<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/jl-place">JL PLACE</a>'s Veil Brighton is approaching its final months of construction, with the nine-townhouse development at 17 Rooding Street expected to complete in December 2026.

The milestone is bringing the boutique project closer to becoming a finished part of the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/brighton-vic-3186">Brighton</a> streetscape, with much of Brighton's everyday amenity within a short walk.

Palace Cinema, Coles Supermarket and North Brighton Station are all around five minutes on foot from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/veil-brighton-17-rooding-street-brighton-vic-3186">Veil</a>, alongside numerous cafés, restaurants and bars. The station provides a direct rail connection toward Melbourne's CBD, while Bay Street and the wider Brighton retail and dining network add to the range of services accessible without relying on a car for every trip.

"The location was fundamental to the project. Brighton is an established suburb where many buyers already have strong connections to the area and want to remain close to the people, places and amenities that form part of their everyday life," the developer said.

"Veil sits in a highly walkable part of Brighton, with a Walk Score of 90/100."

For buyers looking to right-size within Bayside, that level of walkability adds to the appeal of a more manageable way of living. Everyday shopping, dining, entertainment and public transport can be accessed without relying on the car for every trip, while residents remain connected to the places and routines that make Brighton familiar. It allows buyers to simplify day-to-day life without giving up the convenience, amenity and connections they already value.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7877 project_image_fid=355754]

As completion approaches, the architecture, landscaping and material palette are progressively becoming visible on site, giving prospective purchasers a clearer view of the finished development beyond its plans and renders.

Veil comprises nine townhouses, predominantly three-bedroom homes with between 2.5 and 3.5 bathrooms, two car spaces and, depending on the residence, study areas and private outdoor space. Selected homes include a bedroom on the ground floor.

Veil occupies a middle ground between detached housing and apartment living, retaining private gardens, storage and secure parking within a more manageable residential format.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/schmidt-pang-architects">Schmidt &amp; Pang</a> designed the architecture around natural light, ventilation, privacy and practical use of space. From Rooding Street, the façade has been composed to read as a cohesive residential building rather than nine individual townhouses, with landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/john-patrick-landscape-architects">John Patrick Landscape Architects</a> integrated throughout the site.

Inside, natural stone, oak flooring, integrated joinery and brushed nickel finishes establish a restrained material palette, while kitchens include Miele appliances and substantial storage such as pantries. Walk-in robes and dedicated study spaces have also been incorporated across the collection.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7877 project_image_fid=355852]

The project team said the planning of the homes has been informed by how the spaces function for both daily routines and larger gatherings.

"Our new homes owners at Veil have enjoyed the attention to detail in creating efficient layouts that use every space well. Hosting Christmas lunch and large family gatherings is an ease when care is taken to consider how people really live and entertain."

Private landscaped gardens extend the living spaces outdoors, while secure basement parking and bicycle parking are provided below. The homes have also been designed to achieve a 7-star energy rating, supported by double glazing, high-quality insulation, natural ventilation, LED lighting, water tanks and water-efficient fittings. Each residence is backed by a 10-year building guarantee.

Veil is being built by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/jeniton">Jeniton</a>.&nbsp;Limited-time stamp duty savings are also currently available on selected purchases at Veil, adding another consideration as the project moves toward completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7877]

Joel Robinson

Veil Brighton nears completion in one of the suburb's most walkable pockets

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mosaic-property-group">Mosaic Property Group</a> has recorded 134 sales worth just over $400 million in two months of pre-release activity at The Riversdale, as the developer brings its $750 million South Brisbane riverfront project to the broader market.

The sales represent more than 60 per cent of the project's 213 apartments, with Mosaic reporting the majority of purchasers have been local owner-occupiers and downsizers.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-riversdale-by-mosaic-south-brisbane-91-montague-road-south-brisbane-qld-4101">The Riversdale</a> will rise 39 storeys from its north-facing site at 91 Montague Road, delivering a mix of two, three and four-bedroom apartments alongside a collection of Mosaic's premium Masterpiece Series Sky Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=371872]

The early buyer response comes ahead of the wider evolution of the northern end of Montague Road, where The Riversdale will be one of the first major residential projects delivered within an emerging riverfront precinct.

Directly adjoining the development is a planned 7.1-hectare mixed-use precinct, set to introduce new residences, parkland and public realm along the river's edge. The Riversdale's position directly on the Brisbane River gives it a relationship with the waterfront that Mosaic says cannot be replicated by future buildings within the precinct.

The site is also the result of a years-long pursuit by Mosaic. The developer first earmarked the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-brisbane-qld-4101">South Brisbane</a> property in 2018, reflecting what Founder and Managing Director Brook Monahan has described as a deliberately patient approach to acquiring development sites.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=372083]

"We aren't opportunistic," Monahan previously told Apartments.com.au.

"Every site purchase is carefully considered. As seen with Kangaroo Point and South Brisbane, it can take years to eventuate. There are sites we're looking at now that we may not secure for several years."

Designed in collaboration with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bureauproberts">Bureau Proberts</a>, The Riversdale has been shaped around the qualities of the riverfront site, with apartments oriented to capture northern light and uninterrupted Brisbane River views.

Generous floorplans and expansive balconies extend the living spaces towards the river, while natural materials and a restrained interior palette have been selected with longevity in mind.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=371890]

Residents will have access to a level of amenity more commonly associated with world-class hotels and private members' clubs, with almost 3,000 sqm dedicated to wellness, connection, recreation and everyday convenience.

At ground level is a business lounge, private meeting rooms and dedicated workspaces. Mid-tower is a wellness sanctuary featuring magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, sauna, steam room, infrared therapy facilities, a Pilates and yoga studio, and a commercial-grade gymnasium.

Crowning The Riversdale is a rooftop featuring a 35-metre swimming pool with lap lane and spa, outdoor dining and seating terraces, firepit lounges and views of the city, river and Mount Coot-tha.

A private members' club-inspired retreat offers private dining rooms, a whisky lounge, media rooms and immersive entertainment experiences. Completing the amenity offering are two hotel-style guest suites and a resident-exclusive electric vehicle fleet and car-share program.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=371877]

The Riversdale sits at the northern end of Montague Road between South Bank and West End, around 1.3 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, providing access to the city's major cultural, dining and recreation precincts.

It becomes Mosaic's largest Brisbane project to date and adds to a pipeline already under construction across the city.

In Brisbane, the developer is currently delivering The Bedford and The Carter at Kangaroo Point, both of which are approaching sell-out, with a further four projects being delivered on the Gold Coast. Mosaic has completed more than $2 billion in projects since 2012 and has a further development pipeline exceeding $2 billion across South East Queensland.

Early works are underway at The Riversdale, which will be delivered by Mosaic's in-house construction division. Completion is anticipated in late 2029, with remaining apartments priced from $1.98 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151614]

Mosaic records more than $400m in two months at South Brisbane's The Riversdale

Lender, fund manager and apartment developer Princeton has completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/marque-rockdale-602-608-princes-highway-rockdale-nsw-2216">Marque Rockdale</a>, the first new apartment development in South Sydney to provide its owners with a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, the most comprehensive insurance available for a new apartment building.

The policy has been a key consideration for prospective purchasers of the 58 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, strategically located between&nbsp;Rockdale Plaza and Rockdale Station.&nbsp;

Buyers have also been drawn to the fact that it is one of few new apartment developments delivered in the suburb in the last 10 years, and the only one located on Princes Highway to be set well back from the street to reduce noise. There's also a communal rooftop, a rarity in the suburb, complete barbecue facilities, landscaped seating areas, a children's play zone and herb gardens.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136442 project_image_fid=374084]

Ray White Projects’ Matt Otway said buyer enquiry reflected the increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan population that has made Rockdale home.

“We’re seeing strong interest from a broad mix of buyers, including young professionals and people who have rented in Rockdale and the surrounding suburbs and now see Marque as an opportunity to buy a brand-new apartment in an area they already know,” Otway said.

“Proximity to the CBD and Sydney Airport is another key advantage particularly for buyers working in these locations who want the added convenience of living close by.”

Investors have also been attracted to the project, with rental yields of more than five per cent, which is considered a strong result for the Sydney market.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136442 project_image_fid=374090]

Adding another layer to the buyer proposition is Marque's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy from Resilience Insurance, making it the only new apartment development in Rockdale to offer the cover.

The policy protects apartment owners against major structural and waterproofing defects for 10 years following completion, giving Marque purchasers cover until early 2036 at no additional cost.

The likelihood of defects emerging has also been mitigated through the Technical Inspection Service (TIS), which saw independent experts inspect the building at various stages throughout construction to identify potential issues during the build, rather than after the fact.

SDSS, which provided the TIS, consistently ranked the construction quality at Marque, undertaken by iCIRT-rated builder Coplex, among the best across its extensive portfolio of projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136442 project_image_fid=374088]

Otway said the LDI had become a major drawcard for buyers, particularly given Rockdale has seen relatively little new apartment development over the past decade.

"Rockdale hasn't had a lot of new apartment buildings in the last decade, and has never had a project with 10-year defect insurance," Otway said.

"Marque presents a truly rare opportunity at an affordable price point, so well connected to the Sydney CBD."

One-bedroom apartments at Marque start from $735,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136442]

Marque Rockdale completes as South Sydney’s first apartments backed by 10-year defect insurance

Sydney developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/odus">ODUS Property Group</a> is continuing to expand its local Gold Coast development pipeline, filing plans for a new 40-storey tower in the Southport CBD.

Odus, which bought two luxury Main Beach projects, now La Mer and Le Reve, to make its move into the booming Gold Coast apartment market, has secured its third site. But it is tweaking the plans for a previously proposed 50-storey skyscraper, now seeking to deliver 40 storeys.

The project, dubbed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/80-marine-parade-74-80-marine-parade-southport-qld-4215">80 Marine Parade</a>, sits on a prime&nbsp;2,032 sqm amalgamated corner site at 74–80 Marine Parade and 4 Welch Street, across the road from the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. It will have unobstructed, never-to-be-built-out views to the east given its position opposite the Broadbwater Parklands.&nbsp;

The plans are for 316 apartments, ground-floor retail, and resort-style resident amenities. The project sits within Precinct 1 (Central Business District) of the Southport Priority Development Area, where high-density residential and commercial development is actively encouraged.

BGD, ran by Bayden Goddard and the architecture firm behind Le Reve, has revised the original concept plans, substantially reworking the built form. Basement parking has been replaced by an expanded podium designed to improve functionality while reducing the tower's overall visual impact.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Odus Property Group plots landmark 40-storey tower for Southport's Broadwater gateway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0f13d065-2cf5-45ec-aa17-1a03754d93d8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Southport%20da%202.png?VersionId=.9QS2n7kBc_U3PyaI247uOyNSXIqnXSE" />

The tower rises above the eight-storey landscaped podium with a distinctive architectural language defined by sweeping arches, integrated greenery, bronze-toned glazing, and a sculptural rooftop crown.

The development will comprise 104 one-bedroom apartments, 208 two-bedroom apartments, and four four-bedroom penthouses across levels 9 to 36. Apartments are designed to accommodate both permanent residents and short-term accommodation within the same building.

A double-height lobby and reception will anchor the ground floor alongside a 23 sqm food and drink outlet, activating the Marine Parade frontage.

Parking will be accommodated within the podium, providing 288 vehicle spaces and 74 bicycle spaces, accessed from Welch Street.

<img alt="First look: Odus Property Group plots landmark 40-storey tower for Southport's Broadwater gateway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d7528b91-2c47-4094-98b3-5eecbacc0041" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Southport%20da%20podium.png?VersionId=efF5oWs4T9PDvxJwJEDHu5kSQ5eE3IBy" />

Residents will have access to an extensive suite of amenities spread across multiple levels. A podium recreation deck will include a swimming pool, spas, sauna, steam room, cinema, residents' lounge and children's games room, while a second wellness level near the top of the building will feature a gym, co-working spaces, reading room, dining areas and communal kitchen. Extensive podium landscaping wraps the building to soften the built form and strengthen its interface with the surrounding streetscape.

The planning report notes the project responds directly to Southport's ongoing urban transformation.

"Consistent with much of Southport, the surrounding area is undergoing significant transition, with many older low-rise developments progressively being redeveloped for higher-intensity urban outcomes, as envisaged within Precinct 1."

It also states that the proposal "will contribute to a defined and legible eastern gateway to the Southport CBD, reinforcing the area's high-density urban character while maintaining a strong visual connection to the adjoining public open space network."

<img alt="First look: Odus Property Group plots landmark 40-storey tower for Southport's Broadwater gateway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b9fdebd-4b35-400b-a287-6bd1cdbcdb1b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Southport%20da.png?VersionId=4LG35XR5mfir7jvG2TShtQx.utMLYBxu" />

Located opposite the Broadwater Parklands, the site enjoys immediate access to the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Australia Fair Shopping Centre, TAFE Queensland Southport campus, the G:link light rail corridor and Southport's established commercial precinct. The location places future residents within one of the Gold Coast's fastest-evolving mixed-use centres, where numerous high-rise residential projects are reshaping the CBD skyline.

Odus is headed by development professionals Byron Sakha, Jarrod Younan and Sebastian Younan. The Younans also head family-owned builder Nazero Constructions, established in the 1960s.

They are currently delivering La Mer, 24 luxury apartments on Main Beach Parade, and Le&nbsp;Rêve, on the same street but on the prized beachfront side of the sought-after strip.

ODUS plans landmark 40-storey tower for Southport's Broadwater gateway

A boutique collection of just 10 residences could become the catalyst for the next phase of renewal along the southern end of Surfers Paradise Boulevard, with new plans laid for a mixed-use tower designed to transform a long-vacant site.

The proposal for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/3098-surfers-paradise-boulevard-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">3098 Surfers Paradise Boulevard</a> has been conceived as more than a standalone residential project. Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, the development aims to spark the revitalisation of what the design team describes as the "South Boulevard" precinct, creating an active streetscape with retail uses at ground level beneath a collection of full-floor luxury residences.

The application, by PR Property Holdings, an entity directed by the Brisbane-based Ryan and Petrovic families, seeks approval for a 17-storey, 62.2-metre mixed-use development on a compact 427 sqm site between Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Appel Street.

The project will comprise just 10 apartments, including eight full-floor residences and two duplex apartments, positioned above a two-level retail podium. Three podium parking levels will accommodate 26 vehicle spaces, while a recreation deck is proposed on Level 4.

<img alt="First look: PR Property Holdings plans boutique apartment tower to kickstart Surfers Paradise's 'South Boulevard' revival" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46cfa37d-5051-4449-8d8e-6724f8ca0d59" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_8.png?VersionId=e7UkeV1eTZAC2lXhdq72E3jpUbwiFD2t" />

Rather than pursuing apartment volume, the proposal focuses on large-format homes with a slender tower form intended to maximise outlooks while limiting visual bulk.

BDA Architecture said the proposal has been designed to become an urban renewal catalyst for the precinct.

"The ambition of 3098 Surfer's Paradise is that it provides the catalyst for incremental infill redevelopment and upgrade of what is coined the 'South Boulevarde' of Surfers Paradise which connects to the beating heart of Cavill Avenue."

The architects added: "An incremental approach to development that provides quality ground plane interface, human scale design, integrated subtropical landscape and semipublic permeable frontage can over time entirely upgrade a precinct."

The architecture adopts soft curves, articulated balconies and a slender tower profile rising from a human-scaled podium. The design report describes the project as delivering "bespoke residences of enduring distinction, sculpted with precision and quiet sophistication," with a focus on timeless coastal architecture.

The application also includes retail tenancies addressing Surfers Paradise Boulevard, reinforcing the site's role as an active mixed-use destination rather than a purely residential address. The planning report states the combination of the podium, landscaping and active frontage is intended to strengthen the pedestrian experience while contributing to the evolving character of the boulevard.

The site occupies a prominent position in the southern section of Surfers Paradise, directly opposite the G:link light rail corridor and within walking distance of Surfers Paradise Beach, Cavill Avenue, the Nerang River and Bruce Bishop Car Park. It is currently vacant, having previously accommodated a single-storey commercial building that was demolished in 2022. The planning report notes the surrounding area is characterised by a mix of commercial buildings and residential towers, with unlimited building height provisions applying under the Centre Zone.

The proposal also replaces an earlier 2022 approval for a restaurant and bar on the site, instead introducing a permanent mixed-use development that combines retail activation with boutique residential living.

Boutique apartment tower to "kickstart" Surfers Paradise's 'South Boulevard' revival

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?

For most Australians, buying an apartment is one of the biggest financial decisions they'll ever make

The location, floorplan and price are often the first considerations, but in recent years another question has become increasingly important: who is actually delivering the project?

A series of high-profile builder collapses, construction delays and defect concerns have fundamentally changed how many Victorians approach buying off the plan. The collapse of Porter Davis in 2023, which reportedly left around 1,700 homes unfinished, became one of the most visible examples of the risks that can emerge when a construction company fails. <a href="https://www.equifax.com.au/sites/default/files/lpassets/pdf/Final-Business-Market-Pulse-June-Sector-Deep-Dive-Report-2.pdf">Similar challenges across the broader construction sector</a> have left buyers asking more questions before signing a contract.

As Victoria continues encouraging higher-density housing to address supply shortages, transparency is becoming just as important as location or price.

One tool increasingly entering the conversation is the <a href="https://icirt.com/">Independent Construction Industry Rating Tool (iCIRT)</a>, an independent assessment framework designed to help buyers better understand the developer or builder behind a project. Originally developed by Equifax in consultation with government and industry as part of NSW's Construct NSW reforms, the system has since expanded nationally.

<h2 data-end="1519" data-section-id="7nmx3" data-start="1492">What is an iCIRT rating?</h2>

Most Australians are familiar with independent ratings in everyday life.

We compare ANCAP safety ratings before buying a car. We look at Health Star Ratings in supermarkets. Banks rely on credit assessments when lending money.

Until recently, however, there has been very little independent information available to help apartment buyers assess the business responsible for delivering a residential project.

That gap is what iCIRT was designed to address.

Builders, developers and other construction professionals with an iCIRT rating have demonstrated high-trust characteristics through an independent, evidence-based assessment across six criteria: Character, Capability, Conduct, Capacity, Capital and Counterparties. This involves a rigorous review of financial health, past project track record, and ethical conduct. Crucially, an iCIRT rating could help provide property buyers with confidence that they are working with a professional who has demonstrated the capability, capacity, and willingness to return and rectify issues.

Importantly, iCIRT is not a recommendation to purchase a particular property, nor is it a traditional credit rating. It is an independent assessment framework designed to provide objective information about a construction business using a <a href="https://icirt.com/sites/default/files/2025-08/iCIRT-Methodology-Issue1-May-2021.pdf">published methodology</a>.

The system has been widely adopted in New South Wales, where more than one-third of medium and large residential builders and developers now hold an iCIRT rating, representing over two-thirds of the state's residential building market by value as of 2025/26.

<h2 data-end="3126" data-section-id="h6ohtj" data-start="3084">Why buyers are doing more due diligence</h2>

For many buyers, particularly those purchasing off the plan, the biggest risk isn't whether they'll like the kitchen finishes.

It's whether the project will be delivered on time, to the expected quality, and by a company capable of completing the development.

<a href="https://icirt.com/sites/default/files/2026-07/iCIRT%202025%20Consumer%20Survey%20Report%20v05.pdf">Consumer research commissioned by iCIRT</a> found more than half of respondents believed current protections do not adequately safeguard buyers from builder insolvencies or defective projects. Other research found 88 per cent of prospective buyers would seek independent ratings or due diligence before purchasing, while 90 per cent said trust in construction professionals is essential.

That doesn't mean buyers should rely on a single rating alone.

Independent legal advice, understanding the contract, and seeking financial advice all remain important parts of the due diligence process.

However, an independent assessment can provide another source of information alongside those traditional checks.

<h2 data-end="4138" data-section-id="pquzxc" data-start="4094">Trust is becoming a competitive advantage</h2>

The conversation isn't only changing for buyers.

Developers are also recognising that trust has become an increasingly important part of the sales process.

Five years ago, purchasers typically asked about floorplans, finishes and settlement dates.

Today, sales teams are increasingly being asked about the developer's experience, financial stability, previous projects and construction partners.

For companies with strong governance and established delivery records, an independent iCIRT rating provides another way to demonstrate those credentials before buyers even visit a display suite.

According to Equifax, the assessment can also help businesses drive sales and <a href="https://icirt.com/resources-for-business/icirt-rating-helps-scion-secure-high-value-projects">secure high-value projects</a>, as well as identify operational improvements and <a href="https://icirt.com/resources-for-business/mirvac-reinforces-brand-trust-and-quality-independent-icirt-rating">attract top talent</a>.

<h2 data-end="4962" data-section-id="1j54ng5" data-start="4912">Beyond buyers: lenders are paying attention too</h2>

The influence of independent construction ratings is also extending beyond consumers.

According to Stamford Capital's Real Estate Debt Capital Markets Survey, an increasing number of lenders now incorporate iCIRT ratings into their due diligence processes when assessing residential development finance applications.

The survey found lender adoption has continued to rise, with many respondents saying independent assessments provide additional insight into governance, counterparties and delivery capability beyond traditional financial analysis. Some lenders also reported declining funding applications where businesses had poor or no ratings.

As construction costs remain elevated and access to development finance becomes more selective, demonstrating credibility is becoming increasingly valuable.

<h2 data-end="5801" data-section-id="1qazuxs" data-start="5772">What it means for Victoria</h2>

Victoria's apartment market is entering a new phase.

The state is seeking to accelerate higher-density housing while simultaneously introducing reforms aimed at improving confidence in residential construction.

For buyers, that means there are more tools available than ever before to research the businesses behind a project.

For developers, it signals that transparency is becoming another point of differentiation in an increasingly competitive market.

Buyers are asking more questions than ever before and increasingly expecting independent information, not just marketing material, before making one of the biggest financial commitments of their lives.

Find out how to get iCIRT rated <a href="https://www.icirt.com/sites/default/files/2025-08/iCIRT-Infographic-Assessment-Process-Final.pdf">here</a>.

<hr data-end="6469" data-start="6466" />
The information contained in this article is general in nature and does not constitute personal, financial, legal or tax advice. It does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your circumstances before acting on it and, where appropriate, seek independent professional advice.

This article contains links to third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience only. Equifax Australia does not control and is not responsible for the content, accuracy or privacy practices of external sites.

Copyright © 2026 Equifax Australia Information Services and Solutions Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.

Buying off-the-plan in Melbourne? How independent iCIRT ratings are set to change Victorian property

<html><body>
Investors who purchased a house in the east Melbourne suburb of Box Hill based on its inclusion in last year’s Hot 100 list published by Australian Property Investor (API) magazine are unlikely to be a happy bunch.
As API published its flagship 2013 Hot 100 list this month, Property Observer analysed the performance of all 100 suburbs that made it on to last year’s list.
We found that Box Hill was the poorest performing detached housing market on last year’s list, which included suburbs that were expected to show growth over the following 12 months and beyond.
But rather than rise as expected, Box Hill's median house price has fallen 19% between publication of the 2012 and 2013 Hot 100 reports. And it fails to make a re-appearance on the latest list of hotspots.
Of the 90 hot spot suburbs from 2012 where comparison were possible, 25 locations recorded declined of 1% or more over the year, 19 locations treaded water, 34 recorded gains of between 1% and 10% in their median house prices and 12 managed gains of more than 10%. 
According to Australian Property Monitors (APM) data published by API Magazine, Box Hill recorded a median house price of $545,000 based on sales of 111 houses over the 12 months to January 2013.
This compares with a median price of $748,000 recorded from 101 sales for the 12 months to December 2011.
Box Hill was picked last year because of its good local council,  good location – just 13 kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD – and because of its status as one of Melbourne’s biggest transport interchanges “expected to accommodate a significant increase in housing around the core retail district”.
The suburb is the site of the $447 million Box Hill hospital redevelopment while the Cromwell Property Group recently raised $66 million from investors for a new 20-storey ATO building.
While investing in property is clearly a long-term play – a point highlighted by API Magazine - and Box Hill prices may yet rise as these major projects are completed, investors who bought in the suburb will be dismayed to learn that Box Hill is not among the 29 suburbs that have scored consecutive mentions in both 2012 and 2013 Hot 100 lists prepared by API Magazine.
Three other Melbourne suburbs, picked as hotspots last year by API, recorded near 10% annual declines in median values, with Broadmeadows house prices falling 10%, Sunshine prices down 9.4% and Northcote prices down 8.1%.
At the other end of the spectrum, the inner Perth suburb of Highgate, just 1.7 kilometres from the CBD, has been a hotspot standout, with house median prices up 43% over the same period.
For the 12 months to January 31 2013, APM records a Highgate median house price of $609,000 from 40 sales compared with a median house price of $497,000 for the 12 months to December 2011.
Highgate was included on the Hot 100 list based on good local council involvement in creating “mixed-use hubs” in surrounding areas, great accessibility to the city centre via road and train and good amenities and services in neighbouring suburbs like Mount Lawley and East Perth.
In addition, and as indicated by the small number of sales recorded, Highgate is a tightly-held suburb with “aesthetic appeal”
Surprisingly and despite the strong showing, Highgate is not listed as a hot spot in this year’s list, though a number of other eastern Perth suburbs are, including Dianella (6 kilometres north east of Perth), Carlisle ( 6 kilometres south east of Perth), Bayswater (6.6 kilometres north east of Perth) and Belmont (6.5 kilometres east of Perth.)
WA locations dominated the best performing locations from the 2012 list with Highgate followed by the Pilbara mining hotspots of Karratha (up 36.4%), Newman (up 25.5%) and Onslow (22.6%).
Just 29 suburbs have made it onto the hotlist for the second year in a row demonstrating the fleeting nature of so-called “hotspots”
The report highlights the challenges in picking property investment hotspots and the importance of doing your own research.
Indeed, API Magazine, in its guide to this year’s list says readers should not buy a property in a location “just because it’s in the Hot 100”.
However, it does say that suburbs have been picked for their “growth prospects over the next 12 months as well as the longer term”.
“This list isn’t your due diligence. You must do your own detailed homework into any area you’re going to invest in, as well as the property type,” says API.
<table style="width: 309px;" frame="box" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="141">
<col width="168">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Suburb</td>
<td width="168">Houses (12 month change)</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Box Hill, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-19%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Port Adelaide, SA</td>
<td width="168">-14.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Broadmeadows, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Sunshine, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-9.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Townsville, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-8.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Northcote, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-8.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">South Brisbane, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-8.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Ascot Vale, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-7.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Mandurah, WA</td>
<td width="168">-6.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Oakey, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-6.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Carindale, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-6.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Frankston, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-5.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Smithton, TAS</td>
<td width="168">-5.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Dickson, ACT</td>
<td width="168">-4.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Keperra, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-4.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Magill, SA</td>
<td width="168">-3.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Warrane, TAS</td>
<td width="168">-3.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Eden Hill, WA</td>
<td width="168">-3.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Werribee, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-3.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Stafford, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-2.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Dandenong, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-2.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Warrnambool, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-1.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Coorparoo, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-1.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Ningi, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-1.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Woodville West, SA</td>
<td width="168">-1.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Maitland, NSW</td>
<td width="168">-0.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Southport, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-0.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Ceduna, SA</td>
<td width="168">-0.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Indooroopilly, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-0.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Camperdown, NSW</td>
<td width="168">-0.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Sherwood, QLD</td>
<td width="168">-0.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Armadale, WA</td>
<td width="168">-0.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Coburg, VIC</td>
<td width="168">-0.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Moorooka, QLD</td>
<td width="168">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Parap, NT</td>
<td width="168">0%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Port Lincoln, SA</td>
<td width="168">0.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Turner, ACT</td>
<td width="168">0.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Ballarat, VIC</td>
<td width="168">0.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Mentone, VIC</td>
<td width="168">0.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Bunbury, WA</td>
<td width="168">0.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">West Footscray, VIC</td>
<td width="168">0.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Fremantle, WA</td>
<td width="168">0.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Granville, NSW</td>
<td width="168">0.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Ringwood, VIC</td>
<td width="168">0.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Footscray, VIC</td>
<td width="168">1.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Chermside, QLD</td>
<td width="168">1.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Como, WA</td>
<td width="168">1.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Marrickville, NSW</td>
<td width="168">1.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Westminster, WA</td>
<td width="168">1.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Yeerongpilly, QLD</td>
<td width="168">1.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Toowoomba, QLD</td>
<td width="168">2.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Edgewater, WA</td>
<td width="168">2.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Thornbury, VIC</td>
<td width="168">2.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Enmore, NSW</td>
<td width="168">2.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Erskineville, NSW</td>
<td width="168">2.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Blacktown, NSW</td>
<td width="168">2.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Perth CBD, WA</td>
<td width="168">3.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Orange, NSW</td>
<td width="168">3.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Heathridge, WA</td>
<td width="168">3.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Maroubra, NSW</td>
<td width="168">3.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Murarrie, QLD</td>
<td width="168">3.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Kellyville, NSW</td>
<td width="168">4.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Underwood, QLD</td>
<td width="168">4.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Hackham, SA</td>
<td width="168">4.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Joondalup, WA</td>
<td width="168">4.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Willetton, WA</td>
<td width="168">5.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Osbourne Park, WA</td>
<td width="168">5.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Dunsborough,WA</td>
<td width="168">5.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Hamilton Hill, WA</td>
<td width="168">5.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Yangebup, WA</td>
<td width="168">5.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Cloverdale, WA</td>
<td width="168">6.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Belmont, WA</td>
<td width="168">7.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Midland, WA</td>
<td width="168">7.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Roxby Downs, SA</td>
<td width="168">8.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Bendigo, VIC</td>
<td width="168">8.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Whyalla, SA</td>
<td width="168">8.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Mackay, QLD</td>
<td width="168">9.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Carlton North, VIC</td>
<td width="168">9.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Summer Hill, NSW</td>
<td width="168">10.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Neutral Bay, NSW</td>
<td width="168">12.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Port Hedland, WA</td>
<td width="168">13.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Roma, QLD</td>
<td width="168">14.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Moranbah, QLD</td>
<td width="168">14.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Norwood, SA</td>
<td width="168">14.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Nundah, QLD</td>
<td width="168">16.30%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Broome, WA</td>
<td width="168">16.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Onslow, WA</td>
<td width="168">22.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Newman, WA</td>
<td width="168">25.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Karratha, WA</td>
<td width="168">36.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="21">
<td height="21" width="141">Highgate, WA</td>
<td width="168">43.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="20">
<td height="20" width="141">Source: API Magazine</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Hit and miss hotspots: Box Hill flames out while Highgate, Karratha, Newman and other WA mining locations are on fire

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I started the year predicting capital city market performance would be led in 2013 by Perth and Darwin, with Sydney close behind.  
Early indications suggest that’s the way it’s panning out. Darwin started the year already well into a growth phase and Perth has quickly taken on boom parameters as 2013 has progressed.  
Sydney, the under-achiever among the capital cities over the past decade, is busily making up some of the lost ground. Each week the anecdotal reports of rising activity and prices in Sydney grow stronger, supported by research evidence as the data trickles in.
Australian Property Monitors reports strong price growth in many of the million-dollar suburbs, while experienced buyers agent Henry Wilkinson sees a sellers market, with price expectations heading north rapidly.  
Wilkinson, of Homesearch Solutions, says prices in some Sydney suburbs have risen 5-10% in the first few months of 2013.  
Wilkinson says price movements are so rapid, in some cases, that buyers need to examine very recent sales in an area before deciding their offer amounts, rather than looking at sales from the past six months in property databases.  
“The property statistics are often months behind in their announcements on price movements,” he says.  
“The advice we are currently giving to our clients is to buy now rather than wait until later in the year. Delaying a purchase may mean having to compromise - fewer bedrooms, no parking, less renovated or a less desirable suburb.”  
Wilkinson says auction clearance rates have been consistently above 70% since February, which is the strongest trend since 2010.  
“Competition has been intense at most of the auctions we have attended,” he says. “Some auctions have had 15 or more active bidders and indications are that bidders and the eventual buyers have been exceeding their pre-set limits.”  
Wilkinson says the market under $700,000 and the market up to $1,600,000 have been the strongest performers, particularly in the inner and medium radius suburbs. “We have also noticed some movement in the upper market after years of stagnation,” he says.  
APM says some suburbs had median house price growth above 20% in the March Quarter, including <a target="_blank" href="/news">Avalon</a> and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mosman</a>. Other fast movers included <a target="_blank" href="/news">Maroubra</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Randwick</a> and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Pymble</a>.  
There was also increasing heat in some unit markets, headed by <a target="_blank" href="/news">Neutral Bay</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Chatswood</a>, Mosman and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Manly</a>.  
APM senior economist Andrew Wilson says there is “a perception of value” in the $1 million to $2 million price range, with buyers increasingly active in search of opportunities.  
Agents operating in those market report the best activity they have had in several years.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Sydney real estate market gathers momentum: Terry Ryder

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This is a subject that will, I am sure, always generate many different views and opinions. It’s an interesting and rewarding topic and while I am sure that there is not a particular textbook solution, the subject of creative content in any project marketing campaign deserves our attention, so let’s have the conversation.
No matter how small or big a project might be, from the creation of a logo and name, to the feel and tone of all advertising material, what some consultants now term ‘the brand lock-up’ I think we can agree that the creative content of any marketing campaign is always significant.
This is an area where opinions will always vary and I have been involved with some projects where the creative content has been tricky to define. The creative of every project heart is important because it will influence all activity and there is also an increasing trend where the built product is itself influenced by the brand values.  The creative content above all needs to engage the target, aid communication and help enrich the sales path and buyer experience and sustain the brand values. Now that’s a big job.
And so while this may not be an area that is instantly defined, as one particular solution being ‘right’ and another ‘wrong’, one key point remains and that is to always match the creative material and buyer expectations. Avoid shoehorning the project into a particular trend. In part this can be avoided by having a solid working brief that is underpinned by detailed product, market and demographics knowledge.
When I get towards the end of this topic we will look at how best to prepare a creative brief to external advertising and creative agencies and then how to reach a decision on the resulting pitches.
Experience has shown me that it is possible to both over-pitch and under-pitch creative material. Again we need to always keep in mind that creative extends across all marketing activity. It is not just applied to advertising or brochures, websites and signs, but should reach into and influence all activity. 
Then we need to make sure that any creative execution also sits within the wider context of the marketplace into which the message is being projected. In other words I think that the creative needs to be apt for the market audience. My view is that when marketing a major project that this is an area associated with major lifestyle choices, and for our buyers it will usually involve large amounts of money. The target market is not looking to take silly risks.
As we have seen over the past few years, post-GFC there has been an underlying reaction to the prevailing economic outlook. For what appears to be the vast majority of consumers debit and excess have become undesirable. Clearly the market from top to bottom is more conservative and cautious, and this is even more so among anxious first time buyers
How and why this is happening merits some deliberation and while not the only factor, it does however need to be reflected in how the creative message is currently formed.
Peter Chittenden is managing director for residential of <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/Colliers%20Corporate/Residential.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Colliers International.</a>
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pchittenden-eLqUUC8TWW

Defining creative content in project marketing: Peter Chittenden

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Every month the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) publishes monthly banking statistics which include, among other things, the total value of outstanding loans on the books of Australian banks for owner-occupied housing and investment housing.
This information is published individually for every bank operating in Australia.
As at February 2013, domestic banks had a total of $1.147 trillion in mortgages on their books; at the same time RP Data estimates that the total value of all housing in Australia was around $4.85 trillion.
Over the month, 66.9% of all outstanding mortgage debt was for owner-occupier homes compared to 33.1% for investment homes.
Outstanding loans mortgage debt accounted for 63.1% of all outstanding loans of domestic banks.
The housing finance data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) each month includes the aggregated data published each month by APRA for banks, however, it also includes figures for all authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs).
ADIs include banks as well as building societies and credit co-operatives.
<img alt="kusherapril19onethumb" src="/images/stories/2013/04/kusherapril19onethumb.jpg" width="470" height="180">
As mentioned, the total amount of outstanding mortgage debt to banks as at February 2013 was $1.147 trillion, to all ADIs it was $1.2 trillion.
The data shows that banks are overwhelmingly the most popular institutions for mortgages in Australia, accounting for 95.8% of all outstanding mortgages.
Of course, the banking sector in Australia is dominated by four major players: ANZ, Commonwealth Bank (CBA), National Australia Bank (NAB) and Westpac.
These four major banks, excluding CBA’s subsidiary BankWest but including Westpac’s subsidiary St George, hold 85.1% of all outstanding mortgage debt by banks operating in Australia and 81.5% of all outstanding mortgage loans to domestic ADIs.
These figures indicate that more than four out of every five mortgages in Australia are to either ANZ, CBA, NAB or Westpac.
<img alt="kusherapril19twothumb" src="/images/stories/2013/04/kusherapril19twothumb.jpg" width="470" height="179">
Over the past 12 months, the total value of outstanding mortgage debt to Australian ADI’s has increased by 6.0%.
This data set has been published from March 2002 onwards and this is close to the slowest rate of growth in outstanding mortgage debt on record.
<img alt="kusherapril19threethumb" src="/images/stories/2013/04/kusherapril19threethumb.jpg" width="470" height="180">
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Across all ADIs, 67.5% of outstanding mortgage debt is for owner occupation purposes compared to 32.5% of mortgage debt being for investment purposes.
What this data indicates is that investment borrowers are slightly more likely to go to a bank for a mortgage than they are to go to a credit union or building society.
Over the 12 months to February 2013, the total value of outstanding mortgage debt to Australian ADIs for owner occupation purposes has increased by 5.5% which is the slowest growth on record, compared to investment mortgage debt growing by 7.1%.
The higher rate of growth in outstanding mortgage debt for investment purposes reflects the broader ABS housing finance data which shows the value of finance commitments for investment purposes rose by 15.4% year-on-year to February 2013 compared to a 5.3% increase in commitments for owner occupation purposes.
The Reserve Bank (RBA) published some information in its recent Financial Stability Review, which supports the notion of slower growth in outstanding mortgages.
In the report the RBA specifically noted:
‘Contributing to the slower pace of credit growth is the fact that many households have been taking advantage of the lower interest rate environment to pay down their debt faster than required. Mortgage buffers – balances in mortgage offset and redraw facilities – are now estimated to be equivalent to around 14 per cent of the outstanding stock of housing loans (see graph below). When interest rates fall, not all borrowers reduce their mortgage payments, resulting in an increase in prepayment rates. The increase in the rate of prepayment as a result of the decline in mortgage lending rates since late 2011 is estimated to have reduced the growth rate of housing credit by around ½ percentage point over 2012. Measured a different way, in aggregate, households’ mortgage buffers are equivalent to around 20 months of scheduled repayments (principal plus interest) at current interest rates. This provides considerable scope for many borrowers to continue to meet their loan repayments even during a temporary spell of unemployment or reduced income. As with housing loans, households have also been paying off credit card debt; net repayments on personal credit and charge cards have been above average in recent years and balances on personal credit cards have also slightly declined since mid-2012.’
<img alt="kusherapril19fourthumb" src="/images/stories/2013/04/kusherapril19fourthumb.gif" width="470" height="407">
With borrowers paying off their loans quicker and having a greater ‘buffer’ sitting in their offset account it is no surprise growth in outstanding mortgage debt is at historic low levels.
Add into the mix, the fact that households continue to save around 10% of their disposable income and that the household debt to disposable incomes sits at around 150%, having plateaued over the past six year, and it is difficult to see how credit growth will return to previous levels in the foreseeable future.
This is despite the fact that we currently have a low interest rate environment and capital city home values have increased by 2.8% over the first quarter of 2013.
The challenge for the banking sector will, of course, be: how can banks attract new customers to lend to when this air of caution exists surrounding spending and high levels of debt?
The caution and aversion to credit is further highlighted by the fact that the RBA’s credit card statistics for February 2013 show that the average outstanding loan balance on credit cards fell by -2.5% over the year, the greatest year-on-year fall on record for that series.
Regulators will have to continue to ensure that lending practices and policies don’t deteriorate over coming years as banks seek new ways of attracting lending, particularly to the housing sector which accounts for 63.1% of the total value of outstanding loans to the domestic banks.
Cameron Kusher is senior research analyst at <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RP Data</a>.
 
 
 
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Growth in outstanding mortgage debt at historically low levels: Cameron Kusher

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Sydney's prestige market remains relatively subdued, with little activity and even price falls in Point Piper.
Australian Property Monitors reported just two auction sales at the weekend above $2 million. There was a very healthy 75.5% recorded over the weekend in Sydney, the second highest recorded this year.
Sydney's pricey east was none-the-less one of the best performing weekend districts with a clearance rate of 82%.
There was an average sale price of $1,085,875 in the city and east.
Dr Andrew Wilson from APM said the result was achieved despite the school holidays and bad weather.
"The auction market hasn’t been this strong since the start of 2010 – weekend auction clearance rates have been averaging 72% over the past three months.
"They’re about 15 percentage points higher than at the same time last year," he wrote on Fairfax Media.
The weekend's most expensive property reported auction was a five-bedroom Strathfield house sold at $2.35 million.
The newly completed Pemberton Street sold through Raine &amp; Horne Burwood agent Guy Lorello and Victor Soo.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/04/april22strathfield]}
It last sold at $1.25 million in early 2011 as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.homehound.com.au/20+pemberton+street+strathfield+nsw+2135/17065933/">one-storey brick cottage</a> (pictured below).
<img height="297" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/strathfieldoldapril22one1.jpg" alt="strathfieldoldapril22one1">
There was also a Point Piper apartment that sold through McGrath agent Peter Starr on Wolseley Road for $2,165,000. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-point+piper-108513796">four-bedroom apartment</a> had previously sold in similar renovation style at $2.42 million in  2007. There were 12 bids from the two competing registered bidders.
<img height="348" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/pointpiperapril22one.jpg" alt="pointpiperapril22one">
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Sydney's prestige subdued with just the two weekend auction sales above $2 million

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The British media entrepreneur and multi-millionaire Baron Waheed Alli who sits in equal 859th place on the latest Sunday Times 1000 Rich List has purchased an off the plan apartment in the Dominion development at Darlinghurst which is due for completion next month.
Dominion – developed by Cbus Property – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/darlinghurst-s-newest-residential-development-dominion-revealed/2013012358921" style="font-size: 14px;">will consist of 108 apartments</a> split across three buildings, each seven levels high close to Oxford Street.
Property Observer reported last week that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/designer-jonathan-adler-heading-downunder-as-lord-alli-buys-into-darlinghurst-s-dominion/2013041960569" style="font-size: 14px;">Lord Alli plans to use his interior designer, Jonathan Adler </a>from New York, to help with the finishing touches of his fifth floor Darlinghurst apartment.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Lord Alli</a> is the co-founder of Planet 24, one of Britain’s largest TV production companies, responsible for hit shows such as Survivor.
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Off-the-plan Darlinghurst apartment buyer Lord Waheed Alli featured in Sunday Times 1000 Rich List

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Seumas Dawes, the London-based Australian merchant banker, sits in equal 859th place with a £90 million worth on the latest Sunday Times Richest 1000 list.
Dawes was in 821st in last year's list. The list, now in its 25th year, was released on Sunday.
Dawes, currently the chairman of the investment committee at Pepper Investment Management, has been the long time senior funds manager at Ashmore, and before that at Paribas and ANX Investment.
It reports that Dawes, 56, sold £17 million of Ashmore shares and <a href="/news">retained a stake worth £75 million in 2006</a>.
Dawes held a number of positions in the Australian public sector including three years as a senior advisor to Paul Keating, the then treasurer of Australia.
<a href="/news">Property Observer reported in February this year that Dawes had poured splurged some of his net worth in a serious Bronte acquisition</a>.
The funds manager and his wife, Rosemary initially spent $12.3 million for a large, modern three-storey residence in 2006.
Unquestionably one of the most expensive coastal suburbs in Sydney's east, the <a href="/news">Bronte </a>property sits along the exclusive strip known as The Cutting.
It was a modern five-bedroom residence on the ocean side of Bronte Road overlooking the beach and ocean.
Then earlier this year the couple splashed out with the $16.5 million purchase of the neighbouring house, which they're set to bulldoze and expand their garden and garaging in grounds prepared by Formed Gardens.
The new works which include gym and cabana, improve the neighbouring contemporary houses's north eastern aspect. It's only going to cost $846,000 apparently, which will take the spend to $29.6 million.
He once had an abode in Potts Point's landmark complex, Wyldefel Gardens.
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Australian merchant banker Seumas Dawes features in 2013 Sunday Times 1000 Rich List

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Australia needs to rework its superannuation system to cope with a wave of five million expected retirees by 2033, according to Westpac’s BT Financial Group chief executive Brad Cooper.
Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce lunch in Sydney last week, covered by The Weekend Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald, Cooper warned the superannuation system will fail many, despite it being the biggest pension system in the world relative to GDP.
He encouraged political parties to work together to build a system that encourages more voluntary contributions, otherwise the system will be unsustainable. But he said any tax breaks should cut out once people reach a certain level of wealth.
He said should be a formal target on how much super should aim to provide in retirement.
“To shift most super balances towards a healthy income replacement rate, we need to acknowledge the importance of voluntary contributions in our system,” Cooper said.
He says to live comfortably, retirees need to be earning 65% to 70% of their pre-retirement income, but at the current rate many won’t be able to achieve that.
“Take a 20-year old male who enters the workforce and earns an average salary of $72,000 during his working life,” Cooper said.
“He receives 12% compulsory contributions, makes no voluntary contributions and retires at 65.”
Johnson said at a rate of return of 5%, the figure used in recent government announcements, he will earn just 51% of his average salary.
“So, on the compulsory super payments alone, a person earning the average salary cannot get near the preferred income replacement rate of 70%,” Cooper said.
“When you look at the adequacy of compulsory super contributions, you realise that even those earning $90,000 a year or $120,000 a year will also have a large shortfall. They will replace just 45% and 37% respectively.”
Only those who earned $40,000 a year in their working life would reach the 70% standard, but only because of top-ups by age pension.
“Without a government age pension, they would only replace 31%,” Cooper said.
He said this should be ringing alarm bells as the system was designed to ease the burden on future generations of paying for age pension.
With retirees to represent a larger share of the economy, Cooper said that it makes economic sense to foster a system that allows retirees to live comfortably and spend on services.
“Regardless of what we think of the financial challenges facing the governments of today, they’ll be many times worse in 20 years if we do not create an adequate system of savings,” Cooper said.
“If today’s 30-year-olds are the government ages pensioners in 2050, our future economy is in real trouble.”
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awalsh-7Ub9EypybQ

Superannuation system will fall short: Westpac’s BT Financial Group chief executive Brad Cooper 

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The lowest advertised mortgage offering -fixed or variable - is a one-year fixed rate package home loan of 4.79% offered by non-bank lender Quick Direct, according to mortgage comparison websites.
The rate is 30 basis points below the lowest big four one-year fixed rate offering – NAB one-year fixed rate of 5.09% available under its package home loan offerings.
All Quick Direct package home loans require a 10% deposit.
Borrowers looking to refinance with a major bank brand can secure a one-year fixed rate home loan with UBank – NAB’s online brand – of 4.83%.
Quick Direct is a subsidiary of Sydney-based BMC Mortgage Corporation.
These are the lowest advertised variable and fixed mortgage rates based on listings on mortgage comparison websites <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ratecity.com.au/">ratecity.com.au</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://mozo.com.au/">Mozo.com.au</a>,  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.infochoice.com.au/">infochoice.com.au</a> and <a href="https://www.homeloanfinder.com.au/">homeloanfinder.com.au</a> as of April 22:
Where the headline rate is the same, the lender with the lowest comparison rate gets preference.
Lowest variable rate offerings:
<table width="470" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="134">
Provider
</td>
<td valign="top" width="124">
Loan name
</td>
<td valign="top" width="97">
Rate
</td>
<td valign="top" width="116">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="134">
Loans.com.au
</td>
<td valign="top" width="124">
Blackboard Special
</td>
<td valign="top" width="97">
4.99%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="116">
5.01%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="134">
State Custodians
</td>
<td valign="top" width="124">
State Custodians Peak Performance Offset (Refinance Only)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="97">
4.99%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="116">
5.38%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="134">
Loans.com.au
</td>
<td valign="top" width="124">
Dream Loan Express Variable
</td>
<td valign="top" width="97">
5.09%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="116">
5.12%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 Lowest one-year fixed-rate offerings
<table width="470" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="137">
Provider
</td>
<td valign="top" width="123">
Loan name
</td>
<td valign="top" width="95">
Rate
</td>
<td valign="top" width="114">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="137">
Quick Direct
</td>
<td valign="top" width="123">
One year fixed
</td>
<td valign="top" width="95">
4.79%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="114">
5.46%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="137">
UBank
</td>
<td valign="top" width="123">
UHomeLoan for refinance fixed rate
</td>
<td valign="top" width="95">
4.83%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="114">
5.34%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="137">
Loans.com.au
</td>
<td valign="top" width="123">
Dream loan express fixed
</td>
<td valign="top" width="95">
4.89%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="114">
5.28%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
Lowest three-year fixed-rate offerings
<table width="470" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="131">
Provider
</td>
<td valign="top" width="131">
Loan name
</td>
<td valign="top" width="96">
Rate
</td>
<td valign="top" width="111">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="131">
ME Bank
</td>
<td valign="top" width="131">
Member Package SMHL Standard Home Loan
</td>
<td valign="top" width="96">
4.99%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="111">
5.49%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="131">
Teachers Mutual Bank
</td>
<td valign="top" width="131">
Teachers Fixed Option Loan
</td>
<td valign="top" width="96">
4.99%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="111">
5.90%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="131">
ING Direct
</td>
<td valign="top" width="131">
Residential Fixed
</td>
<td valign="top" width="96">
5.09%
</td>
<td valign="top" width="111">
5.60%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
*A comparison rate includes both the interest rate and the fees and charges relating to a loan, combined into a single percentage figure.
For information on refinancing, watch our free webinar <a href="/news">The Do's and Don’ts of Refinancing Your Existing Home Loan ... and How to Avoid Unnecessary Hurdles</a>.
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From Quick Direct’s 4.79%: the lowest fixed and variable home loan offerings

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of auction results in Adelaide for the weekend of April 20. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Adelaide.pdf" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

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