<p data-end="309" data-start="290"><strong data-end="309" data-start="290">Article summary</strong></p>

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
<p data-end="896" data-section-id="ojaazg" data-start="792">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.</p>

<p data-end="1358" data-start="1137">The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.</p>

<p data-end="1358" data-start="1137">[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]</p>

<p data-end="1577" data-start="1360">Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.</p>

<p data-end="1781" data-start="1579">The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.</p>

<p data-end="1977" data-start="1783">The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.</p>

<p data-end="1977" data-start="1783">[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]</p>

<p data-end="2314" data-start="1979">One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.</p>

<p data-end="2423" data-start="2316">Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.</p>

<p data-end="2519" data-start="2425">"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.</p>

<p data-end="2688" data-start="2521">"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."</p>

<p data-end="2688" data-start="2521">[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]</p>

<p data-end="2840" data-start="2690">Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.</p>

<p data-end="2900" data-start="2842">"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.</p>

<p data-end="3105" data-start="2902">"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."</p>

<p data-end="3300" data-start="3107">Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.</p>

<p data-end="3300" data-start="3107">[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]</p>


Joel Robinson

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

<p data-end="288" data-start="269"><strong data-end="288" data-start="269">Article summary</strong></p>

<ul data-end="888" data-start="289">
	<li data-end="442" data-section-id="8tsh6o" data-start="289"><strong data-end="374" data-start="291">DVB Projects is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development</strong>, with demolition now underway at 137 Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach.</li>
	<li data-end="573" data-section-id="1nyxl3e" data-start="443"><strong data-end="513" data-start="445">The 34-level tower will comprise just 49 ultra-luxury residences</strong>, including half-floor, full-floor and penthouse apartments.</li>
	<li data-end="717" data-section-id="oiyimj" data-start="574"><strong data-end="646" data-start="576">The launch follows strong demand at DVB's nearby Sea Glass project</strong>, which is more than 50 per cent sold and currently under construction.</li>
	<li data-end="888" data-section-id="epk9o9" data-start="718"><strong data-end="787" data-start="720">The development adds to the transformation of Old Burleigh Road</strong>, with premium beachfront apartment projects continuing to reshape the tightly held Broadbeach strip.</li>
</ul>

<p data-end="1011" data-start="790"><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dvb-projects">DVB Projects</a> is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway on the Broadbeach site as the Sydney developer moves closer to bringing the ultra-luxury project to market.</p>

<p data-end="1296" data-start="1013">The 34-level tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/137-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">137 Old Burleigh Road</a> will comprise just 49 residences, ranging from half-floor apartments through to full-floor homes and a penthouse. The launch follows the strong sales performance of DVB's nearby Sea Glass development. More than half of the apartments at Sea Glass, on the other side of Broadbeach, have been snapped up, well ahead of its late 2027 completion</p>

<p data-end="1296" data-start="1013"><img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2944b4be-c84e-4b54-8dc1-c712e76704c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E02_Exterior_Street%20Level%20Entrance.jpg?VersionId=YoNig7pRdrE3HCue7sUj78LzJteeQf3H" /></p>

<p>The start of demolition at 137 Old Burleigh Road signals DVB Projects’ underlying confidence in the Gold Coast’s luxury beachside apartment sector.</p>

<p>“We see the Gold Coast as one of the most compelling lifestyle markets in Australia, particularly at the premium end where demand continues to deepen,” said Dean Brown, Managing Director of DVB.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“This project has been carefully designed to respond to that demand - delivering large-format residences with a level of quality, privacy and amenity that is still relatively rare in the apartment market on the beachside."</p>

<p>Brown says the site itself is "exceptional."</p>

<p>"Old Burleigh Road is one of the most tightly held beachfront strips, and opportunities to deliver a project of this scale and calibre in this location are extremely limited.”</p>

<p><img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="398f377a-c037-455e-9250-0c5e0d84c35b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/I12_FF%20Balcony.jpg?VersionId=NwOiRWGMubR1c8wthuEfggklcja7al9." /></p>

<p>The project will comprise 40 half-floor residences of approximately 260 sqm, alongside eight full-floor residences spanning around 524 sqm.</p>

<p>A single penthouse will crown the building, featuring a private pool, barbecue area, indoor gym and dedicated entertaining spaces.</p>

<p>Residents will have access to a resort-style suite of amenities, including a 20-metre pool with daybeds, a gymnasium, hot and cold plunge pools, a sauna, and private residents’ lounge and dining facilities.</p>

<p><img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1642bb0-9a66-4427-a022-dfc0988c6287" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/A02_Pool%20to%20View.jpg?VersionId=c0IXPyn_Gp_Kn3XCwzMrqIVkAdCEwVXP" /></p>

<p>Sales agent Todd Matheson, of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a>, which is marketing both 137 Old Burleigh Road and Sea Glass, said 137 Old Burleigh Road would address a clear gap in the market for genuine luxury products.</p>

<p>“There are very few opportunities on the Gold Coast where buyers can secure a residence of this size and quality in a new building,” Matheson said.</p>

<p>“What we’re seeing is a growing cohort of downsizers and interstate buyers who still want space - they’re not willing to compromise on living area, entertaining or finishes.</p>

<p>“This project has been designed with that buyer in mind. It offers the scale of a home, combined with the convenience and security of apartment living, in one of the coast’s most desirable positions.”</p>

<p><img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59aae0ca-5639-4320-8aca-d0bf60f48e43" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E01_Exterior%20Hero.jpg?VersionId=DS8Zfy2WtgUEtdfe0TEUuf1W1GfcZq8S" /></p>

<p>Located on a 1,156 sqm site one block from the beachfront, the development will replace an ageing walk-up building and is expected to contribute to the ongoing transformation of the Old Burleigh Road strip into one of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious residential corridors.</p>

<p>With the development moving into the delivery phase, 137 Old Burleigh Road is slated to hit the market later this year.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145141]</p>


DVB Projects to launch second Broadbeach apartment tower as demolition commences

<p>A proposal to redevelop one of North Sydney's ageing commercial buildings has taken another step forward, with plans for a 38-storey mixed-use tower adding momentum to the long-awaited transformation of the Alfred Street precinct.</p>

<p>Now on public exhibition through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority-led State Significant Development pathway, the proposal for 271-273 Alfred Street would replace an underutilised commercial building with 95 apartments, ground-floor retail, commercial space and affordable housing. The proposal was submitted by&nbsp;Tara Shore Pty Ltd, acting for the John Taylor Family Trust.</p>

<p>While the project will deliver much-needed housing on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, it also represents another piece of a broader precinct that has spent years in planning limbo.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: New public domain vision underpins 95-apartment North Sydney tower on Alfred Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e1ce1b4-38df-48ab-992f-386814d86308" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Alfred%20St%20da%20podium.png?VersionId=sC_h6w.A9VEoB98qsqowPlIoz__sBZBt" /></p>

<p>Despite its proximity to both North Sydney Station and the Victoria Cross Metro, redevelopment of Alfred Street has progressed slowly over the past decade as broader planning controls, zoning and building heights remained unresolved. The introduction of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway has provided a new avenue for projects to progress, allowing rezoning and development assessment to occur concurrently and unlocking sites that have long been earmarked for renewal.</p>

<p>Designed by Office of Cortese &amp; Gilder, the proposal seeks to do more than replace an ageing office building. The architects have positioned the project as the first stage of a wider public domain vision that would improve pedestrian connectivity and create a more cohesive mixed-use precinct as neighbouring sites are redeveloped over time.</p>

<p>The proposal includes a widened Alfred Street setback, new street trees, landscaping and outdoor seating, along with a landscaped through-site pedestrian link connecting Alfred Street with Little Alfred Street. The connection is intended to become the first section of a future east-west pedestrian network extending across the precinct.</p>

<p><img alt="First look: New public domain vision underpins 95-apartment North Sydney tower on Alfred Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ea39ac3-46ad-4562-b4a0-b862e91c2dda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Alfred%20St%20da%20site.png?VersionId=K7umCd21KpetEFuVfsPlnJKhUOsmTTdV" /></p>

<p>The mixed-use tower would comprise retail space at ground level, commercial uses on level two and apartments from level three upwards.</p>

<p>In total, the development would deliver 95 apartments, including nine one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom, 56 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom residences. Twenty-one apartments, representing 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area, would be secured as affordable housing and managed by a registered community housing provider for at least 15 years.</p>

<p>Nine basement levels would provide 133 resident car spaces, seven motorcycle spaces and 111 bicycle spaces.</p>

<p>According to the Architecture and Urban Design Report, the public domain strategy is designed to transform what is currently an inward-facing commercial edge into a more active and connected pedestrian environment, creating a stronger relationship between the commercial core and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.</p>

<p>Office of Cortese &amp; Gilder has also prepared a broader public domain framework spanning neighbouring properties between 263 and 283 Alfred Street, arguing that a coordinated approach to redevelopment will deliver better public spaces, improved tower separation and a more connected streetscape as the precinct evolves.</p>

<p>The proposal comes at a time where North Sydney is slated for future residential growth. Commercial developer FiveX has residential plans for the neighbouring site at 275 Alfred Street. They've proposed a 39-storey mixed-use tower with 184 apartments, while Freecity was recently approved for nearly 300 apartments across a 51-storey building on Walker Street.</p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-freecity-gets-green-light-for-mixed-use-apartment-and-hotel-tower-in-north-sydney">First look: Freecity gets green light for mixed-use apartment and hotel tower in North Sydney</a></em></p>

<p><em>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-plans-39-storey-residential-tower-in-booming-north-sydney">First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney</a></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Alfred Street the latest North Sydney pocket to be transformed by residential development

<p>Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.</p>

<p>For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.</p>

<p>Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.</p>

<p>"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]</p>

<p>Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.</p>

<p>The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.</p>

<p>Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]</p>

<p>Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.</p>

<p>"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."</p>

<p>The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.</p>

<p>"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]</p>

<p>Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.</p>

<p>Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]</p>


Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

<p>Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.</p>

<p>The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.</p>

<p>The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.</p>

<p>The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]</p>

<p>The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.</p>

<p>"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.</p>

<p>"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.</p>

<p>"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.</p>

<p>"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]</p>

<p>The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.</p>

<p>Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.</p>

<p>EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.</p>

<p>WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.</p>

<p>"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.</p>

<p>"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."</p>

<p>Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]</p>


Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

<p>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.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.</p>

<p><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" /></p>

<p>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</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><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" /></p>

<p>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.<span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><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" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>​</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.</p>


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

<html><body>
<div>The days of the successful greedy vendor are almost done.</div>
<p>The five year surge in Sydney prices is now coming off, as the Reserve Bank wished.</p>
<p>The biggest gap I've seen between asking price and selling price was over 20 percent. They wanted $27 million and took $21 million in Sydney's pricey east.</p>
<p>Long after the ambitious public asking prices, the more sombre secret sales outcome becomes known.</p>
<p>Any neighbours up the street thinking of selling are then forced to come back in expectation. The new pricing mood becomes contagious.</p>
<p>There is nothing too distressing around pricing really for most sellers, although the emerging slowdown captures almost all, even thoughtful asking prices.</p>
<p>South Sydney Rabbitohs star George Burgess recently made a mild adjustment to the price hopes of his <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-chifley-126771326" target="_blank">Chifley offering</a> (above and below).</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/19/chifley2.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>Having initially sought $1.8 million, there's now guidance between $1,725,000 to $1,775,000, with Burgess and wife Joanne expecting a second child in August.</p>
<p>But first home buyers should pay extra careful attention to market conditions, not just the incentives on offer.</p>
<p>While the price declines may be minor, first home buyers ought be wary of over paying and potentially going straight into negative equity.</p>
<p>The weekend auction success rates that kicked off unexpectedly well with 70 percent selling, have weakened in the pre-Easter auction period with the clearance rate back in the 50s.</p>
<p>The market does seems set to continue to deteriorate further.</p>
<p>Most analysts tip the decline will be moderate, somewhere in the order of five to 10 percent over the next two or so years.</p>
<p>They don't see any trigger such as high unemployment that would escalate into more substantial price falls across all markets.</p>
<p>Certainly unexpected quick rate rises - rather than possibly a few extended over years - could be devastating for many households. </p>
<p>There are extreme calls such as the US forecaster Harry Dent who forecasts a halving in values.</p>
<p>But demand for property arising from population growth, arising both internally and from migration, is expected to provide a floor.</p>
<p>This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.</p>
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The Sydney property downturn starts with asking price mismatch

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<div>The Department of Home Affairs released its latest pivot tables on temporary visas holders in Australia (with thanks to Henry Sherrell for highlighting). </div>
<div> </div>
<div>While the December quarter numbers tend to swing sharply higher due to fireworks on the harbour and all that jazz - to well above 2.2 million last year - the September figures make for interesting reading. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The stock data shows that temporary visa holders in Australia rose to 2.07 million by September 2017, well up from 1.96 million a year earlier and some 23 per cent higher than as at September 2012. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>That represents an extra 382,000 temporary visa holders in Australia from 5 years ago. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There's no doubting the source of the boom, being the 50 per cent boost in student visas over the past half decade to well over ½ million. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Click here <a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SWsd7w8yNy4/Wrmq7fiXsKI/AAAAAAAApH0/Fj9Q0NmYo1UUSiUELINFooJFiPxQBx3BQCLcBGAs/s640/Visas.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
</div>
<div><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SWsd7w8yNy4/Wrmq7fiXsKI/AAAAAAAApH0/Fj9Q0NmYo1UUSiUELINFooJFiPxQBx3BQCLcBGAs/s640/Visas.jpg" width="640" height="380" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1371"></div>
<div>Also of interest to note: the number of bridging visas is now rising fast, implying a surge in the demand for permanent residency (PR) visa places from temporary visa holders.  </div>
<div> </div>
<div>These trends help to explain why the population of the largest capital cities has effectively been growing much more quickly than implied by the issuance of PR visas alone. </div>
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Student visa boom still underway: Pete Wargent

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<div>On the face of it a better result for retail trade in February 2018, with a +0.6 per cent increase in turnover, and the January result revised up slightly to +0.2 per cent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Under the hood, though, this was another soft result, with department stores clearly under intense pressure.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Total retail turnover in February was $26.45 billion in seasonally adjusted terms, so only a marginal +0.2 per cent higher than we saw back in November when the i-Phone X was unleashed and Black Friday spiked the results.<br><br>And the February figures for Sydney and Melbourne would have been enhanced by Chinese Lunar New Year falling later this year than last.<br><br>You can click on the graphics to enlarge them. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1blDK0u9Io/WsQu3Q40fdI/AAAAAAAApPw/YCGR15IxNTEXBykTnejrt5DhEa_fx5vWACLcBGAs/s1600/RT1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1blDK0u9Io/WsQu3Q40fdI/AAAAAAAApPw/YCGR15IxNTEXBykTnejrt5DhEa_fx5vWACLcBGAs/s640/RT1.jpg" width="640" height="380" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1396"></a></div>
<div>Looking through the monthly noise, retail turnover in trend terms was a modest +2.7 per cent higher over the year. </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axAwhcKUOFE/WsQu3ThUh2I/AAAAAAAApPo/0YOiI3fU9dUkiTZ8a1e-B08Yd0oNU85ewCLcBGAs/s1600/RT2.jpg"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axAwhcKUOFE/WsQu3ThUh2I/AAAAAAAApPo/0YOiI3fU9dUkiTZ8a1e-B08Yd0oNU85ewCLcBGAs/s640/RT2.jpg" width="640" height="380" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1375"></a></div>
<p>The monthly rebound in turnover was driven by New South Wales (+1.1 per cent) and Victoria (+1.1 per cent), offset by a decline in Western Australia (-0.6 per cent).  </p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJHEQZK-yR4/WsQu45Xn6zI/AAAAAAAApP4/MHNlt0vHN2sySYAgS-KkITvjE_jpdv3rQCEwYBhgL/s1600/RT5.jpg"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJHEQZK-yR4/WsQu45Xn6zI/AAAAAAAApP4/MHNlt0vHN2sySYAgS-KkITvjE_jpdv3rQCEwYBhgL/s640/RT5.jpg" width="640" height="380" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1361"></a></div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Amazon arrives</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>These figures are of particular interest since the survey should include Amazon Australia sales.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If there's one thing we do know it's that there has been widespread industry discounting - indeed, you can take a walk around any shopping mall and see this for yourself.<br><br>We'll see this better in the quarterly results, which will shed more light on price inflation (deflation) versus volumes as a driver of retail turnover. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Price discounting in part helped to drive a +1.5 per cent rebound in department store turnover in the month, but this came off the back of a series of monthly declines, with turnover remaining well below the levels seen in October last year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zi8UOzig7A/WsQu3TD_lcI/AAAAAAAApPs/w6xLPeARQskr2wosCS90B__acwmHy3uaQCLcBGAs/s1600/RT3.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zi8UOzig7A/WsQu3TD_lcI/AAAAAAAApPs/w6xLPeARQskr2wosCS90B__acwmHy3uaQCLcBGAs/s640/RT3.jpg" width="640" height="368" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1407"></a></div>
<div>The rolling annual trend numbers over the the longer term tell the story better - department stores have never faced such sustained pressure since the statistician began measuring numbers. </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFsGQO42r0k/WsQu4qdggBI/AAAAAAAApP0/R1ePHxvfv5AtCnqnd4FYAkfw_0M-ELy-wCLcBGAs/s1600/RT4.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFsGQO42r0k/WsQu4qdggBI/AAAAAAAApP0/R1ePHxvfv5AtCnqnd4FYAkfw_0M-ELy-wCLcBGAs/s640/RT4.jpg" width="640" height="392" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1354"></a></div>
<p>Tellingly, online retail accounted for 5.1 per cent of total turnover in the month, up from 3.6 per cent only a year earlier, an alarming rate of increase from the perspective of traditional retailers. </p>
<div>Myer has been one high-profile casualty with its share price trading at around 36 cents (down from a float price of $4.10) but there are plenty of others...and more in the offing. </div>
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Department stores under intense pressure: Pete Wargent

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<div>There are two very interesting data releases due out on Tuesday.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Firstly the regional population growth figures, which shed more light on where people have been migrating from and to in Australia, which is always very informative. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>And then there is the big one: <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">inflation!</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br></span></strong>I <a href="http://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/rate-hikes-are-not-on-cards" target="_blank">looked here</a> at the last round of inflation numbers, released in January. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is clearly going to be a vital data series because it shows whether the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is on target to get inflation back up to its mandated target. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>With housing market activity now easing, it will be very interesting to see whether inflation is still on course to rise towards the target over the next couple of years, or whether there will be further downward pressure on interest rates. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The rhetoric from the RBA has been very clear: it doesn't want to cut rates further under any circumstances, unless it absolutely has to. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the year to December, underlying inflation rose +1.87 per cent, which was yet again under the 2 to 3 per cent target range.<br><br>Very soft inflation has been a feature of the economy since the end of 2015.<br><br>There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of pressure on rents at the moment, which is one contributory factor.<br><br>Some of the sources of the inflation that has been in evidence have been in fuel costs, energy, education, and 'sin taxes' on alcohol and tobacco.<br><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Market forecasts</span></strong><br><br>
</div>
<div>Bloomberg released its survey of 20 economists for the March 2018 quarter.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It showed a market median consensus for a quarterly result of +0.5 per cent, which would put annual underlying inflation at about the same level at +1.85 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>However, some forecasts see a bit of downside risk, most notably AMP.</div>
<p> </p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VdEOo5MB2xY/WtnSxc0xgmI/AAAAAAAApf0/evOQx1tXAzYuYi-6vdRTInHVX4jeP3uvgCLcBGAs/s1600/ABS%2BCPI.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VdEOo5MB2xY/WtnSxc0xgmI/AAAAAAAApf0/evOQx1tXAzYuYi-6vdRTInHVX4jeP3uvgCLcBGAs/s640/ABS%2BCPI.jpg" width="640" height="378" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="689"></a></div>
<div>Stay tuned for that, and more analysis here on this blog, from 11.30am on Tuesday.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If you like investment property or continued low mortgage rates, say to yourself a silent prayer for a benign print!</div>
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Inflation data will shape future interest rate direction: Pete Wargent

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<p>EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Headline: House prices fell in May. Alternative headline: House prices rose in May.</span> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Which is right? Actually, both. Or, more correctly, it depends on whose figures you believe.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">CoreLogic records a 0.4% reduction in house prices (overall, the average across the nation) during May, but Louis Christopher’s SQM Research reports a 1.1% rise in house prices over the same period.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">And when the latest figures from Domain and the ABS become available, they’ll have different numbers as well.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">We could spend hours discussing why different sources produce different (and sometimes conflicting) results on what’s happening with property prices. But suffice to say that they all have their own methodologies and parameters – and what they’re attempting, to distil tens of thousands of sales in myriad locations into a single growth figure, is a tad challenging.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">But, ultimately, it’s doesn’t matter whether CoreLogic is right or SQM is right. Essentially, they’re saying the same thing: property prices are remarkably stubborn in the face of major negative forces. As they so often are.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">House prices continue to defy the doomsday forecasters, many of them economists who refuse to let go of their flawed theories about how property prices SHOULD behave – and others among them opportunists who see potential to generate free publicity.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Here are some headlines:</span></p>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">“House prices to drop 20%: AMP Capital” – The Australian, 19 March.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">“House prices could drop by up to 20%, says UBS” – Financial Review, 18 March</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">“Prices to plunge 30% as clearance rates fall off a cliff” – The Age, 8 April</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">“House prices will collapse, says UBS” – Financial Review, 2 April</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">“Can’t rule out 30% fall in house prices, says SQM” – Financial Review, 7 April</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">“House prices could dive 30%” – The Age, 27 April</span></li>
</ul>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For those who declare “but it’s early days”, it isn’t.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This pandemic shemozzle, in terms of its impact on Australian life, declared itself on 20 February when the share market had its first meltdown. We’ve already been through the worst of the health impacts and the toughest of the restrictions and now we’re emerging steadily from lockdown towards increasing levels of normality.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">When the price data for March (showing growth in most markets) was published, many in mainstream media said: “Yeah, but wait to we get the April figures, then we’ll see the true impact of Covid-19.”</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">When the April figures came out (again showing minor growth in most markets), we got the same reaction: “Yeah, but May will see prices nosediving.”</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Well, that didn’t happen either. The CoreLogic data showed that in May there was growth or no change in house prices in nine of the 15 market jurisdictions (eight capital cities and seven state regional markets), with an overall result of -0.4%, while SQM reported a national rise of 1.1% and a capital city rise of 0.5%, with increases in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">So, now the standard line from failed forecasters seeking to justify their negative stance on property markets is this: “Yeah, prices are stable for now but in September when the stimulus runs out everything will fall off a cliff.”</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This comes direct from the kindergarten of real estate forecasting. It assumes that nothing will change over the next 3-4 months and that governments and lenders will recklessly turn off the tap without any regard to consequences.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">It also assumes that it’s all about JobKeeper and mortgage holidays, and overlooks the importance of infrastructure spending, loans and grants to businesses, support measures for renters, ongoing government stimulus measures like the $25,000 grant to home builders and renovators, and a whole lot more.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Australia has done well in this crisis and continues to do so. And the future belongs to those who see opportunity rather than calamity.</span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">T<em>erry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au</em></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s3"><a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au"><em>ryder@hotspotting.com.au</em></a></span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s1"><em>twitter.com/hotspotting</em></span></p>
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How true are real estate price fall headlines? Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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<p class="post-title entry-title">EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<div id="post-body-2450267814035243586" class="post-body entry-content">
<div>There was a significant rebound in business confidence and conditions in May, albeit they still, of course, remain at historically weak levels:</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Business confidence jumped 20 points higher, but is still in negative territory, while business conditions improved by 10 points over the month. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><em>Via the NAB Survey, <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A8DtJIwNCOM/Xt8jOdG5hVI/AAAAAAAA2OM/Ho9bYL4tHukFvsEFIsFTPJZ-uwa0HChfgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/Nab1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>:</em></div>
<br><div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A8DtJIwNCOM/Xt8jOdG5hVI/AAAAAAAA2OM/Ho9bYL4tHukFvsEFIsFTPJZ-uwa0HChfgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/Nab1.jpg" width="640" height="216" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="1600"></div>
<br><div><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Source: NAB Survey</em></span></div>
<br><div>Well, it's a decent start, as restrictions are eased.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There have been some spectacular results for Australia in respect of COVID-19 today, with only two new confirmed cases, with two cases remaining in ICU:</div>
<br><div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e6ppm6ZYJwg/Xt8k9UNyS3I/AAAAAAAA2Oc/LoA_SuoFzrcH8CUFePxERXc0g-K9GuVBACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/CV1.jpg" width="640" height="360" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1426"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Both of the new confirmed cases were returned overseas travellers, held in New South Wales quarantine:</div>
<br><div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1CquvNlMRtE/Xt8lM9RQcpI/AAAAAAAA2Og/392PQbZziKAnh-d5STbyM0vBC3als33LgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/cv2.jpg" width="640" height="360" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1412"></div>
<br>New Zealand is also now officially COVID-19 free.</div>
<div>
<br><strong>PETE WARGENT</strong><em> is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.</em>
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Business conditions begin to claw back: Pete Wargent

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<p>Property investors will never let the facts get in the way of an entrenched attitude. </p>
<p>Clinging to cherished beliefs, most of them based on myth and misinformation, is the hallmark of the typical Aussie wannabe investor - and the reason why most of them get ordinary results from buying at the wrong time in the wrong place.</p>
<p>Against that background, I find that the hardest sell in Australian real estate is trying to convince people that Adelaide is not only worth considering, but is one of the very best locations to target for a combination of affordability, value for money, good yields and potential for capital growth. And that regional South Australia has been one of the nation’s best performers in recent times. </p>
<p>I will, nevertheless, persist.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">The standout consistency of Adelaide real estate is demonstrated by our latest (Winter 2020) survey of sales activity and prices. The city’s resistance to the forces of Covid-19 is shown by the number of suburbs with sales growth and the number with annual uplift in their median prices.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">The Winter 2020 survey has identified 51 Adelaide suburbs with rising sales activity. This compares with just 32 in the much larger city of Melbourne.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">In terms of price performance, almost two-thirds of Adelaide suburbs have recorded annual growth in their median house prices, almost identical to the result three months ago in our Autumn 2020 survey. Once again, Adelaide is delivering on its reputation for steadiness.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">Here’s what I said about Adelaide in the Price Predictor Index published nine months ago: “Adelaide is the standout market in capital city Australia. Its consistency of sales performance is remarkable and two-thirds of its suburbs have had price growth in the past year, led by double-digit rises in top-end markets.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">“Adelaide is undoubtedly Australia’s most under-rated market. It keeps delivering good sales activity and above-average results on house prices.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">“In the five years Hotspotting has been conducting quarterly surveys of sales activity and price trends, Adelaide has never delivered a poor result. Most cities have had peaks and troughs in that time, but Adelaide just keeps on producing steady markets with consistent demand.”</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">Nothing has changed, despite the negative forces of Covid-19. Adelaide and South Australia have handled the pandemic better, in health terms, than any other state and its economy has showed resilience. This has been reflected in its real estate markets.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">One of the strengths of the Adelaide market is that the prosperity is widely spread across the metropolitan area. There are 10 Local Government Areas with three or more suburbs with upwardly-mobile markets.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">While sources such as CoreLogic and SQM Research often report annual growth of only 1-2% in Adelaide house prices, these generalised figures disguise individual areas which have done better. Our suburb-by-suburb analysis shows that over 60% of Adelaide suburbs have median house prices higher than a year ago. </p>
<p class="BodyCopy">Regional South Australia is the most surprising market in the nation. There is uplift in sales activity in most locations across the state and the vast majority of regional towns have recorded price growth in the past 12 months, with most up by more than 5%.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">This market has been a consistently strong performer in recent years but is unlikely to ever receive any media recognition for it.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">In the Spring 2019 edition of <em>The Price Predictor Index</em> nine months ago, we commented: “It would surprise many property observers to learn that three-quarters of the towns in Regional South Australia have recorded price growth in the past 12 months, including some which have achieved double-digit increases.”</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">In the Autumn 2020 edition three months ago we said: “Regional SA continues to perform, with significant increases in median house prices in many locations. And we now have steady upward trends in sales activity in areas that have not previously featured …”</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">And, notwithstanding the impacts of the pandemic period, Regional SA continues to deliver strong results. Of the 33 locations ranked in our survey, 17 are rated as rising markets, six are ranked as consistency markets and the other 10 are plateau markets.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">Whyalla is continuing its recovery; Mount Gambier continues to be a growth market; and the Victor Harbor area has enhanced its status as a solid performer.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">There has been a big revival in prices in Whyalla, which was previously mired in a significant downturn. In the past 12 months, growth in median prices has included 29% in Whyalla, 31% in both Whyalla Stuart and Whyalla Jenkins, 20% in Whyalla Playford and 12% in Whyalla Norrie.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">To put this into perspective, these locations are rising from a very low base. Whyalla Stuart’s median house price has increased 31% in 12 months but remains at just $130,000. Whyalla Norrie’s median house price is just $145,000, despite an annual rise of 12%.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, prices are heading in the right direction, on the back of improved sales activity. </p>
<p>Other locations to record good median price growth over the past 12 months include Tanunda (12%), Naracoorte (10%), Kapunda (11%), Millicent (10%) and Mannum (10%). In the busy markets of the Alexandrina LGA, Middleton is up 10% and Hindmarsh Island has risen 16%.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">Alexandrina, south-east of Adelaide, continues to be the individual star in terms of sales activity. Most of the main centres in this municipality – Goolwa, Goolwa South, Hindmarsh Island, Middleton and Strathalbyn – have been classified as rising markets in our latest survey.</p>
<p class="BodyCopy">The Victor Harbor area is the other standout. This LGA often features in our reports as the steadiest of performers. In this new survey, Hayborough, McCracken, Victor Harbor and Port Elliot are all classified as rising markets. Prices are rising moderately in this market, generally around 3-5% in the past year. </p>
<p>T<em>erry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au</em></p>
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Adelaide one of the best real estate performers in Australia: Hotspotting’s Terry Ryder

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<p>EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<p>High-intent renters are still very active on realestate.com.au, despite a softening market and relatively high supply.</p>
<p>The REA Insights Weekly Demand Index is a weekly metric that looks at the volume of high-intent renter activity on the realestate.com.au website and app and tracks that activity over time.</p>
<p>Specifically, it looks at how users are behaving when they interact with live rental listings.</p>
<p>The characteristics of serious renter activity includes but is not limited to; the number of visits to a listing, looking at the photos for a listing multiple times, saving the property, sharing the property and/or making an enquiry with the agent.</p>
<p><strong>Who is it useful for?</strong></p>
<p>For renters looking for new rental accommodation the index gives a good indication of the level of competition they can expect when they look at and apply for properties. Higher renter activity on a listing would suggest greater competition for that property or property type. In this index we’ve aggregated the high-intent rental activity and analysed it by state.</p>
<p>For owners of rental properties the index indicates the likelihood that they will be able to rent out their property.</p>
<p><em>Why REA Group is well placed to tell this story</em></p>
<p><em>Realestate.com.au is Australia’s number one property portal. In April 11.9 million Australians visited the platform* creating an unparalleled view of consumer demand for Australian property. This vast onsite activity sends millions of signals of intent that allow the experts at REA Insights to model behavioural demand.</em></p>
<p><strong>What is the latest data actually showing?</strong></p>
<p>The latest data shows that the number of highly-engaged rental listing interactions on realestate.com.au increased by 2.7 per cent last week. That means that serious renter activity has now increased for 10 of the past 11 weeks (falling the previous week) and is up 102.9 per cent from its low in March. The 2.7 per cent weekly increase did not completely offset the -4.3 per cent fall the previous week.</p>
<p>One of the likely drivers of such high volumes of serious renter activity is the fact that the number of new rental properties becoming available is shrinking. With less stock, those serious about renting are required to narrow their focus and are more likely to be highly-engaged with what’s available online.</p>
<p>The data indicates that it isn’t just search volumes that are climbing, we are also seeing a significant increase in the volume of people searching that are in the late stage of their rental decision.</p>
<p>All states recorded an increase in the volume of high-intent rental activity last week except for Western Australia and Tasmania, which fell slightly.</p>
<p>Since the recent low related to COVID-19 serious renter activity has more than doubled in New South Wales (110.2%), Victoria (133.8%) and Australian Capital Territory (140.1%). The smallest gains have occurred in Tasmania (45.2%) and Northern Territory (48.5%).</p>
<p><strong>What about compared to last year?</strong></p>
<p>Nationally, serious renter activity is up 70.5 per cent higher on last year.</p>
<p>The heightened rental activity is being felt in all states and territories with the largest annual increases in Australian Capital Territory (102.0%) and New South Wales (84.3%), while South Australia (20.8%) and Western Australia (41.5%) recorded the smallest increases.</p>
<p>While a lot of people are showing high-intent in their rental searches it remains to be seen whether they will actually move, especially considering there is a rental moratorium in place.</p>
<p>The rental market remains challenged with international borders closed, first-home buyer demand being pulled forward the government’s HomeBuyer initiative and people under the age of 30 being much more likely to have lost their jobs through COVID-19.</p>
<p>While a lot of people are actively looking at rental accommodation it may not be until later in the year when we actually see them moving into new rental accommodation.</p>
<p><strong>CAMERON KUSHER </strong><em>is the Director of Economic Research for the REA Group</em></p>
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High-intent renters are still very active on realestate.com.au: Cameron Kusher

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<p>The Federal Government’s $25,000 Homebuilder package for the housing sector will help promote jobs and activity as New South Wales recovers from the economic effects of COVID-19.</p>
<p>That is important as construction is a key pillar of the economy – generating 7.5 percent of the nation’s growth as Australia’s third-biggest employer, after retail and health care and social assistance.</p>
<p>The $688 million package hopes to pull forward activity to avert the jobs cliff that could arise as exisiting projects finish in the second half of 2020 and early 2021.</p>
<p>The industry was not shutdown unlike other industries. But the package is aimed at forward work pipelines, with the time frame requiring quicker state government and council approvals, before any impact on the actual property market and prices and rents.</p>
<p>The program aims to provide 27,000 grants by December this year. It is for owner-occupiers, especially cashed up first home buyers, but not investors.</p>
<p>The means-tested grants will be restricted to large renovations and the construction of new homes as the project cost must be at least $150,000.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the scheme would drive a "tradie-led recovery" of the economy, and would support 140,000 direct construction jobs and a million workers in the wider residential building sector.</p>
<p>"The industry is facing a valley of death," the Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn warned.</p>
<p>The scheme will last until the end of the year, aiming to get 30,000 homes underway by Christmas.</p>
<p>Construction must commence within three months of the contract date.</p>
<p>Those eligible are singles who earned up to $125,000 the 2018-2019 tax year and couples who earned up to $200,000.</p>
<p>The scheme will work alongside existing state and territory first-home owner grants programs, stamp duty concessions and other grant schemes, including the federal government’s popular first-home loan deposit scheme and first-home super saver scheme.</p>
<p>The desired economic recovery will be swifter for having a housing that is robust, but there will be many would-be home owners who can't, won't or shouldn't participate.</p>
<p>It comes up against the backdrop that typically less than 20 percent of first-home buyers prefer to buy newly-constructed homes.</p>
<p>There are price thresholds that apply to the Homebuilder package, especially in Sydney which will be restrictive in most suburbs.</p>
<p>If you are building a new home the total value of the completed house and land needs to be less than $750,000.</p>
<p>Or if substantially renovating your existing home the value of your existing property does not exceed $1.5 million.</p>
<p>The package will primarily have an effect in the outer suburbs and its greenfield housing markets. Mostly people some way down the track to either buying or building will likely get to participate.</p>
<p>The scheme also covers buying units off the plan that are construction ready.</p>
<p>Architect academic Geoff Hanmer says no doubt the scheme's structure will encourage people to build in coffee makers, microwaves, fridges and washing machines to bump the contract price up above the $150,000 minimum.</p>
<p>Beware too that there are unscrupulous builders who may take advantage of the scheme, warns the NSW builder broker, Builder Finders' Lynette Manciameli, is concerned that the scheme is vulnerable to exploitation.</p>
<p>“What we are likely to see off the back of the HomeBuilder scheme is dodgy builders coming out of the woodwork." Mrs Manciameli suggests.</p>
<p>Adding it is more important than ever for consumers to do their due diligence when selecting a builder for their project including seeking out testimonials and checking credit scores.</p>
<p><em>This article was first published in </em>The Daily Telegraph</p>
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HomeBuilder scheme will drive a tradie-led recovery

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<p>EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<p>Regional Queensland has achieved something that few jurisdictions across Australia have managed: it has maintained its previous high levels of well-performing markets in defiance of Covid-19.</p>
<p>Hotspotting’s Winter 2020 survey of sales activity has identified 54 growth markets and 30 consistency markets, down only marginally on the results of the previous (Autumn 2020) survey, which found 55 growth locations and 34 consistency ones. This was the strongest performance by Regional Queensland in three years and the results of this latest survey are only slightly inferior.</p>
<p>The number of “declining” markets has reduced (from 12 to six to four in recent surveys) and there are now few danger markets in Regional Queensland outside of the perennial struggler, Mount Isa.</p>
<p>Compared to the Covid-inspired deterioration in the results of other major jurisdictions across the nation, this is a commendable performance – and provides further evidence that regional areas have done much better in the pandemic period than the biggest capital cities.</p>
<p>The well-performing markets include Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Hervey Bay, Gympie and Toowoomba, as well as the Regional Queensland heavyweights, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.</p>
<p>In addition, we have seen further evidence of recovery in the Gladstone market, after multiple years in decline.</p>
<p>We continue to rate the Sunshine Coast one of the strongest economic and real estate stories in the nation and it has produced another solid result in this winter survey. The Sunshine Coast Regional Council area and neighbouring Noosa Shire have 11 suburbs with rising sales activity and eight others with consistent sales performance. There are also a number of locations which have delivered strong price growth in the past 12 months.</p>
<p>Nearby Gympie has a number of growth locations and is poised for a sustained period of growth, given major infrastructure projects and its improved links to the boom Sunshine Coast economy.</p>
<p>Sales activity overall in Gold Coast City has declined, unsurprisingly given the impact of Covid-19 on an economy so heavily reliant on tourism. This is reflected in the 35 suburbs with plateau markets. Nevertheless, there remain 10 suburbs with rising sales activity.</p>
<p>There are solid performers spread across Queensland, stretching from Townsville in the far north to more southerly locations like Hervey Bay and the inland city of Toowoomba.</p>
<p>Townsville has five suburbs with growing sales and, boosted by major infrastructure projects, is poised for a recovery from the previous downturn.</p>
<p>Mackay, a growth market we have noted in previous surveys, also has five growth suburbs and has a number of locations delivering strong price growth. Sales in South Mackay have been 20-27-35-34-52 in the past five quarters, a pattern which had led to strong price growth recently.</p>
<p>Rockhampton is showing increasing signs of revival, with four growth suburbs and three with consistent sales performance. The suburb of Berserker has lifted quarterly sales from 21 to 31 to 33 to 43 in the past year. Frenchville and Gracemere display similar growth patterns.</p>
<p>The Fraser Coast, based on Hervey Bay, is showing increasing signs of a growth phase, with five suburbs with growing buyer demand.</p>
<p>Toowoomba, after several years of moderate activity, is showing symptoms of a rising market, with three growth and four consistency suburbs.</p>
<p>The one disappointing result comes from Cairns, which stood out strongly in the previous Autumn survey as a rising market with nine growth suburbs. But this Winter survey finds only two growth suburbs, with sales in most Cairns suburbs falling away recently. This is an economy strong reliant on tourism, including international visitors, which has taken a serious hit from Covid-19.</p>
<p>Regional Queensland has also performed well on price growth. Six out of 10 locations have produced some level of growth in their median house prices in the past 12 months and most of those where prices have declined have done so only marginally.</p>
<p>The Sunshine Coast has a number of strong performers with annual price growth, led by Warana (19%), Minyama (16%) and Noosa Heads (11%).</p>
<p>The Gold Coast also has a number of growth locations, including Runaway Bay (18%), Worongary (15%), Palm Beach (11%) and Mermaid Waters (10%).</p>
<p>Mackay has some outstanding performers, including South Mackay (16%), Blacks Beach (14%) and Bucasia (10%).</p>
<p>I’ve previously noted the revival signs in Gladstone, with vacancies down and rents rising. We are now seeing evidence of prices rising, although from a low base. West Gladstone is up 16% and Glen Eden 23% in annual terms, while Calliope, New Auckland and Tannum Sands have all risen 8-9% in the past year.</p>
<p>Other resources-related locations where prices are rising from low bases include Moranbah (up 19%, but still only with a median of $240,000) and Blackwater (up 45%, but with typical houses still worth only $130,000).</p>
<p>Emerald is headed back to growth, with quarterly sales of 50-56-59-63-72 in the past five quarters.</p>
<p><strong>Terry Ryder</strong><em> is the founder of hotspotting.com.au </em><br><em>ryder@hotspotting.com.au</em><br><em>twitter.com/hotspotting</em></p>
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