Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

Joel Robinson

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

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Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=364553]

From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357510]

While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=336455]

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370263]

The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

First look: Scion plots Castle Hill apartment development near Hills Showground Metro Station

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>&nbsp;has unveiled its scaled-back plans for a pair of towers rising up to 49 storeys directly opposite Bella Vista Metro Station.

The builder-developer will deliver 674 apartments and a new mixed-use hub at the gateway to the station precinct.

The State Significant Development Application has been lodged under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway for the 6,979 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-11-mawson-avenue-bella-vista-nsw-2153">9-11 Mawson Avenue</a>, with the apartments sitting above a mixed-use podium. Initial plans were for closer to 900 apartments across two 40-storey towers.

Located around 30 metres from the Bella Vista Metro Station entrance, the development is intended to act as a catalyst for the long-planned Bella Vista Station Precinct, transforming a vacant site into a transit-oriented residential and commercial destination.

Planning documents describe the project as delivering "a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21c08216-589e-490d-ad08-2d88b6fa62d9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20podium.png?VersionId=3TnwjjQCNwTsmyQRaWnFrLTSAF0CJeka" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, the project comprises 674 apartments, including 102 affordable housing dwellings representing 15 per cent of the residential floor space. The housing mix spans studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of townhouse-style residences integrated into the podium levels. The development also includes specialist disability accommodation and an elevated provision of adaptable and liveable housing.

The mixed-use podium has been designed to create an active urban centre around the Metro station, incorporating a 1,423 sqm supermarket, a 3,029 sqm gym, specialty retail spaces, a 100-place childcare centre and a publicly accessible "city room" community space. A secondary laneway, active frontages and landscaped public areas are intended to improve pedestrian connectivity through the site and strengthen links between the station precinct and surrounding neighbourhood.

In the project's design report, Turner said the proposal responds to Bella Vista's emerging role as a higher-density centre within Sydney's north-west growth corridor.

"The project transforms a strategically located site into a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting," the report states.

"Active frontages, a publicly accessible city room, a secondary laneway and a mix of uses including a local supermarket, child care centre and gym create a more complete and socially useful urban environment for residents, workers and the wider community."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0fde6220-82de-4f6a-9b63-d0fd8157acc9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20da.png?VersionId=7hEmuSutH8plTd_RqqdmPu055F6qe554" />

Urban Property Group has been one of the busiest developers across Greater Sydney this year.

The developer is progressing around 1,000 apartments across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-urban-property-group-plans-next-major-wollongong-tower">two projects in Wollongong</a>, with several thousand more homes in the pipeline across Newcastle, Castle Hill, Little Bay and Penrith.

First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station

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 the first time in a long time, Australia's inflation story is starting to look more like a landing than a fight.

The latest Consumer Price Index figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed annual inflation eased to four per cent in May, down from 4.2 per cent in April. On the surface, that might not seem like a major move. Inflation remains above the Reserve Bank's target range and some categories continue to record stubborn price growth.

But the significance of this result lies less in where inflation sits today and more in what it means for where interest rates are likely heading next.

The biggest takeaway is that inflation continues to move in the right direction.

Markets had been bracing for another sticky result after a period where progress appeared to stall. Instead, headline inflation came in softer than expected, helped by falling fuel prices and easing transport costs. Annual transport inflation halved from 6.6 per cent in April to 3.3 per cent in May, while automotive fuel prices fell 11.9 per cent during the month following lower oil prices and the impact of reduced fuel excise measures.

While petrol prices don't solve Australia's affordability challenges, they are one of the most visible and immediate costs for consumers. Falling fuel costs feed through the economy quickly, helping ease pressure on household budgets and business operating expenses.

The ABS data also showed headline inflation is now sitting at its lowest annual level in several months, reinforcing the broader trend that price growth is gradually moderating.

That trend is important because it aligns with what many economists and lenders have been saying for the last month.

Prior to this week's inflation data, ANZ, NAB and Commonwealth Bank had all shifted their forecasts, now believing the Reserve Bank had likely reached the peak of the interest rate cycle. Following the May inflation release, ANZ reaffirmed that view.

In its latest economic update, ANZ said it expects quarterly trimmed mean inflation to come in at 3.7 per cent for the June quarter, slightly below the Reserve Bank's forecast of 3.8 per cent. Importantly, the bank said that outcome, when combined with slowing economic activity, "supports our view that the cash rate has peaked".

The Reserve Bank has spent the better part of three years attempting to bring inflation under control through higher interest rates. If Australia's major banks are correct and rates have now peaked, the conversation shifts from how much higher rates could go to when they might begin coming down.

Westpac's caution comes from underlying inflation. The trimmed mean, the measure most closely watched by the Reserve Bank, increased from 3.4 per cent to 3.6 per cent annually. Housing inflation remains elevated at 6.5 per cent, reflecting ongoing increases in rents, electricity costs and new dwelling construction.

Electricity prices remain particularly problematic, rising 21.1 per cent over the past year following the removal of government rebates.

Housing construction costs are also showing signs of renewed pressure. ANZ noted new dwelling costs rose 0.9 per cent in May and are now running at an annualised pace of 8.6 per cent over the past three months. Builders continue to face higher labour, fuel and material costs, a reminder that inflationary pressures have not completely disappeared.

Housing affordability has deteriorated largely because of higher interest rates rather than higher property prices alone. Even modest reductions in mortgage rates would improve borrowing capacity, increase buyer confidence and reduce repayment pressure on existing homeowners.

While August is far from a certainty, the latest inflation result has strengthened the view that the next move in rates is more likely to be down than up. For borrowers, buyers and the development sector, that alone represents a significant shift from the conversation that dominated much of the past two years.

The inflation result the property market was waiting for

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A four bedroom Cranbrook, Queensland house has been listed for mortgagee sale with a price guide of $249,000.
Annette Rowlings of Explore Property Townsville holds the listing.
Set on a 635 sqm block, the hi-set home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-cranbrook-131146058" target="_blank">41 Bergin Road</a> comprises four bedrooms upstairs, kitchen and iving zones downstairs plus extra rooms, inground swimming pool and undercover outdoor entertaining area. 
Other features include power room, garden shed and off street parking. 
It's close to James Cook University, Townsville General Hospital and Stockland Shopping Centre.  
Last sold in 1996 the home traded for $146,000.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median price for a house in <a href="/developments/cranbrook-qld-4814">Cranbrook</a> sits at $240,750, according to CoreLogic, which calculate its annual change in median price over the past 10 years as -2.8%.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Cranbrook, Queensland mortgagee home with salt water pool listed for $249,000

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A two bedroom Southern Sydney apartment has been listed for mortgagee sale with a price guide of $450,000.
Dimitri Keramea and Bobbi Trajkovski of Laing + Simmons St George hold the listing.
With elevated views of the district and city, the apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-miranda-131152510" target="_blank">45/19 Central Road, Miranda</a> features open plan lounge and dining area, two bedrooms, and internal laundry which can be converted into study. 
It's within close proximity to Westfield, Miranda Station, parks and eateries. 
It has been scheduled for a June 1st auction. 
Last sold in 2001 the home transacted for $300,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt="">
The median price for a unit in <a href="/developments/miranda-nsw-2228">Miranda</a> is $685,000 according to CoreLogic, which calculate its annual change in median price over the past 10 years as 6.9%.
 
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Two bedroom Miranda, NSW apartment listed by mortgagee

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A three bedroom Faulconbridge, New South Wales mortgagee home has been scheduled for auction on June 8 with a price guide of $460,000. 
Mark Barton of Bartons Real Estate Springwood holds the listing.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-faulconbridge-131153678" target="_blank">93 Chapman Parade</a>, the house comes with three bedrooms, entertaining area, utility room, two street access and big yard. 
The 1980 built home is within close proximity to primary and secondary schools. 
Set on 697 sqm the home was last listed as a rental in 2011 with an asking price of $370/pw.
Last sold in 2013 the home transacted for $390,000.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median price for a house in <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/A%20three%20bedroom%20Faulconbridge,%20New%20South%20Wales%20mortgagee%20home%20has%20been%20scheduled%20for%20auction%20on%20June%208%20with%20a%20price%20guide%20of%20%24460,000.%20" target="_blank">Faulconbridge</a> is $685,000 according to CoreLogic, which calculate its annual change in median price over the past 10 years as 6.4%. 
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Faulconbridge, NSW home set for mortgagee auction hammer

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Following the March quarter CPI report, a May RBA rate cut became the majority opinion amongst Australian market economists. Westpac however remained of the view that the first cut would instead come in August after the labour market turned down and as the RBA recognised growth was set to remain well-below trend through 2019.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/38365">Westpac’s view proved correct for May</a>, and the language of the decision statement was also consistent with our August/ November timing for rate cuts. Of greatest importance, the Board inferred in the statement that the labour market would have to strengthen further to stay a rate cut(s). In stark contrast, our analysis of the labour market suggests the cyclical sectors have already turned down sharply and that the headline measures will follow from April (a key release for next week).
On GDP growth, while the RBA only marked their 2019 GDP growth forecast to trend in May, the data-to-hand continues to point to a much weaker outcome. Note, in this week’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/38378">retail trade data</a> for the March quarter, sale volumes were shown to be up just 0.2% over the nine months to March. Ahead, as the labour market deteriorates, house price declines continue and the savings rate lifts, consumption (and consumer-linked investment in the retail sector) will come under further pressure.  
Across the Tasman, <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/file/New_Zealand/2019/May_2019/MPS_Review_May_2019.pdf">the RBNZ</a> sought to get ahead of the curve by cutting the cash rate 25bps at their May meeting to 1.50%. The RBNZ had previously been betting on stronger growth in the domestic economy getting inflation back to the 2.0%yr target. However, this has not eventuated and hence, given global risks, the RBNZ decided to act.
Turning to Europe, the recent stabilisation in European data continued this week. The final April services PMI, March retail sales and May Sentix investor confidence all slightly beat consensus expectations, though March German factory orders underwhelmed. ECB President Draghi also remained constructive regarding policy’s effectiveness, reiterating a need to be patient and persistent to bring inflation back to target and that the ECB “don’t accept defeat”.
Over in the UK, the political situation continues to deteriorate. After a swing in local elections away from the conservatives, infighting is growing (again). Equally concerning, a Tory-Labour compromise is looking unlikely in the near-term, portending persistent Brexit uncertainty.
Finally to US and China trade. At the beginning of the week, President Trump surprised global markets by turning up the heat on China. Today the 10% tariff on $200bn of imports is set to be increased to 25% unless a deal can be reached in last-minute negotiations. A 25% tariffs on the remaining $325bn of imports from China to the US has also been mooted, though the timing is unknown.
If they become policy, these threats will not only put at risk China’s 2019 growth target of 6.0% –6.5%, but also the outlook for the US economy. The mutual cost to both nations is reason to believe a resolution will be reached, but not necessarily today. Clearly, there is significant distance between the two parties and the subject matter is highly contentious.
ELLIOT CLARKE is a senior economist at Westpac.
SIMON MURRAY is an economist at Westpac.
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Westpac continues to expect cuts in August and November

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The Melbourne suburb of Mount Waverley is host to the highest volume of auctions this weekend, with 10 homes set to go under the hammer, according to CoreLogic.
Next busiest are Glen Waverley and Reservoir, also in Melbourne, with nine scheduled auctions each, along with the Sydney Suburb of Surry Hills.
This week, the number of auctions scheduled to take place across the combined capital cities is expected to fall, with 1,144 currently being tracked by CoreLogic, down from the 1,479 auctions held last week at final results.
Over the same week, last year a much higher 2,279 auctions took place across the capital cities.
Both Melbourne and Sydney are expected to see a decrease in activity this week, with 500 homes scheduled for auction across Melbourne, while Sydney is set to host 431 auctions, decreasing on the 672 and 539 auctions held last week respectively.
The smaller auction markets will also see a lower volume of homes auctioned week on week with the exception of Adelaide where more auctions are scheduled and Tasmania where there is no change.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%2011%20upcoming%20auctions%204.JPG" alt="">
The busy auction weekend in Mount Waverley sees <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-mount+waverley-130926706" target="_blank">7 Annesley Court</a> (pictured in title) offered.
The property going under the hammer is a five bedroom three bathroom house.
It comes with an indicative price guide of $2,100,000 - $2,310,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%2011%20upcoming%20auctions%202.JPG" alt="">
Another example of the breadth of auctions taking place in Mount Waverley is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-mount+waverley-127599530" target="_blank">1/22 Surrey Road</a> (pictured above).
The property going under the hammer is a four bedroom three bathroom townhouse.
It comes with an indicative price guide of $1,300,000 - $1,420,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%2011%20upcoming%20auctions%203.JPG" alt="">
A third property going to auction in Mount Waverley this week is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-mount+waverley-130938934" target="_blank">13 Biscayne Drive</a> (pictured above).
The property going under the hammer is a three bedroom one bathroom house. 
It comes with an indicative price guide of $1,250,000 - $1,350,000.
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Mount Waverley set to be busiest weekend auction hotspot

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The NBN was touted as <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-nbn-how-a-national-infrastructure-dream-fell-short-77780" target="_blank">dream infrastructure</a>, and the Coalition says it is close to completing the <a href="https://www.mitchfifield.com/2019/04/nbn-marks-10-years-on-track-for-2020-completion/" target="_blank">A$50 billion national broadband network</a>.
But Australia recently slipped three spots to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election-2019/australia-drops-to-62nd-in-global-broadband-speed-rankings-20190428-p51hz2" target="_blank">place 62nd in global broadband rankings</a>, with our average download speed of 35.11 Mbps far below the global average of 57.91 Mbps.
Labor has ruled-out a large scale upgrade of the NBN if it wins the 2019 federal election, saying flaws in the NBN are due to “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-23/what-happened-to-superfast-nbn/11037620?pfmredir=sm" target="_blank">six years of vandalism</a>” by the Coalition government.
In reality it’s hard to get an accurate picture on the balance of NBN technologies that are already in place in Australia. To get around this opacity, we used the “<a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address" target="_blank">check your address</a>” tool on the NBN website as a way to collect data on the footprints of technologies currently or about to be in place in three Australian metropolitan cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The data suggests around half (40-60%) of homes in the three cities only have access to very old technology: hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC). For people in these residences, access to the so-called “fibre network” remains only a fairy tale.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272670/original/file-20190506-103078-1ki8l6a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272670/original/file-20190506-103078-1ki8l6a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Around 55% of homes have old NBN technology in Sydney. Green areas represents addresses with fibre technology (FTTX) and red areas represent addresses with older hybrid fibre-coaxial/satellite NBN (HFC/Sat). <a class="source" href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address" target="_blank">Tooran Alizadeh</a>, Author provided
Real data on the NBN
Lack of data transparency is a vexing aspect of the NBN. In our experience, <a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/" target="_blank">NBN Co</a> does not disclose meaningful information on service footprints in a single, usable dataset. This makes it difficult to evaluate outcomes and perform policy analysis associated with the service.
Nevertheless, our latest research has collected some data we believe was undisclosed previously.
Over December 2018 to February 2019, we used the “<a href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address" target="_blank">check your address</a>” search function on the NBN Co website along with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596118300363" target="_blank">basic data mining techniques</a> to extract data from a representative sample of all addresses across the three metropolitan regions of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
We uncovered footprints of mixed-technology NBN, including current or planned fibre to the premises (FTTP), fibre to the node (FTTN), fibre to the building (FTTB), fibre to the curb (FTTC), hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC), fixed wireless and satellite (Sky Muster).
Here we mainly focus on hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC), which is the oldest technology component of the NBN. HFC is the cable network you might have connected to in the past to get Foxtel subscription TV.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272691/original/file-20190506-103053-1a3f2e9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272691/original/file-20190506-103053-1a3f2e9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Around 42% of homes have old NBN technology in Melbourne. Green areas represents addresses with fibre technology (FTTX) and red areas represent addresses with older hybrid fibre-coaxial/satellite NBN (HFC/Sat). <a class="source" href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address" target="_blank">Tooran Alizadeh</a>, Author provided
Major cities rely on HFC
The three maps shown here represent the spatial presence of fibre infrastructure versus more inferior HFC/satellite NBN in three metropolitan regions of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane (In reality very few urban homes use satellite, as shown in bar graphs below).
The three maps suggest inferior NBN technology is in abundant use across all three metropolitan cities. 62% of all addresses in the greater Brisbane region, 42% of all addresses in Melbourne, and 55% of all addresses in Sydney are (or will soon be) connected to the NBN via HFC.
These figures are at odds with a recent claim by Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield that his government is rolling out “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/abcqanda/videos/418015455660247/?comment_id=10155958137691831&amp;comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D" target="_blank">a new network</a>” to the whole nation. For about half of the addresses in three major Australian metropolitan regions, the NBN “rollout” looks like a re-branding exercise using an old cable network.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272692/original/file-20190506-103057-1k0iwn2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272692/original/file-20190506-103057-1k0iwn2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Around 62% of homes have old NBN technology in Brisbane. Green areas represents addresses with fibre technology (FTTX) and red areas represent addresses with older hybrid fibre-coaxial/satellite NBN (HFC/Sat). <a class="source" href="https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address" target="_blank">Tooran Alizadeh</a>, Author provided
Socioeconomic patterns of the NBN
To look at socioeconomic patterns of the NBN rollout, we used the <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/2033.0.55.001" target="_blank">Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) socio-economic indexes for area (SEIFA)</a> and its index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) from 2016. We then cross examined the SEIFA data (divided into ten ranked groups known as “deciles”) with the NBN data extracted via the data mining exercise (described above).
It’s clear in the graphs below that a mix of both old and new technologies are in play across the three metropolitan regions of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The analysis did not find any clear socioeconomic patterns comparing better-off SEIFA deciles of 8-10 versus worse-off deciles of 1-3. Nevertheless, the size of HFC adoption across the socioeconomic spectrum in all three major cities is quite concerning.
<hr>
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272949/original/file-20190507-103057-jeqzts.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272947/original/file-20190507-103078-rngyi4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/272950/original/file-20190507-103063-3hwc3g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Availabilities of different technologies across different socioeconomic deciles (1 = lowest socioeconomic status, 10 = highest) in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. NBN technologies are FTTP (fibre to the premises), FTTN (fibre to the node), FTTB (fibre to the building), FTTC (fibre to the curb) and the older HFC (hybrid fibre-coaxial) and Sat (satellite).
<hr>
The second most dominant technology in the three major cities is fibre to the curb (FTTC). This is a technology that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-08/nbn-launches-fibre-to-the-curb-technology/9631262" target="_blank">was only added to the mix 12 months ago</a>, as a partial solution <a href="https://www.afr.com/technology/web/nbn/nbn-halts-hfc-rollout-effective-immediately-as-issues-mount-20171127-gztg2i" target="_blank">in response to the mounting issues related to the HFC network</a>.
If it was not for this late addition to the network, the NBN footprint may have had an even higher dominance of old HFC technology than currently. It’s also clear that the rate of FTTC adoption in greater Brisbane is well below that in Melbourne and Sydney.
An NBN upgrade is inevitable
Since the announcement of mixed-technology NBN, experts have <a href="https://delimiter.com.au/2015/11/30/budde-says-he-warned-turnbull-about-optus-hfc-cable-issue/" target="_blank">warned against</a> the serious shortcomings of the old HFC technology.
While these were mostly ignored initially, Bill Morrow (then CEO at NBN) later admitted that NBN speed was slowed by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/27/nbns-speed-slowed-by-reliance-on-copper-network-its-ceo-admits?CMP=share_btn_tw" target="_blank">reliance on copper network</a>. Supporting this, an analysis by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (<a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/" target="_blank">ACMA</a>) revealed that the average household on the HFC network was reporting between <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/-/media/Consumer-Interests/Report/PDF/Migrating-to-the-NBN--The-consumer-experience--Key-findings-from-analy-pdf.pdf" target="_blank">2 to 3.6 times more faults than those on fibre, and making between 3 and 5 times more complaints</a>.
It’s also been reported that about <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/no-bells-or-whistles-labor-keeps-it-simple-with-its-nbn-plan-20190409-p51cce" target="_blank">40% of the NBN is fibre to the node (FTTN)</a> which has its own <a href="https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-reveals-fttn-premises-that-never-hit-25mbps-peak-speeds-516849" target="_blank">fair share of issues</a>.
Interestingly, there have already been some partial upgrades within NBN Co’s plans, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/no-bells-or-whistles-labor-keeps-it-simple-with-its-nbn-plan-20190409-p51cce" target="_blank">as FTTC reportedly accounts for about 12% of the national network</a>, to serve the areas that were previously assigned to receive HFC.
Having said this, Labor’s latest announcement seems to be focusing on what can be described as “improving consumer experience” <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/no-bells-or-whistles-labor-keeps-it-simple-with-its-nbn-plan-20190409-p51cce" target="_blank">without making any commitment for more fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), or at least more fibre</a>.
We argue that for Australia and Australian major cities to be competitive on the global platform, an NBN update is inevitable.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115131/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Tooran Alizadeh, Senior Lecturer in Urbanism, Sydney Research Accelerator (SOAR) Fellow, University of Sydney
Edward Helderop, Postdoctoral researcher, Arizona State University
Tony Grubesic, Professor, Arizona State University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/around-50-of-homes-in-sydney-melbourne-and-brisbane-have-the-oldest-nbn-technology-115131" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Around half of homes in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have the oldest NBN technology

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GUEST OBSERVATION
A little-discussed facet of the real estate market is that people are not turning over their properties as fast as they used to.
It used to be that, on average, people would turn over their properties between three – four years, which of course meant that some people stayed in their properties forever whilst other people would turn over their properties within a year or two.
This was driven by a large pool of people who saw real estate as a money-making mechanism rather than buying homes to live in.
There were people who made a living out of buying properties, renovating and selling.
That trend has eased back significantly as the cost of doing so has become too significant that it is now also a higher risk proposition, and because there is a diminishing number of properties that are old enough to require major renovations.
As such, we are starting to see that people are staying in their properties significantly longer.
In the 12-months to July 2018, we saw a variety of turnover rates throughout Australia, with the regional areas having a higher turnover rate than the capital cities.
For example: Sydney saw a turnover rate of 4.1% but outside of Sydney it was 5.6%.
Regional Tasmania saw the highest level of turnover for all regions with 6.1%, whilst the lowest turnover levels were in Perth at just 3.3%.
Closer to home, we see the Gold Coast with quite a higher turnover rate at 7.2%.
In fact, on the Gold Coast, there were 18,206 sales out of 253,045 total dwellings.
This is a good healthy turnover which does continue to show the strong interest and demand for Gold Coast properties, but we are likely to continue to see the turnover rate soften, particularly in the current climate where there is greater uncertainty about the direction of the real estate market in the medium term.
I have had a significant increase in questions regarding what is going to happen to the real estate market should there be a change of Federal Government at our upcoming Election, and negative gearing be eliminated for the resale residential market.
Anyone who has negative gearing up until the time the new legislation passes through Parliament will retain those negative gearing rights.
This is likely to see a significant jump in the number of people looking to buy their investment properties in the period between the Election and the legislation passing Parliament, which could take two or three months.
This is also a very important window of opportunity for sellers of properties to be able to offer their property to that increased number of investors as undoubtedly there will be a pull forward demand by investor buyers pre the change of legislation, and then a significantly smaller number of investor buyers for resale properties after the legislation passes through.
This means some very careful strategy for both buyers and sellers. Key to that is the decision of which party is elected at the upcoming election.
Give it some careful thought.
It may well be if you have a property ideal for an investor that you should be selling, and we would love to hear from you so we can give you more information around that.
If you are wanting to take advantage of negative gearing and the Labor party is elected, then you need to do so before the new legislation passes through Parliament.
Andrew Bell is Chief Executive Officer of the Ray White Surfers Paradise Group.
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What to consider before negative gearing changes: Ray White's Andrew Bell 

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A low maintenance entry level Hermit Park unit has been listed for sale by its mortgagee with a price guide of $149,000.
It has been offered by Dayne Watson and John Bowen from First National Real Estate Nicholson. 
Located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-hermit+park-131134566" target="_blank"> 1/18 Armstrong Street</a>, the second floor 55 square metre unit comes with two bedrooms with built-ins, patio area, lockup garage and new carpets. 
It's just a short walk to the Hermit Park Shopping Centre, St Margaret Mary's College and roughly seven minutes drive to the CBD.
The median price for a unit in<a href="/news"> Hermit Park </a>sits on $155,000, according to CoreLogic.
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Two bedroom Hermit Park, Queensland unit listed by mortgagee 

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Dwelling value drops of -7.2% over the year to April 2019 highlights just how easy it can be to forget the diversity across property market performance as some regions continue to deliver solid growth conditions while others drag averages lower.
Over the 12 months to April 2019, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra were the only capital cities in which dwelling values haven’t fallen. Although value declines have been prevalent, there are certain SA2 regions which have significantly outperformed the broad capital city and equally many regions have significantly underperformed.
 Sydney: With dwelling values having fallen by -10.9% over the year to April 2019, only two SA2 regions, both of which are located in the Blue Mountains, have recorded annual growth. A further region of the Blue Mountains has recorded one of the most moderate declines along with two regions on the Northern Beaches. In terms of the Sydney regions with the greatest value declines, SA2 regions in the Inner South West are prevalent on the list.
Melbourne: Over the 12 months to April 2019, dwelling values have reduced by 10.0%. Only two SA2 regions have recorded a rise in values and the five regions with the strongest annual change were located close to the city centre, demonstrating some strength in the established unit market. On the other hand, the five regions that have recorded the greatest annual fall were all located in Melbourne’s Inner East.
 Brisbane: Dwelling values are down marginally over the past year, having fallen by -1.9%. The top five SA2 regions with the strongest value growth over the past year are all located in the west of the city and are either within or towards Ipswich. The regions with the largest value falls are much more varied with some emphasis around areas with a mix of residential and industrial land uses featuring on the list.
Adelaide: Over the past year, dwelling values have continued to rise (marginally) up 0.3% over the year. The strongest performing regions are all located either within the Central and Hills region or the North region of the city. The regions with the largest annual value falls are more mixed, with two situated in the Central and Hills region, two in the North and one in the South.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%209%20Property%20Pulse%202.JPG" target="_blank">Click</a> to enlarge.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%209%20Property%20Pulse%202.JPG" alt="">
Perth: Dwelling values have been falling since mid 2014 and have declined by a further -8.3% over the 12 months to April 2019. Given this it is no surprise only one SA2 region of the city has recorded an increase in values over the year. The regions with the most moderate declines were all located in either the North West or North East of the city. Conversely, the 5 regions with the largest value falls over the past year were all in either Perth’s South West or Mandurah highlighting a fairly distinct area in which the largest falls are occurring.
Hobart: Values have increased by 3.8% over the past year which is the largest annual increase of all capital cities. The areas with the strongest value growth over the year are quite diverse both geographically and based on the value of dwellings however, 3 are situated in the North East. The list includes some of the most affordable and most expensive regions of the city. Four of the five regions with the most moderate value change over the year are located in the city centre and are some of the most expensive regions of the city.
Darwin: Dwelling values have been falling since mid2015 and have declined by a further -7.1% over the past year. With such weak conditions only one region of the city (Wagaman) recorded an increase in values. The regions with the most moderate value declines were typically amongst the more expensive areas of the city. Conversely, the areas in which value falls were greatest were generally located close to the city centre however, highlighting the ongoing weakness across the inner city apartment sector.
Canberra: Over the 12 months to April 2019, dwelling values in Canberra have risen by 2.5%. Four of the five regions with the greatest value increase over the past year were located in the northern area of the city around Belconnen and Gungahlin. Meanwhile three of the five weakest markets over the year were also in the north of the city while some of the weakest performers were amongst the most affordable regions of the city. With dwelling values falling broadly across the capital cities, there are still some precincts where values are continuing to trend higher, although the list of positive growth areas has shrunk over the past year.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%209%20Property%20Pulse.JPG" target="_blank">Click</a> to enlarge.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/9/May%209%20Property%20Pulse.JPG" alt="">
Looking to the data there is some suggestion that in individual cities certain geographic areas and value points are more likely to still be seeing values increase than others.
CAMERON KUSHER is the head of research for the Australian branch of CoreLogic
Kusher regularly posts on the <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/taxonomy/corelogic-people/cameron-kusher" target="_blank">CoreLogic website</a>.
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Capital city dwelling values drop 7.2% in 1 year: Cameron Kusher

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Manenti Quinlan &amp; Associates, in conjunction with John Hannigan Real Estate Services, have listed the renowned, Ettamogah Pub, Albury.
The Australian icon is located off the Hume Highway, just 16 kilometres north of Albury on a 4.81ha site.
The original creator of the Ettamogah Pub was Ken Maynard who started drawing images of the Ettamogah Pub in 1959. 
It was made famous through his regular cartoons in The Australasian Post. The Ettamogah Mob cartoons, an iconic series of weekly cartoons, were published in the national magazine for nearly 50 years.
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As a boy Ken would cycle around a water hole called Ettamogah, an Aboriginal word meaning 'place of good drink'. This struck Ken as an ideal name for a pub and hence the infamous Ettamogah cartoons were born.
The actual pub dates back to 1987 when built by Albury businessman Lindsay Cooper.
Albury Ettamogah was used as the base to bring the Ettamogah brand into a themed restaurant and pub chain across Australia. 
Continual development has turned the Albury Ettamogah into a well- known tourist destination.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/5/9/albury%202.jpg" alt="">
In addition to hotel trade, the Ettamogah site offers a village with five retail shops, a reception centre, and large dining barn with structures close to completion. Lease negotiations are currently underway with a hairdresser and supermarket operator.
Leonard Bongiovanni of Manenti Quinlan and Associates said it best suited a hands-on operator.
The property has a mid-$3 million price guide with expressions of interest closing June 7.
It has been listed by Leigh O’Brien, who now has projects overseas, with the pub currently operating under management.
The sale includes Ettamogah memorabilia and a 25-year licensing agreement for the Ettamogah Pub name, with a further 25-year option, operating under a royalties scheme.
O’Brien previously held other Ettamogah pubs including one at Kellyville Ridge, in Sydney’s north west, now owned by Woolworths’ ALH, to which he licenses the Ettamogah name.
 
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