<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD Group</a> has set a new residential price record in Queensland with the $30 million sale of the penthouse at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-burleigh-88-the-esplanade-burleigh-heads-qld-4220">ONE Burleigh</a> development in Burleigh Heads.

The sale equates to around $37,500 per sqm.

The two-level, 800 sqm penthouse, featuring five bedrooms, five bathrooms, five car spaces, and a private infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was acquired by a Gold Coast-based entrepreneur, highlighting continued demand for ultra-premium beachfront product.

Selling agent Freddie Tehle of PRD Burleigh Heads said the result reflects tightening supply of high-quality, large-format apartments in Burleigh.

“There’s very limited opportunity to secure this level of scale and absolute beachfront position in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/burleigh-heads-qld-4220">Burleigh Heads</a>,” Tehle said.

“Buyers are increasingly seeking apartments that genuinely replace a standalone home, and this penthouse delivers that with its size, privacy, and direct ocean frontage.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323057]

The sale comes as construction progresses on ONE Burleigh, a boutique development of 17 full-floor residences at 88 The Esplanade, scheduled for completion in early 2027.

Developed by MAYD Group and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mas-architecture-studio">MAS Architecture</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/sici-design">Sici Design</a>, the project has been positioned as a collection of house-sized beachfront apartments, each occupying an entire floor with around 381 sqm of internal and external living space.

When construction commenced, MAYD director Todd Mould pointed to the long-term resilience of premium coastal real estate as a key driver behind the project.

“Real estate, particularly at the premium end, remains one of the most resilient and proven long-term investment avenues,” Mould said.

“Our ambition is that anyone who buys a MAYD-built product can genuinely feel the care, craftsmanship and commitment we bring to every detail.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323055]

Each residence has been configured with four bedrooms, multiple living zones, a private office, and expansive ocean-facing terraces. Interiors draw on a restrained material palette, including travertine stone, timber joinery, and integrated premium appliances.

Interior designer Sici Design said the approach was to reflect the project’s coastal setting through both materiality and spatial planning.

“ONE Burleigh is our vision of luxury living, designed to bring the essence of Burleigh Heads' vibrant coastal beauty into an unparalleled residential experience.”

Residents will have access to a suite of wellness-focused amenities, including pools, sauna facilities, and dedicated relaxation spaces, reflecting a broader shift toward lifestyle-driven apartment design on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323052]

The project occupies a southern Esplanade site with uninterrupted beachfront frontage, an increasingly rare offering in Burleigh Heads, free from the Norfolk Pines that line much of the coastline and often limit direct ocean outlook.

Mould said the design intent was to balance that outlook with a sense of retreat.

“Living at ONE Burleigh is about how your day naturally unfolds, morning light across the ocean, coffee on the balcony, and being in Burleigh but elevated above the noise.”

The result further reinforces Burleigh Heads’ emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held and supply-constrained beachfront markets, where boutique, owner-occupier-focused developments are increasingly setting new price benchmarks.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146358]

Joel Robinson

MAYD Group sets Queensland record with $30 million penthouse sale at ONE Burleigh in Burleigh Heads

Apartment developers in the Gold Coast are finding new, creative ways to differentiate themselves from competing projects, as new supply starts to flow through up and down the Coast.

Developer Big Projects brought in the renowned Sydney-based design studio YSG to craft the interiors for The Frederick, Big Projects' new Mermaid Beach project and YSG's first move into the multi-residential development space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5346]

It was a strategic move for Big Projects to bring in a Sydney eye to the development.

“Our role is to give our design partners the space and freedom to explore,” says Matt Barrett, Director of Big Projects.

“We wanted YSG Studio to capture the essence of Nobby’s, to design a building that embraces life, light and connection, while creating a genuine sense of place.”

There are only 39 apartments in The Frederick, including a striking beach house, just 100 metres from the booming Nobby Beach precinct.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5347]

Yasmine Ghoniem, Director of YSG Studio, says their vision&nbsp;for The Frederick "reinvents coastal living."

“Nobby’s has such an iconic energy, it’s one of those rare pockets of the Gold Coast where the community, the beach, and the streets all feel connected,” Ghoniem says.

"Responding to the neighbouring coastline, soothing curves add a relaxing regional overlay, while unique detailing really sets it apart. It’s a place that feels lived in from the moment you step inside.”

A standout feature of The Frederick is its rooftop terrace, an uncommon inclusion for a boutique, low-rise building, where amenity is typically concentrated at ground level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5360]

Positioned to capture panoramic views from the hinterland to the ocean, the rooftop has been designed as a series of intimate zones. It includes a pool, sauna, sun decks, workspaces and dedicated entertaining areas.

“The rooftop was conceived as a collection of spaces where residents can unwind and connect, an extension of the Nobby’s lifestyle,” Barrett says.

Architecture for the project was led by Plus Architecture, with landscape design by LDG.

SRQ Projects Director Nick Clydsdale, who is handling sales at The Frederick, says the majority of enquiry is coming from South East QLD and Victorian buyers who have been actively searching between Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach for some time.

"They’ve reviewed a number of projects, however this one has stood out for its design flair/ appeal,"&nbsp;Clydsdale says.

Site demolition is slated for this month, with construction commencing soon after. Big Projects is targeting a late 2027 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=110588]

Big Projects taps Sydney’s YSG for first multi-residential project at The Frederick Mermaid Beach

Melbourne-based property developer ALTA Property has this week achieved planning approval for the adaptive re-use of a former commercial tower into a $200 million, 169-apartment project at 10 Queens Road, one of the last developable sites along the Albert Park Lake-fronting boulevard.&nbsp;

Set within one of Melbourne’s most sought-after precincts and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser and Partners</a>, the illustrious building will offer unparalleled views across Albert Park Lake, Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;

The mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom residences will be complemented by a ground-floor amenity featuring private dining, a lounge bar, gym and wellness spaces, co-working, outdoor communal gardens, and retail.&nbsp;

The 17-storey building is a masterclass in adaptive re-use, with the existing commercial building’s façade, shell and internal structure to be retained, before high-end residences are built from the ground up in a newly built Albert Park facing addition to the building.&nbsp;

Sitting atop the building will be two 320+sqm penthouses with private rooftop terraces, which are expected to be priced between $9 - $11 million.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa11211b-5581-43f9-940c-fc84d30a0e61" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/C_04.png?VersionId=Yhf5p_1EgGDu_zOIMFgvA8Ug8j3sTFQs" />

Architecturally, the building will feature a curved, geometric façade that celebrates and elevates the existing structure, with warm, muted tones which were selected to extend the materiality of the existing building rather than contrast it.&nbsp;

Interiors will bring together three metre high ceilings with waffle concrete in some spaces, natural timber, granite and Australian materials, culminating in crafted, generous and considered spaces that are defined by authenticity.&nbsp;

The adaptive re-use means that the Queens Road project will be a sustainability led, high-quality finished product, with a 62% saving in carbon emissions by re-using the existing structure rather than knocking it down and rebuilding.&nbsp;

ALTA Property was launched by Nigel Givoni in 2023, bringing over 25 years of experience in multi level residential delivery.&nbsp;

Melbourne’s property market growth is currently led by apartments. According to RPM VIC Apartments &amp; Townhomes Market Report (April 2026), units are outpacing houses, especially in the middle ring suburbs where median prices hit $757,500 – a four-year high that represents 2.9 percent growth quarter-on-quarter.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="647e13d7-b4bc-433a-9bc9-fe3c3dd4f2ec" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/V_06.png?VersionId=ou4NUCWUgA3NAy.6CQJlEdKX50j3dOk6" />

For ALTA Property Founder Nigel Givoni, this performance speaks to the confidence he has in the Melbourne market.&nbsp;

“Queens Road represents a rare opportunity to continue to shape our presence in the Melbourne market.,"&nbsp;Givoni says.

"With a considered project team and a premier site along one of the city’s most sought-after boulevards, we look forward to contributing to the fabric of this established address.

“Other Australian markets are getting a lot of attention, but I believe the depth of value in Melbourne is being overlooked. The fundamentals are strong, population growth is steady and, based on our preliminary conversations with a leading builder, construction costs are beginning to normalise, creating further opportunity."

Givoni says the project is a&nbsp;highly considered example of adaptive re-use, delivering quality, high-end residences, premium hotel-inspired amenities and an architecturally striking façade, all achieved without the need to remove the existing structure.

"We are really looking forward to the market’s response,” he said.&nbsp;

ALTA Property to deliver $200 million Queens Road apartment tower

Construction is set to begin at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/orchard-mews-glen-iris-18-scott-grove-glen-iris-vic-3146">Orchard Mews</a> in Glen Iris, with&nbsp;PC Whitehall &amp; Sons&nbsp;now appointed as the townhome development moves into its next phase.

The development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/montcoeur">MontCoeur</a>,&nbsp;located at 18 Scott Grove, is now around 30 per cent sold, with completion targeted for late-2027.

Orchard Mews comprises a curated collection of three- and four-bedroom customisable townhomes, positioned within one of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>’ more tightly held residential streets. The low-density project has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/jack-merlo">Jack Merlo</a>, bringing together a team known for high-end residential projects across Melbourne.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150128 project_image_fid=366285]

The development is defined by its focus on flexible living and long-term usability. Each residence includes multiple living zones and a customisable multipurpose room, allowing buyers to tailor spaces to suit changing needs, whether as a home office, additional bedroom, wellness area or entertainment space.

Architecturally, the townhomes emphasise natural light and spatial volume, with dual-aspect layouts and double-height living areas incorporated into the design. Interiors feature natural stone benchtops, premium appliances, and a neutral material palette intended to support everyday functionality rather than statement-driven finishes.

All residences are all-electric and include private lifts and secure double garages, reflecting a broader shift toward sustainability and future-focused housing in Melbourne’s established suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150128 project_image_fid=366277]

Outdoor connections are also central to the offering, with a mix of private courtyards and terraces extending internal living spaces and integrating with the landscaped surrounds.

The Scott Grove address places Orchard Mews within close proximity to some of Melbourne’s key lifestyle and education amenities, including Scotch College, Sacré Cœur, Cabrini Hospital and the retail hub of Chadstone. Public transport access is also nearby, with trams and Gardiner Station providing connectivity to the CBD and surrounding suburbs.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150128]

Construction to commence at luxury Glen Iris townhome project, Orchard Mews

A rare new apartment development has been proposed on the fringe of St Ives Village.

Developer Newquest Property has lodged plans for a low-rise apartment project designed by well-regarded architecture firm Warren &amp; Mahoney, which is best known for its work in the multi-residential sector in Melbourne.

The building, proposed for a 1,916 sqm site on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/st-ives-residences-3-5-memorial-avenue-nsw-2075">Memorial Avenue</a> opposite St Ives Village Green, has been designed to blend into the surrounding natural environment.

<img alt="St Ives" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c1c7437-2fba-4345-a6d7-05321714ad3e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-04%20at%201.28.46%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=KrYyMaJvNqR7vbx0xbB3Ef8sJ6FuHpmn" />

“Drawing inspiration from the pale trunks and flowering canopies of the scribbly gums and blue gums prevalent in the area, a considered material palette was developed,” the architectural design report states.

“This palette references the established materiality of the suburb while elevating it through refined finishes to achieve a more luxurious architectural expression.”

Of the 33 apartments proposed, 21 will be three-bedroom residences. The remaining mix includes nine two-bedroom apartments, one one-bedroom apartment and two four-bedroom residences. The development will be supported by 62 car parking spaces and 33 secure bicycle spaces.

The proposal would replace two single-storey brick buildings currently on the site.

<img alt="St Ives" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21422eaf-09a9-4439-9278-b9bd9daf22a1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-04%20at%201.38.10%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=v.fXSgcUcEscvOZzqcjG5nk3gVqk_Amt" />

St Ives remains a relatively untapped market for new apartment development. North Shore developer WINIM has a number of projects in the area, while INCA is nearing completion of Ellis Residences.

More recently, Traders In Purple has lodged plans for one of the denser projects proposed in the suburb, a 75-apartment development on a 5,900 sqm site on Cowan Road.

NewQuest, a construction, design and development firm, has delivered over 24 projects across commercial, residential, industrial, and lad markets.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

First look: NewQuest Property proposes new St Ives apartment development

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

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It may be popular to say that first-home buyer incentives don’t work or are inflationary but it’s simply not supported by the data in Victoria.

Not only is this not supported by the data but it is also a position which, from a policy perspective, is inequitable for one simple reason: stamp duty.
The REIV believes that <a target="_blank" href="http:/www.propertyobserver.com.au/first-home-buyers/first-home-buyer-grant-schemes-simply-don-t-work-terry-ryder">first-home buyers</a> deserve a better deal from governments because they have to compete with second- and third-home buyers who enter the market with equity built in earlier transactions. This would be less of an issue if not for stamp duty.
There is no rational reason why a first-home buyer should be subject to a wealth tax such as stamp duty to the same level as someone who has actually generated personal wealth from property.
How is a first-home buyer supposed to compete with other buyers? They have to save for a considerable amount of time to build the deposit, only to see it evaporate when they receive their stamp duty bill.
This is a far more significant issue than the standard debate about affordability for first-home buyers suggests. It is concerning that many who argue for more affordable property don’t also argue for lower wealth taxes on first-home buyers.
The First Home Buyers Grant, now a paltry $7,000 (the equivalent of one 25 point cut in interest rates), pales into insignificance against most stamp duty bills in Australia. Despite that fact, many commentators and organizations take pride in arguing against this form of assistance.
While governments continue to levy large stamp duty bills this is no more than an argument for wealth taxes on those who don’t have any. This position is supported by the findings in the report on Housing Supply and Affordability Reform by the Supply and Affordability Reform (HSAR) Working Party of COAG.
In its report, it found that “the FHOG does provide some help to potential first homebuyers in competing against existing homeowners, who have typically benefitted from capital gains from previous property price growth”.
In the Victorian context, there is plenty of evidence of incentives for first-home buyers being both equitable and delivering on their aims.
The first example is the First Home Owners Bonus, or builder’s bonus as it became known. When the Global Financial Crisis hit Victoria, it had a growing population that was not matched with an increase in supply. The National Housing Supply Council pointed to a supply shortfall which was translating into rapidly increasing prices.
In response, governments responded with significant grants – up to $36,500 for a new home in regional Victoria – to both increase activity in the housing market and, more pointedly, get the builders building more homes.
This policy was also part of the stimulus package aimed at generating employment for builders and related trades.
It worked. First-home buyers flocked to the market and the builders built more homes. The increased incentives came into effect on October 14, 2008 and within 12 months the number of first-home buyers in Victoria increased from 2,420 a month to 4,448. Over the last decade first home buyers have comprised 20% of all buyers; this share increased by 50% with targeted government incentives.  Those incentives achieved their aim by increasing the construction of new dwellings and addressing the supply shortfall.
These incentives also seemed to transcend politics as they were commenced under a Labor government, continued by a Coalition one and then, when they were clearly no longer needed, ended.
All home buyers benefited because housing became more affordable as there was less of an imbalance between supply and demand.
So much for suggestions that the incentives don’t work.
The second example is of the cuts to stamp duty in Victoria.
The REIV campaigned for cuts to stamp duty for all first-home buyers because we believe that it is, firstly, unfair to tax first home buyers’ precious deposits, and secondly, inefficient for governments to take with one hand and give with the other. This should not be taken as a lack of support for the grant; first-home buyers need all the help they can get and the moves by NSW, Queensland and South Australia will only make it harder for first home buyers.
As a result of our advocacy and support from the Victorian Government, by the 15th of September next year most first-home buyers will benefit from a 50% cut to stamp duty. Depending on the home you are buying, that is effectively a doubling of the $7,000 grant. This assistance has not had an immediate noticeable impact on the market nor did the REIV ever expect it to; after all it has been progressively introduced, rising from 20% in 2012 to 50% in 2014.
It may not have had the immediate impact of the builders’ bonuses but that was never the point. It was simply to reduce the inequities faced by first home buyers trying to get a start in the market. If this sort of policy is not more widely adopted, then governments are saying that they are happy for first-home buyers to spend years saving to pay a tax.
How does that help anyone?
Robert Larocca is Real Estate Institute of Victoria (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">REIV</a>) policy and public affairs manager
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rlarocca-zWhvjay44N

Why should first home buyers spend years saving to pay stamp duty? Robert Larocca

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The Australian residential property market has recently been showing signs of improvement.
Investors and changeover buyers are being drawn back to the market following interest rate cuts and the positive outlook for housing.
Unfortunately, first-home buyers are missing out on the favourable environment due to  a number of reasons – stamp duty, the size of deposit required and ability to save for it, unemployment and underemployment concerns.
Recent changes to the first-home owner grant in all states and territories (except for Western Australia and the Northern Territory) have added to the uncertainty and impacted on the activity of first-home buyers in the market.
As part of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA) on the reform of Commonwealth/States financial relations signed in June 1999, all states and territories agreed to provide uniform financial assistance to Australians who are buying their new or established first-home through the introduction of the first-home Owner Grant.
According to the recently released QBE Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance’s (QBE LMI) 2013 Mortgage Barometer Report, 84% of first-home buyers believe property prices are close to reaching or are above what they can afford and 69% worry they will neverbe able to afford their own home (compared to 24% of all respondents).
Unfortunately, governments of most states and territories have made it much harder for first-home buyers to see their dreams realised. Table 1 (below) shows recent changes to the first-home owner grant.
<img alt="hawthornejuly25table1" height="328" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornejuly25table1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
As a result of the new policies, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures for March 2013 show that first-home buyers are becoming an endangered species. 
Figure 1 (below) shows that in Australia, only14.2% of owner-occupier housing finance commitments in March were from first-home buyers – the lowest level seen since May 2004.
<img alt="hawthornechart2" height="226" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornechart2.jpg">
Housing finance figures for April show that in New South Wales and Queensland (both below), where the grant ended in Octobe rlast year, first-home buyers made uponly 7.3% and 10.3% of the owner occupier market respectively with both states significantly decreasing their share in the total number of first-home buyers in Australia.
<img alt="hawthornechart3" height="212" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornechart3.jpg">
<img alt="hawthornechart4" height="203" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/07/hawthornechart4.jpg">
Two out of three first-home buyers in NSW and Queensland surveyed by the QBE LMI’s indicated the new policies made an impact on their purchase intentions.
With new arrangements aiming to stimulate building activity, it is too early to expect substantial positive results on the industry. REIA has been lobbying hard against the breach o fthe IGA, however we are still to hear what the Commonwealth will do.
Evgeniya Hawthorne is Research Officer for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reia.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Australia</a>.
 
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jake-cSmGT7VXVf

First-home buyers left out as residential market improves: Evgeniya Hawthorne

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Western Australia has followed the example of the other states by incentivising first-home buyers if they choose to buy a new home over an established home.
In the state budget released yesterday, treasurer Troy Buswell announced that from September 15 FHBs that purchase new homes will be eligible for a $10,000 first-home owner grant while those who purchase an existing home will only get $3,000.
This means that first-home buyers wanting to purchase an existing home have just over a month to access the existing $7,000 grant.
At the same time, those FHBs considering buying a new home may delay their purchase until after September 15 to take advantage of the bigger incentive.
NSW, Queensland and South Australia offer a $15,000 grant for FHBs building or buying a new home and Victoria offers $10,000 for those who buy or build a new home.
From September 1 first-home buyers in the ACT will receive $12,500 if they buy or build a new home or buy one that has been substantially renovated.
From July 1 2014 Tasmania will offer the $7,000 first-home owners grant for new home purchases only.
The Northern Territory offers a first-home owner grant for both new and established homes providing $12 000 if the home is an established home in the urban area or $25,000 everywhere else. 
Also as part of WA’s Housing Supply Package - designed to increase the supply of housing in a state, which has the fastest growing population - the state government intends to expand the number of affordable rental properties by committing an additional $47.8million for an extra 1,000 homes under the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS).
It will also aim to streamline residential planning and building approvals processes to ensure the supply of new housing is not held up in red tape.
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

WA bumps up first-home owner grant to $10,000 for new homes

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What will it take for the real estate industry to be satisfied? 
   It’s doubtful there’s been a time in the past 10 years when the industry has had it this good.   Interest rates at historic lows, sales volumes rising, housing finance increasing month by month, building approvals trending strongly upwards, grants and stamp duty concessions to people building new homes, affordability the best it’s been since 2003 and confidence rising – it’s an almost perfect set of parameters for service providers to make money.   But the industry is still complaining. I say that with a sense of disbelief that a sector with so much in its favour still thinks it has legitimate complaints.   The welfare mentality in the industry borders on the pathetic.   I didn’t think anyone could challenge the Housing Industry Association as the greatest malcontents in real estate, but the Real Estate Institute of Australia is giving it a good try.   Interest rates are the best they’ve ever been but the REIA is demanding more cuts from the Reserve Bank.   There are a couple of issues I have with that. One is that the boffins at the institute clearly think interest rates are the dominant influence on property markets. All the available research contradicts that notion. Rates are a factor, but only one of many. There have been many periods in the past 50 years when markets have thrived in a high rates environment and others where low rates have failed to stimulate activity.   Another issue if that the REIA leadership apparently believes that the key consideration for RBA board members in making interest rates decisions is the wellbeing of the real estate industry. I doubt the RBA gives more than a moment’s thought to hard-luck stories from real estate agents. They have far greater considerations to ponder than the trading of houses and apartments.   But the bottom line is that we’ve never been so well off when it comes to housing finance. Not only is the official rate extremely low, but multiple lenders are competing to provide attracting mortgage products.   Another recent REIA press release complained that first-home buyers need more encouragement. They already have plenty of help and it’s really up to individuals to take action. It’s probably not going to get any better than this.   The real estate industry has shot itself in the foot, the other foot and both hands, with its constant stream of negative comments about affordability and the alleged plight of first-home buyers.   The HIA (which greeted the news that building approvals are up 28% in the past year with yet another negative press statement) has led the way, with Master Builders Australia and the REIA close behind.   The theme of their messages, gleefully regurgitated by the media, is that young people just can’t afford to buy homes. And potential first-home buyers appear to have accepted that as fact, without even giving it a try.   The reality, as demonstrated by ABS, is that housing costs (as a portion of household income) are no higher today than in 1995. And housing affordability now is the best it’s been in 10 years, according to the quarterly report published by the REIA itself.   The main thing holding back first-home buyers is the perception that it’s all beyond their reach. And for that, the industry only has itself to blame.   The ingrates of real estate should stop pleading for handouts and start taking advantage of the best market conditions in 10 years. 

<hr>
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" rel="nofollow">hotspotting.com.au</a> and you can contact Terry via <a href="https://mailto:%20ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email</a> or on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. 
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Real estate industry only has itself to blame for holding back first-home buyers: Terry Ryder

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Our Friday poll found that the majority of respondents are looking to purchase in the $300,000 to $400,000 bracket, further suggesting that they may be pushing up against first home buyers.
With 26.9% of readers pointing to the $300,000 to $400,000 bracket, and 62.7% looking to purchase under $500,000 in total, it looks like investors will be driving the affordable bracket.
<img alt="poll-results-sept-23" height="320" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/09/23/poll-results-sept-23.jpg">
With investors pouring into the market, and talks of prices rising substantially in some capitals, it’s no wonder that first time buyers are starting to feel the heat.
Of course, there are two waves of thought here. One goes along the lines of ‘get in now before everything jumps in value and prices you out’, while another perspective is ‘wait until there isn’t any competition in the market’.
Similarly, if you’re sitting on a 5% deposit, then the temptation to hold off of entering can be strong.
In fact, investors have <a href="/news">recently been blamed for first home buyer woes</a>, and SQM Research announced that<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/finance/first-home-buyers-priced-out-of-the-market/2013092265179?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news" target="_blank"> first time buyers are already getting priced out</a> of the market.
All this comes at a time when markets are heating up.
 
{module Should first time buyers be holding off or jumping into the market now?}
 
 
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Should first time buyers purchase now?

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Housing affordability is at its best in 10 years, but first home buyer activity is low.
The relatively low level of buying by first timers has enabled some to claim that there is a lack of affordability, never mind the official data.
So often in real estate, observers add one and one together and come up with seven. People with a bee in their bonnet about an issue seldom dig any deeper than the surface to find what really lies beneath.
So the industry is resplendent with simplistic analysis in which myths – such as elections cause markets to stall (the pre-election rise of markets around Australia this year suggests otherwise), interest rates dictate market movements (there’s no historic basis for that), we have a housing shortage crisis  (the REIA’s city average vacancy rate of 3% and the lack of rental growth suggests we don’t) and young people can’t afford to buy – become accepted as facts.
Many surveys have been conducted on the activity or otherwise of potential first home buyers. A recent survey by RAMS showed most thought this was a very good time to buy - but most did not intend to buy.
Therein lies the clue as to why first home buyers are not exploiting strong buying conditions. It’s all about attitudes and priorities.
Many younger Australians say they have priorities other than home ownership. They want to travel, own expensive gadgets and have a nice lifestyle in their location of choice, in preference to taking on a mortgage in a less desirable location.
Others do want to own a home but they want their dream home in a premium location as a first purchase. That’s never has been achievable and probably never will be.
First home ownership demands sacrifice and compromise and the new generations are less willing to do that.
Buying a first home has never been easy, but in many ways it’s easier today than before. When I bought my first home, there were no government grants or concessions, you needed a 20% deposit and the only borrowing option was the institution you’d saved with for several years.
That first home was a shack in a downmarket suburb 90 minutes from the CBD. It was all about compromise to get on the lowest rung of the ladder. But ugly real estate grows in value, often faster than luxury property, and two years later I was able to sell the shack for a healthy gain and buy something better, much closer to my inner-city job.
I achieved something approaching my dream home on my sixth purchase.
Those who want the dream home as a first purchase are kidding themselves.
Some newspaper articles are declaring that we have a “generation rent”, people doomed to a lifetime of renting. That’s only true for those unwilling to prioritise home ownership and make the necessary compromises. It seems many young Australians prefer to rent and have the lifestyle they prefer. That’s fine, if that’s their choice, but stop telling us you can’t afford to buy.
For those willing to stop complaining and start acting, there is so much in your favour – a high level of affordability, attractive loan options from competing lenders, a leg up from government and rising markets to create equity in the future.

<hr>
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 14px;">hotspotting.com.au</a> and you can contact Terry via <a target="_blank" href="https://mailto:%20ryder@hotspotting.com.au">email</a> or on <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" style="font-size: 14px;">Twitter</a>.
 
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Sacrifice and compromise, the reality of first home ownership: Terry Ryder

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In recent years, some Australians have adopted an interesting strategy of being a ‘renter-investor’. I’ve written about this previously, and it is a trend I have kept an eye on ever since.
They will actually not buy a home to begin with,  instead saving their deposit money for a property that will become an investment from day one. They will then rent for the duration of this. There are several situations or reasons why some people may opt for investment ownership instead of home ownership:
- Perhaps home ownership in the desired suburbs or areas where they most enjoy the lifestyle is too cost prohibitive to be a home owner.
- They may be a younger aspiring investor and be in a situation where they can continue to live at home with parents or relatives, rent-free, enabling them to poor their savings entirely and quickly into pure investment.
- Transient lifestyles. Those in military or international business jobs may not value home ownership much at all, as their lifestyle involves lots of travel or placement in other states and countries.
- Some investors may not see the value in home ownership in Australia. For some investors, the ongoing burden of a large mortgage may not seem to be the best use of their savings dollars.
The other option for renter-investors is to begin their investment career as a home owner, which is how I started out. Renter-investors will usually do this to qualify for any government grants, exemptions, or benefits offered to first home buyers, and then live in the property for the minimum time required. This is usually around six months. These investors will then move out of the property and into a rental property. This strategy works works well for people who:
- Cannot save enough of a deposit for the home where they want to live, but wish to invest for several years to help them eventually afford to buy a home in the area they wish to live.
- For those investors looking to maximise the initial cash-flow when first buying, via accessing government grants that are paid at time of settlement. This can enable these investors to move quicker into the purchase of investment property num,ber two.
- Those who are comfortable and flexible enough to live in a temporary home for six-12 months in an area that perhaps is not their dream area, but can view it as a necessary stepping stone to move into their desired area.
In fact, another emerging trend that goes part and parcel with the above strategy is to use home ownership as a temporary springboard into an investor life,all the while retaining a capital gain tax (CGT) exemption on one of the properties you own.
How does it work?
It goes something like this:
-          An aspiring investor will purchase their first home in whatever investment area they can afford, and through their due diligence represents solid rental return and/or capital gain potential.
-          This area probably won’t be in their desired dream suburb or where they see themselves living for a long time.
-          They then live in this property for the first six months or as long as is needed to qualify for any grants or stamp duty concessions/exemptions that are on offer by federal or state governments at the time.
-          Then, the investor will move out of their home into a rental property in the area they actually want and desire to move to, and convert their home into an investment property.
-          The investor can now continue to rent for many years and use any growth achieved in their home property as a springboard to purchase their next investment property.
-          For future CGT minimisation purposes, the investor may move back into the home property in year five or six of ownership, perhaps also doing a mild renovation whilst living there again, before moving back out again and re-renting it out.
The advantage of using this strategy, as opposed to just starting as an investor from the outset, is that the investor gets to maintain a CGT exempt ‘haven’ which will help when selling the property in the future. This is a very simplistic approach, and it gets more complex as you grow a portfolio.
It is best to consult with a professional accountant and the ATO when considering a tax-minimisation strategy across a portfolio of properties. The very general rule of thumb though, is that the ATO will only allow you to claim one residence as your principal place of residence (PPR – otherwise known as your ‘home’) for tax purposes. So as some investors grow a portfolio of multiple, even dozens, of properties, and they continue to rent elsewhere, they will usually find ways to nominate the highest-value property in their portfolio as their PPR for taxation purposes.
Renting where you want to live, whilst investing where you can afford at the time, really is a strategy that can work for young and newly-starting investors. It offers the best of both worlds; enjoying the lifestyle of the area you want to live in, whilst establishing your investment career on the property ladder, at an earlier age and time in your life. This of course is ideal, because the the earlier you can make your start on the investment property ladder, the more chance you’ll have to acquire more properties and see them grow, through to retirement age.
 
<hr>
 Cameron McEvoy is a NSW-based property investor and maintains a blog, <a href="https://www.propertycorrespondent.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Property Correspondent.</a>
 
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Buying where you can afford while renting where you want to live: Cameron McEvoy

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A number of young (and the not so young) homebuyers will have stopped looking for their dream home in the last few weeks.
This could be a bad situation (for them).
In fact it could well have been a completely counterproductive action if at any stage, in the future, they want to own a family home.
I bought my first home in 1985. Since then I have bought over a 1000 homes and never have I once purchased a home by not giving it my all.
Waiting never works
Never have I seen a friend or a client be in a better position by waiting out of the market for any length of time. Please don’t confuse this statement with passing on buying the wrong home and then continuing to look for the right one.
There are good and bad homes for each and every one of us. Don’t rush (there is no rush, even now). However you won’t find the good homes by not looking.
A number of younger buyers will have been turned off by media talk, Facebook interactions and discussions at work or home.
There is a lot of talk that we are in a bubble and by implication the bubble will burst, home prices will drop dramatically and bargains will miraculously appear.
We at James do not see that – not over the longer term anyway, not unless the population changes dramatically.
To stop the home search, to give up, to lose focus is WRONG, an untruth , a false perception IF your longer term happiness is tied to being in a family situation where you, or you and your partner control your destiny – eg you live in your own home.
Markets will continue to rise in the longer term
No easing of the market will assist you to any noticeable degree.
We did see the effects of the worst financial markets correction since the Great Depression in 2008, the market has bounced back and now much farther ahead than it was in 2007, 2008 or 2009. If you are viewing a home over a “lifetime” investment horizon, there will be bumps, but it will be a strong long term proposition.
Over time the market will/must continue to rise whilst there is population growth.
It’s simple demand and supply. Infrastructure Australia released their report two weeks ago and in it they have projected a 45% increase in population in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth over the next 15 years.  If that isn’t reassurance of continuing property demand, I don’t know what is. 
The government cannot and will not “save” you, the young homebuyers. 
The only thing that will “save” you, the young homebuyer, is you (and if you are lucky – good parents).
So, Mr. Hockey might have been clumsy in his words, but his message had some truth.
Perhaps I am being generous, but one of the more helpful statements this last week seemed to be the most controversial.
If you want to buy a good home, get a job that pays. This, in my opinion, was one of the few accurate and helpful comments of this last week – if buying a good home is your main priority.
BUT please, there is more to this than getting a good job. A number of young doctors feel they can’t buy their first home and they have what society deems is a good job.
As a young home buyer, please don’t get caught up in the minutiae or the politics.
Mr Hockey’s statement is a helpful pointer if you take it as meaning:
<ol>
<li>Take action yourself</li>
<li>Get the resources you need to get a home</li>
</ol>
You as young home buyers need to act and take it upon yourselves to control your own destiny.
Theories do not put a roof over your head, practical solutions do
House affordability is a theoretical problem.
Effective house buying is a practical solution.
Your choice as a young homebuyer is to be caught up in the problems – good dinner party chatter or caught up in the solutions, which will put a roof over your family’s head and more importantly build long term security for your family.
First the problems and then we put the VIOLIN away and discuss solutions.
Negative Gearers
As a young home buyer you face negative gearers (AND super funds AND other investment vehicles as well).
If you are looking at an $800,000 home and you are competing against a negative gearer, then a negative gearer can borrow all the money they need and can pay well over $2,000,000 for that same $800,000 home and it will still COST LESS to service than what it would for you pay for your mortgage, even assuming you had a 20% deposit.
<a href="https://marketnews.com.au/2015/06/young-homebuyers-issues-solutions/slide1yhb/" rel="attachment wp-att-50829"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-50829" src="https://marketnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Slide1YHB-597x422.jpg" alt="Slide1YHB" width="597" height="422"></a>
The argument that negative gearing and super funds increase rentals is true, but its also BALONEY for you because with SMART BABY BOOMER INVESTORS it increases rentals at the cost of young home buyers buying a home.
So lets get rid of negative gearing, super funds OK. 
Maybe, but please not in a hurry, without thinking it through.
We buy a number of homes for parents who have been reading our blogs for the last decade. If the government or the opposition got rid of negative gearing, then in many cases, all they would be doing, is making it easier for overseas buyers to purchase the stock that you are hoping will be freed up for younger people.
I have teenage children and I need the firepower negative gearing gives me to maintain and buy homes against overseas buyers. I represent many parents and they need the firepower negative gearing gives them to maintain and buy homes against overseas investors.
So do you really think the government is going to alienate the baby boomers. In theory yes, but in practice, I’m not so sure. They may water down negative gearing. However, as you can see from the above maths watering down will have limited effect, as the gap is so great.
Many parents need negative gearing or super funds to compete against Chinese buyers and other overseas buyers and are doing so right now. We know as we are buying for parents.
If the government removed negative gearing, super funds they could suffer a tremendous backlash from many people (with resources) because they would take away a significant tool in competing on the international stage for buying Inner Melbourne Homes for their children.
Possible Solution Number One is to get your parents involved NOW.
If we were talking to Grade 6’s about home buying, the main message we would be telling them is get Mum and Dad out there now looking for a good home for you to rent off them when you’re 30. Of course I would be adding in make sure Mum and Dad know the difference between a good and a bad family home to buy for you.
If you cant beat them, join them. Maybe DON’T hate negative gearing, USE IT.
PROPERTY ORPHANS (no helpful parents) STILL want and need negative gearing, otherwise you will get beaten up by OTHER BUYERS.
Here are some clues (but please talk to us about what to buy, most apartments ARE NOT the things to negative gear).
Possible Solution Number Two: Buy a GOOD home NOW and negative gear with a tenant, then move in when you can afford it.
Possible Solution Number Three: Bit more adventurous – buy a GOOD home and get a friend to buy a GOOD home and use negative gearing, possibly with a solicitor and a formal/informal agreement to live in each other’s homes. Your main purpose is not to avoid tax; your main purpose is to provide shelter, to afford a home. The lessening of your tax allows you to compete against other local and overseas buyers. I would still get some legal advice on this type of set up, just in case.
BUT please this is not the whole solution in itself. This is part thereof, of you taking charge and getting negative gearing to help you, not hurt you.
Overseas Buyers
If not Chinese buyers, then Indian buyers, Brazilian buyers, and Indonesian buyers and so on will be competing on the homes you want to buy.
Overseas buying is unlikely to stop in a hurry as all political parties want population growth and they want it from rich overseas people.
Whether that is right or wrong is not for us to say – but Overseas bidding particularly from China dominates the Inner Melbourne Market – even where Chinese people are not bidding.
Overseas buyers have more money to spend on an $800,000 home than you, particularly while the A$ is as it is.
Lets say in 2010 you as a young person decided to save for a deposit on a then $700,000 home. You were looking to save $140,000 deposit. During this time the main issue IS NOT that your $700,000 has gone to $800,000 or $900,000 but that the Australian dollar has dropped and you are in an international market.
The couple in Beijing who were also saving in 2010, but were saving in US dollars have now effectively $210,000 AUS as a deposit and can fund a $1,000,000 purchase simply because of the exchange rate changes. A 50% drop in the AUS $ vs. US$ in the last 5 years.
So for that $700,000 home now worth $800,000 the overseas buyers could bid to $1,000,000 with the same savings since 2010 as you.
<a href="https://marketnews.com.au/2015/06/young-homebuyers-issues-solutions/slide2yhb/" rel="attachment wp-att-50828"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-50828" src="https://marketnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Slide2YHB-597x422.jpg" alt="Slide2YHB" width="597" height="422"></a>
That’s only one part of the equation, there are many Chinese and other international families who don’t need to borrow – they are $800,000 to $8,000,000 cash buyers. As we said recently there are over 2,000,000 millionaire Chinese families looking for homes.
Let’s stop Overseas Buyers from taking our kids homes is the under the breath comment at many dinner parties.
OK how? The FIRB Act (designed to limit overseas investment) is as effective as Airline security – meaning if people want to do it, then they will do it – if they have been allowed to get to the threshold stage.
And besides that, will stopping overseas buyers actually help or hurt you in your quest for a good home in Inner Melbourne close to transport, shops, work, friends and schools?
Think about it, overseas buying has positives.
Chinese buying saved Melbourne property in 2009 from experiencing what almost every other country experienced – a significant and sustained property downturn.
Do you really want to stop Chinese buyers? Do you want a 20 year flattish property market like Japan – which has zero population growth and zero immigration?
And its not just the money – Chinese families have a lot to offer us through their older and more modern cultures.
Maybe we want to be like Japan and shut our borders or Canada who has partially shut them to Chinese buyers.
As a community we will all have to make that decision through our politicians.
I’m not so sure any total lockdown is the way to go. Perhaps a focus into regional areas may be a better alternative – maybe not – it needs discussion and then action, rather than knee jerk reactions.
What is true is overseas bidding particularly from China dominates the Inner Melbourne Market – even where Chinese people are not bidding.
However we have had Chinese buying for 40 years, just never at this level of intensity.
But can you and your children wait? They may have gone from 6 to 16, or 16 to 26, or 26 to 36 while discussions are happening and your children need a home sooner than that.
Real Estate Agents and Buyer Advocates
Agents and advocates are ruining it for young people by pushing the prices up.
Good selling agents do push prices up and bad buyer advocates can hurt young homebuyers with their incompetence. But the real truth is us agents/advocates are not that good – we can’t control markets.
It’s demand and supply that controls markets.
Demand is from population, with wealthy immigration being the main driver; and supply is very restricted on most Inner Melbourne Homes with good position and good land.
So while agents are often their own worst enemy (with regards to their quoting and some tactics), they are not the reason why young homebuyers can’t buy a home to live in.
If we stopped everything
Ok, so lets say in your perfect world we’ve got rid of the Chinese buyers, got rid of the Negative gearers, banned Super Funds from buying homes, stopped immigration and yada yada yada.
Where would that leave you – does that mean you can automatically buy a home much more easily?
Not necessarily.
Wounded Underbidders
Have you been to auctions in the Inner North for instance – you know the single-fronters in need of a reno – the ones you can almost afford?
Are you just competing against negative gearers, super funders and families from Asia?
Well no – you are also competing against WOUNDED UNDERBIDDERS – that is other buyers who have bid before. They have come from Inner Melbourne organic population increases via Inner Melbourne births and Australian intra-migration from Outer Melbourne and Regional wealthier homebuyers wanting to be closer to schools and infrastructure that works.
NOW they are better resourced than you. By better resourced we mean they:
<ol>
<li>Have a clearer focus</li>
<li>Have a buyer advocate or other property professional</li>
<li>Have done greater research and so on – eg they may have a more competitive interest rate – every dollar counts!</li>
</ol>
CONCLUSION TO ISSUES for YOUNG HOMEBUYERS
If the government or the army or the media or …….. were somehow able to:
<ul>
<li>Stop the overseas buyers coming</li>
<li>Stop negative gearing and super funds and ….</li>
<li>Stop other locals competing against you</li>
</ul>
and all the while:
<ul>
<li>Kept the economy buoyant</li>
<li>So you can keep a job and</li>
<li>Kept the developers actually building new homes in a negative economic environment.</li>
</ul>
Where would you be?
Do you really want to buy you first home in Whoop Whoop West and live in a country with a 20 year property market like Japan – which gave you almost no hope of a few good property moves that saw you end up in Hawthorn – near schools in a nice home for not much else than three good decisions?
Me personally – I want a gently rising market for my children 
And I want them to learn how to use the rising Melbourne market to their advantage.
Don’t give up – don’t whine about negative gearing and Chinese buyers, learn to deal with them and get into the property mix.
But please get into the property mix sooner rather than later
Because once you are in, then if you make good decisions and buy well, the market will work for you.
Example: We have bought for families who have moved from $480,000 in Albert Park in 2000 to $880,000 in Sandy in 2005 to $2,000,000 in Bayside in 2015 all with manageable changeover costs. Look at the number $480,000 – isn’t that what you have now?
How do you do that, how do you use this market to your advantage?
The four solution keys
<ol>
<li>Good plan</li>
<li>Good professional assistance </li>
<li>Good processes</li>
<li>Good decisions</li>
</ol>
Its all about NOW plus the LONGER TERM, not just the NOW.
Now for young people and by that we mean anybody under say 45, this article may appear lacking in empathy. 
All I can say is I have teenage children and I totally, totally share the concerns re home affordability, BUT………… I share my/our credentials to be able to say what we are saying.
My family has bought two of the needed three homes for our children and we are still paying off those mortgages, just as many other families are. We have used negative gearing. We needed it. Our children are 20,16 and 14. I/we have significant fears that if we had not been working towards this goal our children would have had significant housing problems that would impact negatively on their lives (and that still may happen).
Our family and James Buyer Advocates has been substantial supporters since 2006 of Hanover’s for the Homeless Private Rental Brokerage programme. The work of Hanover has allowed us to see first hand the hundreds and hundreds of families who sleep rough every night because they cannot afford decent housing.
I am a professional buyer advocate, have bought over a 1000 homes and see the current housing affordability situation affecting not only young first homebuyers, but many other people as well. The only generation that has done well from all this is the baby boomers (my generation). In my humble opinion, we as a generation, need to do a hellava lot more in giving back in a meaningful way to help those that follow us; rather than leave some sort of scorched landscape as we depart planet Earth (sorry about the soapbox).
Mal writes weekly auction reports, advice and in-depth market analysis on <a href="https://www.jamesbuyeradvocates.com.au/" target="_blank">James' website</a>.
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Attitude and help gets young people into the market: Mal James

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I’m struggling to find a time when the bureaucrats and politicians struggled as much as they presently are when trying to define what exactly is happening to the Sydney property markets – please note that I have used plural as against the popular and misrepresented singular definition.
Australia’s head cashier Joe Hockey is having an absolute shocker given he hails from a family that has a rich real estate heritage. For example, last week he stated that more houses were needed to fix the home affordability issue. “I like many others, if you have a home, if you’re already there with a mortgage; you wonder how your children are going to get into it.” Well Joe, for starters I would immediately slash the foreign buying policy where you allow 100% of all new housing developments to be sold offshore to foreign buyers.
Then one week later announced that he “totally understands” housing in Sydney and Melbourne is expensive and advised first home buyers to “get a good job that pays good money. ”If you go back 10 years first home buyers represented 10% of the overall market – today they are struggling to record a 5% market participation. The Sydney and Melbourne property markets are overwhelmingly being driven by property investors and foreign buyers.
The real truth of the matter is that the Coalition and ALP don’t care about the buyers, or where they come from for that matter, this is all about strengthening the economy where real estate is now doing all the heavy lifting. The crux of the matter is that the property sector now contributes more to Australian gross domestic product (GDP) than mining. The property sector is estimated to generate 11.5% of GDP, employs 1.1 million Australians and pays $72.1 billion in state, federal and local real estate taxes each year.
Then we have Australia’s head teller Glenn Stevens pointing at another rate cut due to a weak economy given that the Australian economy is now weaker than forecast two years ago. In 2013 the projection was that the economy would be growing at a rate of 2.5% to 4% although by mid-2015 it will be lucky to post a growth rate of 2.5%. Stevens also commented this week that he is concerned about Sydney’s booming house prices – you see he used the term house although houses in certain parts of Sydney are not doing that well when compared to apartments.
Our research division has been recording some interesting Mosman ‘house’ sales.
<ul>
<li>Stanley Avenue Mosman sold in 2010 for $12.000 and resold in 2015 for $12.300</li>
<li>Coronation Avenue Mosman sold in 2012 for $4.200 and resold in 2015 for $4.125</li>
<li>Botanic Road Mosman sold in 2013 for $2.750 and resold in 2014 for $2.550</li>
<li>Parriwi Road (apartment) sold in 2010 for $1.050 and resold in 2014 for $1.010</li>
<li>Parriwi Road (apartment) sold in 2010 for $2.250 and resold in 2014 for $2.150</li>
<li>Bradleys Head Road sold in 2007 for $5.400 and resold in 2015 for $5.100</li>
<li>Raglan Street Mosman sold in 2006 for $4.500 and resold in 2015 for $4.750</li>
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The problem is purely that house prices are bundled as against separating houses from apartments and investors from owner occupiers. Let’s not start on what part the foreign buyers play in this equation given nobody has really bothered to measure this participation rate but I would add that it’s huge and much, much higher than the federal government ever envisaged (when they do get around to looking).
Glenn Stevens was using the HSBC research that found Australian house prices had risen 24 per cent in the past three years, though the gains had been mostly confined to Sydney and Melbourne – so why then call this Australian house prices? Sydney had jumped 39 per cent and Melbourne prices were up 22 per cent bringing the average price growth for the rest of the country at 10 per cent.
The real problem Australia is facing is getting the economy stimulated and thus far all the monetary measures have been a dismal failure. Yet again, the problem is contained directly in Canberra and the refusal to implement reform so on that basis I can see where Glenn Stevens is coming from.
Cast your mind back to 2008 when Ken Henry presented the Henry Tax Review (the Rudd government held on to it until 2010) – we need to remember what Ken Henry said at the time “Ken Henry warns of looming taxation crisis”, and said that need to change is urgent. In 2014, he warned that the Abbott government urgently needs a tax and welfare package to head off an imminent budget crisis.
Well we have a budget crisis and no tax reform and as Ken Henry put it “there will be a day of reckoning.” One only has to ask a simple question – where would the Australian economy be today had the Henry Tax Review been implemented?
So what we have is politicians only interested in re – election so any thought of reform is immediately removed until we get hit with a major economic downturn. The Henry Tax Review was designed to drive the economy and therefore minimise the likelihood of another economic downturn as experienced with the Global Financial Crisis. Governments don’t pay payroll tax however if you asked businesses what they would do with the savings if it were to be abolished – you would see a much different Australian economy than we are seeing presently.
<h5>MOSMAN – 2088</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 85
• Number of houses on the market last week – 61
• Number of houses on the market this week – 55
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 66
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 38
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 41
<h5>CREMORNE – 2090</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 8
• Number of houses on the market last week – 6
• Number of houses on the market this week – 7
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 9
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 13
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 11
<h5>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h5>
* Number of houses on the market this time last year – 5
• Number of houses on the market last week – 5
• Number of houses on the market this week – 3
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year– 46
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 23
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 29
 
ROBERT SIMEON is a director of <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">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 href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000. 
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It’s about the economy not the property buyers: Robert Simeon

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 I read with interest this week that the office block at Sydney's 175 Liverpool was sold off to a Chinese property group.
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<div>As good a time as any, then, to have a quick look at some Chinese investment trends.</div>
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<div>Doug Ferguson of KPMG and Professor Hans Hendrischke of the University of Sydney have teamed up with Knight Frank to produce an excellent and enlightening summary report on this very subject, entitled <a href="https://demystifyingchina.com.au/reports/demystifying-chinese-investment-2015.pdf" target="_blank">Demystifying China</a>.</div>
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<div>It's well worth a read. </div>
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<div>Below are just a few of their key findings.</div>
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<div>Trend 1 - Commercial real estate investment quadruples</div>
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<div>In 2014, Chinese overseas investment in Australia was largely focused on commercial real estate at 46% of the total ($4.4 billion), with mining now accounting for just 11% $992 million)</div>
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<div>Chinese investment in commercial real estate nearly quadrupled in only one year to $4.37 billion.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/06/22/China1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div><img src="/images/2015/06/22/China1.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div>A few of the larger investments in 2014 included the Hoyts Group, the Port of Newcastle, the Sheraton on the Park and the flagship Gold Field House at Sydney's 1 Albert.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/06/22/China2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div>These trends are only set to continue as the threshold for outbound investment was raised tenfold from US$100 million to US$1 billion in October.</div>
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<div>Incredibly, the report notes that the total assets of China's insurance industry doubled in the past 5 years to RMB 9.6 trillion (US$ 1.6 trillion).</div>
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<div>Investment is now rotating away from mining and resources and into real estate.</div>
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<div>This stunning graphic puts into context just how serious Chinese investment is in the "gateway cities" of Sydney and Melbourne.</div>
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<div>Not that these figures exclude residential property. </div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/06/22/CHina3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div><img src="/images/2015/06/22/CHina3.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div>The report found that Brisbane and the Gold Coast are beginning to capture more Chinese residential developer interest, in particular around Brisbane's Newstead and Fortitude Valley (I live there, and yes that is definitely the case).</div>
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<div>Here is a list of some of the key properties bought by Chinese investors in the 15 months to March 2015.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/06/22/China4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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The trend is only set to continue, if not accelerate. Trend 2 - Currency play <div>Purchasing power for Chinese capital against the Australian dollar has increased massively over the past decade, which only encourages further investment.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/06/22/China5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div><img src="/images/2015/06/22/China5.jpg" alt=""></div>
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Trend 3 - A New South Wales focus It is interesting to note that a massive 72 per cent of Chinese investment hits New South Wales.
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<div><a href="/images/2015/06/22/China6.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div>Australia is encouraging further Chinese investment with the Significant Investor Visa (SIV, A$ 5 million) now being refined with a Premium Investor Visa (PIV, $15 million) offering a more expeditious route to Australian permanent residency within 12 months for ultra-high net worth individuals.</div>
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PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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