Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<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" />
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.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

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.

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.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

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.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"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."

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

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

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

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

<html><body>
Every six months, the Property Council of Australia (PCA) conducts a nationwide survey on the state of the office market around the country.
The accompanying graph will give you a quick snapshot of where things currently stand.
However, even the commercial property market has been subject to the influences of the much talked about "two-speed economy".
Across the country, around 290,000 square metres of space was occupied over the six months to June. That means there has now been an above-average absorption for the last three years.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/langaug20.jpg">
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.afr.com/">Australian Financial Review</a>
And that has caused the national vacancy rate to fall slightly to 7.8%.
According to PCA chief Peter Verwer, although demand is 50% above the 20-year average, three-quarters of the CBD absorption took place in Perth and Brisbane.
You only need to look at the graph showing rental movements to see the effect the mining sector is having upon tenant demand.
Traditionally, Sydney has always had the highest prime net rentals of all capital cities.
But this changed in 2007, as a result of the mining boom.
What you should observe the lack of underlying depth and fragile nature of the Perth and Brisbane markets following the effects of the GFC, from 2008 to 2011. And only now is Perth beginning to head back up at a cracking pace.
You'll also notice that Sydney's rentals only fell marginally over the same period, due to the rather large proportion of financial sector tenants it houses.
Rentals in Melbourne and Adelaide continued to increase slowly — despite the impact of the GFC.
The state of play
Over the first half of this year, Sydney has seen an improvement in tenant demand, together with significant office space being withdrawn from the market.
Despite the relatively low vacancy rate in Melbourne, tenants seem a little cautious about business conditions. And some are preferring short-term lease extensions to long-term commitments.
The vacancy rate in Perth actually rose over the past six months, with new space coming onto the market. But that will immediately be absorbed due to strong tenant demand.
Over 80,000 square metres of space has been added to the Brisbane market, which also pushed up its vacancy rate; and a further 50,000 square metres is due for completion next year. Even so, tenant demand remains strong.
An uncertain future for the Olympic Dam project and new space coming on stream will help to keep the Adelaide market somewhat subdued.
Meanwhile, Canberra will continue to suffer from federal government cutbacks and the consequent reduction in its public service space requirements.
Bottom line: You be the judge!
The Perth and Brisbane office markets will provide you with one hell of a ride — so long as you know exactly when to get off.
Whereas, Sydney and Melbourne will simply give you predictable growth — with less excitement, but also far less anxiety.
Right now, commercial property is offering something for every investor.
</body></html>

chrislang-EQKojcgJPV

Which commercial property market you should invest in right now

<html><body>
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/52k.gif">
The estimated gross annual rent that national leather and vinyl products restoration company The Leather Doctor will pay to lease a warehouse/office complex in the industrial precinct of Molendinar on the Gold Coast. The company has leased 9/6-8 Enterprise Street, Molendinar, as its headquarters in a deal negotiated by Steve Macgregor of Ray White Industrial Gold Coast. The property has over 500 square metres of warehouse area and 80 square metres of office space.
 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/181k.gif">
The estimated net annual rent that international supply chain/logistics solutions supplier Tomax Logisitics will pay to lease warehouse space at Noble Park in Melbourne’s south-east. The 215 Browns Rd facility comprises a 3,600-square-metre warehouse space on a 10,000-square-metre site with drive-around facility and dual access points. The deal was brokered by Savills Notting Hill office director Lynton Williams. The lessor is a Melbourne-based private investor. 
 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/260plus.gif">
The annual rents per square metre being achieved at 574 St Kilda Road, which is now 100% leased after BIC Australia chose the Juilliard Group’s building for its new Australian office headquarters.  BIC Australia has leased the whole of Level 4 at 574 St Kilda Road in a deal that includes building signage rights. The company will occupy 916 square metres of office space previously home to global IT company Unisys on a 10-year lease commencing on October 15.  Ben McKendry, Colliers International associate director of office leasing, negotiated the deal.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/48k.gif">
 The annual rent plus GST that Epic Recruitment will pay to lease a 272-square-metre commercial unit on the Gold Coast for three years with a three-year option. Rent will increase by 4% each year as part of deal negotiated by James Crawford of Colliers International. The leasing deal was struck before a sales contract for the property at 2/12 Millaroo – also negotiated by Crawford – had a chance to settle. The buyer paid $455,000 plus GST for the commercial unit. It was part of a portfolio of 15 properties Crawford sold for a total of more than $8 million at Helensvale and Oxenford on the Gold Coast on behalf of vendor Victorian-based investor Torlu.
 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/400k.gif">
The net annual rental industry sources estimate global hearing solutions company Bernafon Australia Pty Ltd will pay to lease a warehouse/office complex at Nundah on Brisbane’s northside. The 6,745-square-metre site at Lot 4/629 Nudgee Road, Nundah, was secured in a deal negotiated by Ray White Industrial Milton principal Paul Anderson. Bernafon Australia (a subsidiary of Swiss-based Bernafon) currently employs more than 100 staff and has been manufacturing and distributing in excess of 1 million hearing devices in Brisbane for the hearing-impaired community in Australia over the last 20 years. Bernafon has taken out an eight-year lease with five renewal options of five years.
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/270to290.gif">
The net rental (per square metre) range that two recruitment firms will pay to lease office space at 17-21 Miles Street in Mulgrave in Melbourne's outer south-east. Drake Recruitment will occupy 240 square metres of office space at 17-21 Miles Street in Mulgrave on a five-year lease negotiated by Leah Baxter, Colliers International executive for office leasing. Another recruitment firm Mango Recruitment will move into 50 square metres on a three-year lease at the same address, also negotiated by Baxter.
</body></html>

lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Commercial leasing: The Leather Doctor takes space on the Gold Coast

<html><body>
Australian property market bear Steve Keen of the University of Western Sydney has taken the decision to monetise some of his views on economics and the housing market via a new website, Debunking Economics, which launches today.
For around $25 a month, subscribers to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.debunkingeconomics.com">www.debunkingeconomics.com</a> will be able to pose questions directly to Keen, including asking him about his views on house prices.
Keen remains adamant that house prices will fall by 40% from their peak in June 2010 over the next 10 to 15 years and believes that the days of rising property values are over.
"The decision to monetise is because the voluntary approach has been ineffective on Debtwatch [his free blog, which he will continue to run but with fewer posts] – some money has been raised, but far less than I've put of my own money into maintaining it over the years, and doing the travel that I needed to do to – firstly raise the alarm about the crisis, and now to push the need for a complete revision of economic theory," he tells Property Observer.
The website is named after Keen's 2001 book of the same title, which took aim at current economic theory and claimed that much of the “cherished notions” of conventional economics are based on reasoning that is internally inconsistent.
A revised and updated edition of Debunking Economics was published last year.
Keen will charge subscribers US$25 a month or US$250 for a 12-month subscription to the website with the promise of “exclusive audio-visual presentations, discussions and interviews about the contemporary economic scene”.
The launch of Keen's pay site follows investment blog MacroBusiness launching a new paid investment advice newsletter on July1, Macro Investor, published every Monday morning with an annual subscription of $479.
MacroBusiness contributors include former Treasury economist Leith van Onselen and David Llewellyn-Smith, a former Business Spectator commentator.
Keen is targeting "at least a thousand subscribers, hopefully more – though that will come far more from US and UK subscribers rather than Australia".
"I've been told that my blog is very widely read in the hedge fund community, and I hope they are a large part of the paying audience," he says.
Aside from access to exclusive content and analysis, subscribers will also be able to log onto interactive Q&amp;A web seminars with Keen and put questions to him directly and in person.
The seminars will be held on a fortnightly basis.
Other exclusive content will include weekly video interviews on both topical and background issues with  journalist  and former Telstra.com group manager Phil Dobbie, weekly lectures on economics from Keen's "decidely non-orthodox perspective", a regular "Sandpit", where new economic models are developed and explained and a  "chartpack" providing access to Keen's analytic charts developed over the years, with the data updated automatically.
Subscribers will also get a free e-copy of Debunking Economics as part of their subscription.
Keen is known beyond Australian borders, having provided economic commentary this year on UK and Irish television, and will embark on New Zealand seminar tour in September.
Most recently he told Peter Switzer on Sky Business that Australian house prices have fallen 10% in real terms (including inflation) since their peak in June 2010.
Keen also took the opportunity to clarify his famous call of a 40% fall in house prices:
He said he made the call in an unscripted response to a question from the ABC’s Kerry O’Brien in November 2007 following a rate rise (up 0.25% to 6.75%) and as the first signs of a US sub-prime mortgage crisis emerged.
“I said [in the interview with Kerry O’Brien] property prices have fallen 40% in Japan in the 10% to 15% since their bubble burst, and I see no reason why we should avoid the same fate," Keen told Switzer.
Keen says the first-home stimulus that was introduced by the government in September 2008 – the doubling of the first-home owners’ grant, which he calls the "first-home venders boost" – pushed back the clock on property price falls, but he remains adamant that prices will fall by 40% over the 10 to 15 years starting from the June 2010 peak.
Keen launched the Debt Watch website in 2006. It includes much of his research, commentary and links to his media appearances.
The website is based around Keen’s view that accelerating mortgage debt fuelled the rise in Australian house prices and that house prices are now falling as mortgage growth slows.
</body></html>

Property bear Steve Keen to launch $25 per month subscriber-only economics website with Q&A opportunity

<html><body>
There’s an old Jewish proverb that simply states “Ask about your neighbours, then buy the house.” It seems sensible enough advice. After all, even in prestigious zones, neighbours can make life heaven or hell, depending on how cordial the relationship is. Yet it seems even with due recognition of the importance of neighbours in daily life, Aussie home buyers spend more time watching the above-named television series than they do investigating a potential property and its neighbourhood surrounds.
A recent survey conducted by St George Bank suggests little more than an hour is spent inspecting a property prior to a home buyer happily signing on the dotted line. Consequently, over 55% of those surveyed reported experiencing problems once they’d moved in – problems ranging from plumbing complaints to insufficient parking, poor TV reception and unsurprisingly close to the top of the list: noisy neighbours.
To be fair, arranging a lengthy private inspection is not always possible due to work hours and family commitments. The majority of buyers are often restricted to weekend open for inspection times, during which the property is decked out in “show home” fashion, hiding the poor paint work or damp patch on the carpet with careful placement of furniture. This is why a building inspection is highly advisable even in the acquisition of new houses.
But what about the neighbours – how do you check the calibre of those living next door or within cooee down the street? It’s not an easy task, and there’s no fool-proof answer. However, from personal experience, spending time walking and assessing the local streets outside of work hours should uncover if there’s a yappy dog or would-be drummer residing close by. Knocking on doors, chatting to a resident while they’re putting out the bins, asking questions, checking if gardens are well attended and calling the council to assess if there are any proposed developments pending can all assist with risk management.
Of course, once you’re in the house, there’s nothing to stop new less than desirable neighbours moving in. However, if you’ve been careful and purchased into a neighbourhood predominantly attracting a similar demographic, the chance of a group of party-loving 20-year-olds renting in a family-oriented suburb should be reduced.
Another aspect affecting the type of neighbours buyers can adopt is the planning zone a residential property falls within. Purchasers are frequently unaware of the zoning around their property at the time of acquisition. They often assume they’re in a residential zone based on street appeal alone. However, business zones and industrial zones can look just as residential in their aspect and under current laws, should the council approve, unsuspecting owners can find themselves located next to a McDonald’s, factory, or worst still, an adult sex shop, rather than the dilapidated house situated there at time of purchase.
This is one reason banks are reluctant to lend on residential property in a business or industrial zones without a healthier-than-usual deposit – a matter that often catches the uneducated buyer off guard. However, all the checks in the world won’t protect a home owner if the movers and shakers in local or state government decide to meddle with current zoning laws – or for that matter, change them all together.
The primary purpose of zoning is to prevent over-development altering the character of a suburb or interfering detrimentally with residents and businesses residing there. Buy in a heritage-protected area, for example, and it’s unlikely you’ll end up with a tower block overshadowing the backyard. However, if you purchase a house situated in a business or capital city zone, it’s far more likely a high-rise monstrosity may be constructed next door.
Any change to a property’s zone can have significant consequences on the price and future potential it holds. In Perth, for example, large swathes of land have been re-zoned to allow for greater density in major activity centres. This could mean a house sitting on a block of land with the potential for a two-storey seven-metre-high development could easily become next month’s six-storey unit site! Obviously the affect it has on any area will advantage some and disadvantage others – but at the time of acquisition, none would have been the wiser.
Similar changes have been suggested in <a target="_blank" href="https://architectureinsights.com.au/events/green-paper-workshops/">Sydney</a> – and the Victorian government is also revising its zoning guidelines. Like Perth, the changes have the potential to affect individual property prices, not to mention the lifestyles of those unfortunate enough to draw the short straw. And the zoning alterations suggested in Melbourne are not by any means subtle. If you’ve ever been to a Melbourne auction and heard it spruiked in the preamble that the property to be sold is in the most desired “residential 1” zoning category, brace yourself! It’s all about to change.
As a brief rundown, the state government aims to delete the nine existing zones and merge them into five categories. Residential zone 1, 2 and 3 will become “Residential Growth Zone, General Residential Zone and Neighbourhood Residential Zone” For each the zone, the density restrictions alter. You can go <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning/theplanningsystem/improving-the-system/new-zones-for-victoria">here</a> to find a rundown of the changes – however, in most instances, planning controls are loser, maximum height restrictions have been removed or increased (with the proviso they can also be exceeded) – and the size of land needed for subdivisions reduced.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
While some areas will be protected, don’t be fooled by various articles which claim the changes will increase land values or protect backyards! Even the assertion by Planning Minister Guy that “The Victorian Coalition government's sweeping reform of planning zones, will return certainty to our suburbs and towns and in particular to councils, residents, and the development industry” is broadly misleading.
 
A close reading of the proposed guidelines for each category leaves a lot to the imagination as far as height limits, subdivisions and facades are concerned. In some cases, it’s not even necessary to specify a future build form. The submissions are wishy washy with statements such as
“higher or lower maximum building height can be set by a council” and
“a permit to exceed any height limit may be granted”.
To be fair – the government is giving the public a right of reply to express opinion – however, who thinks it will listen? The government has made it abundantly clear in its 2030 plans, the idea is to increase density rather than facilitate outer suburban locations with infrastructure.
Maximum height limits for the CBD have already exceeded reasonable levels – with 14,000 apartments due for construction through the course of 2013 in Melbourne alone. However, it’s fair to suggest areas with heritage significance will still be protected from over development. Home buyers and investors should take heed of this before they lock in a purchase.
And while we all understand the need to provide feasible options for a growing population of migrants, you would expect, at the very least, governments would learn from previous planning mishaps and avoid repeating the errors. Melbourne’s Docklands – a suburb built out of high-rise tower blocks – is widely known as a city lacking soul. With “the sky’s the limit” height restrictions and overzealous developers, the suburb has struggled to attract any diversity of resident. There are few family homes and apartment sales have been dominated by the investor sector – many of which remain vacant for much of the year.
Improvements have been made since – however with more high rise currently under construction, any improvements will be limited in what they can achieve. I met a Docklands’ advocate at a recent party I attended. While discussing future development in the suburb, I asked, “What about schools?” “Oh! We conduct many school trips,” he answered. However I wasn’t talking about trips – I was talking about primary and secondary schools – the focus of family and community life. You can build as many parks as you like, however if there’s no one to play on the swings, no children running around playing footy, something’s missing. The soul of any community focuses on the family.
This is why it was disappointing to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/the-ministry-of-silly-plans-20120813-244v1">read</a> this week of another Docklands in the making. One I highlighted months ago as being a potential disaster. And now, it’s coming to fruition – that of “Fishermans Bend.”
Once again the government is altering “capital city zones”, giving developers all but carte blanche to capitalise on high-density tower blocks maximising the residential capacity the land has to offer. However, as evidenced by Docklands, high-rise accommodation does not offer affordable solutions for renters or buyers – or solutions they would necessarily take advantage of even if it did.
In the Docklands development, selling agents were paid high commissions to flog off-the-plan apartments to unwitting investors.  This usually came with rental guarantees, which once expired, left the purchasers unable to achieve the same return.  Unit growth charts for Docklands read like a day’s trading on the stock exchange, with sharp rises and plummeting dips proving anything but stable capital growth. Averaged out the growth has been little more than 5% per annum, and worst following the GFC – a level currently exceeded by many long-term deposit accounts and a dim shadow of what other properties in Melbourne historically achieve.
How many of these apartments are currently sitting vacant is hard to assess, however SQM has the vacancy rate above 11%.  Considering our population growth and previous surge of single-person households, you’d expect these developments to be busting at the seams, however clearly they’re not attracting the level of demand that’s oft been spruiked.
All in all the warning is loud and clear for the home buyer or investor. You can’t avoid the planning changes currently underway, however you can minimise risks when purchasing. Take my advice and inspect the neighbourhood before you inspect the house. Or “love thy neighbour” could present more challenges than you’d expect.
Catherine Cashmore is a market analyst with extensive experience in all aspects relating to property acquisition.
</body></html>

catherinecashmore-6LXia3pPQj

Minimise your risks of bad – and high-rise – neighbours when buying property

<html><body>
Australian house prices are slightly less overvalued than they were four months ago but are still 36% above their fair value, according to The Economist magazine
In the magazine's August 2012 update of 21 residential-property markets around the world, the Australian housing market ranked 13th, with prices down 2.1% year-on-year.
In its previous update, The Economist reported Australian house prices as 38% overvalued.
The Economist defines “fair value” as “the long-run average ratio of house prices to disposable income and to rents”.
Australia is one of 12 housing markets where prices are falling, says The Economist, which says Austrlia is the best-performing market, with a 11% year-on-year gain.
However, the Australian market is not nearly as overvalued as Hong Kong (64% above fair value), Singapore (58%) or Canada (54%).
Over the past five years, Australian house prices are up just under 10% - modest in comparison to house price gains in Hong Kong (up 64%) and Austria (23%) and below comparable markets like Canada (18%).
The latest update shows Ireland to be the worst-performing housing market of the 21, with prices down 14.4% over the past year and nearly 50% over the last five years.
Spanish house prices decline 8.3% over the past year to July and are down 22.4% over the last five years.
The Economist says that following years of “dizzying ascents, a big dose of gravity has hit residential-property markets around the world”.
It says that many housing markets are returning “fair value” with eight countries now around or below this mark.
“But reaching this mark does not mean prices will stop falling. After dropping by a third from their 2006 peak, prices in America now stand at 19% below fair value,” says The Economist.
“The bottom of the market is close, however.”
It says that other markets like Ireland are “still in free fall”.
“Property prices in Ireland, at the foot of our table since April 2010, continue to plummet. They have now halved in value, after a fivefold rise between 1995 and their 2007 peak.
It warns that the pace of house price decline in Spain quickened in the second quarter of the year with the dire state of the Spanish economy suggesting that “prices will keep diving”.
Prices in Britain fell by 0.7% in July to be down 10.2% over the past five years.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.economist.com/node/21560599">Click here</a> a full breakdown of how the 21 housing markets tracked by The Economist have performed.
</body></html>

Australian house price down 2.1% over past year but still 36% overvalued: The Economist magazine

<html><body>
Interim results for the Westfield Retail Trust reveal that Westfield Sydney, the group’s flagship Australian store, is the most valuable, worth $1.34 billion, but it is two of its smallest centres that are delivering the strongest returns.
Westfield Retail Trust is Australia’s largest real estate investment trust (REIT) comprising Westfield’s portfolio of Australian and New Zealand shopping centres.
The trust recorded half-year profits after-tax for the six months to June 30 of $417 million, with 1,400 leasing transactions recorded across the portfolio of 52 malls in Australian and New Zealand.
Westfield Figtree at 19 Princess Highway in West Wollongong, which is valued at $75 million, and Westfield North Rocks in Sydney’s outer west (valued at $59 million) are both returning an estimated yield of 7.5% as of June 30 this year.
Westfield Figtree recorded $9,048 per square metre in retail speciality sales, while North Rocks managed $6,914.
Westfield Figtree has 22,000 square metres of retail space with 94 stores, while  North Rocks measures 23,000 square metres with 92 stores.
In comparison, Westfield Chermside in Brisbane – the largest store – has 146,000 square metres of retail space and 415 stores.
Both stores are strongly outperforming the total Australian Westfield portfolio, worth just over $12 billion, which has an estimated yield of 5.9%.
Westfield Sydney (40,000 square metres of retail space) has an estimated retail yield of 5.13% while the next most valuable shopping centre, Westfield Bondi Junction (129,000 square metres), valued at just over $1 billion has an estimated yield of $5.25%.
Here’s a breakdown of Westfield top ten performing centres based on their yield estimates as of June 30:
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/7point5percent.gif">
The estimated yield at Westfield Figtree (valued at $75 million)
The estimated yield at Westfield North Rocks (valued at $59 million)
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/7point25percent.gif">
The estimated yield at Westfield Strathpine in Queensland (valued at $140.5 million)
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/7percent1.gif">
The estimated yield at Westfield Airport West in Victoria (valued at $140.5 million)
The estimated yield at Westfield Hurstville in NSW (valued at $147.5 million)
The estimated yield at Westfield Innaloo in WA (valued at $133.5 million)
The estimated yield at Westfield Mt Druitt in NSW (valued at $115 million)
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/6point75percent.gif">
The estimated yield at Westfield Whitford City in WA (valued at $149.5 million)
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/6point5percent.gif">
The estimated yield at Westfield Helensvale in Queensland (valued at $93.8 million)
The estimated yield at Westfield Plenty Valley in Victoria (valued at $73.7 million)
</body></html>

Westfield Sydney group's most valuable but Wollongong and North Rocks suburban malls delivering highest returns

<html><body>
Pub in the Paddock, billed as one of Tasmania's tourism icons, has been listed for sale with an $800,000 asking price.
Set in the valley of Pyengana, and close to the St Columba Falls, licensee Anne Free's pub is renowned for its beer-drinking pigs.
Visitors flock to visit the pub and give the pigs a stubby to drink. "This property is perfect for the owner operator, offering a life style that most can only dream of," its <a target="_blank" href="https://sthelens.ljhooker.com.au/558FN1">LJ Hooker St Helens listing agent Nereda Ball </a>says.
"It has owner's accommodation with beautiful views to the river and surrounding landscape."
It's been reported Pinky the pig is included in the sale. The St Columba Falls Road hotel was built in 1880 and continually licensed since 1901.
There are six country-style guest rooms at around $75 a night.
There is also a restaurant with seating for up to 100.
There is a commercial kitchen.
It's on three hectares that back onto South George River.
The pub hit national headlines in 2006 when animal liberationists suggested the pigs were being forced into a cruel and unnatural existence. But the pub's owners say it's just good fun, and that the pigs are also enjoying themselves when tourists pour a stubby down the their throats.  At the time Anne Free said the pigs were well looked after with the beers watered-down posing no threat to her stars – Pinky, long-time beer drinker Priscilla and her young understudy, PB. "I mean, I monitor what goes out to those pigs," she told ABC Radio.
"If a bus comes in I will only allow four stubbies to the whole bus of 55, and the stubbies, the bin that sits there is a whole week's bin.
"And of course these people say, 'Oh gee, look at all that, she's had all that, no wonder she's lying down.'
"And I get quite irate if people come in and say, 'Oh, is the pig inebriated.'
"You know, there's no way that these pigs would be mistreated like that," she said in 2006.
Free is off to her southern Tasmanian cherry farm. 
The beer-guzzling pigs helped the Pub in the Paddock at Pyengana make the a new publication Great Australian Pubs by Lee Mylne.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Pinky the pig, Pub in the Paddock at Pyengana, Tasmania, listed

<html><body>
Nationally, 58% of flats, units and apartments are owned by investors. That is quite an amazing statistic, especially when you compare that detached houses only 21% are investor-owned.
Across the capital cities the proportions are even higher. Darwin tops the list, with 70.6% of all units being rented, followed by Brisbane where 70.2% of all units are rented.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/rpaug81.gif">
The lowest proportion, 60.3% in Sydney, is still significant. I would presume Sydney’s proportion is probably lower due to the city having the highest house prices (more owner-occupiers choose units over houses thanks to the lower entry price), as well as the fact that Sydney is the most mature unit market in the country.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/08/rpaug82.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2012/08/rpaug82thumb.gif"></a>
The high rate of investor ownership of apartments begs the inevitable question: why?
Itt partly comes back to price points. The unit market generally offers a lower buy-in price (investors face affordability hurdles too!) than detached or semi-detached homes. Based on median selling prices across the combined capital cities over the June quarter, units are 12% or $59,000 more affordable than houses. The gap is widest in Sydney, where unit prices are almost 23% or $139,000 lower than house prices.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/08/rpaug83.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2012/08/rpaug83thumb.gif"></a>
Another valid reason is the fact that rental yields have historically been higher for units compared with houses. The latest RP Data-Rismark indices show unit yields across the combined capital cities are currently at 4.9%, compared with 4.2% for detached houses. In fact, across every capital city, rental yields on units are higher than yields for houses (except Darwin where both are at 6.1% which are the highest rental yields across the capital cities).
Finally, it is often the case that units are located in more popular locations for both renters and owner-occupiers. The majority of unit developments are located close to transport networks, major working nodes and retail amenity.
The high proportion of investors really doesn’t come as a surprise!
Tim Lawless is national research director of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/">RP Data.</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/"> </a>
Photograph of Sydney apartment block by Michael Verhoef, courtesy of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a>.
</body></html>

tlawless-5VLUrbAk9s

Why landlords overwhelmingly favour units: Tim Lawless

<html><body>
I have never been one to follow rules to the letter – not a blatant disregard mind you, I just like to push the boundaries and see if there is something better.
This time of year we sit on the verge of spring. New lambs frolic across our TV screens, and there is a new energy and excitement that comes with the warmer weather. With that we start to see the thickening of the real estate section of the newspaper.
This is part of the spring myth. There has also been the rule that you should sell your house in spring. If we were in the depths of 10-foot snow drifts and finally there were light at the end of the tunnel then yes, I could see the possibility that a property would look better in the sunlight then in the six months of dark and dreary weather. However, in Australia I just don’t buy into the spring myth. Our winters are mild and in truth if you need to sell your house then sell it when it looks its best – that may not be spring.
I have bought and own properties around the country and overseas and I buy when I can afford it and when the intensive research proves it is a good buy. As covered in my new book Your Property Success with Renovation, I follow the ‘trident strategy’:
<ol>
<li>buy below the market; </li>
<li>in a growth area; and </li>
<li>add value.</li>
</ol>
These are the three ways to make money. The reverse is equally true: if you want to sell your property you want to make sure that you make money. Hence if the general myth is that everyone sells in spring then it would lead me to think that there is more competition and hence potentially more difficulties in selling, especially if your property is not comparable to all the others on the market. Just a thought.
The whole “sell in spring time” to me is a marketing fallacy – the reality is astute buyers,  be they home owners or investors, should only sell when they get the right price and when they want to.
However, the truth is that many people don’t have a property buying strategy, let alone a three prong one like the Trident strategy, hence they don’t have a buffer of cash or equity in place that allows them to sell when they want. They have the timing of the sale dictated to them, ie when the bank says you are selling or when they just have to have that property for sale around the corner. For those who do have the luxury of selling when they want then I suggest hold out for when your property has the greatest chance of making you money.
Spring is a great time of year, but don’t limit yourself to a single quarter of the year to make money. For instance, my beachfront unit in Bondi has amazing views. It definitely looks better when it is sunny, however in summer the maddening dash to find a park would turn anyone off. The reality is late spring or early autumn is a perfect time to rent or sell that type of property.
If I were buying a property in the highlands of NSW then the magic of winter and the open fire burning would lure me to that property – if I were an emotional buyer buying in northern Queensland, then any visiting southerner would be tempted by the warm winter weather. Each property has its own thermometer and depending on where it is then it may be more attractive to sell or rent it at a time that does not correspond to the myth of spring.
Spring is fast approaching, along with it the launch of the real estate frenzy that comes with it. I just urge you not to buy into it. If you are selling, be strategic and look at the right time for you and your property, and if you are buying, buy when you can afford it and with extensive research so you are not going to struggle when you need to sell it. The secret of successful property purchasing is buying the right property at the right price and then selling it when it suits you on your terms to make money.
Jane Slack-Smith is director of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.investorschoice.com.au/">Investors Choice Mortgages</a> and Founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.yourpropertysuccessnow.com.au/">Your Property Success</a> online education teaching investors to find the right property at the right price. Winner of the Your Investment Property 2009 Mortgage Broker of the Year. Jane is a regular property commentator, author and experienced investor.
</body></html>

jslacksmith-SCFPFmqtbv

Why spring might not necessarily be the best time to sell property

<html><body>
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) divides housing tenure into three broad categories: those owned outright; those owned with a mortgage; and the rest, which are rented.
The most recent census, compiled in 2011, found two suburbs in metropolitan Melbourne where more than 60% of homes were owned outright. By way of comparison, the census found that 33% of homes were rented in 2011, and the balance owned outright or with a mortgage.
It is interesting to note that both locations with very high levels of outright ownership were in seaside locations on the Mornington Peninsula: specifically Portsea and Sorrento.
The raw data may, however, not reflect the actual ownership scenario, as the census is based on the physical location of the people when they filled in the census forms back in August 2011.
Both Portsea and Sorrento are towns more popular in summer than in winter months. During summer, people travel to their holiday homes, and short-term rentals are highly occupied.
This is reflected in the census by the fact that both Portsea and Sorrento had vacancy rates of more than 80% on census night; it was highest in Portsea, where 88% of homes were vacant.
The age demographic of those who were home also reflects this. In both Portsea and Sorrento 81% of those at home on census night were aged 55 or over.
This tells you a lot about these towns and highlights the importance of looking at demographic data from a number of perspectives when using it to guide investment decisions.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
</body></html>

Latest Investing Insights

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

Editor's Picks

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Investing Insights

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

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News