Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Brisbane's next apartment price record? Pikos unveils Skye's exclusive penthouse collection

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?

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<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/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

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RBA governor Glenn Stevens has attempted to ease Asian investor concerns about high house prices and high levels of household debt in Australia while acknowledging the unevenness of the Australian economy and bank funding challenges created by the European crisis in an address in Hong Kong today.
Stevens acknowledged that “some observers worry about high levels of housing prices and household debt” during a speech at the Credit Suisse 15th Asian Investment Conference 2012.
“This is understandable given the problems that have occurred in some other countries.
“But then others point out that the arrears rate on mortgages, at 60 basis points, is quite low, and that the rate of new construction of dwellings in recent years has been low relative to population needs,” Stevens said.
Stevens said these same observers saw an economy that “experienced only a relatively mild downturn in 2008–2009, that made up the decline in output within a few months, and that has continued to expand, albeit at only moderate pace, since then”.
“They see an economy that has not experienced a significant recession for 20 years, that has strong banks and little government debt – and that debt remains AAA-rated,” he says.
Stevens explained that were the situation in Europe to worsen its impact on global markets would be felt in Australia in the same way that the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 impacted on credit conditions, trade finance, share prices, and household and business confidence.
“There was a period late in 2011 where there was a genuine fear that this could happen again. Funding markets tightened up and effectively closed for many European banks. Inter-bank activity more or less ceased in Europe.
“The cocktail of sovereign credit concerns, large bank exposures to those sovereigns, possible bank capital shortfalls and prospective large debt rollover needs of banks, not to mention the unpredictable dynamics of the Greek workout, had everyone very much on edge,” he says.
Stevens says much more needs to be done to put sovereigns and banks onto a sound footing in the longer term.
“Interbank activity remains constrained and unsecured funding remains expensive for banks. It is noteworthy that large corporates can borrow more cheaply than can banks with higher credit ratings, such is the odium investors attach to banks (though this is not confined to Europe),” he said.
Despite these concerns, Stevens said foreign investors continued to view Australia as “quite open to them, and that, reflecting its economic circumstances, offers rates of return that are high by international standards, even though they are low by Australian historical standards”.
“They understand the potential returns on the mineral and energy wealth stored in or around the Australian continent, and that our terms of trade have over the past year been higher than at any time for more than a century. There has been increased appetite for Australian dollar denominated assets, particularly sovereign debt, and the Australian dollar has risen strongly, to be at its highest level in three decades,” he added.
However, he also highlighted the two-speed economy and different rates of growth potential for different sectors, calling it “structural change-inducing”.
 
 
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RBA governor Glenn Stevens assuages Australian housing market fears but acknowledges European crisis fallout could loom

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1/102 David Street, Dandenong, VIC, 3175
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; max-width: 480px;" src="/images/stories/davidst.jpg"> 
This two-bedroom unit is currently rented until November this year at $1,227 per month, meaning it could be a good prospect for investors. It has been recently renovated and has hardwood floors and a carport. 
It was passed in at its weekend auction on a vendor's bid of $240,000. There were three bidders at the auction.
McDonald Real Estate agent Trevor Mendis <a target="_blank" href="https://mcdonaldre.co/details/?pid=531205">is markeing the property</a> with price hopes of $260,000. Before auction Mendis provided a price guide of $240,000 plus. If it sells for $260,000, that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 5.7%, far higher than the indicative gross rental yield of 4.8% for Dandenong units, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a target="_blank" href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $4,000 and over five years to be $8,000.
The median unit price for Dandenong fell by 1.4% in the past year, according to RP Data.
For more about prices and yields in Dandenong, see the RP Data suburb page.
 
 
 
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Investor form guide wrap: Yields of up to 5.7% in Dandenong

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More property owners are shifting away from auctions to private sales in order to get a better deal, experts say, as the number of listings continues to lag behind last year's numbers. 
The property market recorded another tepid weekend, with clearance rates consistent with the past several weeks, although they remain lower than last year. The number of listings are also lower, indicating the bottom of the market has not yet been reached.
"There was a bit of a concern we noted at this time last year when we saw prices falling," SQM managing director Louis Christopher toldSmartCompany this morning.
"We've got the same clearance rate here, which implies prices may have not yet stopped falling."
According to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria, Melbourne recorded a clearance rate of 60%, compared with 58% last weekend and 65% at this time last year. There were 645 reported auctions, down from the 918 listed last year.
In Sydney, the city recorded a 58.1% clearance rate, with 448 listings, down from the 518 last year, while Adelaide and Brisbane recorded rates of 42% and 38% respectively.
Christopher says more of these auctions are in private sales, as buyers believe they can get a better outcome.
"When we look at total stock levels, there is some evidence that stock for sale was peaking and that may be the case. But they rose by a significant amount in Sydney, and to a lesser extent in Melbourne."
"There are just as many private sales as there are auctions, and in my opinion sellers are moving their properties over."
Christopher says the perception of operating in a soft market will always move auctions towards private sales. "They think they're more likely to get a better outcome," he says.
And while Christopher says more auction listings may be a sign of a recovery, he suggests that's some way off.
"That's something you see when the market is generally in a recovery stage, and I wouldn't expect that to happen any time soon."
However, there is some indication listings are increasing. In Melbourne, 800 properties are set to go to market next week, and then 1,000 in two weeks' time.
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/index.php">SmartCompany.</a>
 
 
 
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pmcstafford-pr9eMARWoN

Sellers move from auction to private sales as market remains weak

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There's now a tipping website, <a style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">www.propertytycoon.com.au</a>, where punters can guess auction results in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with no outlay. It's mostly about testing your market knowledge with a small cash prize as a sweetener.
This week most properties in the competition sold under the hammer or just after auction, with two of five Brisbane properties passed in and all five in Melbourne and Sydney finding buyers.
<img src="/images/stories/bastings.jpg">
The Melbourne property featured on Property Observer, 32 Bastings Street, Northcote (pictured above) sold just after auction. 
"In Melbourne a huge crowd came out to see the auction of 32 Bastings Street, Northcote. Initially no one wanted to be the first to bid but eventually two bidders came out from behind the trees, literally," says Mark Armstrong of Property Tycoon.
"The property was passed in for $1.5 million and sold shortly after for $1.6 million. A great result for the owner given they purchased the property for just under $1 million six years ago."
<img src="/images/stories/boyce.jpg">
The Sydney property featured on Property Observer, 7 Boyce Street, Glebe (pictured above), "enticed three bidders into the auction, and the property sold under the hammer for $1.65 million," says Armstrong.


"While this price is $150,000 more than the owner paid in 2008 it represents an annual growth rate of under 3% and illustrates the downside of holding property for a short period of time."
But unusually, it was the Brisbane property, 17 Pauline Street, Tarragindi (pictured below) that had the most interest. 
<img src="/images/stories/pauline.jpg">
"Brisbane's market continues to show pockets of strength, with a massive auction for the large seven-bedroom home at 17 Pauline Street, Tarragindi," Armstrong says.
"Ten parties were keen to call this place home, but only one was prepared to pay the $1.32 million that was required."
 
 
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Strong results for weekend auction tipping, with most properties selling at or after auction

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Industry super fund AustralianSuper plans to invest another $4 billion in the property sector over the next four years, doubling its exposure to the sector to $8 billion.
The super fund currently has $4.2 billion invested in real estate, with most held in pooled unlisted funds managed by Melbourne-based superannuation property fund ISPT and investment manager AMP Capital.
It has no investments in the listed A-REIT sector.
“AustralianSuper is a big investor in property and we’re growing,” says fund chairwoman Elana Rubin ahead of an address to Australian Financial Review’s Commercial Property Conference 2012 in Sydney tomorrow.
In this speech Rubin will outline a new property investment strategy for the fund which has 1.8 million members and a total investment portfolio of $42 billion.
“Not only are we growing in terms of the amount we will be investing, but we are changing the way we invest. This includes how and where,” say Rubin.
Future investment options could include offshore property ventures and ­investment in real estate debt.
According to analysts Chant West, at the end of 2011, A-REITs accounted for only 2.2% of all industry fund growth options.
AustralianSuper’s funds under management portfolio could reach $100 billion during the next five years.
 
 
 
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AustralianSuper to double property investment over next four years

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First-time property investors buying off the plan should consider low-rise apartments over high-rise units, according to developers and market analysts.

WBP Property Group chief executive Greville Pabst discourages investors against looking at developments because they don’t have the element of scarcity, can have very high body corporate fees and historically have not provided much in the way of capital growth.

WBP is forecasting values in high-rise apartments to fall by as much as 5% in 2012 in some developments and is particurlarly bearish about investing in multi-unit projects.

According to APM senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson, low-rise developments are typically directed towards owner-occupiers rather than investors, which make them even more appealing for investors.

"It can be very easy to attract tenants, especially if it's close to employment and transport,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald 

According to Manhattan Hanson director of developer Daved Lambert, low-rise are usually much more boutique developments and are smaller and are more exclusive.

"You know at any point, you can resell them without being in competition with 300 other identical apartments,” he says.

A first-time property investment survey carried out in July last year by Mortgage Choice found that nearly two-thirds of respondents (62%) were looking to buy a house.

Of the remaining 38% looking to buy an apartment, about half were considering a one- or two-bedroom unit.

For six smart steps towards buying your first investment property, sign up for Property Observer’s free webinar with property investment expert Chris Gray on Thursday, March 22 at 12.30pm.


<hr>
Note: Webinar has now closed.
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Low-rise units a better option for first-time investors than high-rise: WBP

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There are three fewer $1 million-plus suburbs in Western Australia, as the downturn continues to subdue prestige market turnover and pricing.
Some 22 localities across the state command the hefty price tag, compared with 37 in Victoria and 116 in NSW, according to RP Data-Rismark.
Dalkeith remains WA's most expensive suburb, with a median house price of $2.375 million, based on 57 sales.
Perth's western and coastal suburbs dominate the list, and Port Hedland was the only suburb in the northern WA mining region.
The new suburbs to make the list are Watermans Bay, North Fremantle, Yallingup, Port Hedland, Salter Point, Mariginiup and North Beach.
To make the cut onto the RP Data list, each suburb must have sold at least 10 properties, so pricey Peppermint Grove fell off the list due to inactivity.
Others to fall off were Mount Pleasant, Banjup, East Fremantle and Daglish, and falling values across the Stirling Council area caused four suburbs – Mount Lawley, Menora, Trigg and Coolbinia – to lose their places on the list.
The number of million-dollar localities in the state jumped during the property boom of 2006-07 from four in 2004 to 15 in 2006.
It peaked in 2010 of 25 suburbs.
<img src="/images/stories/wasuburbs.jpg" width="470">
Across the country there were 194 localities with a median sale price of at least $1 million last year.
The total number fell by 13% last year, reflecting the weak performance of the premium housing market in 2011.
RP Data forecasts it is likely that other Perth suburbs could lose their million-dollar status during 2012.
Picture courtesy of Nedlands MLA Bill Marmion
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Three fewer million-dollar suburbs in WA as downturn hurts prestige market

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Port Coogee, the planned coastal community south of Perth, is one of Australia’s largest coastal renewal projects. And now the project set on 86 hectares of industrial wasteland has won recognition from the 2012 Urban Development Institutes of Australia (UDIA) National Awards for Excellence.
Australand landed the Best Residential Development along with the gong for Environmental Excellence for its Port Coogee Marina development, 23 kilometres south of the Perth CBD. The planned coastal community is one of Australia’s largest coastal renewal projects and set on 86 hectares of industrial wasteland.
Australand general manager Tony Perrin says the developer has been working hard to deliver what it promised the public with this sometimes controversial $2 billion project.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee1.jpg">
“We have attach a great deal of value to the environmental award because there was so much negative spin put on the site and what we planned for it particularly with the marina, which some sections of the public did not want,” he says
The ecological issues ranged from protecting seagrass beds through to ground water contamination and reducing toxins that hit the ocean.
“We managed and executed it responsibly, and the award is an affirmation of that,” Perrin says.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee2.jpg">
The marina will accommodate about 300 powerboats and sailing boats to a maximum of 20 metres. The first 60 boat pens were snapped up last year, and another 95 pens will be released this year.
The project will eventually have a residential community of about 5,000 people moving into it over the next 10 years. Since December 2006 more than 350 blocks of land have been sold from a starting price of $425,000. About 80 houses have been built, with another 45 underway. As demand increases 1,000 apartments will be built, and a large retail village with cafes and restaurants will be central to the site. It is tipped the project will create about 1,200 jobs locally.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee3.jpg">
The WA government first offered the site for redevelopment 18 years ago. Australand became involved 15 years ago. The zoning process swallowed the first decade, and the past five years has been dedicated to active development.
<img src="/images/stories/portcoogee4.jpg">
“It is incredibly encouraging to win the UDIA’s Best Residential Development nationally in such an early stage of the project. We perceive there is still a lot of work to be done to get the vision that we set out to create. I feel that the commercial areas in the centre of the project will represent that vision in years to come. The award is a recognition of the planning and the roundedness of the project, landscaping, streetscapes, roads and parks and the unique environments that exist in the project which integrates beach’s with parks and micro environments,” Perrin says.
Hardy plants and endemic species will landscape the site, and the streetscape, from lighting to lookout features and materials used, has been influenced by the industrial and marine history of the land. The partly exposed shipwreck of the Omeo has inspired the public art that will be part of the community.
 
 
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Australand’s controversial Port Coogee project wins top development gong at UDIA awards

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There are 47 suburbs currently offering property investors gross rental yields of 6% or more with list headed by the remote Queensland mining and agricultural town of Roma, analysis of Smart Investor magazine’s top 601 suburbs list has revealed.
The hotspot list is based on those suburbs where dwelling prices appreciated the greatest over the 12 months to December 2011.
NSW has the highest proportion of high-yielding suburbs with 13, followed by 12 in Queensland, 10 in Victoria, six in Tasmania three in South Australia, two in Western Australia and one in the Northern Territory.
Roma, a town in the western Darling Downs area of south-west Queensland, 515 kilometres west of Brisbane, is currently offering the highest gross rental yield of all 601 suburbs on the list.
Houses in Roma have a gross rental yield of 8.7% with a median price of $300,000 and a median weekly rent of $300.
Next on the list is the small town of Queenstown (just 5,000 people) in the western coast region of Tasmania, where the median house prices is under $90,000.
Weekly median rents in Queenstown are $150, equating to a yield of 8.2%. The town is the home of the West Coast Wilderness Railway, a 35-kilometre journey to Strahan on a 100-year-old steam-powered locomotive as well as a thriving arts community.
NSW’s top-yielding location is also extremely remote – Broken Hill in the NSW outback, where the median house price is just $127,500, the median weekly rent is $200 and the median gross rental yield is 7.5%.
NSW suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Broken Hill houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$127,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$200
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
7.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Warwick Farm units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$226,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$280
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Moree houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$231,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$230
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Lakemba units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$256,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$320
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
West Kempsey houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$215,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$250
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Fairfield units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$260,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$315
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Wiley Park units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$270,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$315
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Kurri Kurri houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$257,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$290
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gunnedah houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$269,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$285
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Glenn Innes houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$199,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$200
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Young houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$235,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$230
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Roselands units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$323,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$330
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Minto houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$318,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$350
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
 Queensland suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Roma houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$300,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$480
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
8.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Emerald houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$412,250
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$550
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
7.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Calliope houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$447,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$550
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Spring Hill units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$388,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$450
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Brisbane units
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$430,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$295
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Nth Mackay houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$350,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$432
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
S. Gladstone houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$395,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$370
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Glen Eden houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$463,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$550
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Slade Point houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$380,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$400
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Clinton houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$450,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$520
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
W. Gladstone houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$410,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$430
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Sth Mackay houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$360,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$390
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 Victorian suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Red Cliffs houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$173,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$180
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
7.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Morwell houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$165,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$180
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Morwell houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$165,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$180
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Moe houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$160,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$190
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Maryborough houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$185,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$230
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.5%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Horsham houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$214,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$225
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Eaglehawk houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$234,250
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$270
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
White Hills houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$274,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$275
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
California Gully houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$227,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$260
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Norlane houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$203,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$230
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 Tasmania suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Queenstown houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$89,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$150
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
8.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Bridgewater houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$177,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$245
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
7.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Ravenswood houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$163,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$200
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Rokeby houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$209,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$248
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Glenorchy houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$255,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$290
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Invermay houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$216,500
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$250
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 South Australia suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Ceduna Houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$265,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$270
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.8%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Roxby Downs houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$415,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$460
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Elizabeth Downs houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$197,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$240
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 WA suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Kalgoorlie houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$312,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$370
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Boulder houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$263,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$320
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.6%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
NT suburbs with top rental yields of 6% or more
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median price
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Median weekly rent
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="154" valign="top">
Katherine East houses
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$335,000
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
$380
</td>
<td width="154" valign="top">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</body></html>

The 47 brightest localities for rental yields on Smart Investor's list of 601 suburb hotspots

<html><body>
The Queensland Office of Fair Trading (OFT) continues to investigate boom-time property transaction on the Gold Coast’s Mermaid Beach that occurred between 2007 and 2008.
A spokesperson for the Queensland OFT told Property Observer the inquiry was still underway but could not comment further.
While the inquiry, which dates back to May 2010, continues, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/the-8-biggest-losses-on-mermaid-beach-s-millionaire-s-row-show-no-post-gfc-recovery-in-sight/2011113052610" target="_blank">owners of property on Mermaid Beach’s millionaires’ row</a> continue to<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/property-developer-jack-ray-and-natalie-gruzlewski-looking-elsewhere-on-mermaid-beach-despite-copping-loss/2012030553689" target="_blank"> sell homes at heavy losses</a>.
The inquiry was sparked in May 2010 when then Queensland Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor and current Labor member for Southport brought allegations of an investment scam to the attention of the Queensland Police.
At the time Lawler came to the conclusion that the transactions “stink to high heaven”.
“There's a fictitious component in the transactions. It makes you wonder what went on with all of those [Mermaid Beach beachfront] properties.
“The values in that area went crazy over a short period of time. There was almost a stock market-like frenzy about it as people were getting in and out and making a couple of million dollars at a time the agents were also receiving very big commissions,” Lawler said at the time.
 
</body></html>

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