<p>Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.</p>

<p>While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.</p>

<p>A new Colliers report, <em>Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions</em>, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.</p>

<p>The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.</p>

<p>Construction Skills Queensland's <em>Horizon 2032</em> report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.</p>

<p>The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]</p>

<p>Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.</p>

<p>"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.</p>

<p>"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."</p>

<p>Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.</p>

<p>"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]</p>

<p>Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.</p>

<p>Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.</p>

<p>Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.</p>

<p>The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.</p>

<p>Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.</p>

<p>"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.</p>

<p>"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."</p>


Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

<p>It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]</p>

<p>Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.</p>

<p>"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.</p>

<p>"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.</p>

<p>"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]</p>

<p>Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.</p>

<p>Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]</p>

<p>Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.</p>

<p>"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.</p>

<p>"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."</p>

<p>Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]</p>


Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

<p>Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.</p>

<p>The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]</p>

<p>Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.</p>

<p>"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.</p>

<p>"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]</p>

<p>La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.</p>

<p>Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.</p>

<p>The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.</p>

<p>Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.</p>

<p>Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.</p>

<p>"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.</p>

<p>Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]</p>


La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

<p>Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.</p>

<p>More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.</p>

<p>The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.</p>

<p>Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.</p>

<p>Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.</p>

<p>Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=367096]</p>

<p>The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.</p>

<p>“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]</p>

<p>Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.</p>

<p>The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.</p>

<p>“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”</p>

<p>Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]</p>


Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

<p>Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.</p>

<p>Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.</p>

<p>The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.</p>

<p>Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi told Apartments.com.au the developer’s long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a strong understanding of how the area has evolved and where its future opportunities lie.</p>

<p>“Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area’s evolution and future potential,” Doueihi said.</p>

<p>“Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb’s transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth.”</p>

<p>Doueihi said that understanding also informed the planning process, with a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes Report prepared before the application was lodged.</p>

<p>The report identified the key issues and concerns raised by neighbouring residents and other stakeholders, allowing those matters to be considered and incorporated into the design where appropriate.</p>

<p>He said the delivery of additional housing would also play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum.</p>

<p>“By increasing the local residential population, the development is expected to strengthen demand for local businesses, encourage further investment, and help restore the vibrancy that made the precinct a thriving destination in the early 2000s.”</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" /></p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.</p>

<p>According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."</p>

<p>The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.</p>

<p>Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" /></p>

<p>The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.</p>

<p>Residents would have access to communal gardens and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.</p>

<p>The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" /></p>

<p>"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.</p>

<p>"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" /></p>

<p>The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.</p>

<p>Doueihi founded Ceerose in 1998 and has grown the business to become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers in recent years, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.</p>


First look: Ceerose doubles down in Leichhardt with adaptive reuse of former warehouse site

<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?

<p>For the first time in a long time, Australia's inflation story is starting to look more like a landing than a fight.</p>

<p>The latest Consumer Price Index figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed annual inflation eased to four per cent in May, down from 4.2 per cent in April. On the surface, that might not seem like a major move. Inflation remains above the Reserve Bank's target range and some categories continue to record stubborn price growth.</p>

<p>But the significance of this result lies less in where inflation sits today and more in what it means for where interest rates are likely heading next.</p>

<p>The biggest takeaway is that inflation continues to move in the right direction.</p>

<p>Markets had been bracing for another sticky result after a period where progress appeared to stall. Instead, headline inflation came in softer than expected, helped by falling fuel prices and easing transport costs. Annual transport inflation halved from 6.6 per cent in April to 3.3 per cent in May, while automotive fuel prices fell 11.9 per cent during the month following lower oil prices and the impact of reduced fuel excise measures.</p>

<p>While petrol prices don't solve Australia's affordability challenges, they are one of the most visible and immediate costs for consumers. Falling fuel costs feed through the economy quickly, helping ease pressure on household budgets and business operating expenses.</p>

<p>The ABS data also showed headline inflation is now sitting at its lowest annual level in several months, reinforcing the broader trend that price growth is gradually moderating.</p>

<p>That trend is important because it aligns with what many economists and lenders have been saying for the last month.</p>

<p>Prior to this week's inflation data, ANZ, NAB and Commonwealth Bank had all shifted their forecasts, now believing the Reserve Bank had likely reached the peak of the interest rate cycle. Following the May inflation release, ANZ reaffirmed that view.</p>

<p>In its latest economic update, ANZ said it expects quarterly trimmed mean inflation to come in at 3.7 per cent for the June quarter, slightly below the Reserve Bank's forecast of 3.8 per cent. Importantly, the bank said that outcome, when combined with slowing economic activity, "supports our view that the cash rate has peaked".</p>

<p>The Reserve Bank has spent the better part of three years attempting to bring inflation under control through higher interest rates. If Australia's major banks are correct and rates have now peaked, the conversation shifts from how much higher rates could go to when they might begin coming down.</p>

<p>Westpac's caution comes from underlying inflation. The trimmed mean, the measure most closely watched by the Reserve Bank, increased from 3.4 per cent to 3.6 per cent annually. Housing inflation remains elevated at 6.5 per cent, reflecting ongoing increases in rents, electricity costs and new dwelling construction.</p>

<p>Electricity prices remain particularly problematic, rising 21.1 per cent over the past year following the removal of government rebates.</p>

<p>Housing construction costs are also showing signs of renewed pressure. ANZ noted new dwelling costs rose 0.9 per cent in May and are now running at an annualised pace of 8.6 per cent over the past three months. Builders continue to face higher labour, fuel and material costs, a reminder that inflationary pressures have not completely disappeared.</p>

<p>Housing affordability has deteriorated largely because of higher interest rates rather than higher property prices alone. Even modest reductions in mortgage rates would improve borrowing capacity, increase buyer confidence and reduce repayment pressure on existing homeowners.</p>

<p>While August is far from a certainty, the latest inflation result has strengthened the view that the next move in rates is more likely to be down than up. For borrowers, buyers and the development sector, that alone represents a significant shift from the conversation that dominated much of the past two years.</p>


The inflation result the property market was waiting for

<html><body>
<p>New data has found a growing proportion of borrowers are seeking the security that comes with a fixed rate home loan, according to the latest national home loan approval data from Mortgage Choice.</p>
<p>Fixed rate home loans accounted for 22 percent of all loans written in December, up from 19.5 percent in the month prior.</p>
<p>“This is the fourth consecutive month that we have seen fixed rate demand increase,” Mortgage Choice chief executive officer John Flavell said.</p>
<p>“With speculation mounting that the Reserve Bank of Australia could soon lift the official cash rate, it is clear that a growing proportion of borrowers wish to beat any potential rate hikes by opting for a fixed rate home loan.”</p>
<p>Mr Flavell said current market conditions combined with a spate of rate increases by Australia’s lenders meant a rate rise by the Reserve Bank this year was now more likely than not.</p>
<p>“In December, the United States’ Central Bank announced it would increase the Federal Funds rate by 25 basis points to 0.75 percent.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the bank indicated that the Federal Funds rate could rise by a further 75 basis points throughout 2017 – through three separate rate increases.</p>
<p>“Closer to home, many of Australia’s lenders have already started to raise rates across their suite of home loan products.</p>
<p>In addition, the Reserve Bank of Australia has stated that the time for easing the monetary policy setting has now passed.</p>
<p>All of these factors combined would suggest that a rate increase by the Reserve Bank could be right around the corner.</p>
<p>“Borrowers understand this and that is why a growing proportion of mortgage holders are opting for fixed rate products.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/variable_rate.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><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/2017/01/09/variable_rate.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Across the country, fixed rate demand was highest in New South Wales, with this type of product accounting for 27.34 percent of all loans written throughout the month of December.</p>
<p>“Queensland wasn’t far behind, with fixed rate home loans accounting for 24.64 percent of all loans written within the state.</p>
<p>At the other end of the spectrum, fixed rate demand was lowest in Victoria, with this type of product making up just 12.69 percent of all home loans written,” he said.</p>
<p>“Looking ahead, I wouldn’t be surprised to see fixed rate demand continue to rise across most of the states as a growing proportion of borrowers look to beat the threat of rising rates.”</p>
<table style="width: 403px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody>
<tr>
<td nowrap width="101">
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="56">
<p align="right"><strong>NSW/ACT</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right"><strong>VIC/TAS</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right"><strong>QLD</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right"><strong>SA/NT</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="67">
<p align="center"><strong>WA</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="115">
<p><strong> Variable</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="center"><strong>72.66%</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="center"><strong>87.31%</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="center"><strong>75.36%</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="center"><strong>84.45%</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="52">
<p align="center"><strong>83.91%</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="101">
<p><strong><em>Basic Variable</em></strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="right">9.76%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">16.04%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">25.14%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">33.53%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="67">
<p align="right">15.66%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="101">
<p><strong><em>Standard Variable</em></strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="right">10.74%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">21.01%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">7.17%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">13.77%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="67">
<p align="right">13.42%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="101">
<p><strong><em>Ongoing Discount</em></strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="right">46.96%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">43.43%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">36.61%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">32.59%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="67">
<p align="right">51.52%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="101">
<p><strong><em>Line of Credit</em></strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="right">1.32%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">1.58%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">0.61%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">1.03%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="67">
<p align="right">0.86%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="101">
<p><strong><em>Introductory Rate</em></strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="right">3.88%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">5.25%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">5.83%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="right">3.53%</p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="67">
<p align="right">2.45%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="115">
<p><strong> Fixed</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="56">
<p align="center"><strong>27.34%</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="center"><strong>12.69%</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="center"><strong>24.64%</strong></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="60">
<p align="center"><strong>15.55%</strong></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="52">
<p align="right"><strong>16.09%</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></strong></p>
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Fixed rate home loan demand surges again

<html><body>
<p>According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) November 2016 building approvals data there were 17,569 houses and units approved for construction across the country over the month. </p>
<p>Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the number of dwelling approvals rose by 7.0 percent over the month due to a substantial rebound in unit approvals.  Despite an increase in approvals in November, they are -4.8 percent lower over the year and are -18.6 percent lower than their peak in October 2015 when 21,588 houses and units were approved.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/chart-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><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/2017/01/09/chart-1.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>In November 2016 there were 9,503 houses and 8,066 units approved for construction throughout the country. Over the month, house approvals fell by -0.4 percent while unit approvals increased 17.3 percent. </p>
<p>Unit approvals tend to be lumpy and volatile, which goes a long way towards explaining the 17.3 percent increase in November following a -20.1 percent decline in September and -22.8 percent fall in October of last year. Year-on-year, houses approved for construction were -2.1 percent lower and unit approvals were down -7.8 percent. </p>
<p>Over the current construction cycle, house approvals peaked at 10,649 in April 2015 and unit approvals peaked at 11,763 over the month of October 2015.  November 2016 house approvals were -10.8 percent lower than the April 2015 peak while unit appears have fallen more dramatically, down -31.4 percent from their October 2015 peak.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/chart-2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><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/2017/01/09/chart-2.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Looking deeper into unit approvals by type, it becomes clear that the surge in new high-rise construction projects has slowed.  This data is split into three segments: townhouses, low-rise units (less than four storeys) and high-rise units (four storeys or higher). </p>
<p>The above chart highlights the volatility in unit approvals and also shows that the recent plunge of unit approvals is being driven by the high-rise unit sector. With ongoing concerns about oversupply of high-rise units in certain inner city markets and slowing value growth for units, it seems that developers are responding by seeking fewer new high-rise unit approvals. Another interesting trend over the past year or so has been the steady upwards trend in townhouse approvals. The substantial increase in high-rise approvals over recent years has occurred at the expense of townhouse and low rise approvals. </p>
<p>With the expected further slowing of high-rise unit approvals there is potential for a lift in townhouse approvals over the coming year.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/chart-3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><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/2017/01/09/chart-3.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/chart-4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><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/2017/01/09/chart-4.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>The two above charts show the proportion of dwelling approvals that were for units.  The data points to the fact that in most capital cities developers have recently slowed their submissions for unit building approvals. As a proportion of all approvals there have been some significant declines in unit approvals in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and Darwin over the past six months.</p>
<p>The reality is that this is an appropriate response in most of these cities given how much unit construction has been taking place.</p>
<p>Hobart is the one exception where it could be argued that more unit construction is required, particularly given the booming tourism sector.  Sydney and Canberra have recorded no significant slowdown in unit approvals as a proportion of total approvals over recent months.  Sydney has been approving more units than houses for more than two decades where in most other capital cities the dominance of unit approvals over those for houses is a relatively new phenomena.</p>
<p>Unit approvals are trending lower, particularly for high-rise units, which is an appropriate response so late in the current construction phase. The reality is that at least initially, an increasing proportion of these units approved for construction may not be sold. There remains a substantial pipeline of construction work already underway which should keep residential builders busy for some time. </p>
<p>Should, as we expect, approvals soften further and remain well below their recent heights over the coming years absent a pick-up in non-residential or infrastructure construction, there could be some headwinds for builders and associated businesses. </p>
<p>Housing construction has been a significant driver of economic growth over recent years and a slowdown in this sector could also impact on economic growth over the coming years unless some other large industry segment can pick up the slack. <span> </span></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>
<div class="sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled">
<div class="robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing">
<h3 class="sd-title"> </h3>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Dwelling approvals bounce in November but don’t expect it to continue: Cameron Kusher

<html><body>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>As we head into 2017, there are many reasons to view prospects with distinct nervousness.</p>
<p>Will the new US president follow through with his isolationist and protectionist rhetoric from the campaign trail?</p>
<p>How will growing populism affect the outcome of key eurozone elections, and particularly the French presidential vote?</p>
<p>There are huge uncertainties facing the UK over its Brexit negotiations and the medium-term growth outlook.</p>
<p>Moreover, very real challenges are facing certain emerging markets, particularly those with high external debt levels and now suffering from currency depreciation.</p>
<p>All these give real cause for concern. However, some things are going in the right direction, at least for now. Global PMIs are at their highest level for more than a year.</p>
<p>The US economy is robust enough for the Fed to have just carried out its second interest rate increase this decade.</p>
<p>Growth in China has held up remarkably well, defying financial market concerns at the start of 2016. Inflation, long thought dead, is showing signs of stirring, albeit thanks to higher oil prices and varying degrees of FX depreciation.</p>
<p>And fiscal measures are supplementing monetary support in many key economies, led by the US where a reflation trade is confidently underway in the expectation of broad-ranging tax cuts and higher spending.</p>
<p>All of the above help explain why this quarter we can offer a rare treat: for the first time since early 2012, we are increasing our forecasts for both global growth and inflation for the next two years. Unfortunately, it is still a world where global growth is likely to hover around the mediocre growth rates of the past few years.</p>
<p>The Trump factor Political shocks typically mean uncertainty about the future direction of policy and a negative impact on investor sentiment. Not this time.</p>
<p>Since the election of Donald Trump as US president, global markets have taken a clear view on what it means for policy and the real economy. Concerns raised before the election over Mr Trump’s campaign pledges – such as protectionism and limits on immigration – have been put on the back-burner, even though they could change the world order in unpredictable ways.</p>
<p>For now the mood is firmly risk on. Equity markets have rallied. Bond markets have sold off and the dollar has strengthened across the board. Signs of cyclical improvement evident in the global economy survey data before the election have largely been confirmed and the expectation of a sizeable fiscal stimulus and lighter-touch regulation have added to the optimism.</p>
<p>The first positive prints for China’s producer price inflation since early 2012 and the first deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to cut oil supply for 15 years, pushing oil above USD55/barrel, are the icing on the cake for the reflation flag wavers.</p>
<p>Some of this buoyancy is justified. We recently revised up our US growth forecasts for 2017-18 on the expectation that the Republican Congress will back some degree of tax cuts for US households and companies.</p>
<p>European growth is also expected to be stronger than had seemed likely in the immediate wake of the UK’s Brexit vote.</p>
<p>Expectations may be getting too high though. An upturn in the global industrial cycle does not tell us much about long-term growth prospects. Nor do we doubt the ability of fiscal stimulus to support near-term demand.</p>
<p>If it does not raise long-term nominal growth by supporting other structural policies to improve productivity then it might just mean larger deficits that keep adding to government debt stocks.</p>
<p>So, while expansionary fiscal policy may erode spare capacity and mean the Fed can raise rates a little more quickly (we expect two rate rises in 2017, rather than the one we previously envisaged), the jury is still out on whether the incoming US administration’s policy mix will raise long-term potential growth and the historically low natural rate of interest.</p>
<p>Even in the near term there could once again be constraints on the Fed. The election of Donald Trump may have been a vote in favour of more isolationist policies but the US is not (yet!) a closed economy and Fed policy will continue to be influenced by developments elsewhere.</p>
<p>US headline inflation will rise in the coming months as higher oil prices feed through and nominal wage growth should tick up slightly, but we expect the strong dollar to keep down import prices and therefore core goods prices. In the other large developed economies, signs of cyclical improvement do not alter the deflationary influence that the eurozone and Japan still exert: internal imbalances and external surpluses are still too large and wage settlements too low.</p>
<p>Political risk in the coming year will focus on the eurozone, given the elections in some of its key economies: the Netherlands, France and Germany and, possibly, Italy.</p>
<p>There is also a pressing need for EU institutions to take decisions to address the population’s primary concerns of immigration and terrorism, ideally through joint budgetary spending on defence. But with the ECB having now extended QE until at least the end of 2017 and a very welcome bout of yen depreciation having taken the pressure off the Bank of Japan to step up its monetary easing any time soon, the immediate monetary policy risks will focus on EM.</p>
<p>Given the broad-based currency declines since the US election, emerging economies with high external debt and a high degree of foreign participation in local bond markets are most vulnerable to a rise in debt service costs and capital outflow as US rates rise.</p>
<p>Even for countries that have less foreign-currency-denominated debt but which are still reliant on credit growth, a slightly more active Fed and a stronger dollar imply less ability for many EM central banks to provide support through monetary policy.</p>
<p>We believe Brazil’s central bank will now be able to deliver less easing than previously seemed likely.</p>
<p>Many of the rate cuts we had been forecasting in Asia have been removed, while Turkey has already started a rate-rising cycle we did not envisage three months ago. Nor can emerging markets really pin their hopes on a big boost to competitiveness from the currency as exchange rate weakness has been broadly based across EM.</p>
<p>They must be hoping there will be some kind of lift from stronger US demand. The main boost on the demand side is likely to be to the US consumer from the planned tax cuts. To some extent the boost to disposable incomes will be offset by the rise in oil prices and a small rise in debt service costs but at least the US consumer has undergone so much deleveraging and now holds far fewer adjustable rate mortgages that the impact of modest rate rises should be limited and slow to come through.</p>
<p>Nonetheless the US will be a long way from regaining its former title of the world’s consumer of last resort. The US now accounts for a much smaller share of global demand than it did over a decade ago and its high income level and ageing population mean that more than two-thirds of US consumer spending is now on services. There will also be the risk of protectionist measures being put in place, particularly if the dollar continues to strengthen and the US current account deficit widens significantly in the coming year. Fed will still be constrained by global developments Political risk in Europe USD strength and higher rates puts the focus back on EM Mixed blessings for the US consumer.</p>
<p>Despite the clear risks for many emerging countries in the near term, the emerging market growth story is far from over given its superior long-term growth potential. In this report, we have re-visited the projections made for emerging economies in 2010 in our World in 2050, 11 January 2012 report. China, India and Indonesia are the main countries that have surpassed our estimates of growth potential. The rest under-delivered and, as in much of the developed world, disappointing investment growth has been a big part of the reason.</p>
<p>Demographics still look better in most EM countries though and other key drivers of future growth – notably education levels and life expectancy – have improved. This implies that potential per capita growth rates are still fairly high. As these countries develop and the nature of growth becomes more domestically driven, the influence on developed markets may pick up once more.</p>
<p>Emerging market crises of one sort or another will no doubt feature from time to time in the coming decades, as will unpredictable political developments. But these countries should continue to gain in importance in terms of their share of global demand.</p>
<p>Turning to our actual growth forecasts, we have raised our developed world forecasts more or less across the board. Aside from the US, the biggest upgrades are in the UK (smaller nearterm damage following the Brexit vote) and Japan, but there also seems to be a bit more momentum in the eurozone, particularly Germany and Spain.</p>
<p>In the emerging world, the revisions are mainly downwards, with the main exception of China where the recent run of data have revived and we believe an additional bout of public spending will maintain growth at 6.5 percent in 2017-18. In India, there is a near-term hit to growth from the government’s decision to abolish the existing stock of high-denomination currency notes.</p>
<p>The other notable revisions are in Latin America due to weaker-than-expected recent activity data and the reduced scope for monetary easing in the face of currency depreciation.</p>
<p>The full report can be downloaded <a href="https://www.gbm.hsbc.com/insights/economics" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p><em>Janet Henry is Global Chief Economist at HSBC and can be contacted <a href="https://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

US economy robust enough to take interest rate increase: HSBC's Janet Henry

<html><body>
<p>A narrow beach box at Mornington Peninsula is for sale at $85,000.</p>
<p>Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-vic-mornington-201386674" target="_blank">Beach Box 4 Shire Hall Beach</a> the property is freshly painted, secure and boasts an enviable position on the tightly held Shire Hall Beach.</p>
<p><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/2017/01/06/BathingBox.jpg" alt="" width="476" height="317"></p>
<p>It has magnificent views to the Mornington harbour and beyond while remaining in close proximity to vibrant Main Street.</p>
<p>Further features include a raised deck, stainless steel umbrella holders and grab rail.</p>
<p>The property is offered by Simon Farrar.</p>
</body></html>

Freshly painted bathing box at the Mornington Peninsula listed for sale

<html><body>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">It's become traditional at this time of year for the media to mention all the potential gloom and risks facing the economy - the auto assembly industry shutting down is an old favourite, and resources construction declining, of course.</span></h3>
<p>Thing is, we've known about these issues for aeons now.  </p>
<p>What is rarely mentioned is that if the all of the downside events do play out the declining Aussie dollar would bear the brunt of the adjustment, quickly declining to 40 to 50 cents.</p>
<p>Given that the Reserve Bank seems unwilling to cut interest rates further, a strong increase in business investment over the next couple of years admittedly doesn't seem all that probable. </p>
<p>Regardless, nothing is all good or all bad, and here are a few possible upside risks for the economy.</p>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>1 - Manufacturing jobs increase </strong></span></p>
<p>The car industry will see some manufacturing jobs go this year. Still, manufacturing employment soared by +102,000 last year, and the PMI gauge is in positive territory too. Any more to come where this came from with the lower dollar?</p>
</div>
<div id="post-body-153697409885239923" class="post-body entry-content"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="post-body entry-content"> </div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<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/2017/01/09/A2.jpg" alt=""><br><span><span><br></span></span><span><span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2 - Unemployment rate drops towards 4 per cent (&amp; wages breakout)</span></strong></span></span><br><span><br></span><span>The unemployment rate has declined from 6.3 percent to 5.7 percent at the latest reading. A sharp decline towards 4 per cent isn't in anyone's base case, but it's not out of the question either according to the Reserve Bank's modelling. </span>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content"><span> </span></div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<span><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/RBA1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a><br></span><br><div class="separator"><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/2017/01/09/RBA1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div><span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3 - Mining investment bust ends</span></strong></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Commodity prices soared by 45 percent last year, and bulk commodities ripped higher by 145 percent, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the nadir is in sooner than expected, possibly before the calendar year is out.   </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/ENG.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><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/2017/01/09/ENG.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">4 - LNG price increases 50pc</span></strong></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>LNG export volumes are forecast by Treasury to triple between 2015 and 2021. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/RBA3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><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/2017/01/09/RBA3.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div>
<div><span> </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>The Henry Hub natural gas spot prices is up by more than 75 percent from one year ago, and there could be more to come yet as oil prices rebound. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/LNG.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><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/2017/01/09/LNG.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div>
<div><span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5 - Property prices rise 12pc in 2017, unleashing a wealth effect</span></strong></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div><span> </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>SQM Research see strong price gains nationally as possible, with prices in Sydney to rise by as much as 18 percent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/unnamed.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/01/09/unnamed.png" alt=""></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Source: SQM Research</span></em></span></div>
<div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>The wealth effect on household expenditure doesn't seem all that likely, but stranger things have happened, especially with household wealth passing a record $9 trillion last year.<br><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">6 - Infrastructure booms</span></strong></span></div>
<div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div>The NSW state government has zero net debt for the first time on record on the back of the biggest stamp duty boom in Australia's history, which should fund some serious infrastructure investment. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/NSW.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div><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/2017/01/09/NSW.jpg" alt=""></div>
</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div><span>Nationally, an infrastructure boom could be underway...</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/BORAL2.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<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/2017/01/09/BORAL2.jpg" alt=""><br><br>
</div>
<div><span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">7 - China unleashes its capital account</span></strong></span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>
<div>China has a rapidly urbanising population of 1.4 billion. If the capital account ever gets unleashed to buy international assets in earnest... well, there are only 24 million of us...</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/FIRB.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><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/2017/01/09/FIRB.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">8 - Tourism &amp; education boom</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br></span></strong>Tourism and international student arrivals are already booming, and arrivals could rise 10 to 15 per cent over the next year following a streamlining of student visa rules, helping to send annual population growth back towards 450,000 per annum. Chinese visitor spend is also already exploding. <br><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">9 - Global growth accelerates, Australian GDP to above 5 percent</span></strong>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Trump victory becomes a global turning point, and a combination of expansionary policy overseas and a revival of the animal spirits sees Australia's GDP growth accelerate to above 5 percent.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/09/RBA2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><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/2017/01/09/RBA2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The wrap</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>We won't see all of these unfold of course, but four or five of them could easily play out. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><em><span>PETE WARGENT </span>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></div>
</div>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Nine upside risks to the Australian economy in 2017: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
<div>There are certainly some weird ideas out there about property supply.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Take the example of Pyrmont, if only because I lived there for many years, and as a property owner in the suburb, it's one of the locations I know pretty well. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>From time to time I've heard it said that suburbs like Pyrmont have "too much supply".</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I guess I can kind of see why you might think that if you'd just landed in Sydney, for with about 13,000 residents jammed in to one tight square kilometre, it's the densest suburb in Australia.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thing is, the bit of the suburb where people want to live was developed about 25 years ago now!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There's been very little of note lately, though. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>From memory that was a little unit development on Pyrmont Bridge Road, and there's been a bit going on at Ultimo. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Oh, and then there was Lend Lease's 391 apartments in the new 40-storey tower at Darling Square, although they sold out in, what, five hours?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If you were to fast forward to a decade's time I expect that Wentworth Park and White Bay will be developed with apartments, probably the fish markets too one day, while if Mirvac get their way there will be a commercial/residential tower on top of what is now the Harbourside tourist trap.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>These types of developments can take years to become a reality, though. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>At the end of the day, there isn't an oversupply issue here because more and more people want to live in the area by the year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ultimately there are shedloads of people like me who'd enjoy a lazy 5-minute stroll into the city in the morning instead of driving through miles of petroleum fumes and vehicular logjam. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>After accounting for the inevitable frictional vacancies, vacancy rates in Pyrmont are essentially zero. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBc8yaCwwn0/WG7AugNs4OI/AAAAAAAAhDw/tWnNA8e6WNEx3TzLnbLqoU-3wbKYLHcVgCLcB/s640/PYMRONT.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<p><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBc8yaCwwn0/WG7AugNs4OI/AAAAAAAAhDw/tWnNA8e6WNEx3TzLnbLqoU-3wbKYLHcVgCLcB/s1600/PYMRONT.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xBc8yaCwwn0/WG7AugNs4OI/AAAAAAAAhDw/tWnNA8e6WNEx3TzLnbLqoU-3wbKYLHcVgCLcB/s640/PYMRONT.jpg" width="640" height="340"></a></p>
<div>Source: SQM Research</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There will be the new developments over time, but we're more or less always playing catch up with demand. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>You could say the same of, say, Coogee in the beachside eastern suburbs, or Manly to the north. Stacks of demand, not much of note being built. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Even in inner-city Erskineville, which has seen development aplenty both within the suburb and all around it, vacancy rates are very tight, because it's such a convenient and popular location to live in. Loads of demand.</div>
<p><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xyZE02fQnNE/WG7ArXnXA-I/AAAAAAAAhDk/9JLq0Ia5jekQu87qnSXqg03szTeCAM9LACLcB/s640/ERKO.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a><br><br><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xyZE02fQnNE/WG7ArXnXA-I/AAAAAAAAhDk/9JLq0Ia5jekQu87qnSXqg03szTeCAM9LACLcB/s1600/ERKO.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xyZE02fQnNE/WG7ArXnXA-I/AAAAAAAAhDk/9JLq0Ia5jekQu87qnSXqg03szTeCAM9LACLcB/s640/ERKO.jpg" width="640" height="342"></a></p>
<div> </div>
<div>Source: SQM Research</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Those are the kind of suburbs I don't mind owning property forever in, through the cyclical peaks and troughs.</div>
<p>Apartment glut<br><br> Now, this is not to say that things aren't a little different elsewhere.</p>
<div>Where exactly? Follow the cranes!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Wentworth Point is just a mass of new apartments, and without being unkind, I can't imagine what it would be like to live there.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I guess you'd soon get used to it, though, since as far as I could tell there's only one road in and out (like the Twiglet zone: "Easy to enter, impossible to leave")!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Vacancy rates are up, up and away...</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ahyf5FSt0-A/WG7KfKxVcCI/AAAAAAAAhEA/zs6zwtQHABUHOvMA4r_2xAmvBDSm6quigCLcB/s640/Wentowrth%2Bpoint.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ahyf5FSt0-A/WG7KfKxVcCI/AAAAAAAAhEA/zs6zwtQHABUHOvMA4r_2xAmvBDSm6quigCLcB/s1600/Wentowrth%2Bpoint.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ahyf5FSt0-A/WG7KfKxVcCI/AAAAAAAAhEA/zs6zwtQHABUHOvMA4r_2xAmvBDSm6quigCLcB/s640/Wentowrth%2Bpoint.jpg" width="640" height="350"></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Source: SQM Research</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div>In Parramatta, there have been high rise towers going up all over the show throughout the last year, a huge concentration risk of generic, high rise, shoebox apartments. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>With net multi-unit completions rising fast in 2015 and 2016, vacancy rates have already increased to well above 3 per cent, and there's always an inherent risk of understatement in reported vacancy rates at this stage in the construction cycle. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There were another 3,500 dwellings approved in the last financial year too, and overwhelmingly, they were multi-unit in nature at 2,750. Golly gosh...</div>
<p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEDIDC6V4OI/WG7AtXKDdgI/AAAAAAAAhDo/chxzk69LiMoioCMQi8YHsNZgVBCO_LCqQCLcB/s640/PARRA.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><br><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEDIDC6V4OI/WG7AtXKDdgI/AAAAAAAAhDo/chxzk69LiMoioCMQi8YHsNZgVBCO_LCqQCLcB/s1600/PARRA.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEDIDC6V4OI/WG7AtXKDdgI/AAAAAAAAhDo/chxzk69LiMoioCMQi8YHsNZgVBCO_LCqQCLcB/s640/PARRA.jpg" width="640" height="356"></a><br><br> I also read somewhere this week that Blacktown is about to "boom".</p>
<div>Hmm, well that depends how you define 'boom', I guess! A construction boom, maybe. A boom in traffic congestion?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>That too! I'm somewhat less than convinced about there being a 2017 property boom in the conventional sense, though. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>One thing that you can say in favour of the LGA of Blacktown is that at least there is a level of diversity of development stock between apartments and detached dwellings. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Even so, with more than 11,700 dwellings approved over the last three years and a huge construction pipeline, it looks likely to me that vacancy rates will only be heading north putting more downward pressure on rates.</div>
<p><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TF-oPQjYAWw/WG7AuciggyI/AAAAAAAAhDs/TFT0_qDYPbIDlgfzuRJlH8xW199o2Y31gCLcB/s640/BLACKTOWN.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TF-oPQjYAWw/WG7AuciggyI/AAAAAAAAhDs/TFT0_qDYPbIDlgfzuRJlH8xW199o2Y31gCLcB/s1600/BLACKTOWN.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TF-oPQjYAWw/WG7AuciggyI/AAAAAAAAhDs/TFT0_qDYPbIDlgfzuRJlH8xW199o2Y31gCLcB/s640/BLACKTOWN.jpg" width="640" height="340"></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>There are plenty more suburbs like Parramatta and Blacktown that face a surfeit of new stock as mentioned here previously, including in the Hills District. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>And that's before we even mention the wild exuberance in Western Sydney house prices, with suburb records being smashed by the month in 2016 just as mortgage rates are now beginning to creep back up. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>It'll be very interesting to watch all of this play out in 2017. </div>
</body></html>

Stock versus flow in inner-Sydney apartments: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
<p>Sydney leads the country not just in home prices, it tops in rents too with Tamarama commanding the highest median rent of $1,725 per week for houses while Dawes Point leads in units with $1,775 pw for units.</p>
<p>Sydney takes all the top 10 spots for highest median rents per week for both houses and units, according to CoreLogic’s Best of the Best 2016 report.</p>
<p>The report’s figures are based on the median across all rental advertisements over the 12 months to September 2016.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2016/12/23/TamaramaTable.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2016/12/23/TamaramaTable.png" alt=""></p>
<p>Property Observer found across a few houses up for rent in Tamarama.</p>
<p>Though at present, we could not find any houses around the median price, here’s two:</p>
<p>A six-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/rental-properties/20-gaerloch-avenue-tamarama-nsw/property-details-rent-residential-10613128/" target="_blank">20 Gaerloch Avenue, Tamarama, NSW 2026</a> (below) is up for rent at $3,200 pw.</p>
<p>The beachfront house is located on Tamarama Beach and overlooks Mackenzies Bay. <br><br></p>
<p><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/2016/12/23/TamaramaFirst.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Another beachfront three-bedroom house on <a href="https://www.rent.com.au/property-house-tamarama-2026-1932842?search_token=41c224798e6d72d289f8581a" target="_blank">Birrell Street, Tamarama, NSW 2026</a> (below) is available for $2,500 per week.</p>
<p><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/2016/12/23/TamaramaSecond.jpg" alt=""> </p>
<p>A two-bedroom apartment on Tamarama Beach at <a href="https://www.rent.com.au/property-house-tamarama-2026-2015726?search_token=3121a724df2231da78c36ff3" target="_blank">Wonderland Avenue</a> (main picture) is available to rent for $2,200 p/w.</p>
<p>The fully furnished house has an an entertaining deck with BBQ and al fresco dining.</p>
<p>For units in Dawes Point, the suburb that leads nationally on median rent, Property Observer couldn’t find any apartments that come close to that criteria.</p>
</body></html>

prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Tamarama leads all Sydney in highest median rents

<html><body>
<div>A total of 188 auctions are now scheduled for Melbourne in January, according to Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) statistics.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The agent overseeing Melbourne’s first 2017 auction, Harcourts Frankston director Darren Dowel will take <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-frankston+south-124331522" target="_blank">37 Fleetwood Cres, Frankston South</a> (above) to auction on Saturday, January 14 at 11am.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>
<div id="rui-main-content">
<div>
<div>
<img src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/05113753/capi_77f6f7cf1233a4fe6fe945808caf59c5_055049ffa4941390c8d0a948aebf9690.jpeg" alt="37 Fleetwood Crescent Frankston South - Leader sum"><p>37 Fleetwood Cres, Frankston South (above) is a three-bedroom weatherboard home featuring chandeliers, a reading nook, a covered deck and spacious leafy gardens.</p>
<p>The 764sq m block is within both the Frankston High School and Derinya Primary School zone and is 1km from the beach.</p>
</div>
<div><img src="https://www.realestate.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/05113755/capi_77f6f7cf1233a4fe6fe945808caf59c5_a522f1631438216123e96c4c178cc5a8.jpeg" alt="37 Fleetwood Crescent Frankston South - Leader sum"></div>
<p>Dowel told the Herald Sun that 68 people had come through the home after just 25 days on the market.</p>
<p>“It’s been owned by an elderly couple for 25 years and they’re now moving to Gippsland Lakes,” he said.</p>
<p>REIV CEO Geoff White said close to 4000 auctions were held in Victoria in December, the highest number in the state’s history, with more than 1200 of these auctions held on December 17-18.</p>
<p id="U32394540394lIE">Other homes going to auction on Saturday, January 14 include:</p>
<p>A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-springvale+south-124315558" target="_blank">1/1 Hosken St, Springvale South.</a></p>
<p>A two bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-st+kilda-124421850" target="_blank">5/12 Leonards Ave, St Kilda.</a></p>
<p>A four bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-mornington-124365686" target="_blank">11 Harmony Rise, Mornington.</a></p>
<p>A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-dromana-124394742" target="_blank">4 Graeme St, Dromana</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

Mornington Peninsula lead the early bird auctions scheduled for January 2017

<html><body>
<p>Home prices rose by 10.9 per cent in the capital cities in 2016.<br><br>The gains were largely concentrated in Sydney (+15.5 per cent) and Melbourne (+13.7 per cent).<br><br>In Sydney home values rose by $10,000 per month in 2016.<br><br>Brisbane was a clear two-speed market and recorded gains of only +3.6 per cent overall.<br><br>Australia's regional centres recorded moderate gains of +2.8 per cent.<br><br></p>
<div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0-hx0y4Hxg/WGt1IW6r61I/AAAAAAAAhBc/Hj7EGOAF1XELqgVtmeNSeTEU2dTKG3bsACLcB/s1600/CL.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0-hx0y4Hxg/WGt1IW6r61I/AAAAAAAAhBc/Hj7EGOAF1XELqgVtmeNSeTEU2dTKG3bsACLcB/s640/CL.jpg" width="640" height="314"></a></div>
<p><br>In Perth home values are now 7.9 per cent below their 2014 peak, and in Darwin prices are down by 5.9 per cent cumulatively.</p>
<div>However, CoreLogic noted that both markets appear to be "moving through their low points" with both markets reporting strong gains in the last quarter of the year of +2.8 per cent and +5.9 per cent respectively.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>These figures seem to be at odds with low sentiment and high vacancy rates, but will be interesting to watch in 2017.</div>
<p>Regional NSW performed well in parts but there was comparatively little joy elsewhere:</p>
<div>"The remaining rest-of-state regions showed relatively sedate conditions, with values rising by half a per cent across regional Victoria, 1 per cent across regional Queensland and 1.1 per cent across regional South Australia.  </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Regional Western Australia recorded a 7 per cent fall in house values over the year."</div>
<div>
<p>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>.</p>
<p>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>.</p>
</div>
</body></html>

Perth dwelling prices now 7.9% below their 2014 peak

<html><body>
<p>Collinsville is the cheapest locality in Queensland to purchase a house, according to Investar’s latest report.</p>
<p>The property investment firm says that in the past year the median house price at Collinsville has fallen by 46% to $85,000.</p>
<p>This is followed by Dysart with $100,000 and Mount Morgan with $135,000.</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Suburb</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Postcode</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Bedrooms</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Current median price</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Collinsville</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>4804</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>2</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>$85,000</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Dysart</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>4745</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>3</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>$100,000</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Mount Morgan</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>4714</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>2</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>$135,000</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Charleville</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>4470</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>2</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>$150,000</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Manoora</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>4870</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>2</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>$159,000</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>Moranbah</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>4744</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>3</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
<p>$165,000</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>A two bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-collinsville-113987479" target="_blank">19 Aberdeen Street</a> (above) is on sale for $75,000.</p>
<p>A two bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-collinsville-121458062" target="_blank">17 Gralton Street</a> (below) was sold for $55,000.</p>
<p><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/2016/12/15/17%20Gralton%20Street.jpg" alt=""></p>
</body></html>

Latest Expert Insights

The inflation result the property market was waiting for

Guides

Editor's Picks

Guides

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Expert Insights

The inflation result the property market was waiting for

Guides

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Guides

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News