<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

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<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/69474/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>Asian currencies hit a seven year low in November, on Donald Trump’s election and the potential for his policies to spur US inflation and bond yields.</p>
<p>Investors who fanned out across emerging markets in recent years are now bringing their money back to America.</p>
<p>The steep drops, and the seeming inability of some central banks to do much about it, has led to worries of a financial crisis. Some columnistsare even drawing comparisons to the currency meltdown that preceded the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crisis (AFC). </p>
<p>The AFC’s impacts were dramatic. It led to the sudden collapse of President Suharto’s regime in Indonesia and triggered the 1998 Russian bond default. Everyday economic life was upended as the five worst hit economies saw unemployment surge, inflation balloon, and investment as a share of GDP plunge more than 10%. </p>
<p>It took five years for GDP per capita to reach parity with pre-AFC levels. Austerity was imposed to pay for large financial sector bailouts, in Indonesia the net cost of rescuing the financial sector exceeded 40% of GDP.</p>
<p>But much has changed since 1997. China’s rise means an increasingly multipolar economic order, new regional partnerships are in place, and central bankers and policymakers are less likely to repeat some prior mistakes. Even if a crisis were to materialise, it would look quite different from that of two decades ago. </p>
<h2>What triggered the AFC?</h2>
<p>The AFC began in July 1997, when Thailand gave in to speculators and devalued the Baht. Many Asian nations had long either pegged or closely tethered their currencies to the US dollar. After the baht, speculators quickly turned on the currencies of Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea. To fight the attacks on their exchange rates, central banks had to sell dollars (Thailand) or abruptly raise interest rates (Indonesia), but eventually caved - sometimes after depleting foreign exchange reserves - and allowed their currencies to fall. </p>
<p>The exchange rate declines wreaked havoc by driving up the cost of the money private companies had borrowed from abroad. Many were already struggling, amid an economic slowdown, with large foreign exchange borrowings and poor investments in overheated sectors like property. Once currencies floated, the companies’ flight to the US Dollar put pressure on domestic banks. Financial sectors became rapidly insolvent, triggering state interventions and bailouts. </p>
<p>The use of fixed or managed exchange rate regimes meant central banks assumed the risks of sudden foreign exchange movements. This perceived security further prompted capital inflows and resulted in real exchange rate appreciation and asset bubbles. Hedging, an investment tool limiting the risk of exchange rate changes damaging the price of an asset, was not widespread. </p>
<p>Governance problems and “crony capitalism” exacerbated these issues. The Indonesian central bank governor, for example, was part of cabinet and had little power to resist instructions to pump liquidity into ailing banks. In the end, US$14 billion was pumped into an insolvent banking sector and state auditors later found more than 60% of the funds were misused. </p>
<h2>A lot has changed since the AFC</h2>
<p>It was in the reaction to the AFC that a lot of changes were made. In return for cash infusions, these countries committed to IMF supervision and extensive programmes of economic reform and liberalisation. In addition to financial sector restructuring, the programs also included “structural reforms,” such as dismantled barriers to foreign investment and liberalised trade regimes. </p>
<p>From Indonesia, the IMF demanded dismantling of the monopolies and rent-creation schemes at the heart of the regime; from South Korea, it demanded large layoffs and union-busting measures. In both cases a back and forth between leaders and the IMF played out in real time as the currencies continued to fall and financial sector insolvency accelerated.</p>
<p>Many of these countries have also built up huge foreign exchange reserves over the past decade. Banking supervision has also greatly improved, and countries like Indonesia have created genuinely independent banking supervisory agencies and monetary authorities. </p>
<p>Regional financial integration has also deepened, with initiatives like the Chiang Mai Agreement, a framework adopted by members of ASEAN as well as China, Japan, and South Korea, for bilateral currency swaps and repurchase agreements. </p>
<p>China also has expanded its role, including a web of bilateral currency swap agreements with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. These Chinese renminbi (RMB) swaps are designed to facilitate trade – the RMB is the world’s second-largest trade finance currency – but swapped RMB can be converted to USD through offshore RMB trading centres and have been used to provide emergency liquidity to countries facing currency challenges (Pakistan in 2013, Argentina in 2014).</p>
<p>Central banks have reacted to the dollar’s sudden strength by announcing currency interventions, discussing rate hikes, and pressuring banks to curb “speculative” trading. China has announced closer scrutiny of some outbound transactions and Malaysian authorities have asked banks to limit some investments used for offshore ringgit hedging. This has prompted fretting among financial analysts who recall that Malaysia imposed some capital controls - effectively preventing ringgit from being exchanged and transferred out of the country - during the AFC. </p>
<h2>Going forward</h2>
<p>This is not to rule out a crisis (although markets may well reevaluate assumptions about Trumpnomics), as the end to years of plentiful dollars will have an impact. Debt levels are higher than pre-AFC levels, and foreign currency-denominated emerging market debts have more than doubled in the last ten years. Instead, global economic polarities are much changed because of China’s emergence, weakness in Europe, and isolationism in the US. Any crisis would play out differently than in 1997/98. </p>
<p>Economic managers are far less in thrall to economic orthodoxies as they were in the 1990s to the “Washington Consensus” and are therefore likely to blaze their own trails. The IMF, which remains the global lender of last resort, has also fine tuned its approach and is far less prescriptive than after the years of heady growth during the 1990s.</p>
<p>Whereas Malaysia during the AFC imposed capital controls and snubbed the IMF, just across the Malacca Strait Indonesia provided free movement of capital, which allowed the mass exit of both foreign and domestic capital. Combined with efforts to provide liquidity to the banks, the absence of capital controls undermined the government’s ability to carry out monetary policy. Many countries prudently used some capital controls during the global financial crisis, and as a result, some mild to moderate capital controls are likely.</p>
<p>A final variable is China, which despite its own currency challenges is keen to further the end of the US’s sole leadership of the international financial order. The aforementioned currency swaps, though likely insufficient for seeing off a systemic, regional crisis, show its ambitions to position itself as emerging markets’ preferred economic partner. </p>
<p>Efforts like the recent purchase of US$4 billion in assets from Malaysia’s disgraced 1MDB further shows an opportunistic approach to emerging geostrategic events. As a result, the likes of the IMF and friends, which dictated large, condition-laden bailouts in return for AFC assistance, are no longer the sole port of call for a beleaguered economy, and any post-crisis order, much shaped by these institutions after the AFC, might end up quite different.</p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Matthew Busch is </span>PhD candidate at Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-busch-284580" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Don't expect a rerun of the Asian Financial Crisis

<html><body>
<p>Art Deco apartments retain an aura of charm in our streetscape, according to Secret Agent’s latest bulletin.</p>
<p>This continues to get stronger as time goes by and as more modern apartments are built.</p>
<p>As one of the most scarce and precious of apartment types, what is their true value?</p>
<p>Out of the 1,276 apartments in our latest index, only 91 resales were Art Deco.</p>
<p>These are the most expensive type of apartments at $9,651 per square metre.</p>
<p>It is well ahead of brick apartments from the 60s to 80s ($8,672/sqm), post-90s developments ($8,599/ sqm) and even warehouse conversions ($8,517/sqm).</p>
<p>It is clear that buyers place a high value on Art Deco apartments.</p>
<p>If you’re looking to buy an Art Deco apartment in a specific region of inner Melbourne, you’ll find most resales tend to occur in Melbourne CBD.</p>
<p>It also occurs in the inner East (East Melbourne, Hawthorn, Prahran, South Yarra).</p>
<p>Table 1 summarises the price per square metre rates for Art Deco apartments in Melbourne according to the number of bedrooms, compared to the average of apartments across inner Melbourne.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2016/11/24/Table%201.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/2016/11/24/Table%201.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Table 2 shows the differences in size (sqm) between Art Deco and general apartments in inner Melbourne.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2016/11/24/Table%202.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/2016/11/24/Table%202.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>"East Melbourne is home to some of the most expensive apartments (second to Albert Park, though the former has more frequent sales), as we've established from our overall price per square metre index," the bulletin stated.</p>
<p>There is no exception with Art Deco apartments in East Melbourne and they are far more costly on average at $12,878 per square metre.</p>
<p>A significant number of period apartment resales occur within Melbourne CBD, making up a third of the total Art Deco units recorded.</p>
<p>These are much more affordable than their neighbouring East Melbourne equivalents, with differences</p>
<p>in price ranging from $2,600 per square metre less for the common 2 bedroom units to almost $7,000 per square metre less for rare 4 bedroom apartments.</p>
<p>The lower cost of property in the CBD is partly due to the significant number of new developments taking place, blocking out views and sunlight in many older, smaller buildings.</p>
<p>While older style apartments are known to be more spacious than new developments, they aren’t too far ahead of the average.</p>
<p>In fact, warehouse conversions are the biggest apartment type, having 30% more floor space on average.</p>
<p>1 bedroom Art Deco apartments (56sqm) are about 20% bigger than average (47sqm), while 2 bedroom units are only marginally more spacious, with a 5sqm advantage.</p>
<p>Older style 3 bedroom apartments (119sqm) are comparable to the average (121sqm). The rare 4 bedroom unit (214sqm) is slightly larger than average (203sqm).</p>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Art deco apartments are the most expensive in Melbourne

<html><body>
<h2> </h2>
<p>CAMA RBA SHADOW BOARD</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The course of the world’s largest economy has become less certain with Donald Trump unexpectedly triumphing in the US Presidential election.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>On the other side of the Atlantic, Europe is bracing itself for more trouble as it stands by watching Italy hold a referendum on a change to its constitution. Domestically, unemployment is flat, while consumer price inflation, at 1.0 percent year-on-year, remains well below the RBA’s 2-3 percent target band.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The CAMA RBA Shadow Board continues to believe that the cash rate should remain at its current level but the probabilities for a required interest rate increase have strengthened on all horizons. The Shadow Board attaches a 56% probability to a rate hold being the appropriate policy setting. The confidence attached to a required rate cut equals 2 percent, while the confidence in a required rate hike equals 43 percent.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>There is little inflationary pressure emanating from the Australian labour market, with Australia’s unemployment rate still estimated to be 5.6 percent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Part-time and full-time employment figures continue to yoyo around on a monthly basis, making these numbers difficult to interpret. New data indicates that nominal wages grew a modest 1.9 percent, year-on-year.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The Aussie dollar, relative to the US dollar, has depreciated since last month, temporarily trading as low as 73.1 US¢ on 21 November. Since then the dollar has rebounded and is now hovering around 74.5 US¢. Yields on Australian 10-year government bonds have continued their bounce from recent historical lows. They now equal 2.88%. Domestic share prices joined the global rally but are now consolidating, with the S&amp;P/ASX 200 stock market index trading near 5,500.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>Worldwide, more uncertainty enthrals financial markets and policy makers. After Donald Trump’s surprise win of the US Presidential election, financial markets rallied but this may be short-lived. Across the globe, people are trying to predict what a Trump Presidency will look like, whether Trump’s policies will match his campaign rhetoric and the the implications of his policies, many of which do not neatly fit into the traditional left-right spectrum.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>Europe is on edge about this Sunday’s Italian referendum to change the Italian constitution, with a banking crisis and further political turmoil looming on the horizon.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>With the US Presidential election out of the way and the US economy holding up for the time, the Federal Reserve Bank in the US may start in earnest to lift the federal funds rate. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met again in Vienna to agree on production cuts, with pundits estimating that the world price for crude oil could settle around US$ 60 a barrel.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>These developments, along with recent data pointing to an uptick in global inflation, suggest slight upward pressure for global prices. Eventually, this pressure is likely to spill into the domestic economy; hence the Shadow Board’s slight revision of preferred interest rates to the upside.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>Consumer confidence, as measured by the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index, is virtually unchanged from the previous month. The manufacturing and services PMI, which measure the performances of the manufacturing and services sectors, have strengthened again, from 50.9 to 54.2 and from 48.9 to 50.5, respectively.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The AIG Performance of Construction Index (PCI), after its recent blip up, fell again, from 51.4 in September to 45.9 in October. Building permits declined for the third month in a row, this time by 12.6 percent, which points to an overall weakening of the housing market.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The Shadow Board’s preference for the optimal interest rate has shifted a little. It now attaches a 56 percent probability (64 percent last month) that “no change” is the appropriate policy, a 2 percent probability (4 percent last month) that a rate cut is appropriate and a 43 percent probability (32 percent in the previous month) that a rate rise, to 1.75 percent or higher, is appropriate.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The probabilities at longer horizons are as follows: 6 months out, the estimated probability that the cash rate should remain at 1.50 percent equals 21 percent, three percentage points down from the previous month.</p>
<h2> </h2>
<p>The estimated need for an interest rate decrease has fallen to 9 percent (down from 13 percent in November), while the need for a rate increase equals 71 percent (63 percent in November).</p>
<h2><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A year out, the Shadow Board members’ confidence that the cash rate should be held steady equals 17 percent (18 percent in November), while the confidence in a required cash rate decrease fell four percentage points to 6% and the confidence in a required cash rate increase equals 77 percent (72 percent in November).<br></span></h2>
<p><a href="/images/2016/12/06/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-06%20at%2010.44.24%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/12/06/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-06%20at%2010.44.24%20AM.png" alt=""> </p>
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Cash rate should hold pre-Christmas: Shadow RBA Board

<html><body>
<p>Bec and Lleyton Hewitt have listed their little-used Kenthurst acreage for sale. </p>
<p>They seem set to spend much more of their time these days in Melbourne.</p>
<p>The 100 square home with will no doubt sell for close to $5 million through Guardian Realty agent Gavin Weekley.</p>
<p>When the Kenthurst home sold in 2006 for $3 million it bettered the record for a two-hectare property by $350,000.</p>
<p>But the Hewitts offering remains a single-level, six-bedroom home with resort-style pool that has been overtaken by grander homes that have fetched as much as $6 million. There was a $3.9 million sale next door earlier this year.</p>
<p>The marketing say it has a free-flowing layout spanning more than 100 squares.</p>
<p>"Splashes of vibrant colour are blended with custom timber finishes and hardwood floors, set against a verdant backdrop of manicured gardens and lush lawn," it advises.</p>
<p>The former world number one recently relisted his Melbourne penthouse at $10 million with offers due this week.</p>
<p>Hewitt, who has been based in the Bahamas with his family, had rarely used the St Kilda Road pad until this year.</p>
<p>It is on the 19th floor of Yve tower.</p>
<p>It has been<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/apartment-unit-flat/vic/melbourne/?adid=2011370007&amp;sp=1" target="_blank"> listed by Sotheby’s International Realty</a>, fully furnished.</p>
<p>Hewitt bought the apartments on level 19 and 20 for $8.325 million in 2004 at 578 St Kilda Road.</p>
<p>He then took around four years creating the 710 square metre internal space with six bedrooms and six bathrooms. There is also 443 square metres external space, Sotheby agent Phillip French said,</p>
<p>Bec and Lleyton Hewitt offloaded their three-storey Palm Beach retreat at $4.63 million in 2014.</p>
<p>The Palm Beach Road house cost $4.4 million in 2005.</p>
<p>Th property purchase was just two weeks before tying the knot. </p>
<p>Bec and Lleyton were both big celebrities in their own right before they combined their star power, kicking off a whirlwind romance in 2005.</p>
<p>He was the then Wimbledon champion and she was a star of the enduring soapie, Home and Away.</p>
<p>The couple, now parents to three kids, Mia, Cruz and Ava, bought a home in Nassau in 2009 for $3.8 million.</p>
<p>Hewitt sold his former Adelaide home for $2,185,600 after six years on the market, for much less than the $3.2 million he paid for it in 2003.</p>
<p>In 2005 Hewitt was the youngest on the BRW Young Rich list with a net worth of $30 million.</p>
<p>The latest listing caps off a busy time for Bec too as her parents' $2.5 million Oakfield property - where Bec grew up - was sold earlier this year after three decades ownership.</p>
<p><em>This article appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. </em></p>
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Lleyton Hewitt lists Sydney acreage

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<p>Just two days before the selling season turned to summer, Sydney's most expensive one bedroom beach house sold at Palm Beach.</p>
<p>The Modern House agency had a $1.55 million asking price on the highly contemporary offering which was actually built in the late 1990s.</p>
<p>All up it measures a modest 85 square metre internal space, plus there's an additional 80 square metres of external deck and terracing.</p>
<p>It was custom designed for photographer Greg Barrett by Furio Valich at Gordon + Valich Architects, in partnership with Belinda Koopman Architects in its bushland Cynthea Road location.</p>
<p>The house was the winner of the RAIA Merit Award for Housing in 1999 with its Sydney School architectural influences obvious given the use of the site's plentiful sandstone and angophora.</p>
<p>The one bedroom house is made up of a main, open living and dining space on the ground floor and a small upper floor bedroom.</p>
<p>"Belinda and Jim Koopman’s design succeeds on all counts," said the selling agent Marcus Lloyd-Jones at Modern House.</p>
<p>Barrett paid $300,000 in 1990 for the land.</p>
<p>Sydney's highest known one bedroom apartment sale was secured by the fishing guru Rex Hunt who sold his 75 sq m Macquarie Street, Quay Grand apartment for $2.05 million earlier this year.</p>
<p>Architect Domenic Alvaro’s strikingly narrow, five storey Surry Hills house sold for $1.88 million in 2014, ranking still as Sydney's priciest custom built one bedder.</p>
<p><em>This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.</em></p>
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Priciest one bedroom beach house sold for record price

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<p>New South Wales has modernised its strata laws to reflect 21st Century living with updated rules that came into effect this week.</p>
<p>It is the biggest overhaul in four decades. It was 1961 when Strata Plan No 1 was registered at an Enfield walkup. Now the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 marks the most significant reforms since 1973 revisions. </p>
<p>There are around 90,000 strata schemes across the state ranging from duplexes to those with 100s of flats.</p>
<p>More than two million NSW residents live in the apartments, units and townhouses, and that is set to rise dramatically from downsizers. </p>
<p>The new rules will effect anyone who owns or rents.</p>
<p>Some changes will be noticed quickly while others will take time - especially the controversial reform that paves the way for urban renewal by the compulsory demolition particularly of well-position small, older apartment blocks on large land holdings.</p>
<p>There's over 90 changes being implemented by the Innovation and Better Regulations Minister Victor Dominello.</p>
<p>NSW was the first place in the world with strata title back in 1961, so there is no doubting they needed modernisation. Around 30% of schemes in the Sydney date back more than 30 years. </p>
<p>Many of the new model by-laws only apply to new strata schemes. So the model rules including the pro-pet proposal won't see pets run amok in every strata. The changes will likely facilitate some owners corporations implementing by-laws that set limits on the number of people living in a unit, albeit with no limits on family members.</p>
<p>One of the most important changes relates to renovations, which ought make it a little easier for cosmetic alterations.</p>
<p>Strata schemes can pay the council to issue parking fines for pesky unauthorised use of the visitors’ spaces.</p>
<p>There are some modernisation on how a strata is run, such as allowing owners to use technology to communicate on issues, in meetings and casting a vote.   </p>
<p>Tenants will have more rights so if more than 50% of the building is tenanted, a tenant representative can be nominated as a non-voting member of the strata committee.</p>
<p>The most controversial change is the ability for the owners’ corporation to decide to sell or redevelop their building.</p>
<p>Instead of the previous requirement of unanimous consent, the 75% threshold is a generous gift to the development lobby especially as each apartment will have one vote, rather than be based on the more worthy unit entitlement.</p>
<p>It is extraordinary the lawmakers would seek to have the penthouse owner's voting entitlement the same as the viewless studio down near the laundry in the basement.</p>
<p>Turmoil will follow at the expense of individual property rights. All it takes is for anyone - it does not have to be a lot owner - to give a written proposal to the owners corporation for a sale or redevelopment of the strata scheme to be considered. </p>
<p>Any strata then needs just half the owners - perhaps two of the four owners - to pass a resolution at a general meeting to progress the prospect further along.</p>
<p>The intending stayput owners do get around 74 days notice of the rug being pulled from under them with limited recourse.</p>
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New South Wales updates strata laws

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<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/69612/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>Although plenty of pundits seem to think a December rate hike by the US Federal Reserve is a lock, the intervening data would be very important.</p>
<p>With the most recent US GDP growth figures, it looks like the jury is largely in.</p>
<p>Third-quarter GDP growth was revised to an annualised rate of 3.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. Consumer spending was a key component, with personal consumption up 2.8 percent. That indicates some underlying confidence that bodes well for future growth figures.</p>
<p>Adding to that, the Markit Flash US Services PMI Business Activity Index was at a preliminary 54.7 in November, almost the same as the 54.8 in October. This is the ninth consecutive month of an expansionary purchasing managers index. It’s a further sign that inventories are being worked down and assets put to productive use.</p>
<p>Absent some other negative news, it will be hard for the FOMC to resist raising rates at their December meeting.</p>
<p>Here in Australia, the ABS released figures on Wednesday showing another decline in residential building approvals – the third in as many months. Year-on-year approvals are down about nearly a quarter. That signals an uncomfortable dent in confidence, apart from in and of itself being a A$1.5 billion drop in economic activity.</p>
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<p>In a further sign that any cyclical upturn in residential construction looks to have come to an end, new home sales were down 8.5 percent in October, with the Melbourne market a key driver. Interestingly, this was not just a product of the much-vaunted boom in Melbourne apartment construction: multi-unit sales were down 9.2 percent nation-wide, but detached houses were down 8.2 percent.</p>
<p>Combined, this will do nothing to help the housing affordability crisis Australia has been facing for some years now. That crisis led to NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes breaking ranks with the federal Liberal Party in suggesting that negative gearing reform should be considered as part of the solution to the housing crisis. That could not be written off as a slip of the tongue after Premier Mike Baird reiterated the sentiment in his remarks to the National Press Club on Tuesday.</p>
<p>My stance on the matter is well known to readers of this column, given my report for the McKell Institute 18 months ago, advocating the gradual elimination of negative gearing for existing properties. I didn’t fire the starter’s pistol on negative gearing reform, but, to push the athletics analogy, it’s beginning to look like I rang the bell for the last lap.</p>
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<p><img src="/images/2016/12/06/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-06%20at%209.54.46%20AM.png" alt=""></p>
<p>Italy is the world’s eighth-largest economy, with GDP of US$1.81 trillion. It has rarely grown, and often shrunk, since the financial crisis, with the most recent growth rate at 0.3 percent.</p>
<p>Like much of the Eurozone, Italy is teetering on the precipice of a Japan-like deflationary spiral, with inflation at -0.2 percent.</p>
<p>It shares a high unemployment rate with many other European countries. Italy’s is at 11.7 percent, while its youth unemployment rate is a staggering and alarming 37.1 percent. As I wrote about France last week, that’s simply not compatible with the social compact of a liberal democracy in the medium term.</p>
<p>Italy’s balance sheet doesn’t look much better. Italy’s debt/GDP ratio is 132.7 percent, the fourth highest in the world, which leaves little wiggle room with its budget deficit of 2.6 percent of GDP. That has been improving since the financial crisis, but balance is still far from in sight. And because Italy is in the euro zone, it cannot simply inflate its debts away.</p>
<p>In many ways, Italy is the poster child of the European dilemma. It entered into a currency union without becoming part of a fiscal union. It is stuck with the euro, but it would be calamitous to go off it.</p>
<p>No wonder, then, that there is a referendum this weekend to consider amending the constitution to try to reduce the power of the Senate and reduce gridlock. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, a pro-European, has essentially staked his reputation on it.</p>
<p>Should it fail to pass, there is the very real possibility of a Grexit-cum-Brexit moment in the weeks to come.</p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Richard Holden is p</span>rofessor of economics and PLuS Alliance Fellow, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-holden-118107" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
<p> </p>
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The data that won’t help the government on housing supply

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<p>A workshop for Queensland property managers outlining the new state smoke alarm legislation, passed in August this year, will be held today by smoke alarm services company Smoke Alarm Solutions.</p>
<p class="Default">Julieanne Worchurst, from SAS, the two hour workshop is open to all real estate property managers to inform property managers about the new smoke alarm compliancy requirements. </p>
<p class="Default">“Landlords need to ensure their property complies with the new smoke alarm legislation as soon as possible before the deadline, to save the lives of their tenants, and also to protect their investment,” she said.</p>
<p class="Default">"Under the new legislation, smoke alarms need to be installed by a qualified technician or electrician. We all know that availability of electricians can be tight at critical times and seasonally busy periods, such as the Christmas and festive season.</p>
<p class="Default">“Plus, with the new legislation in place, and looming compliance deadlines, electrician appointments will be in even shorter supply than normal.</p>
<p class="Default">“The new legislation states that, rather than in the entry of each bedroom, smoke alarms need to be installed <em>inside </em>every bedroom of a home (or where a person sleeps).</p>
<p class="Default">“Alarms will need to be powered by either 240 volt or a 10 year lithium battery, and photoelectric rather than ionisation. Additionally, all smoke alarms need to be interconnected with one another, so they all sound when smoke is detected, rather than just the alarm that is activated first.</p>
<p class="Default"><em>For more information <a href="https://tinyurl.com/jtxdypg" target="_blank">click here</a>.</em></p>
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Property 101: New Queensland smoke alarm legislation compliance workshop

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<div class="column">The Federal Budget remains on track to meet Government forecasts. Not only are rolling annual aggregates showing improvement, so are the so-called ‘profile’ positions estimated by the Department of Finance.</div>
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<br>The Government continues to exercise spending restraint.</div>
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<div class="column">In fact expenses or payments were $4.2 billion below the so-called profile level or government estimates for this point in the year. Revenue also is lifting, just above government forecasts. And the rolling annual level of revenues is growing at a 3.8 percent annual pace – the fastest rate in almost three years.</div>
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<br><p>The Budget is currently in a stronger position than the government’s finance boffins have estimated. The good news is that improvement is coming from both sides of the balance sheet.</p>
<p>GST revenues are also lifting, currently growing at a robust annual rate of almost 6 percent. Clearly spending is lifting across the economy a point highlighted by the CommBank business sales index of economy-wide spending and the recent retail trade data. </p>
<p>What do the figures show?  </p>
<p>The underlying Budget deficit for the twelve months to October 2016 stood at $38.27 billion (around 2.3 percent of GDP), down from $39.15 billion in the year to September.</p>
<p>Smoothed revenues (twelve months to October) were up 3.8 percent on a year ago – the fastest growth in 32 months. Expenses rose by 2.6 percent over the same period – the fastest growth in 14 months. </p>
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<p>In terms of the fiscal balance, the Department of Finance noted: “The fiscal balance for the year to 31 October 2016 was a deficit of $23,919 million, which is $4,002 million lower than the 2016-17 Budget profile deficit of $27,921 million. The difference results from lower than expected expenses and net capital investment, partially offset by lower than expected revenue.”</p>
<p>Revenues: “Total receipts were $58 million higher than the 2016-17 Budget profile.”</p>
<p>Expenses: “Total payments were $4,225 million lower than the 2016-17 Budget profile.”</p>
<p>The Government currently expects an underlying deficit of $37.081 billion for 2016/17 (around 2.3 percent of GDP).</p>
<p>Receipts from the Goods and Services Tax stood at $60.86 billion in the twelve months to October, up 5.9 per cent on a year ago, above the 4.7 per cent growth over the last twelve months and the second highest on record behind August 2016. The Government has forecast GST receipts of $63.34 billion for the entire 2016/17 year.</p>
<p>Actual GST receipts for the four months to October stood at $21.02 billion, below the Budget ‘profile’ of $21.45 billion.</p>
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<p>What is the importance of the economic data?</p>
<p>The Department of Finance releases the Government Financial Statements (Niemeyer Statement) almost every month. The statement allows investors to track the current Budget position and provides insights into the effectiveness of fiscal policy.</p>
<p>What are the implications for interest rates and investors?</p>
<p>The Federal Budget is on track to meet forecasts. Spending restraint is driving the improvement. Fiscal policy is more neutral at present, as is monetary policy.</p>
<p>There is no room for complacency. </p>
<p>The Budget may be showing cyclical improvement, but in 2017 all political parties need to stay focused on fundamental tax reform to drive medium-term improvement in the fiscal position.  </p>
<p> <em>Craig James is the chief economist at <a href="https://www.comsec.com.au/default.aspx" target="_blank">CommSec</a>.</em></p>
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cjames-5S2v74qSNK

Federal Budget spending down, revenue up: CommSec's Craig James

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<p>A site with permit for 13 luxury apartments in Melbourne's prestigious Kew East suburb recently sold for an undisclosed sum through Savills.</p>
<p>According to the site's description, <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-kew+east-502109622" target="_blank">1375 Burke Road</a> offered an opportunity to acquire "a prime site in one of Melbourne’s premium suburban locations".</p>
<p>The 780 sqm site is zoned general residential zone 5.</p>
<p>The location is close to schools, retail and there are several projects under construction nearby.</p>
<p>The site was put up for sale through James Lockwood, Julian Heatherich and Jesse Radisich of Savills.</p>
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