One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<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/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

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>

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First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 in the southern regions and up to $1 million in the northern regions.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides up to $15,000 for new homes, including houses, apartments, and townhouses. As of 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for eligibility.

Stamp Duty Relief: Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.

Stamp Duty Exemption: Between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026, first home buyers of established homes valued up to $750,000 receive a full exemption on property transfer duty.

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.

Stamp Duty Exemption: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).

Eligibility criteria and application processes differ across states. Prospective buyers should refer to their respective state revenue offices for full details on grant availability, conditions, and additional concessions.

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

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

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

Staff Writer

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

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

alisonwarters@gmail.com

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

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

Ellen Walker

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

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Kalaurgan, the renovated, heritage-listed, gothic revival-style Moss Vale property, remains for sale but with reduced price expectations. Shena Jackson, the former sports industry executive, will now take $995,000 for the Southern Highlands property.
Some $1.4 million was sought in 2009, then $1,275,000 in 2010 and $1.15 million in February 2011.
It’s the residence that Mary MacKillop occupied in the 1880s, according to the marketing campaign, which hasn’t worked miracles.
The 3,768-square-metre Browley Street property, which last traded at $860,000 in 2008, has been listed through Victoria Morish and Susannah Anderson at Di Jones in conjunction with John Renouf at Highlands Property.
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No miracles for Mary MacKillop's former Moss Vale property: Most Discounted Trophy Home of the Week

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Craig-Lea, which sits on a 561-square-metre holding in Glebe’s Toxteth estate, has been listed for sale.
It has undergone a major recent sympathetic renovation, which has triggered its $3.8 million-plus hopes.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-glebe-nsw-2037/136357/?searchID=13369623">six-bedroom Mansfield Street residence</a>, which comes with three Travertine bathrooms, has a distinctive "barnfloor" Dulux paint colouring exterior.
It’s been listed for February 25 auction through Michael Glynn at McGrath Estate Agents.
It last sold at mortgagee sale by Westpac in 1996 at $625,000. It’s a late Victorian, probably late 1880s, which sat neglected for a considerable time. For the greater part of the last century it was a boarding house.
The McGrath website gives two Glebe comparables – a $4.2 million <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-glebe-nsw-2037/93966/?searchID=13369459">six-bedroom 1886 Toxteth Road  house</a> on 607 square metres sold in April last year.
There was also a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-glebe-nsw-2037/137132/?searchID=13369582">five-bedroom Arcadia Road house</a> on about 450 square metres that sold before its December auction at an undisclosed price but is understood to be about $3.8 million.
The median sale price for houses in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Glebe </a>is $975,000, according to RP Data.
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Glebe's Craig-Lea listed with $3.8 million-plus hopes after much-needed reno

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The National Market
This year is set to be a year of recovery and consolidation for most Australia property markets, but Sydney is predicted to be a better performer of the capital cities.  Some areas will enjoy solid growth driven by latent demand or resource drivers while other areas will languish.  Last year’s market was dominated by natural disasters, mixed economic signals and fragile consumer sentiment.  Australian Property Monitors noted that national median house prices were down by 4.2% but are predicted to rise by 3% to 5% in 2012.  Sydney’s median house price only declined -0.9% last year compared with -3.1% in Brisbane, -1.2% in Melbourne, -2.2% in Perth, -1.4% in Adelaide and -3.5% in Darwin. 
The national economy is set to grow strongly on the back of mining and resources sector.  Treasury estimates are for around 3% to 4% growth in GDP (much to the envy of the developed world). Immigration is likely to increase as the demand for skilled workers intensifies from economic growth.  This will flow onto increased housing demand. Affordability will continue to be an issue for households on average incomes.  However, interest rates are likely to decline in the first quarter of this year, which will improve market confidence and turnover. I’m tipping around a 0.5 percentage point reduction in rates this year. 
The traditional spring selling season in 2011 did not eventuate. It was more of a fizzle and pop with lacklustre results. Auction rates hovered around 50% to 60% during 2011. Year on year results from October showed Sydney’s median house price fell 2.3% as reported by Australian Property Monitors. In contrast, Rismark International house price model recorded a 0.5% decline in median house prices over the year to the end of November. Sydney was one of the most resilient property markets of all capital cities over 2011. Brisbane and Melbourne recorded 7% and 5.6% decreases over the same period. Rismark International recorded a very small 0.1% increase in national house prices in November, which is signaling a projected rebound in property prices. 
The Sydney market
The <place><city>Sydney</city></place> market for 2012 looks more positive. Sydney has several reasons to smile compared with other states:
<ul>
<li>NSW and Sydney is still the most fundamentally undersupplied market (we need approximately 60,000 extra dwellings but we are currently only building half that).</li>
<li>Interest rates are set to fall at least another 0.5 percentage points.</li>
<li>Unemployment remains low at 5.2% so job security is helping mortgage holders pay down more debt and increase their equity buffer. However, with uncertain global financial markets unemployment may nudge upward to 5.5%. </li>
<li>The NSW government is getting on with the job of rebuilding transport infrastructure (and not just re-announcing it in press releases). The north-west rail link is first major infrastructure project to get the go-ahead. This will benefit the north-west area around Castle Hill significantly. </li>
<li>The Barangaroo project has commenced to revitalise the commercial dock areas on the west side of the city.</li>
<li>Commercial property values are also predicted to rise on the back of previous inactivity. </li>
<li>Sydney’s climate, lifestyle and natural attractions continue to place the city as one of the best places to live in the world – it’s hard to beat the early morning swim or surf on the way to work!</li>
<li>
<city><place>Sydney</place></city> is poised for more growth on the back of latent demand from upgraders and downsizers that have been sitting on the sidelines. </li>
<li>Rents have been rising strongly due to low vacancy rates around 1.3% on average. </li>
<li>Overall, 2012 is set to be a year of recovery for the property market. </li>
</ul>
I’m tipping that Sydney’s median price will rise by around 5% in 2012 given falling interest rates (and barring any other catastrophic economic event). This growth will largely come from the lower to middle segments of the market. 
The prestige market will continue languish – providing excellent opportunities for upper-end buyers. With a subdued share market, the level of executive bonuses is limited and buyers are cherry picking the stock that is available at the top end of the market. 
The potential impact of fallout from the European debt crisis continues to plague consumer confidence. If credit markets are affected, then property price growth will be subdued in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> because the cost of bank funding will be higher.  If credit flows more easily then property prices have more ability to rise. 
Where to buy…
The east is likely to have a subdued year ahead, making it an opportune time to enter this market if you want to buy with less competition. The inner west of Sydney will continue to perform strongly due to price differential with the eastern suburbs. It contains a host of suburbs ripe for renovation and its proximity to the city is favourable to commuters looking for a shorter journey to work. 
Pockets on the northern beaches and north shore with median prices under $1 million will also do well, as “affordability” is one of the key factors driving demand for dwelling types.
Sydney’s western suburbs are likely to outperform the middle- and inner-ring suburbs on a percentage basis as they are coming off a low base. We are finding and creating excellent positive cashflow opportunities for savvy property investors in these areas with yields up to 10%. 
Good quality apartments close to the CBD will continue be in high demand as downsizers, professionals and first-home buyers compete for limited stock of established properties.
Rich Harvey is founder and managing director of Sydney buyers' agency <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertybuyer.com.au/">PropertyBuyer</a>
For more expert predictions on what lies in store for Australia's property markets in 2012, download our free eBook <a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-property-forecasts-for-2012">Property Forecasts for 2012</a>.
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rharvey-JMQneTqnM9

Outlook good for Sydney's property market in 2012

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The chairman of the Commonwealth Bank, David Turner, and his wife, Julia have upgraded Mosman abodes, without the bother of finding finance for the new home. They pocketed $5.7 million and spent exactly $10 million on their unencumbered beachfront reserve house.
It was bought from the Royal Bank of Scotland's head of Australian equities operations, Randolf Clinton. Turner was appointed to the Commonwealth Bank board in 2006 and has been chairman since February 2010. His extensive experience in finance, international business and governance has included Cobham Plc, Brambles Limited and Mobil Oil.
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Commbank boss David Turner upgrades in Mosman without a mortgage: Title Tattle

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The dispute between billionaire iron-ore tycoon Gina Rinehart and her daughter Hope Rinehart Welker has spilt over into real property.
Hope Rinehart Welker has lost her directorship of the company 150 Investments Pty Ltd, the family entity that owns the Sydney residential home of Hope and her husband, Ryan Welker.
The contemporary non-waterfront residence in Mosman with city skyline views <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/mosman-home-potentially-caught-in-gina-rinehart-dispute/2011090951485">was bought in 2007 for $5.4 million</a>.
Rinehart Welker became a co-director of the family company in September 2007, her first directorship within the Rinehart family companies, which run Hancock Prospecting.
It’s been reported that Rinehart Welker vacated her four-bedroom, four-bathroom Bradleys Head Road house after the dispute commenced between the Rinehart siblings and their mother. The Welkers are believed to have gone overseas in October 2011.
The Clarksville, American-born, London-educated mining executive Ryan Welker, who celebrated his 30th birthday last month, has yet to officially notify any change of address on ASIC documents regarding his private directorship.
Gina Rinehart remains a director of 150 Investment with her daughter Ginia appointed as the replacement director for Hope and sister Bianca, who both lost their directorships, according to paperwork lodged with the ASIC on January 27. The change of company directorship officially took place October 31.
The Australian speculates that daughter Ginia may take up residence in the Mosman house.
In September, three siblings, Bianca, Hope and John Hancock, launched proceedings against their mother in the New South Wales Supreme Court to remove her as head of the family trust, the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust.
The trust at the centre of the legal battle was set up by Lang Hancock for his four grandchildren.
It was nine years ago that Rinehart had a falling out with her son, John, who changed his name by deed poll to John Hancock. John was forced to vacate the family-owned apartment in Perth when  his mother put it on the market in 2003. He took legal action in an attempt to claim a share of the Hancock family trust, describing in a court affidavit his mother as "a very powerful and controlling person".
Rinehart’s total fortune estimated at $10.3 billion, and according to BRW’s valuation in May, is now put at closer to $20 billion.
Her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/title-tattle-australian-columnist-janet-albrechtsen-downsizes-to-%245-million-bronte-semi/2011072250883">family’s most recent purchase was a neighbouring $7.85 million riverfront Dalkieth property</a>, which was bought in June through 156 Investments Pty Ltd.
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Rinehart dispute triggers Mosman mansion movement 

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Estate agent John McGrath has sold his redundant Walsh Bay apartment on Sydney Harbour for $5.5 million, falling slightly short of his purchase price and $6.45 million listing hopes.
The 243-square-metre Hickson Road apartment – renovated after its 2009 purchase – comes with a 17.5-metre boat berth.
It last traded at $5.5 million for the apartment and $450,000 for the boat berth in late 2009 when bought from Michael Hagerty. It represented a mild 7.5% drop on last sale price.
McGrath recently took the opportunity of subdued pricing at the prestige end of the property market to upgrade to a pricier $6.95 million apartment, his third upgrade within the landmark complex.
The $5.5 million sale was through McGrath agent Richard Shalhoub, whose prior Walsh Bay sales efforts had warranted McGrath to post a testimonial for the agent on the company’s website.
It’s still there, saying: “I have a company with what I think are the best sales agents in the country, but I chose Richard to sell my home because he sells Walsh Bay better than any other agent in Sydney.
“He loves Walsh Bay and focuses there exclusively which are two key factors, and his success rate at attracting and selling buyers from other areas into Walsh Bay is second to none.”
The apartment, with 50-square-metre terrace, first traded for $3.7 million off the plan in 2000 and the berth initially sold at $190,000. The new owners took occupancy in 2003 after the conversion by the Mirvac-Transfield syndicate.
There had only been seven apartment sales – including two off the plan – at more than $5.5 million before the latest sale.
They included the record when mortgage industry entrepreneur John Symond secured $16 million in 2006, having knocked two three-bedroom apartments into a super-pad. His Walsh Bay apartment had 520 square metres of living space plus a 140-square-metre balcony and two boat berths.
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John McGrath finds Walsh Bay prices have been watered down: Title Tattle

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Robert Morgan, chairman of Clemenger Communications, and his wife, Vanessa, have sold their four-bedroom Woollahra residence, Attunga Lodge.
It was listed in February 2011 with $6 million-plus hopes through Michael Pallier from Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay, but more recently at around $5.5 million.
The house has been refurbished since it was bought for $5.06 million in 2007 from Mark Chiba from Asia-Pacific advisory outfit, the Longreach Group. The five-bedroom 1868 home on an 1,100-square-metre block in Attunga Street, was given a major renovation in the late 1980s by developer Bill Shipton, putting a two-storey addition around the original 19th-century home, which he bought from investment banker Paul Espie for $800,000 in 1988.
Morgan moved up from Clemenger's Melbourne office after Greg Daniel stepped down in the late 1990s. The Morgans’ earlier Sydney bolthole was a Paddington terrace, bought for $2,175,000 in 2003 and sold in 2007 at $2.81 million.
Morgan, whose career was made marketing Campbell’s soup, has most recently spent $8 million to buy on Sydney Harbour according to the Land Titles Office official transfer document.
The Point Piper acquisition was bought from Pierce Cody, the entrepreneurial adman who went onto establish and sell Macro Wholefoods, and his wife, Toni. With views across the Royal Motor Yacht Club, it had last traded in 1997 for $3,262,500. It sold through Alain Waitsman and Bill Malouf.
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Clemenger Communications boss Robert Morgan sells in Woollahra: Title Tattle

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Despite having unfashionable reputations due to swathes of unattractive McMansions and fibro cottages, western Sydney suburbs like Liverpool, Blacktown and Penrith are making appearances on hotspot lists primarily because of investments in infrastructure, job creation initiatives, new residential developments and more affordable properties. The most recent list of the 50 suburbs with the greatest capital growth potential featured in Smart Property Investment magazine included four western Sydney suburbs. Rental yields of between 5% and 6% are also encouraging investors to consider these outlying parts of greater Sydney.
Location: 
Western Sydney comprises 14 local government areas extending from Auburn (19 kilometres west of Sydney) all the way to the Blue Mountains (50 kilometres away). Prominent residential suburbs include Blacktown, Liverpool, Bankstown, Parramatta, Campbelltown and Penrith.
Key demographics:
Western Sydney is one of Australia’s largest urban areas and home to just over one in 11 Australians. It has a population of about 2 million people and is growing at a rate of about 36,000 people per year (1.8%), slightly higher than the average growth rate of 1.7% for the Sydney metropolitan region.  Western Sydney’s population is forecast to reach 2.9 million by 2036.
It is an extremely diverse, migrant-rich part of Australia, with half of the world’s nations represented among its residents. In the Fairfield municipality alone, more than 70 different languages are spoken, while Auburn is home to people from more than 100 nations.
It is popular with young families and has a younger population than Sydney. More a third of residents (37.3%) in western Sydney are 24 or younger.
Western Sydney spans the social spectrum and includes areas of prosperity, enterprise and innovation and some areas of disadvantage.
Infrastructure, jobs and residential developments:
The NSW government aims to improve already strong transport links between western Sydney and the Sydney CBD. In its 2011-12 budget it allocated $314 million to develop the train line between Epping and Rouse Hill, while the south-west rail link is already under construction and due for completion by 2016. It will provide train services operating to Liverpool, the Sydney CBD, and Parramatta.
Two areas within western Sydney (the north west and the south west) have been earmarked as major residential growth centres over the next 25 to 30 years with plans for 181,000 dwellings. The north-west growth centre is approximately 10,000 hectares and includes the suburbs of Baulkham Hills, Blacktown and Hawkesbury with plans for 70,000 new dwellings at Rouse Hill.
The south-west growth centre is within the boundaries of Liverpool, Camden and Campbelltown and is made up of about 17,000 hectares with capacity for about 110,000 new dwellings.
As part of its Sydney Metropolitan Plan, the NSW government is looking to increase employment in western Sydney with the development of the Western Sydney Employment Area located near the intersection of the M4 and M7 motorways. The zone is expected to eventually accommodate approximately 40,000 workers and is located close to western Sydney’s north-west and south-west growth centres.
The property numbers you need to know:
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="124" valign="top">
 
</td>
<td width="105" valign="top">
Population
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
Median house price
</td>
<td width="71" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
<td width="104" valign="top">
Median unit price/yield
</td>
<td width="31" valign="top">
Gross rental yield
</td>
<td width="86" valign="top">
Distance from Sydney
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Blacktown
</td>
<td width="105" valign="top">
39,000
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
$376,000
</td>
<td width="71" valign="top">
5%
</td>
<td width="104" valign="top">
$285,000
</td>
<td width="31" valign="top">
6%
</td>
<td width="86" valign="top">
34 kms
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Liverpool
</td>
<td width="105" valign="top">
21,000
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
$400,000
</td>
<td width="71" valign="top">
5%
</td>
<td width="104" valign="top">
$250,000
</td>
<td width="31" valign="top">
6%
</td>
<td width="86" valign="top">
32 kms
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Penrith
</td>
<td width="105" valign="top">
11,300
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
$335,000
</td>
<td width="71" valign="top">
5%
</td>
<td width="104" valign="top">
$247,000
</td>
<td width="31" valign="top">
6%
</td>
<td width="86" valign="top">
50 kms
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Rosemeadow
</td>
<td width="105" valign="top">
7,400
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
$312,000
</td>
<td width="71" valign="top">
6%
</td>
<td width="104" valign="top">
n/a
</td>
<td width="31" valign="top">
n/a
</td>
<td width="86" valign="top">
56 kms
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Sydney
</td>
<td width="105" valign="top">
4.5 million
</td>
<td width="95" valign="top">
$550,000
</td>
<td width="71" valign="top">
4.5%
</td>
<td width="104" valign="top">
$453,000
</td>
<td width="31" valign="top">
5.2%
</td>
<td width="86" valign="top">
 
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
Current state of the market
SQM Research director Louis Christopher describes Blacktown as having a good ratio of income to house prices with income growth rising quickly due to changes in demographics. Vacancy rates are just 1.1%. Furthermore Blacktown has good transport connections to Sydney via rail and motorways.
Similarly, the vacancy rate in Liverpool is just 1.4%, with prices of houses and units still affordable compared to Sydney and the ratio of income to house prices is good. Liverpool is on four Sydney railway lines.
Vacancy rates in Penrith are just 0.6%, the suburb has very good income-to-house price ratios and has excellent rail and motorway links to Sydney. Christopher describes Penrith as “a good safe option for investors”.
Douglas Driscoll, CEO of Starr Partners, expects the western Sydney market to get stronger with new suburbs and shopping districts appearing, businesses establishing and settling in the area, transport connections improving and large master-planned residential developments are appearing. “No other area in Sydney is seeing that amount of change so quickly,” he says.
A further indication of the strong appeal of western Sydney, the regional hub of Liverpool recorded the highest number of buyers applying for stamp duty exemptions during December 2011, ahead of the NSW government limiting concessions to those buying newly constructed houses and units. Second on the list was Blacktown, followed by Westmead, Campbelltown and Parramatta.
Reasons to consider buying/investing:
<ul>
<li>Growing population, new residential developments and businesses coming into the area</li>
<li>Popular with middle-income earners and young families</li>
<li>Multiple rail and motorway connections to Sydney CBD and being expanded.</li>
<li>More affordable houses than in Sydney</li>
<li>Rental yields of between 5% and 6% generally higher returns than available in Sydney  
</li>
</ul>
Reasons to consider not buying or investing:
<ul>
<li>Not fashionable suburbs</li>
<li>Still fairly significant commuting distances from Sydney</li>
<li>More vulnerable to declines in the economy and rises in unemployment – it maintains its reputation as Australia’s mortgage repossession belt with a higher proportion of lender repossessions in Western Sydney compared to rest of NSW</li>
<li>Crime is still an issue in some parts highlighted by a recent spate of drive-by shootings in Parramatta, Holroyd, Auburn and Bankstown areas</li>
<li>Still overrun with McMansions</li>
</ul>
What property analysts are saying about Western Sydney:
Louis Christopher: ''The western suburbs will likely outperform the rest of Sydney and Sydney out perform all capital cities [in 2012].''
''Increasingly investors are seeing that Sydney's west might offer just as much capital growth as Sydney's inner ring but at the same time they're going to get higher yields and fairly high rental growth as well,''
Douglas Driscoll: “There will continue to be infrastructure growth, new developments and rental yields of 5% to 6% in greater western Sydney. Investors will continue to head west, lured by affordable property with high returns and higher stock levels.”
Hotspotting.com.au director Terry Ryder: “The Blacktown area grew in popularity throughout 2009 and 2010, with lower-end buyers targeting it as an affordable area with good transport links, making it Sydney's most popular area for home sales. The upgrade to parking infrastructure at several train stations in the Blacktown area adds to its appeal.”
Two potential investment properties up for sale:
Homeland Real Estate Liverpool is selling <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-liverpool-106561070">this 385-square-metre, four-bedroom townhouse on Memorial Avenue</a> close to the Liverpool CBD with an asking price of $469,000. The townhouse is currently returning weekly rent, of $485 equating to a yield of around 5.4%
<img src="/images/stories/auburnhouse.jpg">
Roy Halabi from Guardian Property Specialists is selling <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-auburn-108598416">a four-bedroom penthouse apartment across from Auburn train station</a> with distant city views (pictured below) with an asking price of $450,000. Halabi says the property has the potential to charge weekly rent of $550, equating to a yield of about 6.4%
<img src="/images/stories/westernsydney2.jpg">
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Hotspots: From fibros to McMansions, western Sydney attracting investor attention

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Actor Nicole Kidman has scheduled a February auction to offload the last piece of her beachfront holding on the NSW far south coast. Kidman purchased the Rosedale holding as part of a $4 million outlay on the coastal strip in 2004. She has already recouped $3 million selling two of the properties to Canberrans.
The last portion is a vacant 1,009-square-metre block. It had been for sale since 2008 at $1.2 million plus through Michael Skuse of LJ Hooker Batemans Bay, who now has scheduled the property for February 11 auction.
Its LJ Hooker marketing says there are “stunning views of Rosedale Beach and Jimmys Island from this gorgeous beachside block”.
It has 21 metres of beach frontage on Knowlman Road.
“It’s the kind of land you will hold for generations,” Skuse’s marketing suggests.
It was 2004 when Angus Hawley, Nicole's then brother-in-law, first swooped into town by helicopter to bid on the rare beachfront offering offered by the Knowlman farming family from Goulburn, who had paid £35 in 1929.
Rosedale locals say Kidman has been there only a handful of times since 2004. Buyers are being told to expect to pay around $800,000.
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Nicole Kidman auctioning last piece of far south coast NSW beachfront: Title Tattle

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Actor Jodi Gordon, the fiancée of rugby league player Braith Anasta, has listed her redundant <a target="_blank" href="/news">Potts Point</a> apartment. The former Home and Away star has $625,000-plus hopes for the property.
It’s listed through her future brother-in-law Damon Anasta and Vanessa White, both estate agents at McGrath Estate Agents. They have it listed for private treaty sale without an asking price in its public marketing.
The two-bedroom, one-bathroom Springfield Palms unit is split level. It comes with two balconies.
Last year the Sydney Roosters captain Anasta sold his <a target="_blank" href="/news">Malabar </a>investment property. Listed with $1.25 million-plus expectations, the unrenovated five-bedroom house fetched $1.32 million through Richard Shalhoub of McGrath. It cost $1.18 million in 2003. Anasta then bought a $1.805 million <a target="_blank" href="/news">Clovelly</a> house through Raine &amp; Horne agent Graeme Anderson.
The couple are set to marry in October.
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