the suburb.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278194]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/juliet-roseville-64-pacific-highway-roseville-nsw-2069">Juliet</a> will comprise just&nbsp;34 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments opposite Roseville Station. For Hyecorp, which has delivered projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore for more than three decades, Roseville presented a rare opportunity to address a growing gap in the market.</p>

<p>"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/roseville-nsw-2069">Roseville</a> has long been one of the North Shore's most tightly held and desirable suburbs, offering a unique combination of village charm, established greenery, excellent transport connections, and proximity to some of Sydney's best schools and lifestyle amenities," Hyecorp said.</p>

<p>"We recognised a growing demand from local homeowners seeking to downsize without leaving the community they have built their lives around. The location presented a rare opportunity to create homes that cater specifically to that buyer profile."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278196]</p>

<p>The six-level development has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a> as a collection of residences that feel more like homes than apartments. The brief centred generous floorplans, abundant natural light, quality finishes, and strong connections to outdoor space.</p>

<p>PBD Architects drew inspiration from Roseville's established garden suburb character, creating a building that sits comfortably within its surroundings rather than dominating them. The architecture incorporates natural materials, soft forms, layered landscaping, expansive balconies, and generous setbacks to strengthen the connection between residents and the suburb's leafy environment.</p>

<p>"The focus was on designing spacious, house-like residences for discerning owner-occupiers and downsizers who wanted to remain on the North Shore without compromising on comfort, privacy, or design," PBD said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Every apartment was to feel considered, timeless, and highly functional."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278195]</p>

<p>Inside, residences feature engineered timber flooring, stone kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, integrated Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, ducted air conditioning, and large outdoor entertaining areas designed to take advantage of district and treetop views.</p>

<p>Residents will also have access to a rooftop barbecue and lounge area, alongside practical amenities including parcel lockers, EV charging capability, bicycle storage, a dog wash bay, and a basement car wash facility.</p>

<p>The majority of purchasers so far have been local owner-occupiers from Roseville, Lindfield, Chatswood, Killara, and the broader Upper North Shore, many of whom are transitioning from larger family homes.</p>

<p>"Buyers are looking for spacious, house-like apartments that allow them to downsize without feeling like they are sacrificing comfort or functionality," Hyecorp noted.</p>

<p>"They value large kitchens, generous living areas, ample storage, quality finishes, secure parking, lift access, and low-maintenance living."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278204]</p>

<p>Juliet sits directly opposite Roseville Train Station and within walking distance of Roseville Village, while Chatswood's retail and dining precinct is only minutes away. The development is also surrounded by some of Sydney's most established schools, including Roseville College, Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College, and Knox Grammar, as well as nearby parklands and golf courses.</p>

<p>Juliet is currently more than 75 per cent sold ahead of its anticipated completion in late 2026.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7395]</p>


Juliet to sit quietly amid Roseville apartment boom

<p>Sherpa Property Group has unveiled the third instalment of its Flourish series, securing full approval for the two-tower, $500 million Flourish Soleira development in Palm Beach.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-1150-1154-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> will rise from a prominent site in the commercial heart of Palm Beach, the long-time home of Cash Converters and a range of local retailers.</p>

<p>The project will introduce a new retail and dining precinct at ground level, beneath 286 apartments.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370959]</p>

<p>“We’re very committed to not only providing affordable residential offerings that are much needed in Palm Beach, but also delivering a vibrant new commercial heart that complements the extraordinary growth of the southern Gold Coast,” Sherpa Property Group founder Christie Leet said.</p>

<p>The development will sit under Sherpa's Flourish brand, which is aimed at providing a pathway into the beachside suburb for locals, first-home buyers and downsizers. In a move designed to assist first-home buyers entering the market, Sherpa has reserved all one and two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments exclusively for eligible first-home buyers.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]</p>

<p>“Our vision through Flourish is to create a vibrant retail and lifestyle focal point within the Palm Beach centre zone, delivering thriving communities underpinned by lifestyle-rich locations,” Leet said.</p>

<p>“So far, Flourish has been an incredible success, and we hope to carry this momentum as we progress the next two Flourish projects in Palm Beach.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=371430]</p>

<p>Located across 1150-1164 Gold Coast Highway and 3 Sixth Avenue, the development will comprise two towers. The northern tower will deliver 154 apartments, while the southern tower will add a further 132 residences, helping address ongoing demand for new apartments in the tightly held coastal suburb.</p>

<p>Flourish Soleira will also feature the most extensive rooftop amenity offering ever delivered in Palm Beach.</p>

<p>The two towers will be connected by a skybridge, with residents gaining access to a rooftop recreation deck featuring a full-width swimming pool, hot and cold plunge pools, wellness spaces, a gymnasium, private dining facilities, massage treatment rooms, barbecue areas, a basketball court, golf simulator, indoor and outdoor dining spaces, sun lounges and extensive landscaping.</p>

<p>LPS Group is expected to start construction later this year.</p>

<p>Sherpa is already well advanced on construction of its debut Flourish project, Flourish Amargo, located just around the corner from Soleira. Meanwhile, Flourish Oasis, positioned opposite Amargo, recently commenced construction and has nearly sold out its collection of 47 apartments.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]</p>


Sherpa unveils $500m mixed-use Palm Beach precinct, Flourish Soleira

<p>Are mortgage holders set to get a reprieve from the RBA in 2026?</p>

<p>Big Four bank NAB believes so. They are now expecting the next move from the RBA to be a cut, rather than a hike, which they had pencilled in for August. They are unsure of the timing of the cut however, they note in their latest&nbsp;NAB Economics RBA Watch.</p>

<p>NAB Chief Economist, Dr Sally Auld, said recent data suggests the economy has lost momentum and the outlook for rates has shifted, noting that the broader economic backdrop has changed since earlier in the year.</p>

<p>“The next move in the cash rate is likely to be down, but the timing is uncertain," Dr Auld said.</p>

<p>"In February, growth was above trend, the economy was operating above capacity and there was uncertainty over the restrictiveness of rates. None of these conditions exist today,” she outlined.</p>

<p>Dr Auld said recent data pointed to softer momentum across the economy while acknowledging that at the same time, uncertainty remains a key feature of the outlook.</p>

<p>“Both Q1 GDP data and the NAB business survey suggest momentum in the economy has slowed, meaning that growth has likely peaked for the cycle. That said, we are cognisant there is still considerable uncertainty around the outlook, both with respect to activity and inflation.”</p>

<p>Dr Auld said inflation risks and labour market outcomes would be important to watch.</p>

<p>“On the prices side, we are still forecasting above target core inflation through to mid-2027. Margins will compress and weaker labour market outcomes are a risk.”</p>

<p>She said tighter financial conditions are expected to weigh on housing and activity.</p>

<p>“Tighter financial conditions will be reflected in a slowing in house price growth and housing credit growth. In summary, we have greater conviction that the next move in rates is down, but less conviction on the timing.”</p>


Mortgage relief? NAB forecasts RBA rate cut, not hike, after softer economic conditions

<p>Sydney’s property market is known for high prices, competitive bidding, and mounting pressure on first home buyers. But change is on the horizon.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<h2>What is the Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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).</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2>How do you qualify for the&nbsp;Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

<p>To qualify for the Help to Buy Scheme, applicants must meet the following conditions:</p>

<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>

<p>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.</p>

<p>The scheme is expected to commence in NSW in late 2025, as part of a national rollout.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Below, we provide a breakdown of the First Home Owner Grants available across Australia, outlining the specific details for each state and territory.</p>

<h2>New South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong data-end="252" data-start="225">First Home Owner Grant:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong data-end="413" data-start="389">Stamp Duty Benefits:</strong> Provides full stamp duty exemption for homes valued up to $800,000, with concessions available for properties up to $1 million.</p>

<h2>Victoria South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Provides a $10,000 grant for first-home buyers purchasing or building new homes valued up to $750,000.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Benefits</strong>: Offers full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $600,000, with concessions available up to $750,000.</p>

<h2>Queensland First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong data-end="920" data-start="893">First Home Owner Grant:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong data-end="1162" data-start="1135">Stamp Duty Concessions:</strong> Provides additional concessions for properties valued up to $800,000.</p>

<h2>Western Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Concessions:</strong> Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.</p>

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong data-end="1617" data-start="1590">First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.</p>

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Relief:</strong> Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.</p>

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant</strong>: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Exemption</strong>: 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.</p>

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Exemption</strong>: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).</p>

<p><em>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.</em></p>


Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

<p>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.</p>

<p>Australia has multiple building rating systems that evaluate energy efficiency and sustainability in existing and new building designs.</p>

<p>Some systems assess individual building components, while others provide an overall rating for the entire structure.</p>

<p>A rating system ensures that homes are comfortable and energy-efficient, whether you are buying, renovating, or building.</p>

<p>NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) is a common way for new homes to meet energy efficiency requirements.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2>What is NatHERS?</h2>

<p>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;</p>

<p>NatHERS ratings are the most common way new homes meet the National Construction Code's (NCC's) minimum energy efficiency requirements.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NatHERS assessments provide thermal and whole-home ratings for new homes, townhouses, and apartments.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2>How NatHERS Ratings Work</h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p>The tools can model complex effects of building mass, insulation, window size, and other elements.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Anyone can use NatHERS tools, but accredited assessors can provide certified ratings and professional advice.</p>

<h2>Benefits of Higher NatHERS Ratings</h2>

<p><strong>Energy Efficiency:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong>Cost Savings:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong>Environmental Impact:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong>Improved Comfort: </strong>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.</p>

<p><strong>Market Value and Desirability:</strong> 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.</p>

<p><strong>Compliance with Building Codes:</strong> 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.</p>


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?

<p>Mixed-use developments have gained significant popularity across Australia in recent years due to their unique blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.</p>

<p>Unlike traditional single-purpose developments, mixed-use projects offer a harmonious integration of various functions within a single locale.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Convenience and accessibility</h3>

<p>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.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=204874]</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Vibrant lifestyle and community</h3>

<p>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.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=107714 project_image_fid=214122]</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Potential for higher rental yields and property value appreciation</h3>

<p>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.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=139989 project_image_fid=212887]</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Enhanced security and maintenance</h3>

<p>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.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=108019 project_image_fid=212658]</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Live-work-play balance</h3>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>


alisonwarters@gmail.com

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

<p style="line-height: 1.38;">When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.</p>

<p style="line-height: 1.38;">Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.</p>

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

<p>Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.</p>

<p>It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.</p>

<p style="line-height: 1.38;"><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></p>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

<p>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.</p>

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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!</p>

<p>Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:</p>

<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>

<p style="line-height:1.38">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.</p>


Ellen Walker

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

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<p class="Body">There’s a chasm-sized gap between perception and reality in Australian real estate.</p>
<p class="Body">A recent survey of consumers by MLC found there’s a widespread belief that homes are beyond the grasp of first-time buyers and that future generations won’t be able to afford to buy. That’s the common perception and it comes as no surprise, given that mainstream media keeps banging on about an affordability crisis, amid claims that the dream is dead.</p>
<p class="Body">The reality is quite different. As I wrote last week, the latest Affordability Index from the HIA has found that affordability nationally is the best it’s been in over five years and that some parts of Australia have the best level of affordability since 2003. Clearly, Sydney is an exception, although there was improvement in the March Quarter.</p>
<p class="Body">Reinforcing that point is the actual activity of first-time buyers. The latest NAB Quarterly Australian Residential Property Survey indicates that 33.5% of sales of new dwellings in the March Quarter were to first-time buyers.</p>
<p class="Body">That suggests first-time buyers are the dominant buying force in new properties, having a greater market share than owner-occupiers (other than first-home buyers), Australian investors and foreign investors.</p>
<p class="Body">In addition, the NAB survey finds that 26 percent of established dwellings were sold to first-time buyers – also a strong market share, though less than owner-occupiers (other than first-home buyers), who make up 43 percent of the market for established homes.</p>
<p class="Body">There’s a stark contrast there is the results of two surveys. The MLC survey found most people think young buyers are being priced out of the market and that 58% believe the next generation will be forced to rent all their lives. But the NAB survey found first-time buyers are out there in force and, in the new-home sector, are dominating the market.</p>
<p class="Body"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Why so different? It’s because the NAB report was based on a survey of property professionals who are at the coalface daily and know what’s going on. The MLC survey was based on consumers, whose perceptions about what’s going on are influenced by media sound bytes.</span></p>
<p class="Body">Media reportage of real estate is overwhelmingly negative and that’s reflected in the MLC survey results – which are interesting but ultimately worthless because they contradict reality.</p>
<p class="Body">Generally, the NAB survey found that industry sentiment improved in the March Quarter, after having fallen for the previous three quarters.</p>
<p class="Body">Sentiment was strongest in Victoria. This makes sense, because while the Sydney boom is over, Melbourne still has momentum.</p>
<p class="Body">Expectations for price growth are strongest in Victoria. Melbourne and Brisbane are expected to be the best price performers in 2016, while Perth (also not surprising) has the weakest expectations for prices among the capital cities.</p>
<p class="Body">The findings for the apartment markets also make sense. Unit prices are expected to fall in Perth (because of a weak economy) and Melbourne (because of oversupply).</p>
<p class="Body">The survey found foreign buyers were less of a force in the market – and have switched their focus from NSW and Victoria to Queensland, where foreigners account for 20 percent of sales of new properties.</p>
<p class="Body">This reflects the ramping up of marketing of high-rise units in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, two markets that smart investors will avoid.</p>
<p class="Body"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body"><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"><em>Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></em> </span></p>
<p> </p>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Sydney boom over, Melbourne has momentum and avoid Brisbane: Terry Ryder

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<p>Yes, I know everyone hates elections but the more I look at this election the more I like it simply because real estate is front and centre.</p>
<p>History will judge whether the government and opposition erred by allowing negative gearing into the debate, although what they have done is to finally open that can of worms which previously had been removed from all discussions.</p>
<p>When you take the time to contemplate the direction that property prices are headed (thanks mainly to all these new developments) there are plenty of dark clouds building. For mine; the smartest solution is to simply limit the number of investment properties to a single tax file number. Opinions vary that negative gearing is driving the values of property although investors account for just one third (approximately) of purchases, so that in itself can’t be the major contributor.</p>
<p>The problem why Australia’s property prices are so high sees the blame at failed political policies where prices have increased two to three times than that when the Baby Boomers were buying property – which by the way were single income families. Governments have failed miserably when it comes to infrastructure where we only ever hear of Very Fast Trains in an election year – come July 2, we in all probability won’t hear it mentioned for another three years.</p>
<p>Opinions when it comes to real estate are always interesting where today we see many property markets starting to ease and nobody comes out and states that this is actually a good thing. Many of Australia’s property markets are actually self-medicating and correcting which is great news given the damage a crash can cause. Naturally we should not also forget that property markets historically slow when an election is announced although many parts of Australia had already started to re-calibrate their prices downwards – we have passed the peak.</p>
<p>This week we saw that for the first time in seven years Australia was now recording deflation – which immediately called for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to cut the cash rate when they meet next week. Even if it were to cut the cash rate say – 0.25 you can rest assured that the banks won’t be passing this on.</p>
<p>I’ve been on the public record as being opposed to federal government policy in December 2008 when off – the – plan – purchases by foreigners were raised from 50 to 100 per cent – the governments have not addressed nor even discussed this. With interest I have noted that this month the ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and this week Westpac are no longer lending money to foreign buyers wanting to buy residential property in Australia.</p>
<p>The major lenders have already implemented black – spot areas where they will no longer finance new apartment developments. Interestingly nobody has even bothered to raise this with any politicians given this is a significant stance by the major lenders that relates directly to government policy. Now we can expect this to remain the case for quite a few years to come with Sydney and Melbourne embarking on massive new development construction – the major lenders have massive exposure here.</p>
<p>Now should the ALP be elected what does this do to their new policy regarding negative gearing? I can tell you what it will do to off – the – plan acquisitions (new property) – it will shut it down almost immediately. Investors are not permitted to buy existing properties, only new – despite 93 per cent of investors preferring to buy existing.</p>
<p>One would think that there should be much more debate about the repercussions to the economy with the major lenders now not lending to foreign buyers. Then of course one can’t rule out a significant price correction given these new developments are massively over valued due mainly to foreign buyers driving these prices. Investors aren’t going to be buying into these new developments for negative gearing purposes when they know full well that these properties are facing a significant value correction.</p>
<p>One only has to look at the body language of the major banks to see quite clearly they have already commenced direct action to minimise their exposure to this newly created property market.</p>
<p>The problem as I see it is that politicians are making some huge mistakes in judgement when it comes to our property markets but sadly nobody is asking them the right questions. A classic example of this the banks deciding to restrict all loans to foreign buyers which is in direct contradiction to the federal governments policy – which we all know is dumb. Even funnier is that the government did not bat an eyelid when the major lenders announced this policy review.</p>
<h5>MOSMAN – 2088</h5>
<p>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 61</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market last week – 43</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this week – 45</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 52</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market last week – 50</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this week – 55</p>
<h5>CREMORNE – 2090</h5>
<p>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 1</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market last week – 7</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this week – 9</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 15</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market last week – 26</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this week – 26</p>
<h5>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h5>
<p>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 2</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market last week – 11</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this week – 11</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 30</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market last week – 27</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this week – 23</p>
<p><em><span>ROBERT SIMEON</span> is a director of </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> </em><em>and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985. <br>He has also been writing real estate blog </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> </em><em>since 2000.</em></p>
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robertsimeon-hRNTwJyXkQ

Why I am liking this election: Robert Simeon

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<p>The Gold Coast market is a tale of two cities, one representing the best of times and the other the worst of times.</p>
<p>The best is the housing market, which is responding to population growth, infrastructure spending and other stimulus to produce rising sales activity and price growth across the region. The worst is the likely outcome in the coastal suburbs dominated by high-rise apartments.</p>
<p class="Body">I’ve made my views about the unit market pretty clear. I wrote about it in this column in September, when I started by saying  “It’s danger time for investors tempted to buy high-rise apartments on the Gold Coast” and ended with “For investors who are susceptible to a strong marketing pitch, it’s time to be afraid, be very afraid”.</p>
<p class="Body">Gold Coast high-rise units are a prime candidate for the title of worst capital growth performers in Australian real estate, constantly undermined by a boom-bust history characterised by periods of massive oversupply.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">But the Gold Coast is a big city, with a population currently estimated at 550,000 and projected to top 620,000 in five years. It’s in a similar position to both Melbourne and Brisbane – the downtown unit markets should be avoided because of looming oversupply, but suburban housing markets look strong.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>There is more momentum in the Gold Coast suburban market – what I call the genuine residential market of the Gold Coast – than anywhere else in Australia right now.</p>
<p>The Gold Coast is the clear national leader among the Local Government Areas of Australia, including both capital cities and regional areas. It has the most growth suburbs, by a wide margin.</p>
<p>When we examine the sales volumes suburb by suburb, the momentum is exceptional. And this is key information for real estate consumers, because when sales activity rises strongly, price growth is inevitable.</p>
<p>I have mentioned one of the rising Gold Coast precincts as one of my five markets to watch in 2016 – the northern growth corridor stretching up the Pacific Motorway towards Brisbane.</p>
<p>Oxenford stands out in this precinct, with sales rates lifting from 80-90 per quarter last year to 130-135 in the past two quarters. Other growth suburbs in this area include Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pimpama and Ormeau.</p>
<p class="Body">But there are growth markets right throughout the residential suburbs of the Gold Coast. Others include Burleigh Waters, where sales in the past five consecutive quarters have been 85, 92, 100, 131 and 144. The pattern there is undeniable and the suburb’s median price is now growing at an annual rate above 10%.</p>
<p class="Body">Mermaid Waters is also a growth market, with sales rates up from around 80 per quarter last year to about 120 per quarter now, which means sales activity has increased 50% in 12 months. And, as in Burleigh Waters, the median price is starting to head north.</p>
<p class="Body">This rising trajectory of sales is producing price growth in many of the residential suburbs. The annual change in median house prices is in double digits for some of them, including Helensvale, Merrimac, Pimpama, Robina and Worongary, in addition to Burleigh Waters and Mermaid Waters.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">But more common, to date, is growth of 5%, 6% or 7%. I expect the rate of growth to rise in 2016.</p>
<p class="Body">It’s also significant that many of the apartment markets have recorded median price decline in the past 12 months or have had zero growth. And most have long-term growth averages that are negative, zero or just 1-2% per year.</p>
<p class="Body">It’s very much a tale of two cities – the city of houses and the city of high-rise apartments. As investors, consider the former but avoid the latter.</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body"><em>Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></em></p>
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Gold Coast property market a tale of two cities: Terry Ryder

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<p>As many predicted some time ago, the newly created investment market, where we have seen approvals for high-rise apartments hit levels never seen before, will now see a massive correction.</p>
<p>In December 2008, the rules for off-the-plan apartments had a significant change when the ratio for foreign investors was moved from 50 per cent to 100 per cent. Developers could not believe their luck, as this decision created new rivers of gold, albeit an eight year run.</p>
<p>The governments then got involved by increasing stamp duty for foreign buyers, the Chinese government shut down the facilities permitting vast amounts of monies to be withdrawn from China and the major Australian banks stopped lending to foreign buyers. When combined, this has created the perfect property storm although the gamble of relying on foreign buyers acquiring the majority of these new apartments was always fraught with danger.</p>
<p>What we will see in 2017 is thousands and thousands of apartments off-the-plan coming back onto the market and the big question that remains unanswered is; what will be the percentage drop from the original contract prices? It has already been mentioned that analysis of every new development in Australia that settlement defaults will be between $1 billion and $1.5 billion every month over the next twelve month window.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A saving grace will be that the existing housing market will continue to go on-wards and upwards simply because fewer and fewer households are selling due to the exorbitant selling costs – namely stamp duty. If you look at the approximate 700 hundred suburbs that make up Sydney – it would be fair to suggest that at least 70 per cent of these suburbs are not creating any new houses for consumption.</p>
<p>The NSW government has gone down the track of high density with next to no new infrastructure to absorb this construction so in many areas our roads will become gridlocked.</p>
<p>At some stage an independent body will commission a report to look at all the bushland within Sydney to then ascertain how many tens of thousands of residential building blocks can be created to ease the demand of all those wanting to live in Sydney.</p>
<p>We need to bear in mind that the population within Sydney will hit 5 million in a matter of months and our population growth is years ahead of initial projections. Building tens of thousands of apartments does not in any way, shape or form ease the demand for established houses.</p>
<p>Of course, there is always a few who throw in that recession word and don’t forget that a few some years ago suggested that 2016 would see Australia fall into a long overdue recession. They would have been somewhat aggrieved when last quarter Australia posted 25 years of economic growth.</p>
<p>Many property forecasters were quick to say, at or about this time last year, that the Sydney property market was easing (which it did) and that this was the start of a price correction. As a few of us pointed out this was more the case of buyer fatigue (which it was) with 2016 posting greater price growth than 2015. Whichever way you want to look at this the heart of the problem is that demand for established housing far exceeds supply.</p>
<p>A significant correction in the new apartment market will have next to no effect on the established housing markets because they are two different buyers. Secondly, the vast majority of the new apartment investor markets are foreign buyers so if they default there is absolutely no knock on effect into the established housing markets.</p>
<p>If anything, we will see the Australian buyers cherry-pick this market, given the cash rate will go lower and then, in turn, will chase returns. The family home is at record highs so via negative gearing households will be mopping up the newly created apartment markets at much lower entry levels with so many apartments expected to default.</p>
<p>Some will be saying what could possibly go wrong following Australia’s unprecedented 25 years of economic growth? Wages have fallen from 3.5 per cent growth in 2012 to 2 per cent in 2016. A positive sign is that population growth in 2012 was 1.8 per cent and in 2016 it dropped to 1.3 per cent. Household income growth and consumer spending are in decline so those economy drivers will be closely monitored in the September quarter of 2016.</p>
<p>Whilst some are saying retirees are doing it tough, we need to keep in mind that their homes are at presently at the highest value ever so many are taking advantage of that by taking out reverse mortgages – otherwise known as spending the kid’s inheritance (SKI).</p>
<p>The major problem with Sydney house prices is that planning by state governments, at best, has been appalling. Even today there is no plan – rather, approve thousands and thousands of new apartments, sell them offshore and bank the stamp duty and land taxes.</p>
<p>So next time you are caught in traffic, just think, how is Sydney going to cope with all these thousands of new apartments under construction?</p>
<h4>MOSMAN – 2088</h4>
<ul><ul>
<li>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 52</li>
<li>Number of houses on the market last week – 52</li>
<li>Number of houses on the market this week – 47</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 51</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market last week – 34</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market this week – 32</li>
</ul></ul>
<h4>CREMORNE – 2090</h4>
<ul><ul>
<li>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 7</li>
<li>Number of houses on the market last week – 9</li>
<li>Number of houses on the market this week – 9</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 22</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market last week – 12</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market this week – 14</li>
</ul></ul>
<h4>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h4>
<ul><ul>
<li>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 3</li>
<li>Number of houses on the market last week – 11</li>
<li>Number of houses on the market this week – 4</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 29</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market last week – 21</li>
<li>Number of apartments on the market this week – 19</li>
</ul></ul>
<p><em>ROBERT SIMEON is a director of </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> </em><em>and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985. </em></p>
<p><em>He has also been writing real estate blog </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> </em><em>since 2000.</em></p>
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Some property markets are correcting – other markets booming: Robert Simeon

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<p>Remember the TV show Deal or No Deal?  </p>
<p>It’s a show where the player has a suitcase that contains an amount of money. They choose cases to eliminate them in the hope to end up with the highest amount which is $200k at the end. Along the way contestants can choose to take the bank deal offered or take a risk and continue to play. They may end up with $200k or with a much smaller sum.</p>
<p>I used to love the show and I’m always yelling ‘take the deal!’ as I vigorously rub the tips of my fingers together (this may sound weird if you haven’t seen the show).  My pleads directed at the TV get louder as the odds get slimmer.  I realised from playing this game even though I’m a property developer, I don’t like to take too much of a risk if it means losing money.</p>
<p>This threw me a bit as I always thought of myself as a risk taker.  Then I worked out that I do like risk, but only <em>calculated risk</em>.</p>
<p>Calculated risk is defined as:  “A risk associated with a certain course of action which has been given full consideration prior to making the decision to pursue that action. This is usually done when the potential gain is greater than any potential harm that might occur.” investorwords.com</p>
<p>The bit I like in this definition is ‘...when the potential gain is greater than any potential harm...’ ah, so that’s why I like risk, it’s what I do everyday; assess the potential gains in a property deal.  Also my job as property development project manager is to ‘give full consideration’ to a development and inform our clients before they ‘pursue action’.</p>
<p>In a way, the show was a bit like property developing.  If you hit the jackpot, there is good money to be made.  Making the decision on what case to chose could be somewhat like choosing a development site. </p>
<p>If you chose the wrong site, you can uncover a $50,000 problem and eliminate a lot of your profit.  If you chose the right site, you may create $200,000. </p>
<p>Property developing is about spotting potential and taking calculated risks. That’s why I love it.</p>
<p><em><em>Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a><a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/">.</a></em></em></p>
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jochivers-wq5Bp59R5a

Spotting property development potential and taking calculated risks: Jo Chivers

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<p>At the end of 2014, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) wrote to mortgage lenders reinforcing what they saw as sound mortgage lending practices. </p>
<p>The key points from that letter were that serviceability policy limits should be based on mortgage rates at least 2 percent above the product loan rate with a minimum floor assessment of 7 percent. </p>
<p>The second point was that APRA was going to impose a speed limit on investment credit growth to lenders of 10 percent per annum. It is important to note investment credit refers to total outstanding mortgages not new lending.</p>
<p>The impact of these policies was likely to be that as interest rates fell, more buyers weren’t encouraged into the market because mortgages were being granted based on the ability to repay a mortgage at 7 percent interest which was well above standard rates at that time.  The other impact was that the 10% cap on investor housing credit growth would slow demand from the investment segment as there was less new lending to go around.</p>
<p>While the serviceability limits mean that new first time buyers are unlikely to come into the market as interest rates fall, it does nothing to discourage current owners from buying investment properties or upgrading homes.  Given that the vast majority of home loans are on a variable rate, interest rate cuts have an almost immediate impact on household budgets. </p>
<p>While the serviceability limits won’t result in marginal purchasers entering the market, as interest rates have come down it appears that home owners that weren’t previously considering buying an investment property or upgrading have come out of the woodwork and decided to purchase.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-1-1-580x176.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p> <img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-1-1-580x176.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>It is somewhat difficult to gauge exactly how effective the serviceability changes have been, but the 10% cap on investor housing credit led to a significant decline in growth in lending to that market segment.  Shortly following the implementation of the investor lending cap we also saw lenders place an interest rate premium on investment mortgages.  This muddied the waters somewhat because a lot of mortgages which were previously designated as investment mortgages were reclassified as owner occupier mortgages. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, annual investor housing credit growth peaked at 10.8 percent in May 2015 according to Reserve Bank data and the latest data shows that it has slowed to growth of 4.8% over the year to July 2016.  Investor housing credit growth has slowed dramatically since its recent peak following these curbs and over the past year has increased at its slowest annual pace since November 2009.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-2-1-580x210.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-2-1-580x210.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Housing finance data which tracks new lending, has showed a bounce in new lending to investors over the three months to July 2016.  Over that period, the monthly value of investment lending has increased by 9.2 percent from $10.8 billion in April 2016 to $11.8 billion in July 2016, new lending to investors is at its highest level since August 2015.  With investor housing credit growth well below 10 percent per annum, it is clear that lenders have scope to now offer more lending to the investment segment and clearly there are investors grabbing that opportunity.  </p>
<p>But why is this the case when you have a record supply of new housing under construction, record low rental yields and a historically weak rental market? We are about to delve into some possible reasons why, for some investors, housing investment still makes sense however, investors looking to purchase residential properties should be aware of the potential risks on the horizon.</p>
<p><strong>Capital growth</strong></p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-3-1-580x211.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-3-1-580x211.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Since the current growth phase commenced in June 2012, combined capital city home values have increased by 39.9%.  As the above chart shows, the growth has been very uneven with Sydney and Melbourne leading the way in terms of value growth and rises relatively moderate elsewhere.  After such a long growth phase, the question must be asked as to how much longer the growth can continue for in Sydney and Melbourne, particularly considering the affordably obstacles that are becoming more pronounced and the diminishing yield profile caused by the fact that dwelling values are rising at a much faster pace than rents.</p>
<p><strong>Housing supply</strong></p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-4-1-580x197.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-4-1-580x197.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>The supply of new housing under construction is at a record-high with an historic high level of units under construction.  The 2011 national Census showed that units were much more likely to be occupied by renters than houses.  At that time, and across homes occupied on Census night, 21.8 percent of houses and 57.8% of units were occupied by renters. </p>
<p>Of course housing choices are likely to have shifted somewhat since that time but the fact is likely to remain that units are much more likely to end up as rental accommodation than houses are.  As a result a large proportion of these units recently built and under construction will end up as rental accommodation.  In many cities we are also already seeing a significant difference in the rate of growth for houses as opposed to units.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-5-1-580x212.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-5-1-580x212.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Rental markets are showing the weakest growth conditions on record, in fact, capital city rental rates are -0.5 percent lower over the past year.  In the two cities where the highest level of investment activity is occurring, Sydney and Melbourne, rents are unchanged in Sydney and 2.4 percent higher in Melbourne.  For units specifically, rental rates are 0.7 percent higher over the year across the combined capital cities with rental rates 1.8 percent higher for Sydney units and 1.3 percent higher for Melbourne units.</p>
<p>There is a large supply of housing stock that is going to be added to the market over the coming year(s) in these cities and others.  Most of the supply is in the form of units, which as shown are more likely to be rental properties.  Subsequently it seems as if landlords are set to find it more difficult to keep renters and may have to reduce rents in order to keep their properties tenanted over the coming years.  Higher vacancy rates may be felt by those landlords who own units that are in need of repair or refurbishment as tenants look for higher quality or new rental accommodation that may be more comfortable at a similar rental rate.</p>
<p><strong>Rental returns</strong></p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-6-580x209.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-6-580x209.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Rental yields are expressed as gross figures so the net returns are likely to be much lower than the headline figure.  The gross rental yield has been forced lower over recent years due to little rental growth (and falls in some areas) coupled with comparatively high levels of home value growth. As a result, at the end of August 2016 the combined capital cities gross rental yield was recorded at an historic low 3.3 percent with figures of 3.0 percent in Sydney and 2.9 percent in Melbourne.  </p>
<p>A couple of things to note about the yield figures; firstly they assume that a property is occupied for 100 percent of the year and secondly they are based off current values, most investors would not borrow 100 percent of the loan value for an investment property.  Given these two points, lower than 100 percent occupancy would reduce the yield however, borrowing less than 100% of the property’s value would increase the yield.</p>
<p>As pointed out earlier, units are much more likely than houses to be used for rental accommodation and there is a record pipeline of unit stock under construction.  Gross rental yields for units specifically are higher than those for houses and recorded at 4.1 percent for combined capital city units, 3.9 percent in Sydney and 4.0% in Melbourne.  Each of these figures are at historic lows and have trended lower over recent years.  Nevertheless, when you factor in a level of equity used to purchase investment properties the returns are still far superior to most other asset classes.</p>
<p><strong>Total returns</strong></p>
<p>Click to enlarge</p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/09/21/Chart-7-580x208.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>When you factor in rental returns and capital growth, the total returns from residential property remain attractive.  Over the past year, total gross returns across the combined capital cities have been recorded at 10.7% with each capital city other than Perth and Darwin recording total returns in excess of 7.0% over the past year. Since home values ended their most recent declines in May 2012, combined capital city total returns have been recorded at 62.7% and no capital city has recorded returns of less than 25% over the period</p>
<p><strong>Other asset classes</strong></p>
<p>A major reason why investors remain attracted to residential property is due to the fact that with low interest rates and low economic growth internationally, returns have reduced.  Based on the most recent end of month data, 10 year Australian Government bonds were yielding 1.88 percent, 1 year term deposit rates were 2.65 percent and total returns from the ASX 200 were 9.3 percent.  The safe investment classes of bonds and term deposits are providing extremely low returns.  At the same time total returns from equities have been much stronger however, equities are a more volatile asset class than housing.</p>
<p>While the housing market has provided relatively strong investment returns over recent years and may continue to provide comparatively strong returns over the coming years, there are certainly some headwinds that investors need to be aware of.  Keep in mind too that the purchase cost of a residential property is significantly greater than investing in other asset classes.  The additions to housing supply underway and the weakening rental market should provide a level of caution for investors. </p>
<p>Given the cost of housing and the looming challenges we would expect that although there is likely to be some further uplift in investment demand it is unlikely to result in growth in investor credit to head back towards the 10%pa speed limit.  Investors will also need to be much more selective around which properties they choose given achieving strong returns are seemingly going to be more difficult to achieve over the coming years given the looming headwinds described within.</p>
<p><em>Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.</em></p>
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Investors re-entering the housing market but should do so with caution: Cameron Kusher

<html><body>
<div id="post-body-8750789597338754868" class="post-body entry-content">
<div>If there's a subject that I get more emails about than anything else it's the supply of new apartments in Sydney.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>When prices take off you should generally expect a supply response as more projects become viable, until eventually the new supply kills the up-cycle.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2016/09/22/8.3%20PROPERTY%20CONSTRUCTION%20CYCLE.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2016/09/22/8.3%20PROPERTY%20CONSTRUCTION%20CYCLE.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>And after a period of under-building you only need a working pair of eyes to see that this is taking place in Sydney.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But instead of drawing conclusions based on emotions or pre-determined 'crashnik' conclusions, let's take a look at what the actual numbers say to see whether we can draw some more specific inferences. </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></strong></div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Approvals boom</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The first thing to note is how far approvals are tilted towards the multi-unit sector in Sydney today, partly as a result of the constrained supply of land close to the city and the Pacific Ocean.</div>
<br>There were some 55,458 approvals over the year to May 2016 - almost double the level of three years ago - and almost exactly two-thirds of these were multi-units at 66 per cent.<br><br><a href="/images/2016/09/22/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<img src="/images/2016/09/22/A2.jpg" alt=""><br><br><div>When looking at the individual LGAs the most striking point of note is just how many approvals there have been in western areas such as Camden, Blacktown, Parramatta, and Liverpool, as well as in the increasingly populated Hills District.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Incidentally, the Sydney LGA actually covers an enormous area and more than thirty inner ring suburbs, so it's generally expected that there would be the highest number of approvals in that LGA.</div>
<br><a href="/images/2016/09/22/A3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<img src="/images/2016/09/22/A3.jpg" alt=""><br><br><div>When the weight of new apartment supply hits home there is likely to be fallout in some of these western suburban localities.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It's also noticeable how remarkably few approvals there have been in some of the blue chip LGAs such as Mosman, Hunters Hill, Manly, and Woollahra. </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></strong></div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Completions lag</span></strong></div>
<br><div>If the impact of the supply response has been muted to date, then the next chart explains why. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Despite a 21 per cent year on year increase in annual approvals, annual net dwelling completions have increased by only 3 per cent to 30,901 in the year to May 2016 (with a slightly lower 62 per cent of these being multi-unit dwellings).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>While this is an improvement in completions of about one third over the past three years, it needs to be acknowledged that the Greater Sydney population growth is now tracking at abou<span>t <span>~</span>85,00</span>0 per annum (while the cyclical low for completions in 2009 was cataclysmically bad, and the lowest nadir since 1953).</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/09/22/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/09/22/A1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<br><div>This implies that as I have concluded here previously the ratio of dwelling completions to population growth in Sydney was still tracking at below its long run average at least until 31 May 2016.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And although population growth in Sydney is higher today than it was in the past, there have been 10 years since 1950 where more net dwelling completions were notched up than there were over the past year. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">A prime reason for the supply response being slower than through preceding market cycles is that multi-unit projects on brownfield sites requiring land remediation take a great deal longer to complete than turnkey detached housing developments on greenfield land. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">The number of net dwelling completions remains almost comically low in the blue chip LGAs of the eastern suburbs and lower north shore - with NIMBYism clearly alive and well - but supply is starting to hit its straps in some of the aforementioned higher-density LGAs.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/09/22/A4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/09/22/A4.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Where the pipeline will hurt</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The widening gap between approvals and completions means that there are more dwellings under construction in Sydney than has ever been the case before in any Australian city. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In particular, there is a concentration risk in play with so many of the dwellings under construction being high-rise apartments. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Take a look at the figures for Parramatta, for example, where there have been 8,646 multi-unit approvals since July 2012 but only 4,946 net dwelling completions. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>That's one heck of a potential supply pipeline, with more units due to come online in adjoining LGAs as well. </div>
<br><div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/09/22/A5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/09/22/A5.jpg" alt=""></div>
<br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The wrap</span></strong><br><br><div>These data lag by a few months, and they show that despite having had relatively little impact to date Sydney's supply response is poised like a coiled spring. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Up until the end of May 2016 net dwelling completions had barely increased from the prior year in tracking at around 30,000.<br><br>However, there is a record number of dwellings in the under construction phase, so this will be one data series to watch closely. </div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div class="post-footer">
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
</div>
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Sydney apartment completions lag: Pete Wargent

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<p><span>Perth represents both danger and opportunity for property investors at present. </span></p>
<p><span>The city, which led the nation on price and rental growth in 2012 and early 2013, is three years into a cyclical downturn, exacerbated by the wind-down in the resources investment boom.</span></p>
<p><span>Sales activity has been falling steadily since 2013 and the decline has gathered pace since the start of 2016. Some Perth suburbs have sales volumes at a fraction of their former levels, indicating further price decline is likely. </span></p>
<p><span>This situation has been further impacted by vacancies well above 3% in many areas, as workers have left the city in the wake of the resources downturn and the ripple effect that has had on business in Perth (creating CBD office vacancies above 20 percent).</span></p>
<p><span>The situation also represents opportunity for counter-cyclical investors to buy well while price are down and competition is weak. Perth historically has been a population growth leader and one of the strongest capital cities for long-term capital growth. Perth property markets will recover and now is a good time to be looking for bargains.</span></p>
<p><span>Investors, however, should continue to avoid the inner-city apartment markets which have very high vacancies and an oversupply situation that is likely to get worse before it gets better. Housing markets will recover before apartment markets do.</span></p>
<p><span>Hotspotting’s latest research on sales activity demonstrates that the downward trend in the Perth market has deepened recently. Growth markets have vanished and there are now multiple suburbs classified as “danger” markets, with more likely to be added to the warning list if current sales patterns continue in coming quarters. </span></p>
<p><span>Perth’s decline has been happening since the peak in early 2013 and the downturn has worsened since the beginning of 2016.</span></p>
<p><span>The number of dwelling sales in the WA market was above 16,000 per quarter in early 2013. Sales dropped below 15,000 per quarter in 2014 and below 13,000 in 2015. The market has dropped further in 2016, with around 8,300 sales in the March Quarter and fewer than 7,000 in the June Quarter. Sales rates are now well under half those of two years ago.</span></p>
<p><span>The suburb of Mt Pleasant in the Melville LGA has the kind of sales trend that sellers don’t want: sales totaling 62, 50, 42, 25 and 15 in the past five quarters. </span></p>
<p><span>The suburb of Nollamara in the Stirling LGA has dropped from well above 100 per quarter to 55 in the March Quarter and 35 in the June Quarter. In nearby Yokine, the sales pattern has been 103, 95, 75, 74, 79, 51 and 38 (with vacancies at 5.3% in that postcode).</span></p>
<p><span>In Fremantle, the sales pattern since early 2014 has been 85, 61, 66, 60, 59, 47, 49, 45, 27 and 25. In Rivervale in the Belmont LGA, the sales pattern has been 101, 84, 100, 69, 78, 55, 81, 71, 74, 32 and 24. With a vacancy rate around 8%, the immediate future looks bleak.</span></p>
<p><span>The malaise has spread to all market sectors. Upmarket Mosman Park’s quarterly sales record is 74, 72, 76, 62, 51, 62, 47, 41, 30 and 25. In downmarket Gosnells, quarterly sales since early 2014 have been 153, 158, 134, 123, 103, 118, 109, 82, 75 and 53, so current sales are a third of the peak levels.</span></p>
<p><span>So what should investors do? Avoid Perth altogether? Wait until they read about recovery? Or become counter-cyclical buyers?</span></p>
<p>Most investors are herd animals who never take advantage of down markets. They jump into markets when they read there’s a boom under way, as so many did in Sydney over the past few years.</p>
<p><span>The really smart investors, and there were some, saw what was coming, bought before 2013 and got full benefit from the capital growth that followed.</span> </p>
<p><span>The switched-on ones who think and act counter-cyclically will see opportunities to buy bargains in Perth. Prices are down right across the metropolitan area so there’s no shortage of good opportunities, as well as a lack of competition from other punters.</span></p>
<p><span>High vacancy rates would deter many, because of difficulties finding tenants at acceptable rentals, but not everywhere has 5-6 percent vacancy rates.</span> </p>
<p><span>Investors just need to believe Perth has a future. And obviously it does, although it may not feel much like it at present. WA has been a nation-leading growth economy many times and will be so again in the future. Perth has led on population growth and property price escalation, and has had two notable up-cycles in the past 10-12 years. It will recover.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span> T<em>erry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au</em></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au"><em>ryder@hotspotting.com.au</em></a></span></p>
<p><span><em>twitter.com/hotspotting</em></span></p>
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Perth represents both danger and opportunity for property investors: Terry Ryder

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<p>The ABS reported that Building Approvals remained resolutely strong in August 2016, with some 20,788 private sector dwellings approved, driven yet by another rebound in attached dwellings.</p>
<p>The trend in detached house approvals has declined by about 5 percent since peaking in April 2015, while attached dwellings have just kept on trucking. </p>
<div id="post-body-9064765407508357015" class="post-body entry-content"><a href="/images/2016/10/07/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<br><div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/10/07/A1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the year to August some 238,204 dwellings were approved, with the annual total levitating above 200,000 for 23 months on the bounce since October 2014. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Commentators have been calling for an end to the boom for, well, basically all of that time, but those pesky numbers just won't sit down. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2016/10/07/A4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<br><img src="/images/2016/10/07/A4.jpg" alt=""><br><br><div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">City by city (moar apartments!)</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Perth and Darwin continue to adjust to their respectively slowing markets, with house approvals accordingly in a steep decline. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Melbourne remains the city with the strongest trend in house approvals, which may be just as well given the awesomely strong population growth in that city.</div>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content"> </div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<a href="/images/2016/10/07/A3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a><br><div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/10/07/A3.jpg" alt=""></div>
<br><div class="separator">Sydney has seen a number of monumental projects put forward for consideration over the past year, including a 10-tower monster being proposed for the site of the present Fish Markets, opposite the old Wentworth Park Dogs.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">It's never entirely clear specifically which projects the ABS approvals figures relate to, but Sydney has approved an all-comers record 11,838 attached dwellings in only three months (wow-wee!). </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Records are being zinged all over the shop here.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/10/07/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/10/07/A2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">High rise kaboom</span></strong></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">It's no particular surprise to note that the rebound has been driven by high-density apartment projects of four or more storeys - a high proportion of these will be sold to mainland Chinese - with approvals for most other dwelling types in a steady decline.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/10/07/A5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/10/07/A5.jpg" alt=""></div>
<br><div>While Victoria may have seen a number of high-rise projects pulled forward into FY2015/16 due to planning changes, New South Wales is rubber-stamping projects for fun right now (although whether all of these approvals come to fruition is another thing).</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2016/10/07/a6.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<br><div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/10/07/a6.jpg" alt=""></div>
<br><div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The wrap</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The approvals figures have elicited quite a lot of excitement, although the completions delivered to date have been far less arousing.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Housing Monitor reported that Sydney saw a total of 30,191 houses and apartments completed during 2015/16, which was the strongest result since 1999/2000 (which if anything just underscores how long it has been since Sydney constructed a decent number of dwellings). </div>
<div> </div>
<div>This sounds quite impressive until you compare it to the hugely strong population growth of the Greater Sydney region over the same time period. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Unsurprisingly, the impact on price growth was precisely zip, with dwelling prices rising by about 10 per cent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>However, the key characteristic of this construction cycle is the lag - and apartment completions will increase further in 2016/17. In fact, a lot further. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The figures clearly continue to show that the delivery of this glut of high-rise projects is the most at-risk sector of the market.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div id="post-body-4803553000461029700" class="post-body entry-content">
<div class="separator">
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
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High rise projects most at-risk sector: Pete Wargent

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<p>Asking prices for houses in Melbourne are 11.4 percent higher than a year ago, and in Sydney the figure was 11.5 percent, according to SQM Research.</p>
<p>Hobart also recorded outsized gains, while Brisbane, Canberra, and Adelaide each recorded moderate increases. </p>
<p class="p4"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/09/SQM3.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.16px;">Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p class="p4"><span style="font-size: 12.16px;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/09/SQM3.jpg" alt=""></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">A key driver appears to be a lack of new stock being brought to market, with upgraders perhaps discouraged by prohibitive transaction costs in the form of stamp duty. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Sydney listings were down by 6.6 percent in January from a month earlier to just 21,633 (remember that Sydney is Australia's most populous capital city, and this number is much lower than in Melbourne, and even Brisbane and Perth). </span><span style="font-size: 12.16px;"> </span></p>
<p class="p3"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/09/SQM2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.16px;">Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p class="p3"><span style="font-size: 12.16px;"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/09/SQM2.jpg" alt=""></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">It's still quite early in the year to make an accurate assessment, but if this trend towards a constipated market continues there will be a relatively high amount of competition for not much stock this year in Sydney and Melbourne. </span></p>
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