<p>A who's who of Australian surfing, business and entertainment has emerged on title records following the completion of Esprit Rainbow Bay, the latest boutique beachfront apartment development by former professional surfer Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects.</p>

<p>The completed project has attracted an enviable collection of owners, many with long-standing ties to the southern Gold Coast and the surf culture that has helped define Rainbow Bay and neighbouring Kirra for generations.</p>

<p>Given Gedoun's own background in surfing, it perhaps comes as little surprise that some of Australia's most recognisable surfers have chosen to buy into the development overlooking one of the country's most celebrated stretches of coastline.</p>

<p>Pezet Matheson directors Jayde Pezet and Todd Matheson launched the project in late 2021, and have managed the sales campaign all the way through to its sell-out and recent completion.</p>

<p><img alt="Esprit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="08fc6261-b84e-4b09-8a44-66d3067fd0d1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-29%20at%208.51.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4AOcb6ETZwNUnMPdTtz1B3pZAIB_jgZ2" /></p>

<p>Former world champion Mick Fanning, who grew up in Coolangatta, secured an apartment in 2023. He paid&nbsp;$2.07 million. Last year he sold his Bilinga home for over $16 million.</p>

<p>Three-time world champion Joel Parkinson also purchased in the development, alongside big wave surfer Mark Mathews. Mathews bought the most expensive apartment in the building, spending just over $4 million.</p>

<p>Joining them is Rip Curl founder Doug Warbrick, whose company helped shape Australia's global surfing industry over the past five decades.</p>

<p>The appeal of Rainbow Bay has extended well beyond the surfing community.</p>

<p>International DJ Paul Fisher purchased an apartment through his investment vehicle, YLB Developments, an abbreviation of his trademark phrase "You Little Beauty".</p>

<p>The purchase comes as Fisher and his wife Chloe are developing their own luxury apartment project further north in Palm Beach. Their boutique beachfront development, Pescado, comprises just seven apartments on Jefferson Lane, which start from just shy of $6 million. The couple intend to retain the two-level penthouse as their Australian base between international touring commitments.</p>

<p>Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy and his wife Wendy have also invested in Esprit, purchasing two apartments after spending decades holidaying on the southern Gold Coast. They also have a luxury apartment in Joe Adsett's Rockpool, less than 400m away from Esprit.</p>

<h2>Boutique project draws owner-occupiers</h2>

<p>Esprit launched in 2021 and sold strongly, with buyers drawn to its boutique scale, beachfront position and contemporary design.</p>

<p>The completed development comprises 94 apartments across 11 levels, offering expansive floorplans designed primarily for owner-occupiers rather than the investor market.</p>

<p>Crowning the building is Club Esprit, pitched as being the Gold Coast's first residential rooftop wellness centre. The roof features a&nbsp;25 metre magnesium lap pool, which is surrounded by wet daybeds and poolside cabanas,&nbsp;multiple barbecue areas,&nbsp;a yoga and relaxation play lawn, and a private dining room with a kitchen scullery, bar, lounges, and an outdoor terrace.</p>

<p>The wellness centre is&nbsp;fully equipped with a Technogym, ice bath, infra-red sauna, steam room, thermal room, and treatment room. The roof has views spanning&nbsp;Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and the Pacific Ocean.</p>

<h2>S&amp;S Projects continues to shape Rainbow Bay</h2>

<p>S&amp;S Projects founder Paul Gedoun has become one of the key figures behind Rainbow Bay's evolution over the past several years.</p>

<p>After establishing S&amp;S Projects, Gedoun has focused on delivering lifestyle-driven apartment developments designed primarily for owner-occupiers seeking a permanent coastal home.</p>

<p>Esprit is Gedoun's third completed project in Rainbow Bay, following Flow and Awaken, both of which achieved record prices for the suburb.</p>

<p>He is now delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, a 38-apartment development on Boundary Street that is currently selling, and has no plans to leave the precinct anytime soon. S&amp;S Projects has also lodged plans for its fifth Rainbow Bay development, an 88-apartment project on Boundary Street featuring a strong wellness focus.</p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">First look: S&amp;S Projects proposes 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street</a></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Joel Robinson

Who's who of buyers revealed as Esprit Rainbow Bay settles

<p>Nature Based Cities (NBC), the not-for-profit organisation focused on improving biodiversity and nature outcomes in urban development, has launched its latest industry design guidelines and accreditation framework, this time targeting precinct-scale residential communities.</p>

<p>The move extends NBC’s influence beyond its initial focus on medium and high-density residential developments. Several projects have already achieved NBC accreditation since the launch of its Medium &amp; High-Density Residential Guidelines in early 2025.</p>

<p>The expansion into masterplanned communities and new residential precincts reflects the growing need for stronger nature-positive benchmarks as Australia’s outer suburban growth corridors continue to expand at pace.</p>

<p>Paul Hameister OAM, NBC Founder and the Executive Chairman of Melbourne developer Hamton who itself leans heavily into nature and biodiversity in its developments, says the&nbsp;nature-first approach to mitigate the effects of climate change has become standard in other parts of the world such as the UK, but Australia is lagging.&nbsp;Australia’s environmentally sustainable design (ESD) rating tools have no minimum mandatory requirements for living landscapes.</p>

<p>“We’ve always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren’t there,” Hameister says. “In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that’s concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.<br />
<br />
“The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn’t been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities.”</p>

<p>He says that having now&nbsp;made good progress in supporting developers of medium and high-density residential projects, NBC is now looking to bolster better nature-based decision-making and recognise developers of greenfield projects in the outer ring and large inner-ring brownfield precincts, who want to champion nature and living landscape as a defining feature.</p>

<p>Since 2022, the not-for-profit has sought to remove the roadblocks preventing developers from incorporating nature and living landscapes into their projects, shifting the conversation from the reduction of emissions and grey infrastructure, toward recognising nature as an essential infrastructure.</p>

<p>The New Communities Design Guidelines and Scorecard arm developers with the tools needed to deliver a nature positive outcome for their new communities. Intended to be adopted at the outset of the planning process, the guidelines are designed to help create communities that are cooler, healthier and more resilient while also enhancing social wellbeing and long-term economic value.&nbsp;</p>

<p>New Communities developers seeking accreditation will be independently assessed across a range of key criteria including ecology, tree canopy, biodiversity, and walkability. Once the masterplan is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised based on proposed outcomes. Projects that meet the NBC criteria will receive either Commended or Exemplary accreditation outcomes, creating a clear benchmark for nature-positive new communities in Australia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Janis Fischer, Director at Tract and NBC Advisory Council member, said the development of new communities in our suburbs can have a substantial impact on nature and biodiversity.</p>

<p>"By incorporating nature-based design principles at the inception of a project, developers and their design teams can achieve nature positive outcomes that are good for both people and the planet.’’&nbsp;</p>

<p>NBC accredited New Community projects will gain access to NBC branding and marketing tools to help communicate their nature-based credentials to purchasers and the broader market.&nbsp;</p>


Nature Based Cities: A new Australian benchmark for developing nature-positive new communities

<p>Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.</p>

<p>For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.</p>

<p>Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.</p>

<p>Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.</p>

<p>For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.</p>

<p>That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.</p>

<p>The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.</p>

<p>For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.</p>

<p>As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.</p>

<p>It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.</p>


Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

<p>While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.</p>

<p>Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.</p>

<p>SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.</p>

<p>"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.</p>

<p>"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]</p>

<p>Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.</p>

<p>Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.</p>

<p>Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.</p>

<p>The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]</p>

<p>Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.</p>

<p>"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.</p>

<p>"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."</p>

<p>Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]</p>

<p>The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.</p>

<p>Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.</p>

<p>"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]</p>

<p>The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.</p>

<p>Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.</p>

<p>The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]</p>


ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

<p>The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.</p>

<p>The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.</p>

<p>The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.</p>

<p>At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.</p>

<p>Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.</p>

<p>"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."</p>

<p>"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."</p>

<p><img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" /></p>

<p>DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.</p>

<p>"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."</p>

<p>"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."</p>

<p>The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.</p>

<p>The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.</p>

<p>Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.</p>


Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

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


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

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

<p>The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a government initiative designed to help eligible first-time home buyers by offering financial assistance towards the purchase or construction of a new home.</p>

<p>While the FHOG is a nationwide program, it is administered separately by each state and territory, meaning the eligibility criteria, grant amounts, and property requirements can vary depending on your location. This means that the amount available and the conditions attached to the grant will differ, so it is important to check the specific guidelines for your state or territory.</p>

<p>It’s important to note that the FHOG is just one of several incentives available to first home buyers. In most states and territories, the grant is not linked to stamp duty exemptions or concessions, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The FHOG is typically a one-off payment, reducing the overall cost of purchasing or building a new home before any stamp duty concessions are applied.</p>

<p>Below, we provide a breakdown of the First Home Owner Grants available across Australia, outlining the specific details for each state and territory.</p>

<h2>New South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong data-end="252" data-start="225">First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $600,000. For land purchases and owner-builders, the threshold extends to $750,000.</p>

<p><strong data-end="413" data-start="389">Stamp Duty Benefits:</strong> Provides full stamp duty exemption for homes valued up to $800,000, with concessions available for properties up to $1 million.</p>

<h2>Victoria South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Provides a $10,000 grant for first-home buyers purchasing or building new homes valued up to $750,000.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Benefits</strong>: Offers full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $600,000, with concessions available up to $750,000.</p>

<h2>Queensland First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong data-end="920" data-start="893">First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Offers $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025. The FHOG applies to new homes valued up to $750,000.</p>

<p><strong data-end="1162" data-start="1135">Stamp Duty Concessions:</strong> Provides additional concessions for properties valued up to $800,000.</p>

<h2>Western Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 in the southern regions and up to $1 million in the northern regions.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Concessions:</strong> Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.</p>

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong data-end="1617" data-start="1590">First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.</p>

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> Provides up to $15,000 for new homes, including houses, apartments, and townhouses. As of 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for eligibility.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Relief:</strong> Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.</p>

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant</strong>: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Exemption</strong>: Between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026, first home buyers of established homes valued up to $750,000 receive a full exemption on property transfer duty.</p>

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

<p><strong>First Home Owner Grant:</strong> The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.</p>

<p><strong>Stamp Duty Exemption</strong>: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).</p>

<p><em>Eligibility criteria and application processes differ across states. Prospective buyers should refer to their respective state revenue offices for full details on grant availability, conditions, and additional concessions.</em></p>


Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

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


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

Staff Writer

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

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


alisonwarters@gmail.com

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

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


Ellen Walker

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

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<p>The most expensive property that sold in Sydney this weekend comes from Killara where a five bedroom, five bathroom property has sold for $7.4 million.</p>
<p>Samuel Lynch of McGrath Lindfield had the listing of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-killara-121177874" target="_blank">32 Wattle Street</a>.</p>
<p>The 2395 sqm dwelling features a championship size tennis court and swimming pool.</p>
<p>The property last traded for $6.35 million in 2008, an annual appreciation of just 1.25%.</p>
<p>It had been rented after it's 2008 trade for $3,500 per week, showing a somewhat dated gross rental yield of 2.87%.</p>
<p> </p>
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Killara five bedder Sydney's most expensive weekend sale

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<div>Last week Reserve Bank Governor Stevens disclosed that he had discussed with his underlings whether the Reserve should do away with its apparently precise central growth, unemployment and inflation forecasts, in favour of publishing only their 'fan charts' and ranges in tables. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>By way of an example the November Statement on Monetary Policy (SOMP) forecasts showed GDP growth returning to 3 to 4% by the year ended December 2017, with the unemployment rate forecast to decline gradually, but the fan charts show that even the 70 per cent confidence intervals are surprisingly wide. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/11/30/RBA3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/30/RBA3.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div>Noting that accurate forecasting is impossible, Stevens lamented that even if even if the central lines were to be left off the fan charts altogether, those awkward commentator folk would simply back it of the charts, which seems rather unfair.<br><br>In short, the most powerful central bank or econometric modelling can't forecast accurately what will happen over any meaningful time horizon, and neither can you!</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ponzi scheme</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Also last week a macro market report hit the headlines likening the Australian property market to a Ponzi scheme. Australians would be forgiven for thinking that they've heard such warnings before, for the simple reason that they have, more or less continuously since 2001.<br><br>I haven't read the report in question, so am in no position to critique the content, but to his credit Lindsay David of LF Economics has previously made predictions that are <strong>specific, measurable </strong>and <strong>time-bound</strong>, and so his predictions can be judged accordingly. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Co-author Philip Soos has nothing if not longevity, rolling out his crash predictions for such a long period of time that they are threatening to see off their fifth Prime Ministerial term of office (his views were expressed in some detail in the piece "Bubbling Over: The End of Australia's $2 Trillion Housing Party" which predicted a 40 per cent crash for housing values nationally). </div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>The last time anyone bothered to check the value of Australian dwelling stock had swelled to $5.8 trillion with the latest available data implying that $6 trillion is a shoo-in, probably before the end of the calendar year.</span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/11/30/Resi1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/30/Resi1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>To be fair, on the one hand dwelling prices have indeed corrected sharply in any number of mining towns and regions: Gladstone, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Dysart, and Moranbah spring to mind, and no doubt there are plenty of others.<br><br>On the other hand figures released by <em>Residex</em> at the end of last week showed that Sydney's median house price has increased from $668,000 at the end of 2010 to $1,058,500 by the end of October 2015, an increase of more than 58 per cent or nearly $400,000.<br><br>Buried under the emotive rhetoric Soos has made a number of robust arguments, in particular the illusory nature of housing shortages, which are seemingly apparent when the economy is humming along, but can wondrously vanish into thin air when market downturns happen.<br><br>These simple points highlight the perennial challenges facing macro property market research reports and forecasts: market timing and granularity.</div>
<br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Timing</span></strong><br><br><div>While macro research can identify downside risks and probabilities, history suggests that it is very difficult to forecast housing markets accurately over any meaningul time horizon.</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator">
<span>Famously Case &amp; Shiller called the US real estate bubble in July 2003 when its index read 142.99, yet the index ran all the way to 206.52 in July 2006 before reversing all the way back from whence it came to 134.07 in March 2012 (t</span><span>he latest Case-Shiller reading in 2015 showed the index to be 28 percent above the level it was tracking at the time of the original bubble call, while homeowners have continued to benefit from housing services throughout).</span>
</div>
<br><div>
<span>There would be similar tales in Northern Ireland where average house prices all but tripled from <span>£</span>88,000 to <span>£</span>226,000 between 2002 and 2007 before crashing all the way back to <span>£</span>125,000. An obvious bubble, sure, but the timing was difficult (if not impossible) to pick. The average price today has increased again to </span><span>£</span><span>162,000, approaching double the average house price in 2002.</span>
</div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/11/30/Ireland.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/11/30/Ireland.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>In London we have heard crash predictions for at least the past decade-and-a-half, while despite downturns and recessions house prices in some boroughs have tripled...and still there has been no crash.</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/11/30/London.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/11/30/London.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>
<span>Few would disagree that parts of Australia's housing market are seriously expensive, but timing the downturns is rarely as easy as it appears in hindisght.</span><br><span><br></span>
</div>
<div>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span>Granularity</span></span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span><br></span></span></strong>
</div>
<div><span>The state level data shows that since September 2011, New South Wales (+57 per cent) and Victoria (+23 per cent) have accounted for 80 per cent of the increase in the total value of dwelling stock, while the figures for the June 2015 quarter showed that prices are declining in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Click to enlarge</span></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/11/30/Resi2.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The obvious point here being that there is no "Australian property market", rather a series of sub-markets which cover 9.6 million dwellings and demonstrate very different characteristics and fundamentals.<br><br>Having observed the history of bubble predictions Scott Sumner once concluded that: <br><em><br></em><em>"</em><em>If we notice market movements that seem to align with our initial forecasts we tend to pat ourselves on the back and assume the forecasts were correct. This is one of many cognitive biases that human beings are prone to. Pay no attention to bubble forecasts. They are useless. Indeed the entire bubble concept is useless."</em><br><div> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Risk markets</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Last year Soos wrote that due to it having the strongest yields Darwin has the smallest property bubble, a theory which might hold some sway in an academic vacuum, but shows a worrying lack of understanding of the real world and what caused the Top End's housing boom in the first place. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In fact, in my opinion at any rate, Darwin appears to be the capital city with by far the greatest risk of a genuine price crash, with rents now in freefall and vacancy rates rising sharply (cf. the illusory supply shortage identified by Soos himself). </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/11/30/SQM.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/30/SQM.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Thin property markets such as Darwin with a relatively small population are more prone to shifts in dynamics at the margin, and as population growth switches into reverse gear by the end of this calendar year the results to the downside could be spectacular. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Other high risk markets include any number of regional areas with a residual resources capex footprint, with mining capex now collapsing, while parts of inner city Melbourne and Brisbane are suffering from overbuilding of new apartments, with APRA's lending crackdown set to leave many off-the-plan buyers short. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Even within capital city markets there are sub-markets which can be expected to experience diverging fortunes. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>For example, with the population still expanding rapidly, Sydney has a number of inner city markets for which demand is so high that any correction in prices will be met by a wave of new buyers. On the other hand, price inflation in some of the outer western Sydney locations over the past few years has been so far beyond absurd that even a 40 per cent correction might represent a neutral scenario.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Property Observer recently reported on the report by LF Economics comparing Australia's housing market to a Ponzi scheme, which you can read here.</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Forecasting real estate myths: Pete Wargent

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<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Combined capital </span>city<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span>preliminary<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> auction clearance rates came in at 60.1% for the week ending 29 November, according to CoreLogic RP Data, up from last week's 59.5%.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Some 3649 auctions were held over the week. During the corresponding period last year auction volumes were at 3,908 and the clearance rate 63.7%.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/11/30/Screen%20Shot%202015-11-30%20at%209.54.54%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/11/30/Screen%20Shot%202015-11-30%20at%209.54.54%20AM.png" alt=""></p>
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Combined capital city clearance rate at 60.1% CoreLogic RP Data

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<p><span>This week marks the second busiest week for auctions across the combined capital cities this year, with 3,649 auctions held over the week, just short of the 3668 held earlier this year, over the last week of March. </span></p>
<p><span>This week the preliminary clearance rate is 60.1%, having increased, albeit only slightly, from a low of 59.5% last week, the first time the clearance rate has dipped below 60 % since Easter 2013. At the same time last year, both auction volumes (3,908) and the clearance rate were higher (63.7%).</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Capital-city.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Capital-city.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p><span>This week in <strong>Melbourne</strong>, Australia’s largest auction market, saw the highest volume of auctions so far this year, with 1,828 auctions held across the city, up from 1,510 last week. A preliminary auction clearance rate of 65 % was recorded this week, rising slightly from 64.7 % last week. This time last year, 1,635 properties were taken to auction across Melbourne and a clearance rate of 63 % was recorded. The highest volume of auctions was held across Inner Melbourne this week, with 347 auctions and a preliminary clearance rate of 71 %, the strongest of any other Melbourne sub-region so far this week.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Melbourne.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Melbourne.jpg" alt="" width="705" height="475"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><strong>Sydney’s</strong> preliminary clearance rate this week was 56.3 % across 954 auction results. There were a total of 1,284 auctions held across the city. Last week, Sydney had recorded the lowest clearance rate for the year to date (56.7 %), with 1,116 properties going to auction, however this week has seen the clearance rate fall even further and it will be interesting to monitor this as additional results are reported over the next few days. Looking back at this weekend last year, 1,631 auctions were held across Sydney and a clearance rate of 70.6 % was recorded. Sydney’s North Sydney and Hornsby region hosted the most auctions of any Sydney sub-region this week, with 185 properties taken to auction. The preliminary clearance rate for the region is higher than the wider Sydney result, at 62.8 % across 132 results.</span></p>
<p><span>Click to enlarge</span></p>
<p><span> <img src="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Sydney.jpg" alt="" width="808" height="545"></span></p>
<p><span>There were 211 </span><strong>Brisbane</strong><span> auctions this week with half of the 156 results reported as selling. In comparison, last week the final auction clearance rate for the city was 41% across 226 auctions and this weeks 50% clearance rate is also higher than one year ago when there were 294 auctions with a success rate of 37.8%. The </span><strong>Gold Coast’s</strong><span> preliminary clearance rate was 39.2% across 51 results this week.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Brisbane.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/11/30/20151130-Brisbane.jpg" alt="" width="797" height="529"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>This week, <strong>Adelaide</strong> saw a preliminary clearance rate of 59.5 %, with 116 reported results across a total of 155 scheduled auctions. In comparison, over the previous week Adelaide’s clearance rate was 64.4 % and 62.3 % one year ago.</span></p>
<p><span><strong>Perth’s</strong> clearance rate of 34.4 % across 59 auctions is similar to the previous week, when 40 auctions were held and a clearance rate of 31.3 % was recorded.  Over the same week last year, the clearance rate was a lower 28.3 %, and 62 auctions were held.</span></p>
<p><span><strong>Canberra’s</strong> preliminary auction clearance rate of 58.6 % this week is lower than last week, when the final auction clearance rate was 61.8 % and also lower than the 59.5 % recorded last year.</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
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smiller-vwPjRHTkST

Second largest auction weekend for the year: CoreLogic RP Data's Shana Miller

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<p>New South Wales auction results for week ending Sunday 29 November show a preliminary clearance rate of 56% from 1284 total scheduled auctions.</p>
<div class="reported-auctions">
<div class="num">According to data from realestate.com.au, 335 were sold at auction within NSW, 280 passed in and 196 sold prior to auction.</div>
<div class="num"> </div>
<div class="num">One standout property in the Sydney suburb of Bondi - a four bedroom home 400 metres from the beach at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bondi+beach-121141766" target="_blank">14 Consett Avenue, Bondi</a> (above), sold for $2,405,000.</div>
<div class="num"> </div>
<div class="num"><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/auction-results/nsw?rsf=edm:auction:nsw" target="_blank">Click here to see the full state breakout.</a></div>
</div>
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Sydney clearance rate at 56% Realestate.com.au

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<p><span>Officialdom decided last December that property investor lending needed to be restrained given the emerging trend of more money being lent to investors than owner occupiers.</span></p>
<p><span>The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority introduced a cap on allowable growth in bank lending on residential investment loans.</span></p>
<p><span>This eventually impactful decision got lost amid the seasonal Christmas break, and further from mind when the Reserve Bank of Australia cut the cash rate to 2.25% at its opening February 2015 meeting.</span></p>
<p><span>Growth in credit extended to investors had increased by 10% during 2014, right on the APRA threshold for its intended stricter scrutiny of lending practices.</span></p>
<p><span>Owner-occupier credit growth had at around 5.5%.</span></p>
<p><span>Of course APRA was technically not targeting house price levels – but rather setting benchmarks for a safer banking system.</span></p>
<p><span>The early 2015 auction competition saw no handbrake in the battle between home buyers and investors.</span></p>
<p><span>Reaching fever pitch, clearance rates peaked in March at 82%, according to CoreLogic RP Data, with properties typically knocked down at record prices especially in cheaper outer Sydney districts where auction had never been the normal means of sale.</span></p>
<p><span>It was soon obvious that the subtle backroom macroprudential measures needed to be intensified.</span></p>
<p><span>The jawboning by the RBA and APRA became more emphatic. The banks were told to look at loan-to-valuation ratio limits which made it harder to get an investor loan. Interest only loans became a rarity. Off the plan buyers were told they'd need to fund 20% of their apartment purchases. Finance approvals for house and land lots were being delayed until preliminary works had been completed. One bank even stopped all new lending to investors.</span></p>
<p><span>Events and issues then combined that further unnerved the housing market. There were signs of a retreat in foreign buyers as Treasurer Joe Hockey launched his crackdown on overseas buyers who were boosting prices in select suburbs. Financial inquiry chief David Murray raised the prospect of negative gearing reform. Doubt was cast over the future of self managed super funds being able to borrow.</span></p>
<p><span>In May Treasury secretary John Fraser warned that Sydney was in a housing bubble. The RBA governor Glenn Stevens wasn't wrong in June when he said some crazy prices were being paid. </span></p>
<p><span>Against a backdrop of high household debt, subdued income growth and fluctuating unemployment, the negativity clincher came after the banks raised home loan rates in mid-October given long foreshadowed rules forcing banks to hold larger loss-absorbing capital buffers.</span></p>
<p><span>By this time the entire Sydney property market was primed to be spooked. Auction clearance rates - which are a good sign of market sentiment and price growth - swiftly fell in the outer suburbs dipping sometimes into the 40s. Traditional auction hotspots, Sydney's inner west and eastern suburbs then took fright too.</span></p>
<p><span>Buyers just were not as prevalent - especially investors - and those who turned up kept their bidding restrained.</span></p>
<p><span>It is not quite lights out for the investor, but it has been getting darker, was how the valuation firm Herron Todd White has described the turn of events.</span></p>
<p><span>"We see the will is still present, but the ability to finance the dream is diminishing,' its November review advised as APRA's measures now extend well beyond the Sydney market into regional NSW.</span></p>
<p>The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) recently released <em>Quarterly Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI) Property Exposures </em>for the September 2015 quarter showing the slowing in lending to investors.<br><br>The publication contains information on ADIs’ commercial property exposures, residential property exposures and new housing loan approvals. </p>
<p><span><span>Key statistics for ADIs (excluding Other ADIs) for September 2015 were: </span><br></span></p>
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<th id="header1"> </th>
<th id="header2">September 2014</th>
<th id="header3">September 2015</th>
<th id="header4">Change</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Total commercial property exposures</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$224.5 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$240.4 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+7.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Commercial property exposures within Australia</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$185.8 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$201.1 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+8.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Total domestic housing loans</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$1,243.3 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$1,354.8 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+9.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p><br>Key statistics for ADIs with greater than $1 billion in housing loans for September 2015 were: </p>
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<th id="header1"> </th>
<th id="header2">September 2014</th>
<th id="header3">September 2015</th>
<th id="header4">Change</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Number of housing loans</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">5,086.7 thousand</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">5,422.8 thousand</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+6.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Average balance of housing loans</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$240,000</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$246,000</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+2.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">New housing loans approved in the quarter</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$84.8 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$95.0 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+12.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority data on showed the value of loan approvals for property investors fell to $32.39 billion in the three months to September 30 down from $40.55 billion in the June quarter.</p>
<p>Loans to property investors made up around 35 per cent of new lending approved in the September quarter, the lowest in the past two years, and down from around 43 per cent in the June quarter.</p>
<p>Analysts however are treating the data with some caution as <a href="/news/rba-concerned-at-inaccuracy-of-housing-lending-data-by-banks">several banks have been busy reclassifying billions of dollars in home loans</a>.</p>
<p><em style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;">This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.</em></p>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The APRA impact on 2015 property investment

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<p><span>A waterfront property in Cammeray has possibly doubled the suburb's record with a reputed near $15 million sale.</span></p>
<p><span>The property was sold by Jo Mineham, the widow of former PricewaterhouseCooper CEO Leigh Mineham.</span></p>
<p><span>They bought in 1998 for $2.48 million commissioning architect Susan Rothwell to design the house which was finished in 2006.</span></p>
<p><span>The 1,170 sqm holding features boating amenities including jetty pontoon and deep water mooring for a 15.8 metre boat.</span></p>
<p><span>The five bedroom, six bathroom family home has private terrace views of Willoughby Bay.</span></p>
<p><span>The classically contemporary home features a banquet sized formal dining room and open plan lounge both fitted with fireplaces.</span></p>
<p><span>There is a lower level family room with kitchenette and separate bathroom which can be used as an au pair or guest accomodation.</span></p>
<p><span>A home office, a climate controlled wine cellar and a fully tiled, gas heated infinity pool are the most luxurious aspects the record breaking house provides.</span></p>
<p><span>Until the sale by Richardson &amp; Wrench Mosman agents Stephen Patrick and Geoff Grist, the record for the lower north shore suburb had stood at $7.25 million since 2008.</span></p>
<p><span>Leigh Minehan passed away in December 2011, having retired from PWC a year earlier, but remaining a leading light in advice to the insurance sector. He was Chairman of the Queenwood School Board and a Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.</span></p>
<p><em>The article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.</em></p>
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Cammeray harbourfront record price doubles

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<p><span>Melbourne agents secured a weekend clearance rate of 67%, compared to 65% last week and 65% on the same weekend last year.</span></p>
<p><span>Melbourne buyers met the supply challenge of the biggest auction day in its history.</span></p>
<p><span>Balanced rather than strong was how vendor adviser, Peter Sarmas described the result.</span></p>
<p><span>There were 1467 auctions reported to the REIV this weekend, with another 400 results yet to come. </span></p>
<p><span>It has been a record month, with about 5,700 auctions held - 300 more than in November last year, the REIV chief Enzo Raimondo said.</span></p>
<p><span>The dearest weekend result reported to the REIV was $3.55 million in Brighton, although a private auction mid-week had secured a $7.4 million sale in Canterbury. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/17-elwood-street-brighton/Property-Details-buy-residential-9732195" target="_blank">The Brighton sale</a></span><span> was a four bedroom house on the edge of the Golden Mile with the 889sqm, north facing lot offering an opportunity to re-build or redevelop, Brakspear House.</span></p>
<p><span>The $3.55 million auction sale was higher than its $3.33 million private treaty sale in June this year to Chinese buyers. Buxton selling agent Stefan Whiting was telling inspectees that the c<span>lient was re-located overseas by the corporate he worked for.</span></span></p>
<p><span>The offerng at 34 Ferrars Place, South Melbourne was passed in at $4,6 million with just the one bidder.</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span><strong>TOP 5 HOUSES</strong></span></p>
<p><span>1. 17 Elwood Street, Brighton $3,550,000</span></p>
<p><span>2. 167 Finch Street, Glen Iris $2,756,000</span></p>
<p><span>3. 31B Park Crescent, Aberfeldie $2,750,000</span></p>
<p><span>4. 11 Belson Street, Malvern East $2,710,000</span></p>
<p><span>5. 14 Terry Street, Balwyn $2,700,000</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><strong>TOP 5 BARGAIN HOUSES</strong></span></p>
<p><span>1. 309 Stumpy Gully Road, Balnarring $253,000</span></p>
<p><span>2. 8 Peter Court, Langwarrin $295,000</span></p>
<p><span>3. 32 Lorraine Crescent, Jacana $295,000</span></p>
<p><span>4. 11 Cullen Drive, Wyndham Vale $296,000</span></p>
<p><span>5. 3 Marong Court, Broadmeadows $308,500</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><strong>TOP 5 APARTMENTS</strong></span></p>
<p><span>1. 27A Irymple Avenue, Glen Iris $2,188,000</span></p>
<p><span>2. 3.01/125-139 Rathdowne Street, Carlton $2,075,000</span></p>
<p><span>3. 65 Draper Street, Albert Park $1,670,000</span></p>
<p><span>4. 2/30 Erskine Street, North Melbourne $1,420,000</span></p>
<p><span>5. 2/22 Pascoe Avenue, Bentleigh $1,350,000</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><strong>TOP 5 BARGAIN APARTMENTS</strong></span></p>
<p><span>1. 2/29 Kirby Street, Reservoir $271,000</span></p>
<p><span>2. 2/10 Edgar Street, Hadfield $285,000</span></p>
<p><span>3. 1/249 Burnley Street, Richmond $300,000</span></p>
<p><span>4. 3/7 Sydney Street, Footscray $307,000</span></p>
<p><span>5. 3/7 Adam Street, Richmond $331,000</span></p>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au" target="_blank">REIV </a></p>
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Melbourne's busiest auction day sees steady success rate: REIV

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<p><span>Sydney's greenest home - winning some 13 awards on its 2013 construction - has been snapped up before it's scheduled weekend auction.</span></p>
<p><span>Builder Chris Knierim's two storey eco-house in Forest Lodge came with $1.9 million plus price hopes.</span></p>
<p><span>Over 100 groups inspected the pricey bespoke offering, which sold at an undisclosed price, through Jennifer Aaron of Jennifer Aaron Real Estate.</span></p>
<p><span>The recent marketing campaign had triggered 11,000 plus visits on realestate.com.au.</span></p>
<p><span>Designed to minimise its carbon footprint, it was Knierim's $900,000 construction dream to build a sustainable three bedroom house for his family.</span></p>
<p><span>Another inner west project is also underway by architect and builder, Oliver Steele in Newtown with three garden-topped eco-terraces on Angel Street.  </span></p>
<p><span>Being green might prove costly in the inner suburbs, but the traditional alternate eco home can still come cheap for tree changers with a mud brick home in a 200 acre land sharing community in the Hunter Valley region currently listed at $180,000 plus.</span></p>
<p><span>After working on eco-friendly building projects in Europe, Chris Knierim knew to insulate the ground underneath the slab and have solar panels on its green garden rooftop.</span></p>
<p><span>There's eight metre tall vertical garden walls in between, which impressed the Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore when she opened the house.</span></p>
<p><span>It comes with a 3500 litre underground water tank and extensive use of recycled materials.</span></p>
<p><span>The sustainable Foss Street home - just 5 metres or so wide in a narrow gap in a row of heritage-listed terraces - featured on the Grand Designs Australia television series.</span></p>
<p><span>The awards included the 2014 HIA Green Smart Australian Home of the Year and the Australian Sustainable Project of the Year.</span></p>
<p><span>Chris and wife Belinda paid $519,000 in 2007 for the small car park block next door to their then house. </span></p>
<p><span>"Crowned by a green roof, it presents streamlined minimalism with state-of-the-art finishes and a focus on optimal light and airflow," selling agent Jennifer Aaron said.</span></p>
<p><span>Chris was happy with the home and said it performed better than expected.</span></p>
<p><span>"“It just functions really well."</span></p>
<p><span>The founder of design firm Code Green admitted that despite the fact the eco lodge was a dream home for his wife and two sons, it was time to move on.</span></p>
<p><span>“I’ve just got a good business opportunity, so it’s time to let it go", he said.</span></p>
<p><span>"Being a builder and designer I’m always looking at doing other things,” he said.</span></p>
<p><span>They all celebrated the sale at the sustainable fish cafe, Annandale's Fish &amp; Co.</span></p>
<p><em>This article was first published in the Sydney Daily Telegraph.</em></p>
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Sydney's greenest terrace house sold at $1.9 million plus

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<p>In the age of High Lines, Low Lines and everything in between, cities across the world are investigating ways in which to improve underutilised or abandoned infrastructure and the spaces associated with them. One such project is <a href="http://www.undergardiner.com/">Under Gardiner</a> in Toronto which seeks to give back to the city by turning the underutilised space beneath the Gardiner Expressway into a long park that would reconnect the neighbourhoods below it.</p>

<p>Transforming more than four hectares of land beneath the elevated portion of Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into a series of public spaces, a 1.75-kilometre multi-use trail and 500m connection to Exhibition GO Station will also be included. By reclaiming this forgotten space Under Gardiner will create a series of rooms formed by the spaces between columns, reimagining the area beneath the expressway as a place for people.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>As cities densify, we begin to view lost or underutilized spaces in new ways. This proposal is a visionary approach to celebrating and inhabiting a spectacular, dramatic space, stitching together a series of existing areas to provide a front door to Fort York, one of the Toronto's most significant historical resources.</p>
<cite>Jennifer Keesmaat, City of Toronto Chief Planner</cite>
</blockquote>

<p>The project is based on a transformative framework design by urban designer Ken Greenberg plus Marc Ryan and Adam Nicklin of landscape architecture firm Public Works. The vision for the project includes the continuous multi-use trail, a bridge over Fort York Boulevard for pedestrians and cyclists, a grand staircase at Strachan that will double as seating for an urban theatre and a series of flexible, year-round performance and programming spaces that can be used by the community.</p>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/undergardiner_-_backgrounder_-_final.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial of Under Gardiner Master Plan. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="341" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/undergardiner_-_backgrounder_-_final.jpg?itok=77n0vFKb" title="Aerial of Under Gardiner Master Plan. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial of Under Gardiner Master Plan. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS</figcaption></figure><p>Each of the public "rooms" formed by the highway will become part of a network of public spaces for everything from farmers markets and concert venues, to summer camp. The designers will work with residents to decide how to use each part of the park with a trail will connect each of the spaces and reconnect a network of bike paths across the rest of the city.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>This is a project that cuts through about seven different neighborhoods that are all in a way fragmented. They don't see themselves as unified in any way.</p>
<cite>Marc Ryan, co-founder of PUBLIC WORKS</cite>
</blockquote>

<p>What is most interesting about this project is the fact that while the Gardiner Expressway currently acts as a barrier severing connections between neighbourhoods it also has the potential to provide the solution by re-stitching the city.</p>

<h2>How might such a project like Under Gardiner be of relevance here in Melbourne?</h2>

<p>With the City of Melbourne advancing plans for City Road, Southbank Boulevard and Dodds St as part of a series of initiatives identified for development within the <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/ProjectsandInitiatives/Southbank2010/Documents/Southbank_Structure_Plan_updated_30Nov2011.pdf">Southbank Structure Plan 2010 </a>document, the next cab off the rank in terms of improvement and enhancement of the public realm within Southbank should be the Westgate Freeway Undercroft.</p>

<p>An opportunity exists to connect Southbank not just with itself but with the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Project.</p>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/m1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Westgate Freeway aerial. Image courtesy of Nearmap."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="294" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/m1.jpg?itok=-94RvQRS" title="Westgate Freeway aerial. Image courtesy of Nearmap." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Westgate Freeway aerial. Image courtesy of Nearmap.</figcaption></figure><p>Southbank suffers from a lack of accessible and high quality public open space: there is currently 4,800m2 of green open space and as Southbank’s resident and worker population grows, addressing this issue becomes more and more critical. In addition to this there is currently a scarcity of pedestrian and cyclist routes through Southbank that are attractive, continuous, safe and of high amenity.</p>

<p>It's worth noting the Southbank Plan seeks to "establish new parks within the area and deliver a finer grain of attractive public gathering spaces."</p>

<p>The approach to the CityLink Tunnels was also identified as contributing to the disparate nature of Southbank. The Southbank Plan proposes to stitch together the northern and southern fragmented ‘halves’ of Southbank by decking over the void with new development to create a connected and continuous mixed use area which provides the opportunity for new public open space.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Delivering new public open spaces of any significant size in this area is difficult and would involve the conversion of private, developable land for public, noncommercial use with an associated high acquisition cost. The exception includes the M1 undercroft which is an opportunity to provide a linear park in the western end of Southbank.</p>

<p>The CityLink Deck precinct offers a new opportunity to provide a new large public park within this development site. The location of the Arts Activity Precinct at the intersection of the new Sturt Street spine and Southbank Boulevard emphasises the imperative to deliver the linear parkland within Southbank Boulevard.</p>
<cite>Southbank Structure Plan 2010</cite>
</blockquote>

<p>While the CityLink deck could be considered a much longer term proposition, it would also make sense to act as the 'exclamation mark' or termination node for a linear park and walking/cycling network as part of a revitalised M1 Undercroft. As the extract above points out, acquisition of private land comes with a significant cost and this was recently highlighted with the <a href="http://www.skynews.com.au/news/local/melbourne/2015/11/25/-19m-spent-on-land-for-vic-playground">State Goverment paying $19m</a> for a development site on Buckhurst Street within the Montague precinct of Fishermans Bend to allow for the provision of a future park for the precinct.</p>

<p>Developer contributions would go some way to helping deliver the vision for an improved, accessible and safe M1 Undercroft with the subsequent benefits and opportunities provided being immense. A good indicator will be the Kingsway Undercroft works associated with the City Road masterplan; this should be used as a case study to investigate and test the best uses and subsequently provide direction for any potential M1 undercroft project.</p>

<p>Hopefully Southbank won't have to wait too much longer for meaningful and usable open space. In the meantime I look forward to seeing Under Gardiner develop over the next few years with an eye toward what it could show Melbourne in the process.</p>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/3053787-slide-s-11-the-forgotten-space-under-a-toronto-highway.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Under Gardiner proposed spaces. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="267" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/3053787-slide-s-11-the-forgotten-space-under-a-toronto-highway.jpg?itok=fKz9WgeV" title="Under Gardiner proposed spaces. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Under Gardiner proposed spaces. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS</figcaption></figure>
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