Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">Graya</a> has secured a prime Newstead site from fellow developer Fraser, subsequently lodging plans for The Silo, a major mixed-use residential project in Newstead designed around a new public laneway linking the James Street precinct with the wider Gasworks and Newstead neighbourhood.

Proposed for the corner of Chester and Morse streets, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bureauproberts">Bureau^Proberts</a>-designed project places its strongest emphasis at ground level, where retail, landscaping and a new cobblestone pedestrian connection would open the site to the surrounding neighbourhood. The design team describes The Silo as “more than a residential building”, positioning the development as an extension of Newstead’s public realm rather than a standalone apartment tower.

“A new cobblestone laneway and landscaped connection between James Street and Gasworks unlock a missing pedestrian link, improving walkability and stitching together two of Brisbane’s significant urban destinations,” Bureau Proberts said in its Urban Design Report.

<img alt="First look: Graya plans The Silo as new pedestrian link between James Street and Gasworks" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ea1b06a-75f5-40a5-b2c5-33c97bc86052" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/silo%20bldg.png?VersionId=KmjsAtNePu57_B31EM_DJ5T6KPJHtcmo" />

The Silo is planned as a mixed-use development incorporating apartments alongside a bar and centre activities including food and drink outlets, indoor sport and recreation, office and retail uses.

Architecturally, Bureau Proberts has conceived the building as a collection of vertically expressed, stepping forms rather than a single uniform tower. The composition rises from an articulated podium before being broken by a triple-height landscaped recreation level, with the upper section becoming more compact before terminating in a landscaped rooftop garden.

The project's name and architectural language draw directly from Newstead's industrial history. Patterned off-form concrete is proposed as the principal façade material, complemented by slender metal rod balustrades and extensive planting. The cylindrical and vertically ribbed elements give the building its silo-like expression, while curved balconies and planted edges introduce a softer subtropical layer.

“The Silo reinterprets its robust forms, scale and materiality through a contemporary subtropical architectural expression, creating a building that acknowledges its industrial legacy, while responding to the way the precinct is occupied today,” Bureau^Proberts said.

The recreation level is one of the defining breaks in the tower. Plans include a lap pool, mature subtropical planting and shared resident facilities within an elevated communal garden. Landscaping continues through the podium and onto the rooftop, where a further garden forms what the architects describe as a “subtropical crown” to the building.

<img alt="First look: Graya plans The Silo as new pedestrian link between James Street and Gasworks" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f8451036-35a4-49a9-8d88-2ef4438eba3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Silo%20Lane.png?VersionId=h8N31_rYmCEqoNrpt4kbYVQhJGZn60LH" />

At street level, the development has been designed to establish a more permeable block. Retail and hospitality tenancies address the public realm, while landscaped pedestrian spaces lead into the new laneway connection. Renders in the design report show the proposed “Silo Lane” as a substantial opening through the podium, framed by cylindrical concrete forms with cascading planting above.

The Silo continues Graya's move into larger apartment developments after building its reputation across high-end residential projects in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Joel Robinson

Graya buys Frasers Newstead site, plans The Silo between James Street and Gasworks precincts

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/wickton">Wickton</a>’s completed Linacre Rise development in Hampton is giving Bayside downsizers the opportunity to move into a spacious apartment near the beach, with the developer covering stamp duty for a limited time.

The 27-residence development has been designed for buyers who want to simplify their living arrangements without giving up the space, warmth and quality associated with a long-term family home. Most apartments have already been secured by Bayside locals, leaving a select collection of two and three-bedroom residences and penthouses available.

Two-bedroom apartments are priced from $1.275 million, three-bedroom residences from $2.25 million and penthouses from $3.375 million, with the completed homes available to inspect and move into now.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95289 project_image_fid=366760]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/linacre-rise-hampton-8-10-linacre-road-hampton-vic-3188">Linacre Rise</a> occupies an elevated position on one of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-vic-3188">Hampton</a>’s quiet, tree-lined streets, around 250 metres from the bay and 500 metres from Hampton’s village centre. Its setting gives residents access to the beach, local cafés, shops and Hampton Train Station while retaining the feel of an established residential neighbourhood.

Architecture and interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a> draw on the warmth and permanence of traditional brickwork, with the building integrated into terraced landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/john-patrick-landscape-architects">John Patrick</a>. Ground-floor apartments are elevated above the street and include private garden courtyards, while several upper-level residences have generous balconies and outlooks toward the bay.

Inside, the residences favour natural materials and generous proportions. Herringbone-pattern European oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, premium joinery and Swiss V-ZUG appliances are among the key inclusions, while integrated storage has been incorporated across kitchens, bathrooms, studies and living areas.

The kitchens have been planned as practical spaces for both everyday use and entertaining, with substantial island benches, detailed cabinetry and adjoining dining and living zones. Full-height wardrobes, plush bedroom carpeting and carefully considered lighting reinforce the residential character Wickton sought to retain for buyers moving from larger homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95289 project_image_fid=366769]

A Linacre Rise purchaser said the completed apartment had delivered the space, outlook and construction quality they had been seeking.

“The unit is very light, has views to die for over the bay, all construction materials and fittings are premium quality, we have secure parking for three cars, EV charging at very competitive rates, the neighbours are friendly and there is just a lovely ambiance about the place,” the purchaser said.

Environmental features include solar panels, shared electric vehicle charging stations, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation, double-glazed windows and water-efficient fixtures and appliances.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95289 project_image_fid=366762]

The development was built by Balmain &amp; Co, with Wickton managing the broader development process through its in-house team.

For downsizers, the project’s completed status removes much of the uncertainty associated with buying off the plan. Purchasers can inspect the finished apartments, understand their outlook and proportions, and move in without waiting for construction to conclude.

The remaining selection includes north-oriented balconies, corner configurations and penthouses with elevated bay views. The developer-paid stamp duty initiative is available for a limited time, with potential savings of up to $200,000 depending on the residence purchased.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=95289]

Limited-time stamp duty offer at completed Linacre Rise apartments in Hampton

Luxury apartment buyers have long prioritised design, space and finishes, but increasingly they're placing equal importance on something less tangible: how easily they can live without relying on a car.

At <a>Richmond Square</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis">Fortis</a> believes that convenience begins beyond the apartment itself, with the mixed-use precinct earning a near-perfect Walk Score of 99.

The development has been planned around the idea that some of the most valuable amenities aren't contained within a building, they're the restaurants, cafés, parks, transport connections and daily conveniences that can all be reached on foot.

Located just behind Swan Street and Church Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/richmond-square-1-wiltshire-street-richmond-vic-3121">Richmond Square</a> places residents within one of Melbo​u​rne's most established lifestyle precincts while offering a quieter residential setting removed from the busiest thoroughfares. East Richmond Station is moments away, trams run along both Swan and Church Streets, and the MCG, Melb​​ourne Park, Yarra River trails and the CBD are all within walking distance. At the same time, the precinct itself will introduce a curated mix of dining, retail, hospitality and wellness offerings, creating a destination that extends well beyond its residential buildings.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13181 project_image_fid=348530]

For Fortis, that combination of location and scale was what made the site unique.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/richmond-vic-3121">Richmond</a> is one of Melb​o​urne's most established and distinctive inner-city neighbourhoods, with a rare combination of dining, culture, recreation, public transport and proximity to the CBD," the developer said.

"The opportunity at Wiltshire Street was particularly compelling because the site sits slightly removed from the activity of Swan and Church Streets while remaining only moments from everything that makes the area desirable."

Rather than developing a standalone apartment building, Fortis consolidated 15 individual properties to create one of the larger development parcels assembled on Mel​b​ourne's city fringe in recent years. That allowed the team to deliver a genuine mixed-use precinct comprising 107 residences across Wiltshire House and Carmine House, premium office space, hospitality venues, retail, wellness offerings and a future 57-room hotel.

"The scale of the site allowed Fortis to think beyond a standalone apartment building," the developer said.

"Richmond Square could be planned as a complete lifestyle precinct, bringing homes, workplaces, dining, retail, hospitality and wellness together around a series of activated public spaces. The aim was to create a destination that feels connected to Richmond rather than separate from it."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13181 project_image_fid=348533]

The emphasis on walkability has also resonated with buyers.

Interest has been strongest from established owner-occupiers, particularly downsizers from Richmond and Melb​ourne's inner east who want to remain close to familiar restaurants, workplaces, family and social networks while moving into a more secure, lower-maintenance home. The project is also attracting Mornington Peninsula and interstate buyers seeking a Melb​ourne residence they can lock up and leave between visits.

Many are looking for generous living spaces, room to entertain, quality finishes and confidence in the project team, but location remains one of the biggest deciding factors.

"For many buyers, Richmond Square provides a way to simplify the practical side of home ownership without reducing the quality of their lifestyle," the sales team said.

"Location is also a major driver of interest. Buyers can remain connected to the CBD, major sporting events, the arts centres, local restaurants, cafes and bars and their family while living in a private and secure residence that is easy to lock up and leave for weekends or longer periods away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13181 project_image_fid=348549]

The residences themselves have been designed with that buyer in mind. Award-winning architecture practice SJB and interior designers Hecker Guthrie have created spacious two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses that prioritise generous living areas, natural light, bespoke joinery and private terraces. Above, a rooftop sanctuary by Acre includes landscaped lawns, bookable dining rooms, barbecue facilities, wellness spaces and panoramic views across the CBD, the MCG and Port Phillip Bay.

Fortis believes Richmond Square reflects a broader evolution in apartment living, where the surrounding neighbourhood becomes just as important as the residence itself.

"Richmond Square introduces a different proposition: generously proportioned residences within a genuinely mixed-use, hospitality-led destination," the developer said.

"The project's location and Walk Score of 99 further support a lifestyle where residents can complete many everyday journeys without relying on a car."

Fortis has assembled an experienced team that includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/hecker-guthrie">Hecker Guthrie</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/acre">Acre</a> and builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hacer-group">Hacer Group</a>, reflecting the developer's commitment to creating projects with enduring design quality and meaningful connections to the communities in which they sit.&nbsp;

Richmond Square is an expression of that philosophy, bringing together homes, workplaces, hospitality and wellness within one of Me​lb​ourne's most walkable neighbourhoods.&nbsp;

Construction is now almost complete, providing purchasers with growing confidence ahead of its expected September 2026 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13181]

Walk Score of 99 places Richmond Square at the heart of Melbourne's most connected lifestyle

<h3 data-end="19" data-section-id="1dvgwoe" data-start="0">Summary</h3>

<ul data-end="634" data-start="21">
	<li data-end="170" data-section-id="1o77v31" data-start="21">Walker Corporation has lodged plans for a second major residential development in the Maroochydore City Centre, a 29-storey tower known as Celeste.</li>
	<li data-end="327" data-section-id="1lb0y6t" data-start="171">The Plus Studio-designed proposal at Lot 30 Sunshine Coast Parade would deliver 208 apartments, including four four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.</li>
	<li data-end="487" data-section-id="za720" data-start="328">The application comes as Walker doubles down on Maroochydore following the strong sales campaign at SOL by Walker, where the first tower is nearing sell-out.</li>
	<li data-end="634" data-section-id="5sovec" data-start="488">Walker is a key partner in the transformation of the Maroochydore City Centre, which is expected to ultimately deliver at least 4,000 new homes.</li>
</ul>

Walker Corporation is doubling down on Maroochydore following the successful sales campaign at its first residential project in the emerging CBD.

The national developer has filed plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/celeste-30-sunshine-coast-parade-maroochydore-qld-4558">Celeste</a>, a new 29-storey apartment tower at Lot 30 Sunshine Coast Parade, just metres from its under-construction SOL by Walker development.

The plans, prepared by Plus Studio, would see 208 apartments delivered across a 100-metre tower on the 2,376 sqm site, which fronts Sunshine Coast Parade, First Avenue and Future Way within the Maroochydore Priority Development Area.

<img alt="Walker" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="17038209-6fea-4ed2-855d-fd4df65b3d02" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-10%20at%2010.24.16%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=iZD.oVXcQn.aLpUytDAW.CWjxP4puWMy" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 36 one-bedroom apartments, 48 two-bedroom apartments, 72 two-bedroom apartments with an additional multipurpose space, and 48 three-bedroom apartments.

The upper levels would be capped by two four-bedroom sub-penthouses and two four-bedroom penthouses, taking the total apartment count to 208. The preliminary yield study also provides 262 car spaces, 114 resident bicycle spaces and storage for each apartment.

It represents Walker's next major residential move in the new Maroochydore CBD after the success of SOL by Walker, its $220 million two-tower project nearby.

SOL launched to market in early 2025 and has since seen strong demand, particularly from local owner-occupiers. By February this year, Walker said the first SOL tower was nearing sell-out, with a strong waitlist also emerging for its recently released penthouse collection.

Construction is already underway on SOL, with the first tower expected to be completed in late 2027 and the second to follow in early 2028.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147777 project_image_fid=319846]

<h2 data-end="2518" data-section-id="1b2dyo5" data-start="2459">Celeste to rise 100 metres over Maroochydore City Centre</h2>

Celeste would take a different form to the twin 19-storey buildings at SOL.

Plus Studio has designed a single 100-metre tower above an activated podium, with the architecture responding to the site's prominent position and three street frontages.

The podium would incorporate commercial tenancies and public art, with sweeping façade elements wrapping the street edges. The scalloped concrete podium has been inspired by the patterns created in sand at low tide, while extensive landscaping would continue vertically through the tower.

The ground level plans show three commercial tenancies addressing Sunshine Coast Parade alongside the residential lobby and landscaped public realm. The podium would then accommodate several levels of car parking before the residential tower rises above.

<img alt="Celeste" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="121f77b1-71c5-46d7-9b36-0a7d474211ca" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-10%20at%2010.24.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=MGrg9Hb7HgzLN0Lelq_xrXNAruVl77ia" />

Plus Studio said the tower had been designed to maximise views from each apartment, taking in the Maroochy River, Sunshine Coast hinterland, Cotton Tree and Maroochydore Beach and ocean.

Those views have also shaped one of the project's key features, with Walker proposing to put the primary resident amenity on Level 29 rather than lower within the building.

The rooftop would feature a 284.9 sqm pool area with an infinity edge, along with a cold pool, spa, sauna, 93.2 sqm gym, sunset lounge, BBQ and dining areas, pool deck and private dining space. Cabanas and day beds are also shown across the recreation level.

The two penthouses would extend across the upper levels and each feature private terraces and plunge pools.

<h2 data-end="4202" data-section-id="v5f4ix" data-start="4160">Walker's growing Maroochydore footprint</h2>

Celeste further reinforces Walker's commitment to the transformation of Maroochydore City Centre.

Walker is one of the key partners delivering the new CBD alongside Sunshine Coast Council and SunCentral Maroochydore, with the broader 62-hectare Priority Development Area occupying the former Horton Park Golf Course and surrounding land.

The precinct is ultimately expected to accommodate at least 4,000 new homes as Maroochydore evolves into the Sunshine Coast's principal commercial and residential centre.

When SOL secured approval in February 2025, Walker Managing Director and CEO David Gallant described it as the "first of many residential projects" the company planned for the Maroochydore City Centre.

Celeste now provides the clearest indication yet of what comes next.

The site sits immediately within the new CBD, with the design report identifying Sunshine Plaza and surrounding parkland within walking distance and Maroochydore Beach around a five-minute drive away.

For Walker, the timing of the application comes as its first residential bet on the new CBD appears to have been vindicated.

SOL has progressed from planning approval to construction while its first release has approached sell-out, giving Walker confidence to push ahead with another 208 apartments and take its residential pipeline in the Maroochydore City Centre to around 450 dwellings across the two projects.

Celeste remains subject to planning approval, with the architectural material describing the scheme as a preliminary yield study that may change through the assessment process.

Walker doubles down on Maroochydore with 29-storey Celeste apartment tower

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

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

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

<html><body>
Balancing a real estate market is not an easy task.  Too much supply and prices fall – too little and they rise and in this respect, years of rapid population growth has played an influence on the Australian real estate terrain.
Additionally, various incentives – negative gearing, grants for first-home buyers, reduced stamp duty rates for off-the-plan sales and new homes, relaxed FIRB requirements - to name but a few - have been introduced, changed, and intermittently withdrawn by government “movers and shakers.”
All have the effect of falsely influencing consumer demand one way or another - sometimes it’s done in favour of the investor, sometimes the home buyer, however in all circumstances any so called improvement in ‘affordability’ invariably results in price increases, of which I have no doubt was the intention in the first place.
The housing boom has fed Australia’s obsession with real estate – and I can fully understand the emotions that surround the debate.  I attended a dinner over the weekend and enjoyed the company of a group of retirees who have all benefited nicely from rising property prices over our golden years of growth.
Most around the table owned a small portfolio of investments and once they discovered my current employment status, wasted no time recounting how investment in property – of which their parent’s generation had been unable or too cautious to explore – had paved the way into what was now, a relatively comfortable retirement.
When they purchased their first homes – Melbourne and Sydney were growing rapidly. Supply was good, low rise apartment blocks were popping up along local streets; there was massive investment in infrastructure – roads, schools hospitals, public transport etc. The then ‘outer suburbs’ were far more facilitated than our current comparable ‘fringe’ localities and the higher inflationary environment benefited their footsteps into property investment nicely.
However, the question all wanted answered was - ‘are we in a bubble’ and if yes, ‘will the housing market crash?’
It’s possibly the most common question I’ve been asked to date when talking about real estate – and understandably so. Prior to the GFC, following a global 'borrowing' shopping spree of cheap credit, Australia’s ‘too big to fail four’ were amongst the world’s most heavily exposed to the residential real estate market, with a grand total of 59% of loans offered to this sector alone.
Mortgage debt – the largest component of all debt in Australia, has ensured Australia’s banks are as ‘pinned’ in their reliance on the ever-expanding growth of our resident population’s desire to borrow and buy, as is everyone else who has a hand in the pie – aptly benefitting those who got in at the start of the ‘lending boom’ against those who now find themselves in a far more challenging environment.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
As Canstar’s Steve Mickenbecker recently commented during a <a target="_blank" href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/video/reducing-private-health-premiums-023055241">video interview</a> on Yahoo Finance last week, Australian’s are “paying double what they were 10 years ago to get into the (property) market”, despite wages rising “by half that.”
Although property cycles are evident in all market economies, I’ve said previously that assessing the immediate future based on our long term past will not produce the desired result for those imagining that the property market can sustain an inflationary upward curve, in line with our previous ‘golden years of growth.’
Notwithstanding, RP Data have not been slow in suggesting a range of suburbs predicted to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.news.com.au/realestate/buying/time-to-buy-property-prices-to-double/story-fndban6l-1226626822141">double in value</a> over the next ten years.  Under such a suggestion, buyers could find themselves faced with a bill for close to $1Mil for a basic inner city second hand unit.  No wonder RP Data caution investors to view the ‘free’ report as a ‘starting point’ – general advice only in return for an email address.
Last week the RBA expressed concerns about growth expectation in an address to the Citibank Property Conference entitled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/sp-so-230413">“Housing and Mortgage Markets: The Long Run, the Short Run and the Uncertainty in Between.”</a>
The speech was interesting, but perhaps should have just lead with the word ‘uncertainty’ because whilst they make it quite clear the future is not going to look like the past – for which they employ the term a ‘new normal’ – it’s also clear they have little concept of how this ‘new normal’ will look.
Understandably, they note a recent recovery in dwelling prices which they advocate ‘makes sense’ given the steady decline in interest rates. This is the one reason we’re being bombarded with ‘how affordable’ the market is at present.
However, it’s a funny old world where house prices can romp past the rate of inflation and wage growth ending at historic highs, and despite the recent ‘slump’ in transactions and values, which saw a fall of some 6 per cent nationally, be back on the road to recovery, with established metro prices romping on towards their 2010 peak.  Yet, at the same time, first time buyers are consistently told – it’s ‘never been more affordable to buy’ because ‘cheap credit’ is currently in abundance.
Of course, there’s no mention of what will happen to those homebuyers when rates do eventually rise – which, if not in the foreseeable future, they inevitably will.
The RBA have voiced little concern regarding our high personal debt levels (household debt to income ratio remains stubbornly at some 150 per cent) noting thus far, serviceability is well maintained.
However, the risk is ever present.  High levels of debt – when followed by downturn in house prices generally result in a greater reduction of economic growth and subsequently an increase in unemployment.  In other words – the debt level is fine, as long as the party continues – but are there any rumblings on the horizon?
As referred earlier, one we approached any question of a ‘bubble’ the conversation I had round the table Saturday evening was an interesting one.  When the subject of lending standards arose, the general consensus of opinion reiterated was the ‘new’ prudent environment which all imagined went hand in hand with the assumption banks no longer lend ‘more’ than an individual’s income can service.  Or as the RBA termed it;
“Broadly speaking, mortgage lenders decide how much to lend to a household by working out the repayment they can reasonably make, given the household's income and other factors. For a given interest rate, this then backs out to a loan amount.”
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
I only wish I had evidence of this to hand.  Whilst first-home buyers may find it challenging to gain finance for their initial purchase, and the environment is admittedly more ‘prudent’ - the last few conversations I’ve had with investors have revealed some concerning trends.  Even in our post GFC environment, most were offered loans far in excess of what they could comfortably service, yet understandably, all chose to accept less.  I readily admit this is only anecdotal evidence – however, clearly, for those who hold existing assets, lenders are unsurprisingly not averse to pushing the boundaries – with loan to value ratios still available at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/04/cba-pulls-back-mortgage-lvrs-sort-of/">95%</a>.
But as for the future predictions, it’s somewhat ironic that Luci Ellis – who holds the title ‘Head of Financial Stability Department’, can give what is essentially a speech full of 'unknowns' and a few well publicized <a target="_blank" href="https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/04/rba-drops-the-ball-on-housing-supply-again/">inaccuracies</a>, which, if anything, it reads like a thesis of 'mights'..
“We don't have a strong view about whether the ratio of prices to income should be mildly rising, falling or constant from here”... “we think it is very unlikely to return to its 1970s levels, or to rise rapidly once again”
“We don't know exactly what the saving ratio will do in the period ahead”
“We don't think it will necessarily return to the level in the 1960s and 1970s,” 
“We think it is very unlikely to return to its 1970s levels, or to rise rapidly once again”
They make the point that they don’t want “banks to ease their lending standards to make more loans and bring back the boom times. Nor would we want them to cut costs in a way that impinges on their risk-management capabilities.” As if wishing for some kind of ‘goldilocks’ outcome in an environment in which they have marginal control.
However, for my friends around the dinner table on Saturday evening, hotly debating a potential property bubble, the following comment from Ms Ellis would have perhaps been worth a mention.
“we certainly can't rule out the possibility of a major housing downturn in the longer-term future. It is hard to know exactly what the outcome would be because it depends on how we got to that point. Institutions differ across countries, so we can't simply extrapolate from experience elsewhere. And there would need to be another boom first.”
In light of our personal debt levels, I don’t believe a drop in house prices need be pre-empted by another boom.   Albeit, keeping property prices afloat is no hard task in a country awash with policies that encourage investment into our limited established housing market.
We can argue the case for and against such policies with passion, citing old concerns that many first time buyers have ‘inflated expectations’ or an un-willingness to move into cheaper markets, however what cannot be argued, is the widening gap between existing owners and initial buyers which has slipped to the lowest ‘seasonally adjusted’ level since March 2004.
Viewing housing as merely a tool to build wealth and drive the economy takes a fair amount of manipulation.  It’s not hard to keep prices inflated – and if the worst happens, relaxing rules on foreign investment and providing a boost of cash grants as we did during 2008 would – based on recent history – be the accepted move.
Therefore, whilst there’s no doubt even in the collective mind of the RBA that property prices are sitting at a peak, there are plenty of variables to the questions of when, if, and how likely they are to drop.
Rather the question remains – how much higher can they possibly be pushed at the expense of a new generation of renters, who have long given up on the Australian dream?
Under the current system, we’re speedily widening the economic gap between the asset rich and asset poor. In this respect, the belief in giving the underdog a "fair go" as a key part of our collective culture – doesn’t quite extend across the socioeconomic boarders manipulated through high housing costs.
Catherine Cashmore is a market analyst with extensive experience in all aspects relating to property acquisition.
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The certainties and uncertainties of Australia's housing market: Catherine Cashmore

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First-home buyers in Victoria wanting to buy an existing home have just two months to make their purchases and still receive the existing $7,000 first-home owner grant.
The Victorian state government has announced, ahead of its May 7 state budget, that on June 30, it will join NSW and Queensland by ending the long-running handout instead in favour of a bigger $10,000 grant – launching on July 1 - but only for newly constructed houses and apartments under $750,000.
The grant is available to homes and apartments built under a home building contract, built by an owner-builder, purchased off the plan or sold for the first time as a residential premise.
All first-home buyers will benefit from fast-tracked stamp duty savings, which will increase from 30% to 40% on homes valued up to $600,000, beginning on July 1.
The changes to the Victorian first-home owner grant, aimed to assist first home buyers and create jobs in the struggling housing construction industry comes at as the Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW) campaigns for the reinstatement of the $7,000 first-home owner grant for existing homes in NSW.
In September last year, Queensland ended its $7,000 first-home owner grant in favour of $15,000 construction grant to buy or build a new home, since renamed the ‘Great Start Grant’.
In October, NSW ended its $7,000 first-home owner grant in favour of a $15,000 grant to buy or build a new home.
With other changes set to occur to different state incentive schemes for first-home buyers over the next six to 18 months, these are the key dates that prospective FHBs need to put into their calendars:
All dates correct as of April 29 2013 and may change with the release of state budgets later in the year.
June 30, 2013 - Victoria
The date the Victorian government ends its $7,000 first-home owner grant. The grant is available if the price of the property or construction of the home does not exceed $750,000. An exception to this requirement is where the contract relates to a home that is on, or to be built on, primary production land.
June 30 2013 - South Australia
The $8,000 Housing Construction Grant (HCG) will expire on June 30. It applies to contracts entered into between 15 October 2012 and 30 June 2013, or in the case of owner builders, where construction commenced between 15 October 2012 and 30 June 2013. A property value cap of $450,000 applies.
June 30 2013 - ACT
The Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS), offering stamp duty concession to first-home buyers and anyone else purchasing a new home or residential vacant land under certain thresholds (<a href="https://www.revenue.act.gov.au/home_buyer_assistance">details on the ACT government website</a>), is due to expire on June 30. 
July 1, 2013 – Victoria
The start of the $10,000 grant in Victoria for newly constructed homes. In addition, the state government will also increase stamp duty cuts of 40% for all first home owners (including those buying existing homes) for homes valued up to $600,000. The combination of a $10,000 first-home owner grant and 40% stamp duty cut means that Victorians buying a newly constructed first home for $400,000 will save over $16,500.
January 1, 2014 - NSW
The $15,000 grant for first-home owners who purchase or build a new home in NSW valued at up to $650,000 will reduce to $10,000 from this date.
June 30, 2014 – South Australia
Up until this date, South Australian first-home buyers of established homes are entitled to a $5,000 grant. From July 1, 2014, no first-home owner grant is available to purchasers of established homes.
June 30, 2014 – South Australia
Stamp duty concessions for first-time buyers who purchase an apartment off the plan in the Adelaide CBD will end on this date. The scheme is available on the transfer of a new CBD apartment or a "substantially refurbished apartment" for a contract entered into from May 31, 2012, to June 30, 2014, capped at stamp duty payable on a $500,000 apartment of $21,330.
June 30, 2014 – Tasmania
The $8,000 First Home Builder Boost Scheme grant available to Tasmanians building a new home (including off-the-plan) if the qualify for the first-home owner grant will end on this date.
September 1, 2014 - Victoria
All first home buyers (whether purchasing newly constructed or established homes) will benefit from a 50% stamp duty concession for homes valued up to $600,000.
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Victorian government to end $7,000 FHOG: the state-by-state deadlines you need to know

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Hengyi Australia, the Chinese developer transforming the former <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/wyndham-welcoming-at-the-william-in-hengyi-australia-s-first-venture/2013032458545" target="_blank">Telstra "ghost building" on William Street </a>into serviced apartments, will lease office space in the iconic London &amp; Lancashire Building at 400 Collins Street.
Signaling a long-term commitment to projects in Australia, Hengyi will lease 700 square metre premises over both ground and first floor levels on a six year term with a five year renewal option.
The rental was not disclosed but is believed to be around $500 a square metre per annum net.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-500414467" target="_blank">London &amp; Lancashire Building</a> dates back to the 1940s and is built in the Palazzo style with a facade of stone in the Italian Renaissance style.
Hengyi Australia is an affiliate of Chinese developer, Shandong HYI (Group) Co. Ltd.
The deal was brokered by Savills’ associate director of office leasing, Mathew Kent.
Kent said tenancies in the seven level, heritage-listed building had attracted a high level of demand due to its quality refurbishment, the size of the floor plates, and the much sought after Collins Street address.
The building is now more than 60% leased with only three floors remaining.
 Hengyi director Jeff Wang said the Collins Street address and long term commitment signified Hengyi’s assimilation into Australian corporate life. 
"With our 530 apartment project, The William, to be completed in the middle of next year and a number of projects in the pipeline we are very busy,” Wang said. 
Hengyi will relocate from 190 Queen Street.
The lessor was Sarchi Property Pty Ltd.
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Chinese developer Hengyi commits to Australia with five-year lease in refurbished London & Lancashire Building on Collins Street

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Plenty of economic curve balls are being thrown about at the moment that point directly at incompetence – why are these blunders accepted as the norm?
The Grattan Institute’s <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/a-decade-of-deficits-forecast-20130421-2i8hh" target="_blank">assessment</a>: Australia faces a decade of budget deficits with the annual total set to pass $60 billion in 2023 unless governments take tough action to “share the pain”.
In the past 11 years Australia has become <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/australia-the-costs-are-spiralling-20130422-2ian3" target="_blank">one of the most expensive places to live in</a>, costlier than New York, London, Frankfurt and Singapore on everything. The report compiled by Deutsche Bank found Australia is part of a global economy operating in a competitive world. High wages, high input costs including energy and rental costs, the inflation bogey and the tyranny of distance all contribute to the country’s lacklustre productivity and falling competitiveness. But it has reached a point where something has to give.
Deloitte Access Economics is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/soft-landing-tipped-despite-end-of-mining-boom-and-fewer-jobs-20130422-2iant" target="_blank">forecasting</a> growth to remain a bit above trend until 2015-16 before rising.
It forecasts: "Western Australia will be hit hardest, even in a benign scenario. In 2013/14 Queensland will replace it as Australia’s engine of growth and by 2015 – 16 it expects even Tasmania to be outgrowing WA. NSW and Victoria are forecast to continue growing about half a percentage point slower than the national growth rate. Job growth would also be subdued, with a net 40,000 manufacturing jobs to go in the next three years, but employment would remain about the same as older workers retire rather than joining the dole queues."
<a title="Hooray, we might lose the AAA" href="https://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/4/24/economy/hooray-we-might-lose-aaa" target="_blank">Hooray, we might lose the AAA</a> “a surplus in 2013 – 14 is now impossible, as both political parties have acknowledged. In his sixth and final budget Wayne Swan will bring down a deficit of $10 – 15 billion, saying: “it’s not my fault – the terms of trade made me do it”. That, and too much spending. The budget is structural deficit because Treasury’s forecasts of growth have been out by about 1% a year for four years and the government has been spending to just under revenue forecasts, which have been wrong. On top of this we have seen public service employment outstripping the private sector which will change as the public service faces severe employment adjustments.
The United Kingdom just escaped its first “triple – dip” recession in modern history with its economy growing 0.3% last quarter – the UK is walking a dangerous economic tightrope.
<img alt="simeonapril29one" src="/images/stories/2013/04/simeonapril29one.jpg" width="470" height="334">
 
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 <a title="Solid start for house prices" href="https://news.domain.com.au/domain/real-estate-news/solid-start-for-house-prices-20130423-2icxt" target="_blank">Solid start for house prices</a> the Fairfax owned Australian Property Monitors said house prices in the southern capital grew 3.6% to $538,922 over the three months while Sydney median grew 1.6% to $673,681. Quite an amazing statistic given a majority of these sales are yet to settle so the sale price still remains confidential – a guesstimate?
Australian Property Monitors (APM) reporting of Mosman sales evidence is riddled with errors based on my analysis. For apartments it shows in the March quarter the highest sale was $5,275,000 although I can find absolutely no evidence of such a sale taking place. For houses in the same quarter they identified the highest sale as being $15,250,000 – which I later pointed out to them was actually $5,250,000. Look at how much this changes last week’s reported data.
MOSMAN HOUSE PRICES MARCH QUARTER 2013
Last week APM reported:
<ul>
<li>
Total Sales: 51
</li>
<li>
Total Value: $143,151,500
</li>
<li>
Median Price: $2,250,000
</li>
<li>
Average Price: $2,806,892
</li>
</ul>
One week later –
<ul>
<li>
Total Sales: 54
</li>
<li>
Total Value: $135,019,000
</li>
<li>
Median Price: $2,162,500
</li>
<li>
Average Price: $2,500,352
</li>
</ul>
That’s a massive discrepancy! Watch the apartment figures be revised downwards when I point out the highest apartment sale never existed – just as the highest house price did also.
Again the listings volumes are tracking to all time historic lows – I can’t ever before remember seeing such a pattern especially as we have an equally record low cash rate.
Source: Australian Property Monitors
MOSMAN – 2088
• Number of houses on the market this time 2012 – 106
• Number of houses on the market last week – 84
• Number of houses on the market this week – 76
• Number of apartments on the market this time 2012 – 100
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 73
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 75
• Number of houses on the market this time 2012 – 13
• Number of houses on the market last week – 11
• Number of houses on the market this week – 11
• Number of apartments on the market this time 2012 – 34
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 20
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 19
NEUTRAL BAY – 2089
• Number of houses on the market this time 2012 – 14
• Number of houses on the market last week – 6
• Number of houses on the market this week – 5
• Number of apartments on the market this time 2012 – 61
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 37
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 32
These statistics will be all the more fascinating over the coming winter months where I predict the number of houses and apartments in Mosman could see listing volumes fall below 50. Given the higher rental yields investors are not selling which is to be expected given the record high rental rates. Apartment buyers are paying well above what investors are prepared to pay which all but guarantees that rents will continue to increase.
As for what houses will do is anyone’s guess.
Robert Simeon is a director of <a title="RWM" href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Richardson  Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay </a>and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985. He has also been writing real estate blog <a title="Virtual Realty News" href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000. The RWM real estate model has sold in excess of $1 billion in database sales globally.
 
 
 
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Economic curve balls point to incompetence: Robert Simeon

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I'm often asked why I prefer markets like inner- and middle-ring Sydney and properties in and around London to regional property markets, such small towns or those located 100-500+km from the cities where rental yields might be a little higher.
The answer, in one word, is: risk.
If you pick a hot regional market or mining town to invest in you might do well in the short-term.
Property is not a short-term investment, however, and you should aim to own property in markets with a diversified range of industries and forms of employment. There is absolutely no point in picking a market which is hot for 6 months while a mine is being constructed if prices then ease again immediately thereafter.
Property is a long-term investment and you need to own quality, desirable properties where the population and demand is growing rapidly but the supply of land for release is constrained.
If you speculate in cheap regional markets at today's elevated levels of leverage, you are introducing  a significant risk - in my opinion.
Towns with few industries
When I was growing up, Stoke-on-Trent in the middle of England was known as the home of pottery in the UK, although Britain's manufacturing industry has died a long, slow death in truth.
Before that, however, Stoke was a genuine boomtown setting all kinds of records for coal production, with the famous Chatterley Colliery becoming the first in Britain to mine more than 1 million tonnes of the black stuff. As late as 1992 the awesome Trentham Superpit was still churning out the last of its 2.5 million tonnes of coal.
The coal industry once employed more than 20,000 men in the town.
In 1994, the last of the pits was closed down and today all that remains today is the ugly slag-heaps which you can still see on the skyline. The steel industry in the town, sadly, went the same way.
Today, despite a rapidly growing wider UK population over the decades, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-22262400" style="text-decoration: none; color: #7f7f7f;">BBC reports that</a>houses in Stoke are selling for one pound.
Meanwhile in London prices are reportedly some 17% above their previous peak.
I can't tell you what will happen to regional markets in Australia over the next few decades, but it appears doubtful that the desirable suburbs in capital city markets will ever become significantly cheaper given the massive population growth being experienced.
Pete Wargent holds a range of finance and property qualifications and is the author of <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/">Get a Financial Grip – a simple plan for financial fr</a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/">eedom.</a>
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Metropolitan vs country house investment risks: Pete Wargent

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Developer Harry Stamoulis wants to build a 404-metre office tower at 555 Collins Street in Melbourne.
If approved and built would be the tallest building in Australia – 16 metres taller than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/tallest-building-in-southern-hemisphere-approved-for-melbourne/2013031759915">Australia 108</a> which was approved in March.
The 82-storey office tower (pictured below) still needs planning approval from state minister Matthew Guy, but he has already relaxed planning controls to allow the Stamoulis Property Group to apply.
Next week Melbourne City Council will debate a motion that notes with concern the recent decision of the Minister for Planning to remove the overshadowing protection afforded to the Yarra River since 1982.
<img height="264" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/555collinsapril29flicker.jpg" alt="555collinsapril29flicker">
Stamoulis bought the site from the state government in 2002 for $40.7 million, Fairfax Media reported at the time.
The building, Enterprise House, is a 23-storey office tower, leased primarily to NAB. The bank holds the 23,700 square metre lease until the end of 2013. It renewed its lease in 2010.
<img height="260" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/555collinsapril29one.jpg" alt="555collinsapril29one">
At the time Stamoulis said it planned to refurbish the building into “A-grade accommodation” in 2014.
Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, has slammed the proposal saying it will cast a shadow over the Yarra’s Southbank.
"I don't have a problem with tall buildings, but can't allow them here there and everywhere," Doyle told 3AW.
"We don't want Surfer's Paradise on the Yarra.”
The site used to be home to the Federal Hotel and Coffee Palace, built in 1880. It was one of the largest and ornate city buildings at the time. It was demolished in 1973 to make way for speculative office development.
The current tallest building in Australia is the Q1 tower in the Gold Coast at 323-metres.
The Stamoulis family have an estimated fortune of $459 million, primarily from the proceeds of the 2004 sale of its Gold Medal soft drink empire. Their property holdings now include Melbourne CBD office buildings, factories, a golf club in Victoria's Yarra Valley, an apartment block in Athens and an island in the Ionian sea.
Images courtesy of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.skyscrapercity.com/">https://www.skyscrapercity.com</a>.
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Proposed 404-metre tower for Melbourne at 555 Collins Street

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Following the decision among other east coast states, the Victorian first-home owner grant will increase from $7000 to $10,000 for newly constructed homes.
It takes effect from July 1, which will lead to a probable pause in the purchase of new houses and apartment over the next two months.
But there will be a rush - possibly even an unhealthy frenzy - from those first timers desirous of buying established homes as they will no longer receive the existing $7000 first home grant from July.
But all first-home buyers will benefit from fast-tracked stamp duty savings, which will increase from 30% to 40% on homes valued up to $600,000, six months ahead of schedule. It is part of the Liberal government's pre-election pledged to reduce stamp duty by 50% over four years with the final 10% reduction scheduled for September 2014.
The combination of a $10,000 First Home Owner Grant and stamp-duty cut means a $16,500 saving on a $400,000 new property.
"The average price of a newly constructed first home is about $400,000," Victorian Treasurer Michael O'Brien said yesterday.
Michael O'Brien forecast the decision would help create more jobs in the housing sector. The Victorian budget on May 7 will be the first under the new Premier Denis Napthine.
"Targeting the grant to newly constructed homes - whether in regional Victoria, Melbourne's growth corridors or new CBD apartments - will stimulate the economy and create jobs in the construction sector," Mr O'Brien said.
But Melbourne buyers agent Frank Valentic says it was "bad news" given the 80% of first home buyers who buy established property will no longer get $7000 grant from July 2013.
Mr O'Brien said ending the first home grant for established houses brought Victoria into line with other states.
The Herald Sun reported the Master Builders Association of Victoria executive director Brian Welch saying increasing the grants would encourage people to consider building sooner.
"The industry's been in decline for the last couple of years, so this will give us a welcome boost," he said.
But the Real Estate Institute of Victoria's chief executive Enzo Raimondo says the changes mean those purchasing existing homes will be subsidising a discount for those buying newly constructed homes.
"History has shown first home buyers generally buy established [homes]," Mr Raimondo told the ABC.
"They generally want to buy close to where they work, and in Melbourne that's inner and middle suburbs, so this is going to make it a bit more difficult for first-home buyers of established properties in Melbourne."
The Victorian decision follows NSW where first home buyers have gone awol, leaving the O'Farrell Government with a budget savings windfall given the dramatically reduced take-up of new home acquistion by first time buyers.
Victorian first home buyers have been relatively steady over the past year with established home purchasers. Last month there were 1714 Victorian recipients securing $11.99 million in grants for established homes. There were 1652 in March last year.
For new home acquisitions there were 856 recipients in Victoria securing $5.99 in grants last March compared with 814 securing $5.69 million in grants in March 2013. 
The NSW $7 000 first home owner grant for established properties ended on 30 September 2012. The scheme established to assist first home owners instead to purchase or build a new home offers a $15 000 grant from 1 October 2012.
The FHOG (New Homes) grant will reduce to $10,000 on 1 January 2014.
But alarmingly NSW first home grants recipients have fallen from 2631 securing $18.77 million in March 2012, to this March when there was a record low 624 recipients securing $6.77 million.
Queensland closed its $7000 basic grant scheme last October, replacing it with a $15,000 grant for new homes. With just 217 grants recorded in the December quarter, the government website argues it will take several months before the impact of the Great Start Grant (previously known as the first home owner construction grant) can be clearly assessed, allowing for the lag between signing a contract and construction to build a home.
There had been a typical 4500 recipients in prior December quarters.
Latest State Government figures show that in the six months to March 28, there were just 805 first-home owners who received a $15,000 helping hand.
Launched in October 2012 as the First Home Owners Construction Grant, the funds are now only available to build or buy a new house, townhouse or apartment valued at less than $750,000.
It replaced the decade-old First Home Owners Grant, which had been available for the purchase of new or existing properties in Queensland.
The Brisbane Courier Mail recently reported the Real Estate Institute of Queensland CEO Anton Kardash said the Government had pulled the wrong lever as he had predicted.
"They persisted, and unfortunately the data is coming back as we predicted - and that is people are not transitioning to buying new homes with these grants.''
The REIQ suggested new homes are usually too expensive for first-time buyers and are often in outlying suburbs where young people do not necessarily want to live.
 
 
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Victorian first home buyers grant jumps from $7000 to $10,000 but only for new houses and apartments

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The sale of three adjoining terraces on the exclusive St Vincent Place in Albert Park has yielded $12,278,000 over the past three weekends, a 21.5% jump on their sale in-one-line five years ago.
The most recent sale was $4,008,000 yesterday.
The highest priced three-bedroom terrace fetched $4.3 million on April 13 comprising a 492-square-metre block and with no bathroom, is a renovator's opportunity.
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Another had fetched $3.97 million.
The three recent sales should not be interpreted as prices haveing risen by 21% as there would have been a limited number of buyers when offered in one line, so the prices are not necessarily comparable.
The offerings was originally part of a three-terrace property owned by the Loreto Sisters, who bought them in 1969.
They sold them in 2008 when acquired by Fiona Olney-Fraser, wife of corporate raider Darren Olney-Fraser, for $10.1 million, who then split the property up into three empty shells.
The sister's departure in mid-2008 marked an end to over 100 years of involvement in the South Melbourne/Albert Park parish by the Catholic religious order.
Having arrived in Australia in 1875, the Loreto Sisters’ work began in 1888 in a small school in a rented house in Merton Crescent called Mononia. 
By the end of 1889 the sisters were looking for another site and land was purchased in Albert Road. While the three storey convent and school was being built, the Sisters lived at 51 Cantebury Road, Albert Park.
The Albert Road Convent and school opened in late 1890 and in 1906 the Central Catholic Training College was opened on the same site.  Both continued until 1924 when most of the students and Sisters moved to establish Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak. 
The triple fronted property, Loreto House, at 73 -77 St Vincent Place, was bought by the Loreto Sisters in 1969 having previously been a Christian Brothers Boys' Hostel which closed in 1967. The houses were redesigned to make them appropriate as province office, residence and novitiate accommodation.
A recent Catholic Religious Australia survey revealed the total number of nuns of all orders in dramatic decrease  since the mid-1970s, and almost 70%since their peak in the mid-60s.
There were 4765 nuns in Australia last year compared with 12,619 in 1976 and a peak of 14,622 in 1966. In 1901, there were 3622.
Westpac took control of the Olney-Fraser properties in 2010.
The bank made $2,178,000 more than the last combined purchase price.
Buyers agent Mal James said the most recent sale of 77 St Vincent Place, Albert Park was considered to be the weakest of the properties in terms of its orientation and its condition, but it sold under the hammer - again with five bidders - for $4,008,000, surprising many experts. 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cayzer.com.au/index.cfm?pn=1&amp;start=1&amp;propertytype=residential&amp;firstsearch=true&amp;contentid=0&amp;listings_maximumpropertyimages=1&amp;contenttypeid=0&amp;usersortid=5&amp;pagecall=listings&amp;justlisteddays=7&amp;propertyaction=sale&amp;suburb_id=136701&amp;formtype=residential">Listing agent Michael Szulc of Cayzer Real Estate Albert Park</a> told Property Observer there were mutiple bidders at all of the auctions along with an audience of around 200.
Szulc says the sales provided an opportunity for those wanting to turn the property into their dream home.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/75_st_vincent_place_albert_park_vic_3206/9183480">75 St Vincent Place, Albert Park, VIC, 3206</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on April 13 by Cayzer Real Estate Albert Park for $4.3 million.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.myrp.com.au/property/73_st_vincent_place_albert_park_vic_3206/9183476">73 St Vincent Place, Albert Park, VIC, 3206</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on April 20 by Cayzer Real Estate Albert Park for $3.97 million
The last terrace <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cayzer.com.au/index.cfm?pagecall=property&amp;propertyid=2299862&amp;menuItemID=">77 St Vincent Place</a> was auctioned Saturday April 27 selling at $4,008,000 through Cayzer Real Estate Albert Park which sold after 39 bids.
Mal James of James Buyer Advocates has previously ranked St Vincents Place as equal second as Melbourne's highest land value street at approximately $6,000 per square metre - not far behind Brighton's absolute waterfront streets of $9,000 per square metre.
James says the successful buyers will face a renovation bill of between $2 million to $3 million depending on their wishes.
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Unrenovated premium Albert Park terraces yield 21% higher than 2008, with three consecutive weekend offerings

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The New Zealand family company behind the Oyster Bay wine brand, Delegat's has purchased the assets of Barossa Valley Estate for $24.7 million.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/south-australia/woolies-pursues-in-house-wine-production-prospects-in-the-barossa-valley/2013022759617">Woolworths along with Chinese investors</a> were pinpointed as possible buyers when the BVE, South Australia holding was listed after its receivership earlier this year.
Its assets include a modern 5000 tonne winery and a 41 hectare vineyard along with assigned grape grower contracts.
The company see BVE as a complementary fit to its established cool climate Oyster Bay business enabling Delegat's access to the Barossa Valley Shiraz market.
It sold through Sam Davies, partner of BVE receiver McGrathNicol with settlement expected in June.
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Kiwi Delegat's Group buys Barossa Valley Estate vineyard for $24.7 million

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The Westfield Group has announced that Stephen Johns and Professor Fred Hilmer AO have indicated that they will not seek re-election at the upcoming annual general meeting to be held May 29. The combined time spent at Westfield by the two totals 65 years.
The chairman, Frank Lowy AC, paid tribute to the outstanding service provided by both directors to the group.
“Both Stephen and Fred have been key figures on the Westfield Board for more than 20 years. They have served the group through a phase of continued growth and have been instrumental in the success of the group over a long period. Their experience, wisdom and collegiate approach will be greatly missed.
I look forward to acknowledging the contributions made by both Stephen and Fred at the May AGM.”
Stephen Johns joined the group in 1970. For more than 30 years, he served the Group with great distinction in various executive capacities culminating in his appointment in 1985 as group finance director, a position he held until 2002. Mr Johns continued to serve the group as a non-executive Director following his retirement as an executive and has made a significant contribution to the Board and its Committees, serving as chair of the risk management committee and as a member of the audit committee.
Fred Hilmer joined the group as a non-executive director in 1991 and since that time has served as deputy chairman, lead independent director and ahairman of the audit and remuneration committees.
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