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


Joel Robinson

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

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


DVB Projects to launch second Broadbeach apartment tower as demolition commences

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


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

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


Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

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


Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

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


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

<html><body>
<div>More interesting trends reported today by SQM Research for the month of April 2016.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the past year Melbourne's reported vacancy rate declined from 2.2 per cent to 2.1 per cent, while in Sydney the reported vacancy rate has fallen from from 1.8 per cent to 1.7 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>At the other end of the spectrum, Perth reached a new cyclical high of 4.6 per cent suggesting that the bottom for the Western Australian capital may not yet be in, although lower interest rates may well help to support prices. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In Perth both median house (-8.4 per cent) and unit (-9,3 per cent) asking rents have declined over the past year, although actual dwelling price declines have been modest. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Asking rents are also down for Darwin houses (-8.4 per cent) and units (-12.5 per cent).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>On the other hand median asking unit rents increased year-on-year or both Sydney (+5 per cent) and Melbourne (+4.1 per cent), while in Brisbane the increase was more modest (+1.3 per cent).</div>
<p><a href="/images/2016/05/18/SQM.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/05/18/SQM.jpg" alt=""></div>
<p> </p>
<div>Since month to month vacancy rates can move around a bit, I've smoothed the data below on a 4mMA basis (arguably I should also be applying a seasonal factor, but I haven't so...shucks).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This chart gives an interesting perspective on recent trends, although the Christmas period can be a bit of a distortion.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2016/05/18/SQM2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2016/05/18/SQM2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<p><br><span>Fascinating stuff.</span></p>
<div>In most capital cities vacancy rates have declined over the past year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In Sydney demand has marginally outstripped supply. Even in apartment construction hotspots such as Green Square vacancy rates have reportedly fallen sharply from 3.5 per cent this time last year to just 1 per cent.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Now sure, you might question the measurement criteria (where a new block of units is constructed only a sample of apartments might be advertised for rent, for example), but aren't the measurement criteria measuring like-for-like figures?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
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Melbourne and Sydney rental property vacancies down over year: Pete Wargent

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<p class="Body">Population growth does not, alone, create real estate hotspots. And it’s not the core element of a growth property market. If it was, Melbourne prices would have grown faster than Sydney’s over the past five years.</p>
<p class="Body">Population is a factor, one of many to be considered.</p>
<p class="Body">In that regard, a recent analysis of population trends written by “Glenn the Census Exert” from the .<strong><em>id</em></strong> website team makes interesting reading. It focuses on Australia’s 50 largest cities and towns, based on ABS data for the 2015 financial year.</p>
<p class="Body">It shows the prominence of Melbourne as the nation-leading city. Over the 2015 financial year and over the previous five years, Melbourne added more to its population than Sydney did. Melbourne grew 10.1 percent in five years (adding almost 400,000 people), compared to Sydney’s 8.2 percent (343,000 extra citizens). Melbourne grew 2.0 percent in FY2015, compared to Sydney’s 1.7 percent.</p>
<p class="Body">So why has Sydney’s price growth been so much higher than Melbourne’s? Because Sydney’s economy has been stronger and the infrastructure spend has been much greater than Melbourne’s. Population growth is important, but economic strength and infrastructure spending has greater influence.</p>
<p class="Body">Perth has been an outstanding population growth story as well. Although it has a smaller population than Brisbane it has added considerably more (236,000) over the past five years than Brisbane (190,000) has. In fact, over five years Perth has a higher growth rate (13.7 percent) than Melbourne (10.1 percent) but its growth has slowed markedly in recent years – so that in FY2015 Perth’s population growth rate was lower than those in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Its stellar growth stopped when the resources boom fell away.</p>
<p class="Body">Of the 50 largest urban areas in Australia, the fastest growth rate over five years was achieved by the Melton LGA on the western periphery of Melbourne, up 28 percent. Another growth area on the fringes of Melbourne, the Warragul-Drouin area, grew 14.2 percent over five years. In that same time frame, Geelong added 12,000 to its population, a rise of 7 percent. This adds to the general scenario of Melbourne as the king of population growth.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">Also prominent were the Busselton (up 18.5 percent) and Bunbury (up 15 percent) areas, both south of Perth.</p>
<p class="Body">In terms of growth in FY2015, Melton was again No.1 (up 4.6 percent in 12 months), followed by Warrugul-Drouin, Busselton, Bunbury and Gladstone in Queensland (all growing between 2 percent and 3 percent over 12 months).</p>
<p class="Body">Other notable growth centres include the Sunshine Coast, which added as much to its population over five years as Canberra did, and the Gold Coast, which added twice as many people as Canberra and 10 times more than Hobart.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">The percentage growth rate for the Gold Coast is no longer as high as in the past (it’s now growing from a much larger base, so spectacular growth numbers aren’t so easy), but it’s still a massive growth centre. The population of the Gold Coast-Tweed region grew 53,500 over five years, a rise of almost 10 percent. It’s the nation’s sixth largest city, with 625,000 residents, well ahead of Newcastle-Maitland and Canberra-Queanbeyan.</p>
<p class="Body">So why have Gold Coast prices down little over the past five or six years, amid all that population growth? Because developers oversupplied the market with high-rise apartments, yet again. After six down years, the market is now showing some growth, because the surplus has been soaked up and, more importantly, there’s a massive infrastructure spend happening.</p>
<p class="Body">The Sunshine Coast has been a big growth centre. Its growth rate over five years (9 percent) has been almost as big as the Gold Coast’s, and 25,000 has been added to its population. The Sunshine Coast is the nation’s 10<sup>th</sup> biggest city – larger than Wollongong and considerably larger than Hobart.</p>
<p class="Body">Similar to the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast has become a growth property market because of significant new spending on infrastructure and other construction projects.</p>
<p class="Body">Townsville has attracted some negative headlines lately but it’s a significant growth city, adding 16,000 or 10% to its population over the past five years, reaching 180,000. It’s growing faster than its North Queensland rival, Cairns.</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body"><em>Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></em></p>
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Population growth does not, alone, create real estate hotspots: Terry Ryder

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<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">If you thought the election debate on negative gearing was interesting watch the new property debates get a whole lot hotter with the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) latest bombshell announcement which guaranteed will send shockwaves through property markets. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">No doubt this is just the next step following the ATO being handed total ownership of the Australian property transaction register in mid – 2015, a role they had been champing at the bit to control for quite some time.</span></p>
<p>From Friday July 1 2016 (the day before the federal election) all sellers of residential and commercial property worth in excess of $2 million will be deemed as an overseas investor unless they can attain a special tax clearance. Failure to attain the special tax clearance certificate means the seller must deduct ten (10) percent from the purchase price which is immediately paid to the ATO.</p>
<p>No doubt lawyers, accountants and conveyancers would be rejoicing at these newly discovered revenue streams although what has not been announced is when a seller receives their compliant special tax clearance are the associated costs in receiving the compliance tax deductible?</p>
<p>This is all aimed at closing loopholes solely aimed at the leakage of tax revenues. Australian residents will get their tax clearance so long as they are up to date with tax returns, proving that they acquired the property within their declared earnings – which I see as a very good move.</p>
<p>When the ATO took over the property reins they quickly started extrapolating all property transactions back to 1985, so it will take a while to complete the register. This new legislation is simply closing the door on those who acquired property illegally either from proceeds of crime or as non – residents.</p>
<p>For the last five years foreign investors have been running amok buying Australian real estate. The federal governments have laid out the welcome mat when they raised off – the – plan purchase restrictions in 2008 from 50 percent to 100 percent.</p>
<p>This week Fitch Ratings warned that Australia clearly has a significant ‘hidden’ offshore property buyers risk. Andrea Jaehne, a director at Fitch Ratings, stated that she was shocked by the increase of foreign buyers since 2010, where the Foreign Investment Review Board experienced an eightfold increase in approvals up to 2015. She said that it was difficult to know the true number of properties being sold offshore because foreign investment rules did not require an approval for foreigners buying apartments off the plan.</p>
<p>The question that needs to now be asked is (with the recent property frenzy which conveniently replaced the mining boom) with all these new measures what will happen to property prices? Well foreign buyers will almost certainly now hold back and watch what happens to the Australian markets particularly Melbourne and Sydney – we can expect some big corrections in these investment markets.</p>
<p>With a further 250,000 apartments to hit the domestic markets within the next two years it is very difficult to see a happy outcome for these markets – more particularly as we have more evidence that these markets are significantly slowing. Then throw in the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data which shows that Australian wages are growing at the slowest rate for at least 18 years.</p>
<p>Furthermore, we are now hearing that market analysts are now coming to the conclusion that low interest rates actually cause more damage to the economy. As one commentator said this week “very low interest rates around the world are inhibiting economic recovery rather than encouraging it.”</p>
<p>Australia is now just 44 days away from getting a clearer indication of what will happen to the markets more particularly with negative gearing. Now is not the time to start tinkering with investors clearly preferring existing properties. Agents will tell you that when an existing apartment comes onto the market the ratio of home buyers to investors inspecting is generally 50/50. Take away half the market and of course prices will come down – which in turn will drive rents up.</p>
<p>Of course the opposition treasurer could produce his modelling to show otherwise, however this has not been forthcoming so one can then conclude that no modelling is in existence.</p>
<p>With all that’s happening on the Australian property landscape the timing is a potential disaster. In the meantime, watch how many vendors try and offload their properties before the new ATO legislation comes into effect. No doubt the ATO will be watching too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>MOSMAN – 2088</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 65</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market last week – 55<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this week – 55<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 47</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market last week – 50</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this week – 50</p>
<p> </p>
<p>CREMORNE – 2090</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 5</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market last week – 7<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this week – 11<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 10</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market last week – 23<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this week – 22</p>
<p> </p>
<p>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this time last year – 6</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market last week – 8</p>
<p>Number of houses on the market this week – 8<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 29<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market last week – 21</p>
<p>Number of apartments on the market this week – 22</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>ROBERT SIMEON is a director of </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> </em><em>and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985. <br>He has also been writing real estate blog </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> </em><em>since 2000.</em></p>
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ATO quickly wields its big new property tax

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<p>The preliminary clearance rate across the combined capital cities rose this week, up from 69.5 percent the previous week to 70.0 percent.</p>
<p>The level of activity across the capital city auction market was similar to the previous week, with 1,863 auctions held this week, compared to 1,876 last week. Auction activity remains well below the comparable week last year, however, when 2,599 capital city auctions were held and 79.1 percent cleared.</p>
<p>After ANZAC weekend last year, there were five consecutive weeks of more than 2,200 auctions held across the combined capitals; however the same activity hasn’t been replicated this year.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-capital-city.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-capital-city.png" alt=""></p>
<p>This week, there were 825 auctions held in <strong>Melbourne</strong>, down from 871 last week, and also lower compared to one year ago (1,162). Preliminary results show that 70.7 percent cleared this week, falling from 71.3 per cent last week and well below the 82.1 per cent one year ago.</p>
<p>Over the past seven weeks, Melbourne has maintained a clearance rate above 70 per cent. The most auction activity this week happened in Melbourne’s Inner sub-region, where 172 auctions were held and preliminary results show a 72.2 per cent clearance rate. On the other hand, the strongest clearance rate across the city so far this week was in the Outer East region at 80 per cent across 50 results from 57 auctions.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Melbourne.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Melbourne.png" alt=""></p>
<p><strong>Sydney’s</strong> preliminary clearance rate was 74.2 per cent this week, having fallen from 76.2 per cent last week. The latest result marks the second week in a row where Sydney has been the best performing capital city market. While the clearance rate fell on a week-on-week basis, the number of residential auctions held across the city rose, from 647 last week to 700 this week. Similar to the broader market, Sydney’s auction activity this week is much lower than what was seen last year, when 1,018 auctions were held and 86.2 per cent cleared. Across the individual sub-regions of the city, the best performers this week were City and Inner South (86.5 per cent) and North Sydney and Hornsby (83.0 per cent).</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Sydney.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Sydney.png" alt=""></p>
<p>Across <strong>Brisbane</strong> 128 auctions were held this week, having fallen from 151 last week and also lower than one year ago (159). Preliminary results show 55.3 per cent of auctions were sold this week, compared to 49.3 per cent last week, meaning this week was the cities strongest clearance rate in twelve weeks. This week’s result is also higher than last year, when 46.2 per cent of Brisbane auctions were successful. There were 47 <strong>Gold</strong><strong>Coast</strong> auctions this week with a preliminary clearance rate of 42.9 per cent.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Brisbane.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Brisbane.png" alt=""></p>
<p><strong>Adelaide</strong> was host to 92 auctions this week with a preliminary clearance rate of 70.1 per cent. Last week 66.3 per cent of Adelaide’s 103 auctions were successful, while one year ago the city’s clearance rate was 70.9 per cent. Adelaide is the only city where more auctions were held this week compared to last year, when 88 auctions were held.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Adelaide.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/05/23/20160523-Adelaide.png" alt=""></p>
<p>There were 42 <strong>Perth</strong> auctions held this week, 44 last week and 53 one year ago. The preliminary clearance rate this week is 54.5 per cent, up from 28.9 per cent last week and also higher than one year ago when one third of auctions across the city sold.</p>
<p>Preliminary results show 61.4 per cent of <strong>Canberra</strong> auctions sold this week, compared to 58.3 per cent last week and 63.5 per cent one year ago. There were 67 Canberra auctions held this week, up from 52 last week, but well below volumes seen last year (103).</p>
<p>5 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> auctions have been reported so far with just 1 sale.</p>
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Strong clearance rates in the Sydney and Melbourne auction markets: CoreLogic RP Data's Shana Miller

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<p class="Body">If actions do indeed speak louder than words, then politicians don’t give a damn about housing affordability.</p>
<p class="Body">Often you’ll see their lips moving, and they appear to care about the cost of housing, but then they’ll take actions that cause costs to rise and affordability to worsen.</p>
<p>Victoria’s 2016-17 State Budget provides another example of why housing is so expensive in this country and why affordability is an enduring issue (although not nearly as serious as mainstream media would have us believe, especially outside of Sydney). </p>
<p>The Victoria Government has added to the taxation burden on the industry that creates new homes for families. The Property Council is right to be “deeply worried about the Government's unwillingness to deal with its property tax addiction” and to ask for a cap on property tax increases. </p>
<p>Governments at all levels treat the Australian housing industry as a cash cow and in every budget they milk it more. And the cost of providing housing keeps rising, while politicians point the finger of blame at innocent parties such as foreign investors and negatively-geared Australian investors. </p>
<p>“Land tax is up 28 percent, foreign investor taxes have been tripled and stamp duty is forecast to exceed $6 billion for the first time,” says the Property Council, in the wake of Victoria’s State Budget. “Melbourne cannot expect to remain Australia's most competitive city for property investment when its property tax haul is surging.</p>
<p>“Another area which concerns the property industry is the stockpiling of Growth Area Infrastructure Contributions (GAIC). Property developers are paying more than their fair share. It is time for the Government to provide full disclosure on where the money is being spent.”</p>
<p class="Body">The so-called clampdown on foreign investors is, sadly, another ploy by politicians to give the appearance of doing something about housing affordability while finding new ways to milk the property industry of revenue.</p>
<p class="Body">It’s a little like the Federal Government lifting the tax on cigarettes – they claim it’s to discourage smoking but in reality it’s a grab for revenue. If they were serious, they’d ban smoking altogether, just as they would ban foreign buyers if they truly believed they were the prime cause of high house prices in Sydney and Melbourne. </p>
<p class="Body">Victoria has introduced new taxes to slug foreign buyers and NSW is gearing up to do the same, while pretending it’s really a clampdown on illegal activity which allegedly pumps up prices.</p>
<p>The NSW Government is introducing new rules from July. Buyers and sellers of real estate will have to prove their residency and citizenship status before a sale is completed. A land tax certificate showing whether any money is owed must be supplied to a home-buyer by the vendors. The vendors must disclose their residency status and nationality when applying for the certificate. Foreign buyers will have to provide citizenship and visa details, plus FIRB clearance, through the stamp duty process.</p>
<p>The NSW Office of State Revenue will collect the new information on buyers' nationality. This will be passed to the ATO for inclusion in a national register of foreign ownership of land titles, which begins on July 1. The ATO will match data to ensure foreign buyers have paid a $5,000 fee for any property sold for less than $1 million, and $10,000 for properties over $1 million.</p>
<p>The process paves the way for the NSW Government to follow Victoria in imposing foreign buyer surcharges on land tax and stamp duty in the future.</p>
<p>How these moves address housing affordability is a mystery.</p>
<p class="Body">Here’s one way it may make it worse. Deterring foreign investment, upon which many major high-rise apartment projects depend, makes it likely many projects will not be built. The reduction in supply adds to the pressures which causes prices to rise.</p>
<p>NSW executive director of the Property Council Jane Fitzgerald says: “Turning investors away by imposing a huge new tax is one way to ensure it doesn’t get any better. There are international investors right now considering whether to build in NSW. If they choose to go elsewhere our housing affordability crisis will worsen.”</p>
<p>Well, exactly. But politicians, generally inept at seeing beyond the end of their noses, haven’t thought it through to that degree.</p>
<p>Rather than seeing foreign investment as being part of the solution (helping to lift the supply of dwellings), they choose to see them a problem – or perhaps, more correctly, as an unpopular minority to blame without losing votes.</p>
<p><em>Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></em></p>
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Politicians don’t give a damn about housing affordability: Terry Ryder

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<p>New growth stars will emerge in 2016. You’re most likely to find them in Brisbane, Melbourne, regional New South Wales and regional Queensland, although others such as Adelaide and Hobart may put their hands up.</p>
<p>Here are five areas I think are worth watching as we get into the New Year. These are all places that should produce price growth in 2016, on the back of serious momentum with rising sales activity in their markets.</p>
<p>1 Oxenford and the northern growth corridor, QLD:<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>The Gold Coast is now the clear national leader among the Local Government Areas of Australia. It has the most growth suburbs, by a wide margin.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>These rising suburbs are found right across Gold Coast city, but the growth corridor stretching north from the Gold Coast towards Brisbane is the standout area, with growth suburbs either side of the Pacific Motorway.</p>
<p>Oxenford stands out, with sales rates lifting from 80-90 per quarter last year to 130-135 in the past two quarters. Other growth suburbs in this precinct include Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pimpama and Ormeau.<strong style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </strong></p>
<p>2 Lalor and Whittlesea, VIC:</p>
<p>The focus of Melbourne’s up-cycle has switched increasingly from the middle market to the outer suburbs, where affordability and good infrastructure are key drivers.</p>
<p>The Whittlesea LGA in the northern suburbs is leading the way, headed by the suburb of Lalor (median house price $400,000), where sales rates have increased from around 70 per quarter last year to above 100 more recently.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>Other growth suburbs in this precinct include Epping, Mill Park, Doreen, Mernda and Thomastown.<strong style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </strong></p>
<p>3 Beenleigh and Logan City, QLD:</p>
<p>Logan City, which borders the Gold Coast to the south and Brisbane City to the north, has led the revival of Greater Brisbane markets in 2015.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p>It has more growth suburbs than any other precinct in the Brisbane metropolitan area, headed by Beenleigh, the administration centre for the LGA, where house sales have increased steadily over the past 12 months or so.</p>
<p>Another standout suburb in Logan City is affordable Eagleby, where sales in the past four quarters have increased from 59 to 65 to 95 to 102.</p>
<p>4 Forster-Tuncurry, NSW:</p>
<p>The Great Lakes LGA in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales is a standout performer is this latest survey for <em>The Price Predictor Index</em>.</p>
<p>Residential sales in Forster, about 300km north of Sydney, have risen from 106 to 114 to 139 to 152 to 155 in consecutive quarters, while neighbour Tuncurry has recorded a similar pattern.</p>
<p class="Body">5 Point Cook and Wyndham City, VIC:</p>
<p class="Body">Another example of the emergence of the affordable outer ring suburbs of the Melbourne metropolitan area is Wyndham City in the south-west heading towards Geelong.</p>
<p class="Body">A number of suburbs have strong growth trajectories, headed by the developing suburb of Point Cook, where quarterly sales in the past 18 months have been 289, 313, 350, 396, 395 and 420.</p>
<p class="Body">Wyndham Vale is another standout market in this precinct, with quarterly sales levels lifting from 85-90 about 18 months ago to around 140 in the September 2015 Quarter.</p>
<p class="Body"> </p>
<p class="Body"><em>Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></em></p>
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5 key suburbs across Australia to watch in 2016: Terry Ryder

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<p>Whilst property markets closely watch what can directly influence market sentiment in 2016 we should be watching very closely what will indirectly affect the market and just how big these influences may be.</p>
<p>I can nominate six (6) such influences that I believe will have significant repercussions on how we should be approaching the markets.</p>
<h5>1. Illegal Property Acquisitions</h5>
<p>I find this topic quite fascinating given I have always been of the belief that this practice is (or was) huge and I have not changed my opinion. In May, 2015 the then treasurer Joe Hockey set aside 60 investigators from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) stating that from their initial investigations “they are just at the tip of the iceberg.”</p>
<p>Fast forward seven months where this week the ATO announced that it was now investigating an estimated 31 million records from 1985 to 2015. This order applies to all states and territories for not only sales transactions but also all rental agreements, landlords, weekly rents, length of lease and rental bonds. The biggest investigation into Australian real estate since 1993 when the ATO moved records to computer technologies and every real estate agency in Australia was forced into providing every transaction record.</p>
<p>So from this point forward I’m going to call this the “Please Explain Inquiry” given the ATO obviously believes that they have uncovered interesting irregularities.</p>
<p>It should also be noted that the Department for Rip Van Winkle otherwise known as the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) have just appointed former ASIO director, general David Irvine, to the board. Two very big announcements in the space of a week – watch for some big announcements in 2016.</p>
<h5>2. Underquoting Reforms in NSW</h5>
<p>Not before time from 1 January 2016 real estate agents must quote the likely selling price at the figure(s) that appear on the Agency Agreement. The fines and penalties for failure to do so are severe. The NSW Government Office of Fair Trading will be out in force next year policing their prized new legislation that is a major win for consumers and ethical agents. This will also cause major problems for the habitual agents who love nothing more than buying listings through valuing properties at ridiculous prices. . Expect to see plenty of naming and shaming in 2016.</p>
<h5>3. Off – The – Plan Purchases</h5>
<p>It would be an understatement to suggest that investors are not skittish and squirming about their recent property acquisitions. What remains to be seen is how many pull the plug and walk – away from their purchases believing that Sydney’s apartment investment markets are facing a massive correction in 2016.</p>
<p>Again the NSW government has been busy rushing through more property legislation stopping developers cancelling existing contracts – sunset clauses, because the apartment prices have increased significantly. That loophole has been now shut for good.</p>
<h5>4. Council Mergers</h5>
<p>An announcement regarding the mergers is just days away although I am reliably advised that Mosman will not be forced into a merge and will stand alone. Having said that it will lose all powers regarding new apartment development approvals and this now will be handled by the state government.</p>
<h5>5. 2016 Federal Election</h5>
<p>They say that the Melbourne Cup stops the nation – well a federal election can stop the real estate markets. We can expect to hear plenty in 2016 about what’s now off the table and what’s now on the table. Two words will play a massive part and I’m not talking about negative gearing. No tax reform will be the keywords in 2016 although at this stage its anyone’s guess to what extent and just what lengths the Turnbull government will go. Whatever the case this will be a major distraction in 2016 where I’d love a dollar every time I hear the words Goods &amp; Services tax – GST.</p>
<p>This now leads me to the very big X Factor for 2016.</p>
<h5>6. X Factor</h5>
<p>The premier must have been reading my blogs with a new report from the NRMA confirming that planning is in the early stages to see a rail line from Sydney’s northern beaches through Mosman to Cremorne and Neutral Bay to the Sydney CBD.</p>
<p>The other key recommendation is for a tunnel under the Spit Bridge connecting with Seaforth and the Warringah Freeway linking up with the new harbour tunnel which eventually will connect to the WestConnex.</p>
<p>The report stated – “For decades, the northern beaches and the lower north shore has been the Bermuda triangle of transport infrastructure, where plans have come and gone to disappear without a trace.” It then went on to say “The chronic neglect has left our roads badly congested and buses at or over capacity. We believe the government must now take this opportunity to put the region back on the agenda as part of its overall drive to improve infrastructure across Sydney.”</p>
<p>The report revealed that Spit Road and Military Road were two of the worst in Sydney with higher traffic than Parramatta Road. On an average weekday, 70,000 vehicles use the Spit Bridge, 80,000 use Military Road and approximately 64,000 use Parramatta Road at Camperdown.</p>
<p>So you can expect to see high rise along Military Road and even more high density around the new suburb train stations.</p>
<p>Thank you for joining us in 2015 and we will be back with Virtual Realty News in 2016 – our 16th year. From all of us at Richardson &amp; Wrench Mosman/Neutral Bay we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.</p>
<h5>MOSMAN – 2088</h5>
<p>• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 84</p>
<p>• Number of houses on the market last week – 55</p>
<p>• Number of houses on the market this week – 53</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 59</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market last week – 51</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market this week – 42</p>
<h5>CREMORNE – 2090</h5>
<p>• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 11</p>
<p>• Number of houses on the market last week – 11</p>
<p>• Number of houses on the market this week – 6</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 20</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market last week – 17</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market this week – 15</p>
<h5>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h5>
<p>• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 10</p>
<p>• Number of houses on the market last week – 8</p>
<p>•Number of houses on the market this week – 7</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market this time last year– 34</p>
<p>• Number of apartments on the market last week – 30</p>
<p>*Number of apartments on the market this week – 26</p>
<p><em><span>ROBERT SIMEON</span> is a director of </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> </em><em>and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985. <br>He has also been writing real estate blog </em><em><a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> </em><em>since 2000. </em></p>
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Plenty of x-factor on the 2016 property menu: Robert Simeon

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<div>There are multiple data sources for tracking property markets, but the ABS Residential Property Price Indexes series is always one worth analysing, particularly since the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) itself follows it closely.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Established house prices rose by +2.2% in the third quarter to be +11.4% higher over the past 12 months, while attached dwellings rose by +1.4% to be +8.7 % higher over the year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>While averages mask endless underlying trends, the long run data implies that on average over the past dozen years established house prices (+5.6% per annum) have been outperforming attached dwellings (+4.8% per annum), commensurate with lower initial spot yields. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/15/Resi1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/15/Resi1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<span>Let's step today's the key figures in three short parts.</span><br><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Part 1 - Price indexes</span></strong><br><br><div>The star performers over the past year have been established houses in Sydney (+21.9%) and attached dwellings in the same city (+15.8%).</div>
<div>
<br>Established house prices in Melbourne have also performed strongly to be up by +11.5% over the year, but on average attached dwellings price growth in the Victorian capital has been more contained at +4.5%, reflective of the volume of new supply. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/15/Resi2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/15/Resi2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Dwelling prices over the year have performed solidly in Brisbane (+3.8 per cent), Canberra (+4.0 per cent), Adelaide (+3.5 per cent), and Hobart (+1.7 per cent).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>On the other hand there have been moderate declines to date in Darwin (-2.0 per cent) and Perth (-3.3 per cent), although interestingly Domain Group forecasts moderate price growth to return to both cities in 2016, whereas I have previously argued that prices may follow rents down in the next calendar year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Since the end of 2008 Sydney (+83 per cent) and Melbourne (+51 per cent) have outperformed impressively, while prices are also now rising in Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and Hobart. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/15/Resi3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/15/Resi3.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Part 2 - Stock value</span></strong><br><br><div>Over the past three years the total value of dwelling stock has surged +32 per cent or +$1.42 trillion higher, to a total stock value of $5.86 trillion.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/16/Resi4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/16/Resi4.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>More than 90 per cent of the gains in the value of dwelling stock over those three years have been accounted for by New South Wales (+$756 billion), Victoria (+$390 billion), and Queensland (+$131 billion), with the other states and territories accounting for the remaining +$141 billion. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/16/Resi5.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/12/16/Resi5.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>Mean dwelling prices over the past three years have exploded in New South Wales (+$236,000), and increased strongly in Victoria (+$133,000). </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/16/Resi6.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/12/16/Resi6.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>In fact, despite the recent declines in Western Australia and the Northern Territory noted above, the mean dwelling price has moved some way higher across all states and territories across a three year timeframe.</div>
<br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Part 3 - Volume of dwelling stock</span></strong><br><br><div>The final chart below helps to explain why although an increase in the dwelling supply can accentuate market downturns - particularly in smaller towns and cities - in the larger cities an increase in building activity on its own can take years to dampen prices. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>One reason for this is that new builds only ever account for a fraction of transactions in a given year, and therefore the level of available supply at any point in time is rather driven by the established or "second hand" market (another reason is that over-simplified views of the market fail to take account of how well the new supply matches demand at the LGA, suburb, and household formation level).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the past four years, while the Australian Capital Territory (+10.9 per cent) and the Northern Territory (+10.1 per cent) have increased their respective number of dwellings materially, this is of course somewhat harder to achieve when you are starting from a higher base figure.</div>
<div>
<br>Despite this, Western Australia (+8.6 per cent) and Victoria (+7.9 per cent) have made valiant attempts to increase the total supply of dwellings since the the equivalent quarter 2011 according to the ABS data series.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/16/Resi7.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/16/Resi7.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>On the other hand, the ABS figures show that the number of New South Wales dwellings has increased by only +4.4 per cent over the past four years, which may go some of the way to explaining why Sydney's rental market has remained relatively tight to date, despite alleged overbuilding.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the past three years the population of Greater Sydney has increased by around +230,000, and thus while it is easy enough to find localised areas of oversupply, after accounting for stock obsolescence, demolitions, and dwelling approvals that never make it to completion, at the city level at least the market remains relatively balanced in terms of dwelling supply (at least, for now).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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Sydney house prices up 21.9% Pete Wargent

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<p>This week signals the beginning of the end of year auction slow down, with auction volumes falling over the week from 2,989 last week to 1,727 this week. Auction volumes are relatively similar to one year ago, when 1,702 capital city auctions were held.</p>
<p>The number of auctions held this week will be lower in all capital city markets except for Perth, where auction volumes remain virtually unchanged from last week. Melbourne will host 872 auctions this week, down from 1,572 last week, while one year ago just 639 auctions were held across the city. CoreLogic RP Data is currently tracking 457 Sydney auctions, compared to 891 last week and 648 over the same week one year ago.</p>
<p>This year has been the busiest year for auctions on record, with auction volumes expected to come in just over 108,500 for the year. To put this into perspective, there were 104,444 capital city auctions held in 2014, 81,473 in 2013 and just 62,713 in 2012.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Capital </strong></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>City Auctions this week:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Sydney</strong><strong>: </strong><strong>470</strong>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Melbourne: </strong><strong>872</strong>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Brisbane: </strong><strong>186</strong>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Adelaide: </strong><strong>118</strong>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Perth: </strong><strong>66</strong>
</li>
<li>
<strong>Canberra</strong><strong>: 99</strong>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The busiest individual suburbs for auctions across Australia this week are all located in Melbourne. There are 19 auctions scheduled in Craigieburn, 17 in Reservoir and 16 in Mill Park.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Summary of last week’s results:</strong></span></p>
<p>The combined capital city clearance rate remained below the 60 per cent mark last week, with the final results showing 58.2 per cent of the 2,722 reported auction results sold at auction.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/12/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-12-17%20at%203.16.13%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/12/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-12-17%20at%203.16.13%20PM.png" alt="" width="843" height="873"></p>
<p>Both Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s two largest auction markets saw clearance rates improve marginally last week, up from 63.3 per cent the previous week to 64.9 per cent last week in Melbourne and Sydney’s clearance rate rose from 52.9 per cent to 54.7 per cent last week.</p>
<p>Adelaide, with a clearance rate of 49.3 per cent and Canberra (48.6 per cent) both recorded their lowest clearance rate for the year last week, while Perth’s clearance rate has remained virtually unchanged over the past three weeks.</p>
<p>Brisbane’s final auction clearance rate was 41.9 per cent last week, similar to the 41.5 per cent recorded across the Gold Coast.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/12/16/20151217-sub-regions.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/12/16/20151217-sub-regions.jpg" alt=""></p>
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 Beginning of the end of year auction slow down: CoreLogic RP Data's Shana Miller

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<div><span>Low interest rates are allowing homeowners to forge ahead on repayments. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>
<span>From the Reserve Bank: "...<span>two-thirds of borrowing is [now] covered by a repayment buffer of at least one month's worth of required mortgage payments, and for half of this, that buffer is more than one year."</span></span><br><span><span><br></span></span><span><span>One third have at least a 12 month buffer, a remarkable statistic.</span></span>
</div>
<div><span><span> </span></span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/16/RBA.jpg" target="_blank"><span><span>Click to enlarge</span></span></a></div>
<div><span><span><img src="/images/2015/12/16/RBA.jpg" alt=""></span></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>The RBA also found that across every state "all arrears levels are relatively low", with New South Wales the best placed of all thanks to its solid economic performance. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/16/RBA2.gif" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/12/16/RBA2.gif" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
</div>
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