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“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into.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>
Australia dropped from third to fourth most popular commercial property investment destination in the second quarter of 2012, according to the latest Asia Pacific Capital Markets report from CBRE.
Investors snapped up close to $2.5 billion in Australian commercial assets, slightly higher than the first quarter of the year, but offshore investor sentiment dampened due to concerns over the doubling of the withholding tax from 7.5% to 15%.
The tax rate – charged on returns paid to overseas investors of managed investment trusts, many of which hold commercial property assets – increased from 7.5% to 15% on July 1.
Trusts that exclusively hold property built after July 1, 2012 and that meet high energy rating standards (five-star green star or 5.5 star NABERS) are taxed at 10%.
According to CBRE, China was the top investment destination in the Asia-Pacific region in the second quarter of 2012, attracting $4.5 billion of the $17.9 billion in commercial property assets snapped up by investors (both local and offshore) over the quarter – a 54% increase on the first quarter for the Asia-Pacific region.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/08/cbreaug131.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2012/08/cbreaug131thumb.gif"></a>
According to the report, authored by CBRE’s head of Asia-Pacific research director Nick Axford, investor sentiment towards Australian commercial property deteriorated in the June quarter as offshore investors were forced to take into account the higher tax rate in their pricing to achieve the same returns.
But he expects the market to be more active in the second half of the year “given the volume of foreign money on the sidelines”.
Axford says most foreign groups are still attracted to the Australian markets given the high yields that are still available.
The report shows that Australia’s prime office markets have higher office yields relative to other parts of Asia-Pacific.
Sydney’s prime office yield is 6.43%, with Melbourne offering a return of 6.85%, Brisbane 7.56% and Perth 7.88%. This compares with smaller returns in Beijing (4.75%), Shanghai (4.25%), Tokyo (3.5%), Singapore (3.92%) and Hong Kong (2.5%).
Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane are all offering retail yields in excess of 8%, compared to 4.6% in Hong Kong, 7.2% in Shanghai, 5.5% in Tokyo and 4.8% in Singapore.
For the year to June, Australia has been the third most popular commercial property investment destination, behind Japan and China, but ahead of Hong Kong and Singapore.
Australia has also been the most popular destination for investor outside of the Asia-Pacific region with the chart below showing that local investors were the biggest buyers of commercial property in all major investment markets.
CBRE’s figures taken into account office, retail, industrial and mixed-use property priced at US$10 billion and above.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/08/cbreaug132.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2012/08/cbreaug132thumb.gif"></a>
CBRE says the 54% regional increase was underpinned by a rebound in cross-border investment activity as well as due to a rise in transactions worth US$250 million and above, most of which had been under prolonged negotiation.
“Sentiment in Asia-Pacific was mixed in the second quarter, with many investors mindful of the eurozone debt crisis, however private investors remained in buying mode and there was a significant increase in cross border investment activity,” says Axford.
“Western property funds were particularly active and Asia Pacific investors continued to be net buyers in the cross-border arena.”
The CBRE data shows that investment activity picked up in most markets, with the largest increases recorded in China, Taiwan, Singapore and New Zealand.
“Barring any dramatic negative developments in the United States and eurozone, we expect real estate investment activity to remain steady in the second half of 2012,” Axford says.
“Domestic investors will continue to dominate in their home markets although overseas core investors are likely to step up their activity, with Australia and Japan being the major focus.
“That being said, the availability of prime assets will remain tight across the region and investors are expected to take longer to reach decisions given the sizable gap in price expectations between buyers and sellers.”
The CBRE report highlights that office property remained the subject of strong interest in the second quarter, particularly in Australia and Japan, and comprised 47% of total investment turnover.
“The past 12 months has seen a rise in investment demand for retail assets in China and Hong Kong, whilst the high yields currently available in the industrial sector continue to attract investors.”
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Higher commercial yields to encourage offshore investment in Australia in second half of year despite withholding tax fears: CBRE

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A dilapidated wooden shack in Albert Park in Melbourne listed for sale with price hopes of around $600,000 was passed in on one $500,000 vendor bid at its weekend auction.
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/26-withers-street-albert-park/Property-Details-buy-residential-4225085" target="_blank">The weatherworn home </a>comes with planning approval for a three-storey, four-bedroom overhaul incorporating the existing facade.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/shackalbert.jpg">
The property has heritage requirements, which have been incorporated into development plans.
The corner block last traded for $578,000 in 2010, when listed with $470,000 to $520,000 price expectations.
The current listing agent Peter Zervas from Greg Hocking Holdsworth told Property Observer prior to the weekend auction that he envisaged the planning approval and plans would have added value to the project.
Zervas says builders have quoted $300,000 to $400,000 to realise the plans for the corner block.
He says they had had interest from builders and developers as well as individuals looking to occupy.
The plans for the new building were designed by architect firm Oof and were approved in 2011.
Zervas says the vendor has other projects on the go and has decided to let this one go.
Meanwhile another shack in Glen Iris is up for sale at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/49-osborne-avenue-glen-iris/Property-Details-buy-residential-4169095">49 Osborne Avenue</a>. It’s been in the same family for more than 100 years.
The Victorian timber cottage sits on 1,008 square metres.
Agent Rae Tomlinson from Marshall White Armadale is selling the property and is looking for offers around $1.5 million.
“There’s no heritage considerations with it,” says Tomlinson.
“If it were restored it would be absolutely stunning, but it would be challenging.”
Tomlinson says she’s had interest from developers and people looking to build a home.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-richmond-110894687" target="_blank">And a shack on Burnley Street, Richmond</a> (pictured below) on 776 square metres recently sold for $1,621,000.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/08/shack2.jpg">
The house is a uninhabitable three-bedroom shack that is being sold in a deceased estate.
The executor of the will is the former owner’s son in his 60s, who grew up in the house.
Agent Allan Cove from Biggin &amp; Scott Richmond says the property is probably at least 120 years old.
He says despite its condition it has a heritage overlay, which made thing difficult.
“There’s a huge question mark on that. Developers were doing their own enquiries as to whether it could be demolished and the council said anything was possible, but permission had to be sought.”
“The owners prepared a condition report which says it’s uninhabitable. I’ve had developers and builders look at the house and they said it would cost more to renovate than to demolish and rebuild.”
The property was bought by a property developer, who is deciding what to do with the property.
“He’s not too sure at this point. The vast majority of the site was vacant land. He’s weighing up his options, even considering going down the track of retaining the house and possibly creating something on Canterbury Street.”
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Wooden shacks are for brave buyers as Albert Park offering attracts no bids

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Since the global financial crisis hit in 2008, our top-end property markets have been the major casualty, with corrections in values of up to 30%. Each and every time a pricing guide was drawn in the sand, a new wave of destruction came crashing in and brought about the ongoing value retreat. It should be noted, however, that the top-end value correction was nowhere as severe as that experienced in the recession of the early 1990s.
For the prestige property markets to show signs of recovery, it will be necessary for the elite property markets to start posting anecdotal sales evidence – only then can the rest of the adjoining suburbs can follow suit. Mosman is the elite suburb north of the Harbour Bridge, which explains why it attracts so much attention and scrutiny. So it was a “good news week” for Mosman’s top end when it was reported <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/western-australian-buyer-pays-%24101-million-for-mosman-harbourfront/2012080755890">Western Australian buyer pays $10.1 million for Mosman harbourfront</a> – congratulations to our very own Richard Simeon and Mark Manners who negotiated the sale. Before the market gets too carried away, what is required now is further sales evidence. What makes this sale all the more interesting is that mysterious line in the sand – where does the market believe that the top end has bottomed?
Adding to the intrigue is that prior to the GFC, Mosman buyers found it nearly impossible to compete with merchant bankers. Today, the local buyers are now competing with Chinese buyers, who are expressing an insatiable desire for the 2088 postcode! The next four months will be riveting for top-end properties, and we are predicting that this market is in recovery mode (albeit a modest one). More importantly, the dots are now aligning and vendors can and will have a greater part to play in the negotiations.
Watch – wait and see.
Robert Simeon is a director of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" title="RWM">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 target="_blank" href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" title="Virtual Realty News">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000. The RWM real estate model has sold in excess of $1 billion in database sales globally.
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Mosman market could be beginning to recover

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Melbourne CBD studio apartments start at just $145,000. Property Observer inspects postcode 3000 to find the 10 cheapest studios available in Melbourne.

The list comes<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/sydney-cbd-s-10-cheapest-studio-apartments-starting-from-%24255000/2012073155743" target="_blank"> in stark contrast to the cheapest studios in Sydney</a> – it seems if you want to invest a CBD studio apartment, Melbourne is the cheaper option by a long way.

Prices in the top 10 range from $159,000 to $200,000. They're often aimed at overseas students looking to rent in Melbourne and can be as small as 19 square metres. That's smaller than an average billboard.

Buyers and investors should take note, though, it may be hard to secure a fully funded loan when buying at the cheapest end of the market.

Apartments under 50 square metres typically require deposits of 20%, compared with the standard 10%. Some buying situations may need upwards of 30%.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=95292]

And the same applies to studios off the plan. So if buyers and investors can secure a loan then this is the list to see.

So many of the cheapest apartments come from the same Flinders Street building that we have restricted the number of apartments from number 256-268 Flinders Street, or the list would be almost entirely populated by the same apartment block.

1

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-108372381" target="_blank">16/546 Flinders Street</a> 

$145,000

Around the corner from Spencer Street, this apartment rents for $250-$280 a week. Barry Plant agent Niels Geraerts says he’s sold about six apartments in the building over the past few years. He says the lack of common spaces and having just one elevator keeps the body corporate costs down. Total outgoings for the property would come to about $1,500 a year for the approximately 17-square-metre unit. It sold to an investor in the last couple of weeks.

2

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-105215032" target="_blank">210/600 Little Bourke Street</a>

$148,000

Unit 210 at 600 Little Bourke Street is a serviced apartment currently run by Hotel Ibis, which has the contract until 2018. The 25-square-metre apartment has a modest guaranteed income of $650 a month, and agent Lilian Yoon from OzAsia Real Estate is unsure of the outgoings for the property, although she says they would be minimal. The unit, which has no cooking facilities, has been on the market for years.

3

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-110904915" target="_blank">52/546 Flinders Street</a>

$159,000

This apartment currently leases for $ 975 per month. The room is currently dominated by a double bed, which takes up most of the standing room. Agent Louis Christou from Christou and Co was unable to offer much information on the property, but said it was probably overpriced given the flooded market. He is also selling an apartment in Franklin Street priced at $199,000. He says the owners would be lucky to get $150,000 to $160,000.

4

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-melbourne-110535041" target="_blank">1116B/256-268 Flinders Street</a>

$159,000

An 11th-floor studio apartment opposite Flinders Street station, this place rents for about $300 a week. It’s managed by property management company Baycrown and has approximate outgoings of $2,500 a year. The 19.5-square-metre apartment comes with a kitchenette.

5

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-107466418" target="_blank">110B/256-269 Flinders Street</a> 

$162,000

In the same building is apartment 110b is currently leasing for $300 a week. The 19-square-metre apartment has the same outgoings at $2500 a year, and the apartment is fully furnished. Agent Nathan Collyer from Rendina Real Estate Kensington says tenant demand is very high in the building, particularly from students.

6

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-110840411" target="_blank">417B/268 Flinders Street</a>

$165,000

This apartment in the same building again is renting for $310 a week. It’s 15 square metres and has outgoings of more than $4000 a year. It includes a kitchenette and a bathroom, and there’s room to walk.

7

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-111049731" target="_blank">125/256-268 Flinders Street</a>

$165,000

In 256-268 Flinders Street again, this 30-square-metre unit earns $230 a week. Tenants are restricted to students, so that limits investors somewhat. Barry Plant agent Niels Geraerts says outgoings come to about $2000 a year.

8

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-studio-vic-melbourne-110179229" target="_blank">706/500 Flinders Street</a>

$169,950

This 25-square-metre apartment is listed for $169,950 and has been on the market for six months. Agent Craig McIntosh says the apartment could rent for $285 per week and has outgoings of around $2,000 a year. He says he’s sick of the studio apartment and is trying to get out of it. He says most studio stock on the market is overpriced and unsaleable at that price.

There are more plenty more apartments available in 256-268 Flinders, but in an effort to mix this list up we will skip any more listings from that building.

9

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-melbourne-110505697" target="_blank">817/238 Flinders Street</a>

$182,000

This apartment is managed by Unilodge, but there are no restrictions on tenants. Agent Stephen Shen from Royaland Real Estate says total outgoings for the apartment would be $2,600 a year. It’s currently tenanted and renting for $323 a year.

10

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-melbourne-107161420" target="_blank">506/118 Franklin Street</a>

$190-$200,000

This property, currently run by the Stargate hotel rents for $13,032 per year. It’s about 15 square metres and can be owner-occupied. Total outgoings for the property are about $2,500 a year, says Ace Real Estate agent, Haresh Mutreja. It’s on the fifth floor, comes with a bathroom and a kitchenette but with no stove.

For information on <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-investing-outside-the-square" target="_blank">out-of-the-box property investments, download our free eBook.</a>
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Top 10 cheapest studio apartments in the Melbourne CBD, starting from $145,000

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It’s a little-known fact that medals have been awarded for town planning in four Olympics: in 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1948.
And some would say that town planning deserves a medal in 2012. After all, planning is all too often seen as a barrier to development, but the innovative and can-do approach taken by the Olympic Delivery Agency (ODA) has enabled the planning process to be navigated unusually quickly and relatively painlessly.
If proof were needed, planning permission was granted for the overarching masterplan for the Olympic Park just seven months after a planning application was submitted. That may sound a long time to make a decision, but bear in mind that this was one of the largest planning applications ever submitted in the UK – a 10,000-page document split into 15 volumes. The permission meant that the London Olympic bid was submitted with outline permission in place, which Steve Shaw, the chief planner of the ODA's town planning promoter team, says was “highly instrumental” in securing the Games.
And that wasn’t it. Many other planning applications had to be prepared, submitted and determined; some 2,400 by the end of June this year. Many of these have been significant enough to require that they are decided by the ODA’s planning committee, which is made up of elected members from the four boroughs over which the Olympic park extends, two non-borough ODA board members, and five independent members. That the committee is approaching its 100th meeting is testament to the number of applications with which it’s had to deal.
The emphasis on securing a legacy has meant that work on a planning application for a post-Games masterplan has been underway for some time, and it was granted outline permission shortly before the Games opened. The Legacy Communities Scheme, which covers 64 hectares of the 226-hectare park, includes 6,800 homes in five new neighbourhoods, alongside schools, nurseries and health centres, promising to avoid the ‘ghost towns’ which now exist at the site of some previous Games.
All this has taken place in a little over ten years, since CBRE (then as Insignia Richard Ellis) identified Stratford as one of four potential sites for an Olympic Park. CBRE continues to have a strong involvement in the park as advisors to the London Legacy Development Corporations – currently assisting in the disposal of the media centre – and as advisors to Westfield and other major landowners in and around Stratford.
Planning has played its part in an exciting festival of sport that will leave a positive, lasting memory and put this part of London firmly on the map.
Richard Lemon is associate director of planning at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbre.com/EN/Pages/Home.aspx">CBRE</a>. This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://olympicsrecord.blogspot.co.uk/">https://olympicsrecord.blogspot.co.uk/</a>
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Why London's Olympics town planners deserve a gold medal

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The London 2012 Olympic Games will provide a very welcome boost for the embattled retail sector at a time when it needs it most, given the administrations of Peacocks, Clinton Cards and Game this year, and hundreds of store closures and jobs lost in retail throughout the country.
The “legacy effect” of the Olympics through increased tourism and foreign direct investment is a proven phenomenon and given the staging of the Olympics in the east end of London – which has been the site of huge investment in the past few years – the legacy effect could be the most profound since the Games were staged in Barcelona in 1992. The Olympic Games could deliver between £750 million to £1 billion worth of additional consumer expenditure to the UK this summer, with a longer-term legacy effect on spend of up to £5 billion over the next five years.
The government appears to have recognised the opportunity that the Olympic Games will afford to retailers through a suspension of Sunday trading laws over the eight-week period. This will allow retailers to benefit as much as possible from the substantial additional footfall and spend that tourists and visitors will bring.
While the whole of the UK will benefit from both a short-term and longer-term increase in economic output during the Olympic Games, it is clear that London will be the principal beneficiary of this. Given retail in London has proved to be remarkably resilient  to the current economic downturn – and has recently benefited from substantial new development in the form of Westfield Stratford – it will be interesting to see how far the “legacy effect” will extend to retailers trading in towns like Burnley, Bootle or Berwick.
Jonathan De Mello is head of retail consultancy at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbre.com/EN/Pages/Home.aspx">CBRE</a>. This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://olympicsrecord.blogspot.co.uk/">https://olympicsrecord.blogspot.co.uk/</a>
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The London Olympics will boost the city's retail sector

Low yields for Bondi Beach house investors in RP Data top 50 most active rental suburbs list

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Some 9.5% of all Australians who bought and sold a property during the last 12 years suffered a loss, according to an analysis by Rismark International of 3.25 million sales.
The analysis includes the gross purchase-and-sale return – ignoring the crucial aspect of rental incomes.
It also excludes the issue of the cost of borrowing money to fund an investment property purchase.
Factoring in transaction costs, including stamp duties, agents’ fees, council payments and other charges, the net loss tally jumps to about 15% of the sellers since 2000.
Around 5% of all owners who sold homes for less than their purchase price had an annual capital loss of higher than 3%, the reserch found.
The study was undertaken by Rismark International for the Australian Financial Review and looked at all the purchases and then resales of Australian homes between 2000 and 2012.
Suggesting a slight deterioration in the past year, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/the-home-buyers-losers-club-joye/2011072650914">similiar survey</a> undertaken in July 2011 for Property Observer by Rismark indicated 9.3% of all home owners traded their properties for a loss in the 21-year period from 1990.
AFR colmunist Christopher Joye concluded the research found the typical investor did quite well during the period.
The median compound annual capital return is about 7% before rents and transaction costs.
It was 7.8% per year in the Property Observer study for the 21-year period.
The latest analysis suggests that 62% of all buyers since 2000 have generated annual returns of more than 6%.
"So many have experienced excellent results," Joye says.
"Importantly, the numbers also presume you owned the home outright.
"If you were geared, your underlying equity returns would have been far higher," Joye adds.
Brian White from Ray White told the AFR it was dangerous to talk down the value of property investment.
“I think that it’s misleading to say that if you buy a property, you’ve got a 15% chance of it being a bad investment,” White said.
Joyes notes Australia’s $3.6 trillion private housing market accounts for nearly two-thirds of total household wealth.
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One in 10 sellers are likely losers: Rismark 

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If our economists are armed with all the research available in today’s information age, why can’t they agree on where our economy and property markets are heading? 
In fact, a better question would be: Why do so many get it wrong? 
The simple answer is that market movements are far from an exact science. 
It’s more than just fundamentals that move markets 
The fundamentals are easy to monitor. Things like population growth, supply and demand, employment levels, interest rates, affordability and inflationary pressures. 
However, one overriding factor that the experts have difficulty quantifying is investor sentiment. 
Market “madness” plays a big factor 
In a recent report, Dr Shane Oliver, AMP’s chief economist, explains that people often suffer lapses of logic when investing and many of their investment decisions are driven by emotion. 
For example, we tend to extrapolate the present in the future. When things are booming we think the good times will never end and when the market mood is glum, we have difficulty seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 
Think about it. When the media reports falling property prices or an impending housing crash, many investors become scared and sit on the sidelines, believing the end of property is nigh and things will never improve, when in reality much of the risk has been removed from the market. 
Conversely, when property markets are booming and stories of investors seemingly making large gains overnight abound, people want to jump on the bandwagon and cash in, often at a time when the market is near its peak.
 
Other emotional traps include becoming overconfident, wishful thinking and ignoring information that conflicts with your current views. In other words, many investors create their own “reality.” 
Can you see how this type of activity, influenced by investor psychology, drives booms and busts? How the dominant investor mentality of the time helps drive the property cycle? 
Simply, when investors put on the brakes, housing values tend to stagnate or fall due to lack of demand. And when they jump back into the market, demand rises and up go prices. 
Obviously, one or two misguided investors won’t be able to influence property prices, but investor sentiment is contagious. 
People tend to want to do what others are doing. They ‘follow the crowd’ because going against popular opinion is seen as risky. What if you make a mistake? What if the others are right and you are wrong? 
Oliver says this “collective behaviour” is magnified by several things, including: 
&gt;Mass communication enabling the behaviour to become infectious. Now more than ever we are bombarded with messages from the media influencing how we think and feel about things. When we hear that real estate is doomed, all but a handful of sophisticated investors get scared out of the game. And when the media tells us housing markets are booming everyone wants a piece of the action.
 
&gt;Pressure to conform. If your friends or family are doing it, it must be right. Right? Human nature makes us reluctant to do the opposite of what our peers are doing.
 
&gt;A major precipitating event can give rise to a general belief that motivates investor behaviour. The global financial crisis saw waves of investors scared out of the markets. On the other hand, the resource boom enticed thousands of investors into west coast housing markets to cash in on the resulting property boom.
 
&gt;A general belief that grows and spreads. When the belief that property values can only go up spreads through an uneducated new generation of investors they enter the market, pushing prices up even further, perpetuating the belief and helping make it a reality! Similarly, when the crowd believes the market is going to crash, they steer clear. This gets reported in the media and the negative sentiment feeds on itself. 
Oliver observes that these “lapses in logic” by individual investors and the magnification of such lapses by crowd psychology feeds property cycles and goes a long way in explaining why we see boom and slumps at different points in time. 
When investor sentiment is positive, the crowd jumps in feet first, pushes up demand and places upward pressure on prices – causing boom conditions. Conversely, when sentiment is negative, the crowd backs off and frequently sells out of the game due to concerns that they’re about to lose everything – causing market slumps. 
What can an investor learn from this? 
1. Our property markets are not only driven by fundamentals, but also by the often irrational and erratic behaviour of an unstable crowd of other investors. 
2. Booms never last forever, neither do busts. Don’t be surprised when they come around and don’t overreact. According to Oliver, this will help you avoid being sucked into booms and spat out during busts. 
3. Treat your property investments like a business and stick to a proven strategy to take the emotions out of your investment decisions. 
4. Recognise that property is a long-term play and set up financial buffers to help you ride the property cycles. 
Invest countercyclically
Warren Buffet once said: “We attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.” 
This is also the investment strategy of many successful property investors. 
I’ve always been an advocate of countercyclical investing. I’m often sceptical of conventional wisdom – not because the crowd is always wrong but because the crowd is always late. 
Sure, it takes some courage to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, but the results of your contrary behaviour will ultimately speak for themselves.
 
Michael Yardney is the director of <a href="https://www.metropole.com.au/" rel="nofollow">Metropole Property Investment Strategists</a> , a best-selling author and one of Australia's leading experts in wealth creation through property. He also writes the <a href="https://www.propertyupdate.com.au/" rel="nofollow">Property Investment Update</a> blog.
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How property investors can profit from ‘market madness’ by investing counter-cyclically

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The Sydney 2000 Olympics coincided with “a golden era” for real estate in the city. It also raised the profile of Australia to the global audience for the Games and the capacity of Sydney to organise and run what was lauded at the time as “the best Olympic Games to date”.
The event gave Sydneysiders great pride in hosting international visitors and global viewers. It set new standards for the value of the broadcasting revenue and contributed to the increased “value” of the Games to host countries. Furthermore, it created an army of volunteers who contributed enormously to the success of the event. For the period of the Games the trains even ran on time!
In terms of real estate, Sydney’s financial sector was expanding rapidly with the growth of the banking, listed property trust, insurance and professional services sectors. Following the city being awarded the Games in the early 1990s, while unrelated to the win, there was substantial commercial development in the CBD leading up to the Olympics.
Furthermore, there was strong population growth, largely through migration from other states or overseas immigration in response to, and anticipation of, the economic activity in the city and the associated increased awareness of Sydney through global publicity. This led to buoyant residential development, both urban infill and greenfield.
Homebush Bay was selected as the principal sporting precinct, including the athletes’ village, which enabled the remediation and development of an otherwise isolated and contaminated major landholding within the city. The development of the sporting facilities, broadcasting centre, athletes’ village and associated facilities maintained a construction “boom” in the city.
Unfortunately, the site’s master planning, including the public transport infrastructure, was not commercially based, particularly in terms of the post-Olympic legacy. There was more focus on building architectural monuments than considering the post-Olympic integration of the precinct with the broader metropolitan area. While there has been some valuable infill development within the precinct that assists in the activation of an otherwise brick-paved “oasis”, the limited consideration of a commercial strategy, combined with the management of the precinct by government, has constrained the mixed–use development opportunities.
Nevertheless, there has been substantial real estate development outside of the precinct by the private sector, which has been assisted by the Olympics raising the profile of this area in Sydney. The private sector is far more agile and commercial than the state government can be in this development process.
Like many Olympic Games host cities, Sydney continues to pay for the facilities provided in terms of an operating deficit for the Homebush Bay precinct. However, Sydney is fortunate to have the economic capacity to absorb this post-Olympic legacy. The greater issue for Sydney is the limited use of the facilities developed for the Games, which is both a function of the somewhat isolated nature of the facilities, limited accessibility and minimal activation within the precinct in terms of permanent restaurants and entertainment. This is gradually being addressed through the location of sporting teams within the facilities and commercial, associated retail and residential development within the precinct.
There is no doubt that the scale of the Olympic Games can be city changing, particularly in terms of improved infrastructure and public domain in host city CBDs and around the associated sporting facilities. However, there needs to be more consideration of the post-Olympic legacy in terms of contribution to the city. The Olympic Games are typically a “blip” in the lifespan of a city that must work for generations to come. The impact on real estate is minimal.
Wayne Redman is regional director of structured transactions and advisory services at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbre.com/EN/Pages/Home.aspx">CBRE</a>. This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://olympicsrecord.blogspot.co.uk/">https://olympicsrecord.blogspot.co.uk/</a>
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