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

Joel Robinson

First look: HSN, Rebel, advances Woolloomooloo precinct plans

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

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

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

Juliet to sit quietly amid Roseville apartment boom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

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

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

Staff Writer

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

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

alisonwarters@gmail.com

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

When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.

Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.

It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C32BWkB5--c" title="YouTube video player" width="660"></iframe>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

In some circumstances, you may get an exemption. For some states, you won’t have to pay for stamp duty if you are a first home buyer or a pensioner for houses under a particular price. There are also stamp duty concessions, where you may be entitled to a discount.

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

Each state has different rules which affect how much you need to pay. These rules can affect the rate you pay, and the timeframe you will need to pay in. Before you buy land or a property, make sure you check the up-to-date information for your state’s stamp duty.

You can use a free stamp duty calculator online to see approximately how much you’ll need to pay. Find out if you’re eligible for an exemption by enquiring on a project via Urban!

Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1">How much your land/property is worth</li>
	<li aria-level="1">Where your land/property is located</li>
	<li aria-level="1">What type of land/property it is</li>
</ul>

Want to find out more? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@UrbanAustralia?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=Video&amp;utm_campaign=Subscribe&amp;utm_id=Subscribe">Subscribe to our YouTube channel</a> for more property videos.

Ellen Walker

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

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Over recent months the average number of days it takes to sell a residential property has been falling, reflecting the overall improvement in housing market conditions.
The average days on market figure provides valuable insight into the performance of the housing market.  The figure measures the average difference between the date at which a property is listed for sale and the day at which it goes under contract. The figure is only calculated across those properties that sold by private treaty, excluding tenders and auction sales.  When homes are selling quicker it points to stronger buyer demand and vice versa.
Across the combined capital cities, it took an average of 38 days to sell a home in December 2016. This figure was lower than the 41 days a year earlier and is down from high throughout 2016 of 50 days in August 2016. 
Four of the eight capital cities now have an average days on market figure below 40 days while most of the other capital cities are now seeing the days on market figure starting to trend lower.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.41.37%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.41.37%20AM.png" alt="">
The typical Sydney dwelling sold after an average of 33 days in December 2016 compared to 39 days in December 2015.
Melbourne dwellings took an average of 35 days to sell in December 2015 with the figure falling to an historic low of 29 days at the end of 2016. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.43.15%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.43.15%20AM.png" alt="">
Dwellings were taking an average of 57 days to sell at the end of 2016 in Brisbane compared to 43 days a year earlier.  Brisbane is only city in which the days on market figure has trended higher.
Adelaide dwellings were taking 43 days to sell at the end of last year, which is as long as they were taking a year earlier however, the days on market figure has fallen over recent months.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.44.20%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.44.20%20AM.png" alt=""> 
The typical Perth dwelling was taking 65 days to sell at the end of 2016 compared to 58 days at the end of 2015 however, the days on market figure has reduced over the past few months.
Hobart has recorded a large fall in the days on market figure over the past year, reducing from 47 days in December 2015 to 35 days in December 2016.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.45.17%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.45.17%20AM.png" alt="">
Dwellings in Darwin were taking an average of 86 days to sell at the end of 2016, up from 74 days at the end of 2015 however, over recent months the figure has begun to fall.
At the end of 2015, the typical Canberra dwelling was taking 47 days to sell compared to 37 days at the end of 2016.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.46.13%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-14%20at%208.46.13%20AM.png" alt="">
The days on market figures will be important to follow throughout 2017.  After the current growth phase has run for more than four and a half years, we are still seeing a rapid rate of sale in Sydney and Melbourne.  Low levels of stock available for sale and many willing purchases continue to drive a rapid rate of sale in Sydney and Melbourne while the rate of sale is improving in most other capital cities. 
The days on market figure will provide a good indication of the strength of individual housing markets throughout 2017.  Keep in mind that the next two months of data (January and February) will show the regular seasonal spike but thereafter the data will be much more representative of the housing market’s performance across each capital city.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Melbourne properties selling the fastest of any capital city: Cameron Kusher 

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Commercial lending finance was weaker in the month of December, giving back a fair chunk of the 15 percent jump from November.
Nevertheless the trend for monthly lending finance hit it highest ever level at more than $73 billion. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/15/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/15/A2.jpg" alt="">
At the industry level, there are no signs of any rebound in financing for the mining sector, suggesting that the recent boom in coal and iron ore prices is unlikely to lead to any significant increase in resources investment.  
In fact, financing for the mining sector crashed by more than two-thirds over 2016, with the best performing sectors instead including construction and transport. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/15/A4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/15/A4.jpg" alt="">
Investor loans - a mixed picture
The national rebound in investor loans in 2016 masks a huge divergence in fortunes around the traps. 
In Sydney, investors are well and truly back with $6.3 billion of investor loans in December 2016 being some 36 per cent higher than the $4.6 billion seen only a year previously. 
There was also a resurgence in investor lending in Victoria, but most other states and territories are only seeing activity levels that are lower than in the prior year. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/15/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/15/A1.jpg" alt="">
In the resources-focused Northern Territory, meanwhile, the 12-month moving average for the value of investor loans has collapsed by 51 per cent from the peak.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/15/A3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/15/A3.jpg" alt="">
The wrap
Clearly a mixed picture for property investment loans, then, with the Sydney market looking set for a strong first half of 2017. 
The commercial finance picture is patchier, although the Reserve Bank's optimism appears to have been justified by a stonking NAB Business Survey.
NAB reported today that business conditions had blown off spectacularly from a December reading of +9.9 to a 9-year high of +16.2 (New South Wales the clear leader of the states with a reading of +23).
This was the strongest result since the financial crisis and miles above the long-run average reading of +5.
Business confidence also tore higher from +5.7 to +9.8 in January, while the employment index hit its highest level since 2011.
A seriously bullish survey.
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/">blogger</a>. 
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Investor lending resurgent in Sydney: Pete Wargent

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HTW expects there to be steady activity and growth within Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs, however, it is possible that uncertainty in the market caused by international political decisions may result in activity being marginally subdued in comparison to 2016, according to its February 2017 update.
The valuation firm says that it expects that downsizers will continue to cash in on larger blocks as the supply of development sites reduces, particularly in areas such as Croydon, Mooroolbark and Kilsyth.
“Ringwood North is perhaps another suburb worth watching due to its proximity to Eastlink and Eastland shopping centre, as well as access to good schools,” the reports says.
“The suburb continues to increase in popularity among up-sizers and families.
“Larger blocks with subdivisional potential in the outer eastern suburbs tend to be considerably more affordable than blocks on the outskirts of the middle eastern suburbs such as Ringwood East.
“Additionally homes located in the far outer eastern suburbs such as Coldstream still represent good value, especially for those not required to be close to transport links or the rail network.”
HTW says Croydon South is also a suburb that tends to be relatively affordable and is therefore also a suburb that is likely to experience higher than average growth this year as first home buyers rush to take advantage of the record low interest rates.
Apartments in suburbs such as Croydon and Mooroolbark tend to be relatively affordable but buyers should be cautious about the quality of finish on many of these newly constructed buildings, the report states.
“However, it could be argued that the majority of these apartments are built for the investor market and therefore affordability would tend to be the overriding factor rather than quality.
“We believe that the resale value of these apartments may be adversely impacted in the future as a result of the below standard quality of fittings and fixtures.”
At the average price of $671,000 an investor can purchase a house such as the one at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-croydon-124606754" target="_blank">2 Nuraylia Avenue</a>, Croydon (above) that is currently available for between $670,000 to $737,000.
Similarly at the average price of $490,000 an investor can purchase a unit such as the one at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-croydon-124343538" target="_blank">4/32 Dorset Road</a>, Croydon (below) that is available for $499,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/15/4_32%20Dorset%20Road.jpg" alt="">
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Melbourne's Croydon attractive to first home buyers: HTW

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GUEST OBSERVER
A retrospective look at median dwelling values across the suburbs of Australia shows the bracket creep that has occurred over the current growth cycle, highlighting the deterioration of more affordable housing across the capital cities over the past five years.
At the end of 2016, 7.6 percent of suburbs nationally had a median house value under $200,000 and 5.9 percent of suburbs had a median unit value below $200,000. 
To put these figures into some perspective, 11.4 percent of suburbs had a median house value of at least $1 million and 3.0 percent of suburbs had a median unit value of at least $1 million.
Over the five years to the end of 2016, there has been a substantial decline in the proportion of suburbs with a median value below $400,000. 
At the end of 2011, 53.5 percent of suburbs had a median house value of less than $400,000 and 69.8 percent of suburbs had a median unit value of less than $400,000. 
By the end of 2016, the proportion of suburbs with a median value of less than $400,000 had fallen to 41.0 percent for houses and 55.3 percent for units.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-1.jpg" alt="">
A five year retrospective look at the individual capital cities highlights the significant shift in the proportion of suburbs with a median value under $400,000, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne.
In 2011, the proportion of total suburbs with a median house value below $400,000 across each capital city was: 21.2 percent in Sydney, 28.9 percent in Melbourne, 40.9 percent in Brisbane, 40.5 percent in Adelaide, 31.1 percent in Perth, 69.2 percent in Hobart, 2.1 percent in Darwin and 1.1 percent in Canberra. 
Units offer a more affordable option highlighted by the proportions of suburbs values below $400,000 at: 38.8 percent in Sydney, 48.2 percent in Melbourne, 81.7 percent in Brisbane, 94.3 percent in Adelaide, 59.8 percent in Perth, 92.7 percent in Hobart, 53.3 percent in Darwin and 44.6 percent in Canberra.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-2.jpg" alt="">
By 2015, the proportion of suburbs with a median house value below $400,000 had shifted to: 1.2% in Sydney, 12.2% for Melbourne, 31.4% in Brisbane, 29.5% in Adelaide, 15.5% in Perth, 55.7% in Hobart and 0.0% in both Darwin and Canberra. 
For units, the proportion of suburbs with a median value of less than $400,000 in December 2015 were recorded at: 10.9% in Sydney, 34.9% in Melbourne, 64.4% in Brisbane, 87.7% in Adelaide, 37.2% in Perth, 88.4% in Hobart, 51.4% in Darwin and 50.5% in Canberra.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-3.jpg" alt="">
The proportion of suburbs with a median house value of less than $400,000 at the end of 2016 was recorded at: 0.1% in Sydney, 6.3% in Melbourne, 29.2% in Brisbane, 28.0% in Adelaide, 18.9% in Perth, 52.1% in Hobart and 0.0% in Darwin and Canberra. 
For units the proportions were recorded at: 6.5% in Sydney, 31.8% in Melbourne, 62.7% in Brisbane, 85.1% in Adelaide, 46.4% in Perth, 88.4% in Hobart, 57.6% in Darwin and 45.8% in Canberra.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/20/Corelogic-4.jpg" alt="">
Five years ago every capital city except for Darwin and Canberra had at least 20% of suburbs with a median house value of less than $400,000. 
At the end of last year, it was virtually impossible to find houses for less than $400,000 in Sydney, Darwin and Canberra while less than 7% of suburbs had a median house value below $400,000 in Melbourne. 
Across each city there has been a substantial decline in more affordable housing over the past year despite the fact that outside of Sydney and Melbourne there has been only moderate value growth over the period.
Even units have recorded a fairly substantial decline in the proportion of suburbs with a median value of less than $400,000 over the past five years.
At the end of 2016, looking at both houses and units, 20.5% of Sydney suburbs had a median value of less than $600,000 compared to 38.5% of suburbs having a median value of at least $1 million. 
To further highlight deteriorating housing affordability in Sydney, 34.6% of suburbs had a median unit value of less than $600,000 at the end of 2016. 
In each other capital city, a higher proportion of suburbs had a median house value of less than $600,000 than the proportion of suburbs with a median unit value of less than $600,000.
If you are earning a relatively low income in Sydney and are looking to buy a house or unit, you are competing for a rapidly declining pool of housing stock across the city. 
The pool is also declining across the remaining capitals, albeit not at the same pace of decline as in Sydney.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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Sydney's property bracket creep makes for declining housing options: Cameron Kusher

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GUEST OBSERVER
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released its Financial Aggregates figures for January 2017.
Although housing credit continued to chug along in notching growth of 0.5 per cent in the month, total credit growth sagged to just 0.2 per cent due to negative results for the business and personal sectors.
Housing credit for investors continued to rise to 6.6 percent across the year to January, suggesting that further hikes may be in the post for investor loans.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/02/RBA1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/03/02/RBA1.jpg" alt="">
Total credit growth was 6.4 percent, while broad money growth was 7 percent.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/02/RBA2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/03/02/RBA2.jpg" alt="">
Deposit growth has strengthened considerably as banks look to shore up their capital. 
Even term deposits, understandably out of favour for some time, are recording growth at a double digit pace, with some accounts set to offer bonus interest on larger balances. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/02/RBA3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/03/02/RBA3.jpg" alt="">
Switcheroo
The total value of outstanding credit has doubled over the past decade to $1.64 trillion.
The exact split of loan purpose between owner-occupier and investor credit remains murky, with a net value of $49 billion having been switched away from investment loans since July 2015.
This reflects the interest rate differential between loan types, but note that the credit growth figures by loan type have been adjusted for the net value of switching. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/02/RBA4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/03/02/RBA4.jpg" alt=""> 
The poor monthly result for business and personal credit sees housing resume its apparently inexorable rise in terms of market share. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/02/RBA5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/03/02/RBA5.jpg" alt="">
The wrap
All regulatory eyes will be on the growth in investor loans, with more measures likely to be taken to cool this sector as 2017 progresses. 
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.
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">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
 
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Housing credit doubles in a decade: Pete Wargent

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APRA reported that residential housing loan ADI exposures continued to power on, up to $1.49 trillion in the December quarter (and beyond $1.5 trillion in January).
Owner-occupied loans totalled $971 billion, comprising 65 percent of outstanding residential property exposures, an increase of $86.5 billion or 9.8 percent from the prior year.
Meanwhile, the total of outstanding investor loans was $522.4 billion (the balancing 35 per cent of outstanding exposures), for an increase of $23.5 billion or 4.7 percent from last year.
New investment loan approvals were down by 5.8 percent from the prior year, yet still accounted for a punchy 34.2 percent of total new residential loans. 
Loans to investors appear very likely to be the target of a crackdown as 2017 rolls on.
As I looked at in a little more detail here, each of the major lenders appear likely to be approaching the speed limit for the growth in their mortgage books, including those that have lodged revisions to historical figures (since these will be adjusted for). 
<div id="post-body-5935845614051499789" class="post-body entry-content">
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<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/2017/03/06/A1.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>Impairment rise for ADIs</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I'm not going to provide much detailed analysis or opinion on this site, but it is worth noting the following from APRA's reported headline figures for ADIs.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>-impaired facilities and past due items as a proportion of gross loans and advances was 0.92 percent as at Q4 2016 (an increase from 0.86 percent in the prior year);</div>
<div> </div>
<div>-specific provisions hit $7.3 billion at Q4 2016, an increase of $0.8 billion or 12.9 percent from the prior year; and</div>
<div> </div>
<div>-specific provisions as a proportion of gross loans and advances was 0.24 percent at Q4 2016, an increase from 0.22 percent in the prior year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>To summarise: 
</div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/06/APRA.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div> </div>
<div>Source: APRA </div>
<div> </div>
<div>This should demand your attention, since it indicates that the cyclical low for impairments has now passed. </div>
 <div>Change to new lending</div>
<div> </div>
<div>APRA's figures show that riskier "low doc" and other non-standard lending now comprise only a small and decreasing share of the residential mortgage market, which is a positive development.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Furthermore, most new loans have a loan to value ratio (LVR) of 80 per cent or lower, meaning that - theoretically at least - the majority of new buyers have a significant buffer built in to their purchase. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
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<div> </div>
<div>A potential challenge to this case is that in many instances those using 20 percent deposits have likely sourced their deposits from existing residential property assets, and therefore the risk in such loans may be higher than it appears at first blush. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Interest-only loans, while accounting for a smaller share of the market than has previously been the case, still represent a very significant chunk of new lending at 36.6 percent (even if the total of interest-only lending for the quarter of $162 billion represents a decrease of 10.5 percent from the prior year).</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/06/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></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/2017/03/06/A2.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>The inherent risk here is that when these loans reach the end of their interest-only period the repayments may jump higher in the event that the loan cannot be rolled over into a new interest-only period, a point which has aroused the scrutiny of short sellers.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Summarily, residential property exposures now comprise a very significant sum of interest-only mortgages in Australia. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/06/PARA2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></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/2017/03/06/PARA2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Source: APRA</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If mortgage rates were to rise, of course, then these risks may be multiplied. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.
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">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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APRA reports non-performing loans on the rise

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There’s plenty to like and lots to criticise in the housing measures announced by the State Government in Victoria.
Firstly, let’s be grateful for some progress on a difficult issue and acknowledge this factor: at last we have a state government willing to recognise that resolution of affordability issues lies within its own hands.
The standard political response to affordability problems is to point the finger of blame in other directions. All manner of culprits have been made scapegoats, including foreign buyers, Australian investors and migrants to Australians.
But the reality is that politicians lie at the heart of the problems. All three levels of government play significant roles in adding to the costs of building or buying dwellings – none more so than state governments.
So it’s refreshing to see Victoria taking some responsibility for this issue. It’s also heartening to see that Premier Daniel Andrews and his cohorts have recognised that simplistic solutions won’t make a difference. Rather, they have announced a multi-phased campaign to try to improve things.
Too much media time in the affordability debate has been wasted on people advocating single-pronged solutions, usually based on their own vested interests or on politically-motivated opinions that lack any substance or a basis in research.
The Victorian Government has announced a series of measures which address some, but certainly not all, of the factors wrapped up in the contentious issue.
It has taken steps in increase supply, both in Melbourne and in regional Victoria.
It has sought to encourage people out of the Melbourne market and into regional areas.
And it has addressed the stamp duty cost burden on first-home buyers, while also introducing a joint-purchase scheme to further assist first-timers.
There are plenty of issues it hasn’t addressed, especially the way in which government policies, taxes and charges had enormously to the cost of producing new homes.
That’s because it wants to make a difference without taking too much of a hit to the Budget bottom line. Like all state governments, it’s addicted to all that lovely revenue it rips out of the housing industry in taxes, fees and charges of various kinds.
So it’s found a way to slug investors while helping first-home buyers, so that it recoups from the former some of the revenue it loses by helping the latter.
It’s introducing a tax on investor properties left vacant for six months of the year, equal to 1 percent of the property’s capital-improved value. The idea is to force to owners to sell them or rent them out, thereby adding to the supply of homes. This won’t apply, apparently, to holiday homes or homes owned by people who move overseas temporarily.
It’s claimed there are at least 24,000 homes sitting empty in Melbourne because their owners prefer to keep them vacant rather than put in tenants. There’s a fundamental issue here that needs to be debated, based on the individual’s right to make decisions about their assets. 
The Government is also increasing housing supply through plans for 17 new suburbs with 100,000 home sites around the Melbourne metropolitan area.
The Government is abolishing stamp duty for first-home buyers of properties up to $600,000, with stamp duty discounts for those between $600,000 and $750,000. It will pay for them by removing the stamp duty exemption for investors who buy off-the-plan apartments.
It’s also increasing grants for first-home buyers in regional Victoria (new homes only) from $10,000 to $20,000. There aren’t too many rural locations with pressing affordability issues so this, it seems, is more about encouraging people to move to regional centres, thereby easing demand-supply pressures in Melbourne.
There’s also a new plan called HomesVic, whereby the government will co-purchase homes jointly with first-home buyers.
Many people would applaud those measures or most of them. They’re designed to help first-time buyers in various ways while slugging people who buy homes as investments.
But it’s an approach that fails to recognise the part investors play in lifting housing supply, providing a necessary pool of homes for rent and creating wealth to provide for future retirement. 
It also ignores the most pressing issue of the affordability situation: the part state governments play in inflating the cost of new housing. This government is, essentially, giving with one hand and taking away with the other – it’s providing grants, stamp duty concessions and other assistance to first-time buyers of homes which are expensive in the first place because of governments imposts on the dwelling supply process. 
If they had the political will they could make new dwellings considerably cheaper - and then those grants and concessions wouldn’t be so necessary.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can  <a href="mailto:%20%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'%3E%20%3C!--%20var%20prefix%20=%20'ma'%20+%20'il'%20+%20'to';%20var%20path%20=%20'hr'%20+%20'ef'%20+%20'=';%20var%20addy38821%20=%20'ryder'%20+%20'@';%20addy38821%20=%20addy38821%20+%20'hotspotting'%20+%20'.'%20+%20'com'%20+%20'.'%20+%20'au';%20document.write('%3Ca%20'%20+%20path%20+%20'/''%20+%20prefix%20+%20':'%20+%20addy38821%20+%20'/'%3E');%20document.write(addy38821);%20document.write('%3C//a%3E');%20//--%3E/n%20%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'%3E%20%3C!--%20document.write('%3Cspan%20style=/'display:%20none;/'%3E');%20//--%3E%20%3C/script%3EThis%20email%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spambots.%20You%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it.%20%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'%3E%20%3C!--%20document.write('%3C/');%20document.write('span%3E');%20//--%3E%20%3C/script%3E">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting">Twitter.</a>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Victoria slugs investors, helps first-home buyers: Terry Ryder

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Each fortnight I update my chart of the titles registry figures for Queensland, although I don't post the results here all that often.
When figures aren't seasonally adjusted, it pays to be wary of drawing conclusions from individual weeks or months of data. 
After all how many times have new home sales figures "peaked" in this cycle, or how may times has housing finance "tanked", or buying intentions "cratered", or consumer confidence been "smashed", and so on?
Every other month in each case, pretty much. 
By drilling trendlines through the titles registry figures you can see that Queensland's mortgage and transfers market has ground its way through a long, slow recovery since bottoming around late 2011. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/15/QLD1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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<div>There was a blip in activity following APRA's initial salvo of macroprudential measures - and part of the increase in activity relates to a surge in multi-unit construction - but for now the uptrend in activity remains in place. </div>
 <div>Brisbane land values rise</div>
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<div>The Queensland Government updated its annual land valuations for 2017 last week, which showed a very wide range of outcomes across the state. The post-2012 malaise continues apace across many of the resources regions. There was more excruciating news for Gladstone which recorded another massive 20.6 per cent drop in median land values (although the Mayor kindly noted that residents shouldn't expect a reduction in their rates bill). Over the past four years Gladstone land values have recorded losses of -5.4 per cent, -14.6 per cent, -4.8 per cent, and -20.6 per cent respectively. Brutal, with land prices declining to just $113,000, Dwelling prices have often seen drops of well over 50 per cent since 2012, and in many case rents have fallen by at least an equivalent amount. The news wasn't much brighter in Mackay which racked up a third year of declines, and the Central Highlands saw land values fall for a fourth year, while Rockhampton saw land prices fall by 8.7 per cent from the preceding valuation date. Townsville has also recorded moderate declines across the last five years. There were bright spots, though, with the Gold Coast recording another year of recovery, and land prices notching up solid gains in Brisbane City Council (BCC), with the usual variances at the suburb level.</div>
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/15/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a> <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/2017/03/15/A1.jpg" alt=""></div>
 It is wise to exercise caution in interpreting suburb level median land values, not least because the Queensland Government rather likes to see those rateable land values rising for all-too-obvious reasons (though rates aren't based only on land valuations, the Government assures us!). Changes in land use resulting from the BCC 2014 City Plan may also potentially skew the results in suburbs with increasing multi-unit development, for example. Nevertheless, the figures are well worth a look, for the Valuer-General's figures logically cannot diverge too far from the reality over the long run. Residential land values increased across some 132 Brisbane suburbs over the past year according to the 2017 report, although there were some declines in commercial and industrial valuations on the city fringe, according to the Valuer-General. Over the past couple of years the greatest dollar value increases have largely been seen in the inner suburbs where land values are highest. The following suburbs, for example, saw their median residential land values increase by $100,000 or more in only two years: New Farm, West End, Windsor, Wooloowin, Newmarket, Holland Park, Albion, Kedron, Annerley, Wilston, Carina Heights, and Carindale. A vast wave of Chinese money has also seen Sunnybank and Sunnybank Hills notch outlandish increases in land values since 2014, the pocket known as Brisbane's "Little Asia".</div>
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/15/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a> <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/2017/03/15/A2.jpg" alt=""></div>
 The largest two-year gains in percentage terms have been driven by a popular school catchment, however. Suburbs located within the Mansfield State High School (SHS) catchment saw land prices rise by between 37 and 43 percent over the two-year period, including in the suburb of Mansfield itself, Wishart, Mackenzie, and Upper Mount Gravatt. </div>
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PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/">blogger</a>.
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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The good and the ugly behind Queensland's recovery: Pete Wargent

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In the Clarence Valley there are opportunities for first home buyers to purchase a property that is ripe for renovation, according to HTW’s Month in Review: March 2017. 
The valuation firm says there is a range of townhouses available below $400,000 in Yamba and in Maclean, where less than 30% of recent recorded sales were over $400,000.
“Residential development in Townsend is creating an appealing product marketed to first home buyers,” it says.
“This locality has both vacant land and house and land packages available for less than $500,000.”
HTW suggests these areas for home buyers:
• Townsend – Suited to first home buyers that are interested in a brand new product. Townsend creates a perfect environment for vacant land as well as land and housing packages - that are available for less than $500,000.
• Maclean – Suited to first home buyers in the market for perhaps an older product, holding the potential/opportunity for renovation
• Yamba – Suited to first home buyers that are in the market specifically for townhouses/ units. This area provides the most opportunity/widest range of different units for sale.
“Often a premium is paid for brand new product and this may not always be recouped at the time of the next sale if the market has not continued to benefit from capital gains,” HTW says.
“However, there are no overwhelming dangers for these buyers given current market conditions.
“The biggest mistakes that you see first time buyers making in this area is that it is possible that they may overcommit or forget the illiquid nature of property as an asset.”
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-maclean-124709222" target="_blank">57 Woodford Street</a>, Maclean (above) has been listed for $315,000.
Similarly a two bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-townsend-124631734" target="_blank">32 Jubilee Street</a>, Townsend (below) has been listed for $227,500.
<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/2017/03/09/32%20Jubilee%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Townsend, Yamba and Maclean affordable options for first time buyers: HTW

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A wide gap exists between media-generated perceptions about real estate issues and the reality revealed by research.
Examples abound. Media serves a regular diet of “affordability crisis” stories while the major affordability indexes published quarterly tell a quite different story. The annual survey by Property Investment Professionals of Australia, in which most of the major findings contradict common perceptions, provides another case in point.
The latest Adelaide Bank/REIA Housing Affordability Report finds that affordability (the national average situation) has improved to the best levels in seven years. Continuing reductions to interest rates and (small) increases to incomes have improved home-buyers’ capacity to repay their mortgages, while the overall rate of price growth has diminished.
The proportion of the median family income needed to repay an average loan in the June Quarter was 29.4 percent – down 0.6 percentage points from the March Quarter, and the lowest level since June 2009.
Those figures tell a very different story to the general theme of daily media coverage, which portrays a crisis, the death of the Great Australian Dream and a generation doomed to a lifetime of renting.
The proportion of family income needed to meet loan repayments improved in all state and territories in the past 12 months. NSW remains the most expensive place to service a home loan (35.4 percent of family income) while the ACT is the cheapest (19.4 percent of income).
The report makes a pertinent observation about the level of activity by first-time buyers. Most media reports bemoan the apparent low numbers of first-home buyers, based on highly-misleading loan statistics. The Adelaide Bank report points out that while first-home buyers are 14.3 percent of the owner-occupier market, if you exclude re-financing loans they make up 22.5 percent of the owner-occupier market 
And there’s another component to first-time buyer activity not discussed here – the number of first-time buyers who buy an investment property as a first purchase. 
The report highlights another point often overlooked by media when discussing the ability of young people to buy homes. The weighted average median house price in the capital cities is $698,000, according to this report, but the average loan size for first-home buyers is $328,000.
This reinforces the view that quoting city medians (especially the very high ones for Sydney) in the context of affordability for first-home buyers is misleading, because first-timers buy at the lower end of the market, as they have always done. First-timers don’t buy mid-range homes, not in Sydney nor anywhere else.
The second annual Property Investor Sentiment Survey by Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) shows that 71 percent of respondents think now is a good time to invest in property. This figure is up by five percentage points compared with last year.   While 32 percent of investors say recent changes to lenders’ investment policies have affected their ability to secure finance, 58 percent are nonetheless looking to buy a property in next 6-12 months.   According to the survey, 72 percent of investors are unconcerned about the potential removal of negative gearing and only 2 percent think that negative gearing concessions are a key attraction of real estate investment. This would tend to contradict general media perceptions that investors are piling into real estate, allegedly forcing up prices, because of the tax breaks.
Indeed, the survey shows that almost half of property investors are positively-geared and two-thirds of those who are currently negatively-geared expect they will become positively-geared within five years.
Close to nine out of ten prefer to buy existing properties rather than new, which would suggest the ALP plan to restrict negative gearing to new properties to encourage construction activity would be ineffective (especially given the oversupply of new apartments).
Another myth-buster is the finding that only 13 percent of investors see record low interest rates as the key reason to get into property investment. Most media commentary (usually sourced from economists) would have us believe that the key driver of the mythical “national property boom” has been record low interest rates.   PIPA chair Ben Kingsley says the survey results confirm that property investors remain focused on the long-term benefits of property investment and are not distracted by fleeting media issues like negative gearing, alleged bubbles and looming oversupply in some markets.
As an interesting sidelight from the general theme, investor views on which cities now provide the best investment prospects have the capital cities ranked in this order: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin. Half of the survey respondents voted for Brisbane.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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