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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

ALTA Property to deliver $200 million Queens Road apartment tower

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

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

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

First look: NewQuest Property proposes new St Ives apartment development

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

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

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EXPERT OBSERVER
A combination of housing values trending lower and sluggish rental conditions, CoreLogic research out today looks at the total investment return trends across Australia’s capital cities and broad regional markets.
Over the 2018-19 financial year, total returns from residential property recorded a fall of -3.3%.
Returns were down from the previous year and it was the only financial year since at least 2005/06 that total residential property returns were negative.
To put that in context, housing returns last year were worse than those recorded during the financial crisis and during the 2010- 12 housing downturn.
The combination of falling values and historically low rental yields have driven total returns into negative territory.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%201.JPG" alt="">
Looking at the national figures in the context of the combined capital cities and combined regional markets shows that returns have reduced over the year across both regions.
However, combined capital city returns have fallen -4.5% while combined regional market returns remained mildly positive at 1.6%.
For the combined capital cities it was the weakest returns on record and the first negative annual return, while across the combined regional markets it was the weakest annual return since 2008-09.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%202.JPG" alt="">
Across NSW, total returns fell over the 2018-19 financial year in both Sydney and regional NSW.
For Sydney, it was the second consecutive financial year in which returns have fallen however, it was a larger -6.7% fall compared to the previous year and the largest fall of any time since 2005-06.
In regional NSW total returns were - 0.5% lower over the past financial year and it was the first time over the period that total returns recorded a decline.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%203.JPG" alt="">
In Vic total returns were lower over the most recent financial year in both Melbourne (-6.0%) and regional Vic (4.5%).
For Melbourne it was the first financial year in which returns were negative since 2011-12 and it was the largest fall in total returns on record.
Although regional Vic total returns remained positive, the market experienced a substantial slowing from the previous year.
Furthermore, it was the slowest growth in total returns for regional Vic since 2011-12 when they increased by 3.5%.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%204.JPG" alt="">
Although total returns throughout the 2018-19 financial year remained positive in Brisbane and regional, Qld there was a substantial reduction in returns across both regions.
Over the year, total returns in Brisbane were recorded at 1.7% the lowest they have been since the 2011-12 financial year and it was the same story in regional Qld with the 3.2% return the lowest since 2011- 12.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%205.JPG" alt="">
Although returns from residential property remained positive over the 2018-19 financial year in SA, both Adelaide and regional SA recorded a slowing of total returns.
Over the year, Adelaide’s total return was 4.1%, which was the smallest return since 2011-12, and down from 6.1% the previous year.
In regional SA, returns slipped from 5.2% the previous year to 4.0%, which was the smallest returns since 2011-12.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%206.JPG" alt="">
Total returns were negative in 2018-19 across WA with both Perth and regional WA recording their largest annual falls in returns on record.
Over the year, total returns in Perth recorded a fall of -5.3% and although returns have fallen over three previous financial years, it was the largest decline on record.
In regional WA, returns declined -5.0%, which was also a larger fall than over any of the three previous financial years in which returns were negative.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%207.JPG" alt="">
Both Hobart and regional Tas maintained positive total returns over the 2018-19 financial year however, it was a significant reduction of returns in Hobart.
Hobart’s return was recorded at 8.1% over the year, down from 17.4% the previous year and its smallest annual return since 2014-15.
In regional TAS the total returns was 11.4%, which was slightly lower than the 13.2% the previous financial year however, returns remained higher than the 10.2% over the 2016-17 financial year.
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%208.JPG" alt="">
Total returns from residential property have softened over the past year across NT.
Darwin recorded a decline in total return of -3.0% over 2018-19 which was a larger fall over the previous year but not quite as large as the -3.6% fall in 2015-16.
In regional NT, total returns were recorded at 7.8% in 2018-19, down from 8.5% over the previous financial year.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%209.JPG" alt="">
Canberra recorded total returns of 6.0% over the most recent financial year.
The total return in Canberra has fallen over the year from 9.4% and the 6.0% return is the lowest since 2013-14. Canberra, along with Adelaide and Hobart are the only capital cities in which total returns have not been negative over any of the financial years shown.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/25/CL%20JULY%2025%20-%2010.JPG" alt="">
With early signs that the rate of decline in housing values has slowed in Sydney and Melbourne and rental yields rising across most regions of the country, the outlook for total returns over the coming year looks a little stronger at a national level.
As always, there will be diversity with most regions of the country outside of Sydney and Melbourne yet to show signs of an improving housing market. We may see an improvement in returns in the two largest capital city housing markets while returns continue to weaken elsewhere.
CAMERON KUSHER is the head of research for the Australian branch of CoreLogic
Kusher regularly posts on the <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/news" target="_blank">CoreLogic website</a>.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Housing returns slump over the 2018-19 financial year: CoreLogic's Cameron Kusher

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Australia is strongly tilted towards the capital cities. That’s where the bulk of the population lives, where economies are strongest (generally speaking) and where the greatest share of property sales take place. So, usually, the quarterly editions of The Price Predictor Index published by Hotspotting feature more city locations with growing sales momentum than regional ones. 
But the Winter 2019 edition has the regions are out-performing the capital cities. Regional NSW has far more rising markets than Sydney, Regional Victoria has way more growth than Melbourne and Regional Queensland is outdoing Brisbane. 
Nationally, it’s line ball: we have identified 137 growth markets in the capital cities and 137 in the regional areas. This is a very strong performance by regional Australia and explains why so many of the nation’s growth markets are found in the regions - places like Ballarat, Bendigo, Wagga Wagga, Orange, Mackay and the Sunshine Coast.
Most of the outstanding individual locations currently are in regional areas. They dominate our National Top 50 list of Supercharged Suburbs. Thirty of the featured locations are in regional areas and only 20 are in capital cities. 
Regional NSW provides 13 of the Top 50 locations and Regional Queensland provides 10. There are no contenders from Melbourne and only two from Sydney (but Adelaide provides eight suburbs to the list and Perth six). 
Examples of country NSW centres that have strong growth momentum include the Port Stephens area, Wagga Wagga and Ballina. Regional Queensland areas to feature include Rockhampton and Toowoomba, as well as the buoyant Sunshine Coast market. 
As I observed in this column last week, Regional NSW is not following Sydney’s trend. While most sectors (but not all) of the Sydney market have been in decline, the cities and towns of Regional NSW have delivered many growth markets in the past two years.
The Winter edition of the Price Predictor Index also builds on previous versions in providing hints of recovery in Regional Queensland markets. When the resources boom was raging, investors piled into markets like Gladstone, Moranbah, Emerald, Mackay and Rockhampton - and enjoyed big growth for a short period, before the bubble burst. Now many of these locations are rising again. 
Our National Top 50 list includes Mackay, Rockhampton, Emerald and Toowoomba - indeed, the list has three locations from the Rockhampton LGA. This report also contains further evidence of recovery in Gladstone. (but I continue to urge caution about investing in places where the local economy is largely driven by the mining sector).
Regional Australia also contributes strongly to our National Top 50 list of most consistent markets: half of the locations featured for the steady demand they attract are in the regions outside the capital cities.
They include places like Mildura, a regional centre in rural Victoria that you would seldom hear about: in most quarters in the past three years, Mildura has delivered between 200 and 220 house sales – occasionally slightly fewer and sometimes a little more. Its median house price rose 11% in the past year.
The Raymond Terrace market in the Port Stephens LGA in NSW has recorded between 60 and 76 sales in every quarter for the five years – and its long-term capital growth average is 5% per year, confirming that consistent markets deliver steady growth.
Regional markets also stand out in our analysis of price data. Australian consumers seldom hear about it because media focuses so much on the biggest cities and because most of the data published is generalised in nature: a single growth/decline figure to describe the entire nation or a single figure which purports to depict the market in massive cities like Sydney and Melbourne. 
Behind those sweeping generalisations lie the real stories about markets - and in many cases there’s a lot more real estate growth going on than anyone realises. 
Nine out of ten locations in Tasmania have median prices higher than last year. It’s similar for 60% of Regional NSW, 61% of Regional Queensland and 80% of Regional Victoria.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
 
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Regional Australian property outperforming capital cities: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Over the 2018-19 financial year the number of settled property sales fell substantially, down -17.2% from the previous year. Because of the significant difference in sales year-to-year when we are analysing the market performance, especially in terms of sales across price points, looking at the shifts in market share provides a much more accurate picture.
Over the 12 months to June 2019, 12.5% of all houses and 8.0% of units sold nationally transacted for at least $1 million. The share of million dollar house sales was down from 14.7% a year earlier and was also well down from its peak of 15.0% of all sales in March 2018. For units, the 8.0% share over the past year was lower than the 9.4% a year earlier. The fall in million dollar sales over the past year reflects the overall weaker housing market conditions and the fact that higher valued properties have typically recorded the greatest value falls.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_National.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_National.PNG" width="576" height="186" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="29e13edb-5eec-47e0-97c6-b5b613674f3c" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_National.PNG">
 
Throughout the combined capital cities, 18.4% of all houses and 9.8% of all units sold over the 2018-19 financial year sold for at least $1 million. The share of million dollar house sales was down from 21.9% a year earlier as well as being below the peak of 22.3% of all sales in March 2018. The 9.8% of million dollar unit sales was down from 11.5% a year earlier and was the lowest share since October 2016.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Combined%20Capital%20Cities.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Combined Capital Cities.PNG" width="577" height="185" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c9e71fd5-5fad-4eeb-8176-907a038dc747" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Combined%20Capital%20Cities.PNG">
 
Far fewer properties sell for at least $1 million in regional markets as opposed to capital cities. Over the 2018-19 financial year, 4.1% of all houses and 3.3% of all units sold in regional Australia transacted for at least $1 million. While the share of million dollar house sales was marginally lower over the year (down from 4.5%), the share of unit sales was marginally higher than the 3.2% a year earlier.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Combined%20Regional%20Markets.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Combined Regional Markets.PNG" width="573" height="187" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="020089ea-48e7-4cf0-8947-e13a8ef1bdb7" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Combined%20Regional%20Markets.PNG">
 
While a substantial volume of houses and units sold in Sydney are at least $1 million, the share has seen a steady fall over recent years as dwelling values have declined. Over the 2018-19 financial year, 30.2% of all house sales were at least $1 million which was down from 34.2% a year earlier and the smallest share since October 2014. For units, 18.9% of sales were at least a million dollars of the 2017-18 financial year compared to 16.4% over the latest financial year. The 16.4% of unit sales $1 million or greater was the smallest share since the 12 months to January 2016.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Sydney.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Sydney.PNG" width="600" height="190" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fde8b0f5-7cc3-45b1-ba38-6765cc33f8ea" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Sydney.PNG">
 
Like Sydney, Melbourne has recorded a slump in million dollar sales over the past year as values have continued to fall. Over the 2017-18 financial year, 29.0% of all house sales and 7.8% of all unit sales were at least $1 million. Over the past financial year, the share of million dollar sales had reduced to 23.1% for houses and 6.5% for units. The larger falls across higher value housing markets and tighter credit conditions have clearly limited transactions at prices above $1 million.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Melbourne.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Melbourne.PNG" width="598" height="188" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9fc21a83-94ff-4cdf-9ef7-0c1fd7b939d1" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Melbourne.PNG">
 
Over the 2018-19 financial year, 8.7% of all houses and 3.8% of all units sold in Brisbane transacted for at least $1 million. Brisbane values have fallen over the past year and as such there has been a slight fall in million dollar sales which were down from 8.8% and 4.0% respectively over the previous year. As the chart shows the fall in million dollar sales has been much more moderate than the decline in these sales across Sydney and Melbourne.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Brisbane.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Brisbane.PNG" width="601" height="183" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e765ec35-4e8c-453b-8599-bf579c566407" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Brisbane.PNG">
 
5.9% of all houses and 1.4% of all units sold over the 2018-19 financial year in Adelaide, transacted for at least $1 million. The share of house sales of at least $1 million is currently at an historic high and has increased from 5.2% a year ago. The 1.4% of units sold for at least $1 million is unchanged from 12 months ago but the share has fallen slightly over recent months.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Adelaide.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Adelaide.PNG" width="597" height="187" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1818e06a-8eab-4a01-8e62-fe96f9f74b65" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Adelaide.PNG">
 
Although the Perth housing market has seen a substantial decline in values since the middle of 2014, the share of million dollar sales has actually not fallen significantly. Over the 2018-19 financial year, 10.0% of all house sales and 4.1% of all unit sales were at least $1 million. The 10.0% of house sales was down from 10.6% a year earlier and the 4.1% of unit sales was up from 3.9% a year earlier.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Perth.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Perth.PNG" width="609" height="187" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="897bcaf0-f09a-491f-80c9-91226731ab27" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Perth.PNG">
 
Although dwelling values have continued to climb over the past year in Hobart, there has been weaker conditions at the top-end of the market resulting in the share of million dollar sales falling over recent months. Over the 12 months to June 2019, 3.9% of all houses sold in Hobart were at least $1 million which was higher than the 3.7% a year earlier but down from the recent peak of 4.1%. The share of units sold for at least $1 million has fallen from 3.0% at the end of the 2017-18 financial year to 2.4% at the end of the latest financial year.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Hobart.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Hobart.PNG" width="622" height="205" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2e707c02-72bc-4493-b895-00f421ef7aa0" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Hobart.PNG">
 
The ongoing decline in Darwin dwelling values since 2014 has resulted in a much smaller share of house and unit sales occurring within the million dollar price point. At the end of the 2018-19 financial year, 2.4% of all house sales and 0.6% of all unit sales were at least $1 million. The share of million dollar house sales is down from 3.0% a year earlier and is at its lowest share since June 2013. The share of million dollar unit sales is unchanged over the year.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Darwin.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Darwin.PNG" width="583" height="181" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5e8f398-e452-40de-9d22-88e067f09e7b" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Darwin.PNG">
 
Although Canberra dwelling values continued to increase throughout the 2018-19 financial year, the share of million dollar sales has dropped over the year. The share of $1 million house sales has fallen from 12.3% a year ago to 11.5% over the current year. For units, the share of sales has fallen to 2.0% of all sales from 2.3% a year earlier.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Canberra.PNG" alt="Annual Million $ Sales_Canberra.PNG" width="601" height="194" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1cab45de-0f45-42a4-85f4-2d0e371ea2a6" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Annual%20Million%20%24%20Sales_Canberra.PNG">
 
Over recent months we have started to see some stabilizing of housing market conditions. The data also shows that the largest improvement is occurring across the most expensive properties. Assuming this continues over the remainder of the current financial year the share of million dollar sales, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, may increase over the coming year.
CAMERON KUSHER is the head of research for the Australian branch of CoreLogic.
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Million dollar sales take a dive over the financial year

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EXPERT OBSERVER
There are growing signs of recovery in resources-related markets in Queensland, both in sales activity and prices. This, plus steady performance in the larger regional cities of regional Queensland, has lifted the sector’s overall performance to its strongest position since mid-2017.
Regional Queensland markets collectively have improved in the past 12 months: in the past four quarterly surveys of sales activity conducted by Hotspotting, the number of locations with growing demand has increased from 30 to 36 to 40 to 45. The number of growth markets had decreased sharply late in 2017 but showed steady improvement in 2018.
A standout feature is the recovery in mining-related markets which have spent several years in downturn. This trend is headed by Mackay (pictured above), which now has rising demand coupled with much lower vacancies, and some suburbs are now showing good price growth.
Emerald’s sales activity is rising, as is the iconic coal-mining town of Moranbah and the Surat Basin town of Chinchilla. Rockhampton, a larger regional centre with strong links to the mining sector, is now showing signs of following Mackay’s lead to recovery.
Emerald is a standout: quarterly sales have been 51, 57, 66, 62, 60 and 77, while the median house price has risen 22% to $300,000 in the past 12 months.
Moranbah’s median price has increased 21% - but only to $200,000, still well below the former peak above $700,000 in this classic example of a boom-bust scenario. Clermont is up 20% to $220,000 and Collinsville 17% but remains below $100,000.
I’m not suggesting investors should rush out and look for places to buy in these places: these mining-related towns are highly volatile markets and more people lose money than make their fortunes there.
But the recovery is noteworthy as it’s part of a wider trend of stronger performance in regional Queensland, against a backdrop of the national situation whereby the strongest markets are in regional Australia.
A significant new event in Queensland is the first signs of recovery in Gladstone, which had boom conditions in 2011 and 2012, thanks to three massive gas projects totalling $60 billion, but suffered a property market downturn because developers over-reacted and created a glut.
Two Gladstone suburbs, New Auckland and Clinton, now have rising markets (but six suburbs remain “danger” markets). New Auckland’s median has risen 9% in 12 months, but most Gladstone suburbs have continued to decline. So, the picture is still more negative than positive – but we are seeing evidence of recovery, including in the reduction in the overall vacancy rate (now close to 3%, according to SQM Research).
The larger, more diversified regional centres of Queensland have increasingly steady markets. The Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast are both producing good results, especially the Sunshine Coast which is undoubtedly the strongest of the Queensland markets, including Brisbane.
Our latest survey has revealed 62 Regional Queensland locations with annual price growth above 7% - and almost half of them are in the Sunshine Coast region. Noosa
Shire region is thriving, after a lengthy period of stagnation. Median price growth in the past year includes Noosa Heads houses 19%, Noosa Heads units 26%, Noosaville units 16%, Sunshine Beach houses 38% and Sunrise Beach units 23%.
Elsewhere on the Sunshine Coast, Doonan’s median house price has risen 27%, Mt Coolum is up 22% and Twin Waters has risen 23%. But, in terms of sales activity, the Sunshine Coast and Noosa markets may have passed their peaks – they now have considerably more plateau markets than rising ones.
The nearby Gympie region – which benefits from proximity to the booming Sunshine Coast economy - has three suburbs with rising demand.
The post-Games boost predicted by some has not eventuated on the Gold Coast. This market was strong from 2015 to 2017 because of the pre-Commonwealth Games construction boom. Since then the growth has subsided and we can find only five growth suburbs in Gold Coast City, but 41 suburbs classified as either “plateau” or “consistency” markets – and three “decline” markets.
Beyond these South-East Queensland areas, the locations showing most signs of rising are the Fraser Coast, Cairns, Toowoomba and the highly-promising Townsville market, where over $25 billion in new investment is targeted.
The Fraser Coast region, centred on Hervey Bay, now has several rising suburbs, with Torquay and Scarness the standouts. Toogoom, Dundowran and Scarness have all recorded strong price uplift.
Cairns has five suburbs with rising demand, while Toowoomba is showing signs of rising on the back of major infrastructure and other property-related investment.
Overall, regional Queensland is showing increasing signs of joining the biggest trend in Australian real estate – the rise and rise of regional markets.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au ryder@hotspotting.com.au twitter.com/hotspotting
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Regional Queensland property prices rising: Terry Ryder

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The property markets of Hobart and Tasmania lead the nation. Homes sell faster here than anywhere else in Australia and there are locations with double-digit annual price growth throughout the state. 
The key drivers are a strong state economy and affordable prices. Research from realestate.com.au indicates that buyers out of Melbourne are providing a lot of impetus to Tasmanian markets.
The number of growth locations (those where demand, as measured by sales volumes, is rising), is lower than the peak but remains strong and steady.
The outstanding feature of Tasmania’s markets is the strength of prices. Virtually every location of substance across the state has recorded annual price growth above 5% in the past year, and most have delivered better than 10%. It’s almost impossible to find a market where the median price has dropped – and in this regard Tasmania is probably unique in Australia. 
In conducting our quarterly location-by-location research on demand levels across Australia, Hotspotting also examines patterns with prices. We record suburbs and towns where the median price has increased more than 5% in the past year, those which have grown between 1% and 5%, and those where prices have declined more than 5%. (We disregard locations with fewer than 30 annual sales, because the sales sample is too small to provide accurate and meaningful price trends.)
In Hobart, we can find no suburbs with falling prices and none with minor growth. All have increased by more than 5% in the past 12 months – and 80% of them are up at least 10%. A key feature is most have recorded rises in the latest quarter, which indicates prices are still growing.
The standout markets have grown more than 20%, including the house markets in Bellerive (21%), Carlton (22%), Gagebrook (22%), Howrah (23%), Moonah (20%), Risdon Vale (26%) and Warrane (21%)
The Bellerive and West Moonah unit markets are both up 29%.
But the leading markets on price growth are Clarendon Vale houses and Lindisfarne units, both up 32%.
A standout precinct in the Hobart metro area is the Clarence LGA, where Bellerive, Clarendon Vale, Geilston Bay, Howrah, Lauderdale, Lindisfarne, Oakdowns, Risdon Vale, Rokeby and Warrane have all recorded double-digit growth in their median prices.
Our Autumn survey for The Price Predictor Index, like the previous Summer survey, provides further evidence that the Hobart market is beyond its peak in terms of sales demand. In early 2018 we saw the first hint of a moderation in sales activity in Hobart and this was confirmed by later reports. But the drop in demand has been gradual, there are still growth markets, and prices continue to rise.
The Clarence, Glenorchy, Kingborough and Sorell LGAs all have growth suburbs, but they are outnumbered by plateau markets (those where sales demand has settled on solid levels but below the peak). 
The suburb of Rokeby in the Clarence LGA has recorded quarterly sales of 17, 22, 22, 26 and 29 – and its median price has risen 12% to $285,000 in the past 12 months. 
The Brighton LGA on the northern fringe of Hobart is a growth market, both in terms of rising demand and rising prices. In the suburb of Bridgewater, quarterly sales have been 14, 15, 22, 18, 26, 34 and 31 – and the median house price has increased 15% to $235,000 in the past year.
It’s clear from these figures that the locations with the strongest growth dynamics are mainly the ones that offer affordability.
Regional Tasmania is further back in the cycle than Hobart and continues to show strong activity and rising prices. 
Launceston and neighbouring LGAs like West Tamar and Meander Valley have multiple suburbs with rising demand, including Kings Meadows, Norwood, Prospect, South Launceston, Waverley, Hadspen and Riverside. 
This precinct is also delivering rising prices. Suburbs with double-digit annual growth in house prices include Hadspen, Invermay, Kings Meadow, Mowbray, Newnham, Prospect, Ravenswood, South Launceston, Summerhill, Waverley and West Launceston. Two unit markets with notable growth include Newnham (up 27% to $220,000) and Riverside (up 27% to $325,000).
Many of these suburbs have median house prices below $300,000 and others are in the mid low-$300,000s, continuing the state-wide theme of growth in affordable markets. 
But the Tasmanian location with the strongest growth is the town of Richmond, about 25km north-east of Hobart. Its median house price is up 44% to $630,000, but based on a smallish sample of 34 sales in the past year.
Another town just outside Hobart which is doing well is New Norfolk. Sales demand is rising here and median prices are up 18% to $245,000 for houses and 12% to $225,000 for units. 
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
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Nowhere in Tasmania has seen less than 5% property price growth in 12 months: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Although the official statistics suggest something slightly different, by my reckoning Sydney's housing market has now entered its third year of downturn.
<div>From a purely psychological point of view, this makes for a testing time for owners, and some may now choose to sell.  </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div>I'm interested in opportunities, but one of the challenges facing bargain-hunters - at least in the areas that are typically of most interest - is that Sydney's regional unemployment rates are as close to zero as you'll ever see. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Click <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zQj8VeqmxnU/XHhf4Egzx6I/AAAAAAAAuw4/_7pp0VW2TYcFLt_g8Pi1qPhoEz_JtIb6gCLcBGAs/s640/UE.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zQj8VeqmxnU/XHhf4Egzx6I/AAAAAAAAuw4/_7pp0VW2TYcFLt_g8Pi1qPhoEz_JtIb6gCLcBGAs/s640/UE.jpg" width="640" height="368" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1381"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The cash rate setting is also at the lowest ever level, so there's little in the way of mortgage stress to report in inner Sydney, although tighter access to credit and the interest-only mortgage reset could smoke out some portfolio investors. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>And despite record levels of construction in recent years, Sydney doesn't really have a structural oversupply.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>What it does have, though, is a few concentrated gluts of apartment completions and projects hitting the market at the same time, which might give rise to some distressed sales or failed apartment projects. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Pockets of pain</div>
<div>
 My experience in Britain has taught me that sharp price falls are sometimes seen when the economy really turns bad, leading to rising unemployment and forced sellers - hardly a widespread problem facing Sydney at this point in time - and sometimes in the most supply-responsive areas.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I spent a long time last week looking for bargains in the Sydney market, and in the east I couldn't find anything - I mean, not a single thing - that you might term a bargain, or anything even approximating to a bargain. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I don't really know enough about Homebush, Parramatta, Blacktown, or Western Sydney to comment in any meaningful way.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The best examples I could find of significant price declines, at least within 20 kilometres of the City, were mostly in areas zoned for higher-density housing or construction hotspots.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Epping was a standout example, where scores of apartments were sold off the plan around 2014, and it's not too hard in that area to find examples of units for sale at well below the 'as new' price (although, interestingly, some have been advertised 'almost as new').</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Resale prices in some developments look likely to be up to 15 to 20 per cent lower than the off-the-plan price after an assumption for discounting is factored in.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A high proportion of such apartments was bought by non-residents, and jt's probably fair to say that total return might not have been absolutely front of mind for some off the plan buyers. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Locations around Epping and parts of the Hills District have experienced a huge surge in apartment completions in recent years. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Finding a tenant would be hard work right now for landlords, which might encourage more sellers in 2019.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>. </div>
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Where are the Sydney property bargains? Pete Wargent

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Over the 2018 calendar year, the share of sales across the six price points highlighted nationally were: 6.1% under $200,000, 24.8% between $200,000 and $400,000, 28.0% between $400,000 and $600,000, 18.7% between $600,000 and $800,000, 8.7% between $800,000 and $1 million and 13.8% at or above $1 million. 
The most prominent price point for sales was $400,000 to $600,000, while there were more sales of at least $1 million than there were below $200,000 or between $800,000 and $1 million.
The share of sales annually by price point over each five-year period from 1993 to 2018 shows how an overwhelming majority of sales occurred below $200,000 in 1993, compared to virtually no sales below $200,000 in 2018.
Over time, there has been a steady climb in the share of sales across the more expensive price points.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%201.JPG" alt="">
Across the combined capital cities, sales below $200,000 accounted for just 1.8% of all sales, while sales of $1 million properties accounted for 19.5% of all sales.
The dominant price point for sales over the year was $400,000 to $600,000 (28.3%).
The chart clearly highlights the rising prevalence of $1 million sales while supply of stock under $200,000 has reduced substantially.
Sales of properties under $200,000 in regional Australia accounted for 12.9% of all sales over the year, the third largest price point for sales.
The $200,000 to $400,000 price bracket accounted for the largest share of sales over the year (38.1%). Sales of $1 million properties in regional Australia (4.7%) are much less common than they are across the capital cities.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%202.JPG" alt="">
Over the 2018 calendar year, there were virtually no sales under $200,000 in Sydney.
By comparison, 37.0% of all sales were at or in excess of $1 million, which made up the largest cohort of sales.
A decade earlier, $1 million sales accounted for 8.9% of all sales, highlighting the increasing prevalence of million dollar sales in the city over the decade.
30.7% of all dwelling sales in regional NSW in 2018 were between $400,000 and $600,000 closely followed by 30.3% of sales between $200,000 and $400,000.
Sales of million dollar properties had the smallest share of all sales accounting for 6.3% while 9.6% of sales were less than $200,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%203.JPG" alt="">
Like Sydney, virtually nothing sold for under $200,000 in Melbourne throughout 2018.
The greatest share of sales occurred between $400,000 and $600,000 (30.4%) and $600,000 and $800,000 (27.1%).
21.7% of all sales were at least $1 million, up from 5.4% a decade earlier.
A decade ago, 51.2% of all sales were between $200,000 and $400,000 compared to just 7.2% last year.
In regional Vic, sales of properties priced between $200,000 and $400,000 were most prevalent over the year (46.7%).
$1 million sales accounted for just 2.2% of transactions, the smallest share of any price point over the past year.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%204.JPG" alt="">
The greatest share of property sales in Brisbane during 2018 occurred at a price between $400,000 and $600,000 (35.6%) followed by $200,000 to $400,000 (28.7%).
Over the year, just 1.7% of sales were below $200,000 compared to 7.8% at or in excess of $1 million.
In regional Qld, there were more sales under $200,000 (9.6%) than there were both five (8.1%) and 10 (7.9%) years ago.
Sales of properties priced between $200,000 and $400,000 accounted for the greatest share of sales (36.6%) followed by $400,000 to $600,000 (29.0%).
While a greater share of sales occurred under $200,000 there has also been an increase in $1 million sales, accounting for 6.0% and up from 2.7% of sales five years earlier.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%205.JPG" alt="">
Most properties sold in Adelaide during 2018 sold for between $200,000 and $400,000 (37.5%), closely followed by $400,000 to $600,000 (33.1%).
Interestingly, there was a greater share of sales under $200,000 in 2018 (5.3%) than there were in 2013 (4.5%).
Similarly, $1 million sales increased their share from 2.4% in 2013 to 5.1% in 2018.
In regional SA, just 5.0% of all sales in 2018 occurred at prices above $600,000.
By comparison, 32.2% of all sales were under $200,000 and 49.2% were priced between $200,000 and $400,000 with the two accounting for 81.4% of all sales compared to 85.3% five years earlier.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%206.JPG" alt="">
Perth dwelling values have been falling for most of the past five years. Despite these falls, the share of sales of $million properties has increased from 7.8% to 9.3%.
While $million sales have increased as a share over the past five years, so too have sales priced between $200,000 and $400,000, increasing from 24.5% five years ago to 30.7%.
There has also been a slight increase in sales under $200,000 (2.2% to 3.3%).
43.4% of all sales in regional WA in 2018 were priced between $200,000 and $400,000 in 2018 while a further 24.7% were priced below $200,000 resulting in 68.1% of sales under $400,000.
Five years earlier a much lower 57.8% of sales were under $400,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%207.JPG" alt="">
With strong value growth over recent years, over the 2018 calendar year 43.8% of all sales in Hobart were under $400,000 compared to 68.8% five years earlier.
Million dollar sales accounted for 3.8% of all sales in 2018, up from 1.4% five years earlier.
In regional Tas housing is quite affordable and most sales occur across lower price points with 77.6% of all sales in 2018 priced below $400,000.
Property sales over $600,000 accounted for 5.1% of all sales in 2018, up from just 2.2% five years earlier.
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%208.JPG" alt="">
Just 30.8% of all sales in Darwin throughout 2013 were under $400,000.
With most of the past five years having seen dwelling values fall, a greater 41.3% of all sales in 2018 were under $400,000.
The share of million dollar sales has reduced over the past five years from 2.8% to 2.2%.
The greatest share of sales in regional NT occurred between $400,000 and $600,000 (39.0%) while $800,000 to $1 million accounted for the fewest sales (0.9%).
Five years earlier, the greatest share of sales were occurring between $200,000 and $400,000 (48.0%).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%209.JPG" alt="">
The greatest share of property sales in Canberra occurred between $400,000 and $600,000 in 2018 (36.7%) while five years earlier the largest price point for sales was also $400,000 to $600,000 accounting for 45.5% of all sales.
There has been a particularly large increase in the share of $million sales over the past five years, up to 8.8% of all sales from 2.8%.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/7/Kush%2010.JPG" alt="">
The clear shift over the past five years has been towards a greater share of sales at higher price points.
While you’d expect this in the markets that have seen strong value growth such as Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart, we have also seen it across markets where value growth has been much weaker.
Values are currently declining fastest across the more expensive properties and over the coming year we would expect to see the share of sales over $1 million to reduce as values continue to fall.
As a result, we’d also expect slightly more sales occurring at lower price points, we don’t expect any material change in the share of sales under $200,000, in fact they may reduce further.
CAMERON KUSHER is a Research Analyst at CoreLogic.
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Million dollar property sales became more common in 2018: Cameron Kusher

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Suburbs comprising of larger average land sizes are generally bucking the broader capital city housing market trend and achieving stronger value changes and milder declines over the past year compared to broader capital city markets according to CoreLogic research out today.
The analysis shows the five suburbs in each capital city with the largest average land area based on sales over the 12 months to February 2019. It also shows the median value of these suburbs and the change in median values over the year.
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One of the most noticeable from this data is the fact that for houses, the annual change across these suburbs is typically superior to that across the broader capital cities.
In Sydney, house values have fallen by -11.5% over the 12 months to February 2019. Looking at the five suburbs listed, only Kenthurst has recorded a weaker annual change.
Melbourne house values are also -11.5% lower over the past year and all of the suburbs listed have seen more moderate value falls than that across Greater Melbourne.
Brisbane house values were -0.4% lower over the past year and two of the five suburbs have seen a stronger annual change.
The 0.9% annual increase in Adelaide house values means that four of the five suburbs listed have seen stronger value growth over the past year.
Perth house values are -6.7% lower over the past year with four of the five suburbs listed recording either value increases or more moderate declines than -6.7%.
Greater Hobart house values were 6.8% higher over the past year and three of the five suburbs listed have recorded growth in excess of that.
House values in Darwin increased by 0.2% over the past year and three of the five suburbs with the largest average land sizes recorded greater value increases than that.
While Canberra house values increased by 4.1% over the past year, only two of the suburbs listed recorded growth in excess of this.
Although this data broadly shows that suburbs with larger average land sizes are holding up better in the housing downturn, many buyers value larger land sizes.
As new development increasingly moves towards higher densities and smaller lot sizes for houses, large housing lots are likely to continue to be highly desirable.
The desirability won’t be only for more space, but also where the potential for future sub-division may exist. 
CAMERON KUSHER is a property research analyst for CoreLogic.
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Give me land lots of land: CoreLogic's Cameron Kusher

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EXPERT OBSERVER
We don’t often get sensible analysis of price data from economists - mostly they generalise about “the Australian property market” - but Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan provides an exception.
In a recent article he notes that some sections of the Melbourne market are still strong and that Regional Victoria has many locations with rising prices. 
This correlates with recent Hotspotting research revealing that the cheaper areas of Melbourne still have strong prices while Regional Victoria is the most buoyant market in the nation.
Hassan says Melbourne’s overall price correction “has shown much bigger differences across segments and tiers” than has Sydney. 
“For Melbourne, units and bottom tier areas are holding up much better,” he says, noting that prices across the bottom 25% of the market remain resilient.
“This theme is also apparent across sub-regions. The big movers over the second half of 2018 were Melbourne’s Inner East and Inner South, with the Inner City and West holding up considerably better. 
“Prices are also performing better across Regional Victoria.”
Hassan says that, overall, the city’s rental market remains tight with vacancy rates holding around 2%.
“Meanwhile, rental vacancy rates are extremely tight across Victoria’s regions, having fallen from 2% in late 2017 to just 1.2% in early 2019,” he says. “This in turn suggests the uneven performance is likely to continue.”
Hotspotting’s regular nationwide research into sales activity and price movements has identified numerous growth markets in Regional Victoria.
They include Geelong (above), Ballarat, Bendigo, Pakenham, Officer and Warragul, as well as many smaller towns within an hour or so of Melbourne.
The Price Predictor Index published by Hotspotting ranks Regional Victoria as the No.1 market in Australia for strong sales activity and rising prices.
It has also identified growth markets in the Melbourne metropolitan area.
The generalised data on prices - i.e. one growth figure for the entire nation or for a major city - has Melbourne house prices down, although how much they’ve fallen depends on whose figures you believe. 
One major data source has the Melbourne median house price rising slightly in 2018, while others say it fell 2% or 3%, the latest figure from the ABS says 6% and CoreLogic (which usually has the most negative figures) says Melbourne is down 11%.
These sources have one thing in common: they generalise about very large areas. They lump all of Greater Melbourne, which has 500 suburbs as diverse as Toorak and Epping, into one melting pot, with one figure to describe the whole market. 
But Melbourne has many different scenarios in play, including precincts where prices are still rising. Hotspotting’s suburb-by-suburb analysis shows many of the outer-ring areas still have price growth.
This is confirmed by new data on the suburbs of the Melton LGA in Melbourne’s west. Most Melton suburbs have had annual price growth above 13%.
Melton’s median sits at $410,000 (up 14.5%) while Melton South is $411,750 (up 15.7%), Kurunjang $432,000 (up 19.5%) and Melton West $450,000 (up 13.9%).
The figures confirm that investors who are able to ignore media generalisations and do some real research will have little trouble finding strong markets where prices are growing.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
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The property markets that are thriving in Victoria: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Brisbane is like a car where the engine is revving but it can’t move forward because the handbrake is on. The city’s property market is poised for an up-cycle but, according to the generalised price data published in mainstream media, it’s not yet happening.
The key point for investors, however, is that there are many Brisbane markets achieving above-average price growth.
There’s no doubt that Brisbane real estate has an underlying strength and it continues to show gradual improvement in its market. It remains poised to deliver on the potential shown by advances in the economy, population trends (lots of Sydney refugees are escaping to affordable South-East Queensland) and infrastructure spending. 
The price data for the Greater Brisbane Area is noteworthy, because it shows that the generalised figures published in mainstream media are highly misleading. The latest figures from sources like SQM Research, Domain and CoreLogic have Brisbane houses showing little or no growth in the past year, but Hotspotting’s suburb-by-suburb analysis shows there are many out-performers.
We analysed 269 suburban markets, looking at the latest price figures showing quarterly and annual growth rates: 83 of them have recorded annual price growth above 5% (including 20 suburbs with double-digit growth) and another 100 have recorded growth below 5%; 47 have dropped by less than 5% and 39 have dropped more than 5%.
This means seven out of 10 suburban markets have median prices higher than a year ago – very different to the trend in Sydney which is dominating media coverage and causing careless analysts and writers to morph that into a national downturn.
Many of the Brisbane suburbs where the median house price has lifted more than 10% are higher-end markets, including Bardon (up 11% to $1,005,000), Hendra (up 13% to 1,100,000), Graceville (up 13% to $950,000), Kenmore Hills (up 10.5% to $900,000), Norman Park (up 10% to $950,000) and Paddington (up 11% to $1,165,000).
But the highest annual growth in median house prices has been recorded for Sandgate houses (up 19% to $755,000).
A key trend is that 27 or the 39 markets with prices down more than 5% are unit markets: median prices have dropped for apartments in Bowen Hills (20%), Bulimba (15%), East Brisbane (15%), Woodridge (10%), Greenslopes (11%), Hamilton (11%) and Woody Point (18%). 
This reflects the cold reality that the Brisbane unit market has been oversupplied for the past few years – and not just in the inner-city areas.
The Moreton Bay Region LGA has been the busiest market in Greater Brisbane for some time - and my latest survey of sales activity shows that the number of suburbs with rising demand has risen from 7 (six months ago) to 12 – making it one of the leading municipalities in the nation for growth markets.
Growth locations include Bray Park (median $435,000), where quarterly sales have been 37, 57, 62 and 65 in the past 12 months; Murrumba Downs ($540,000) where the sales pattern has been 50, 60, 58 and 68; and Everton Hills ($595,000), where sales have been 26, 39, 39 and 45. 
A number of Moreton Bay suburbs recorded good median price growth in the past 12 months, including Beachmere (up 10%), Sandstone Point (8%), Upper Caboolture (7.5%), Strathpine (10%), Burpengary East (up 9%) and numerous others which grew 5-6%.
The Brisbane-north precinct (the northern suburbs of the sprawling Brisbane City Council area) is now level with the Moreton Bay Region on growth markets (those where demand, as measured by sales volumes, is rising). 
With Moreton Bay Region and Brisbane-north the strongest market, it means the Brisbane market is strongest north of the Brisbane River (with more than half the rising suburbs in the Greater Brisbane area being in these two northside precincts).
A number of Brisbane-north suburbs recorded have good annual price growth, headed by Gordon Park (9%), Hendra (13%), Sandgate (19%), Newmarket (8%) and Nudgee (10%) – while many others have grown 5-6-7%.
These numbers, once again, show how misleading the generalised data is – and that investors need to dig a little deeper to find the growth markets. Brisbane - boosted by the affordability and rental yield comparisons with the biggest cities – has a lot more forward momentum than the media reports suggest.
Once the handbrake comes off (with the big banks starting to compete for business again and the Federal Election soon to be history), Brisbane will become a more obviously upwardly-mobile market.  
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
 
 
 
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