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“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into.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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<html><body>
A prototype energy-efficient home, dubbed the ‘house with no bills’, is set to go under the hammer tomorrow, on Saturday.
The 199-square-metre, three-bedroom home, is located at 12 Monterey Drive, and was built as part of a study into sustainable living which was undertaken by real estate group MIRVAC.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/24/HWNB%202.jpg" alt=""> 
Mirvac General Manager of Residential Victoria, Elysa Anderson, said the complex will be used to shape future projects.
“Designed to look, feel and operate the same way as a typical home, the House with No Bills experiment aimed to help address the increasing pressures of housing affordability and reduce environmental impact with market-based solutions,” she said.
The Cheltenham property was home to the Zimmerman family of four until December 2019.
An Evergen solar and battery system featuring CSIRO-developed intelligent energy management, along with a smart home automation system with environmental sensors controlling internal temperatures, are among the various eco-friendly innovations included to reduce the house’s reliance on grid electricity.
Smart meters and monitoring systems helped the Zimmerman family keep track of where and how their energy was being used, assisting the HWNB in achieving a 75 per cent energy cost saving (approximately $2,000) in 12 months, with the potential to operate with net zero energy bills.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/24/HWNB%203.jpg" alt="">
Built in March 2018, the modern two-storey house has an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, two bathrooms and a powder room, and an outdoor entertaining area.
Tiles downstairs are efficient for thermal protection, while upstairs bedrooms are carpeted. There is a single car garage, plus space to park in the driveway.
MIRVAC’s Baden Lucas will auction the house, which is being marketed with expectations from $775,000 to $850,000.
Cheltenham’s median house price is $1.267 million.
</body></html>

wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

house with no bills prototype in Cheltenham listed for sale

<html><body>
The former site of the Kiandra Residential Care facility, in the Adelaide suburb of Prospect, has been listed for sale.
The property at 20 Alpha Road sits on 4,606 sqm, with a 58 metre frontage to Alpha Road. 
It features a single-storey residential care facility that was fully operational until February 2020, configured to accommodate a combination of single and shared rooms for 50 residents. 
Also included is a communal dining room and lounge, nurse’s stations, kitchen, laundry, extensive staff offices and meeting spaces, consulting rooms and clinical spaces, together with on-site loading and car parking spaces for staff and visitors. 
Justin Hazell and Alistair Mackie, from Colliers International, listed the property.
</body></html>

Prospect's Kiandra residential care site listed for sale

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
The Australian National Accounts, to be released on Wednesday March 4, will provide an estimate of economic activity for the December quarter, including any boost to date from recent policy stimulus. This is ahead of the substantial disruptions from the coronavirus outbreak.
The economy appears to be stuck in the slow-lane after decelerating sharply through the second half of 2018, when the home building cycle swung from boom-to-bust.Moreover, growth is lopsided, centred on public demand and exports, while private demand is weak.
Powerful headwinds persist: construction activity is contracting; weak wages growth and a lack of confidence are impacting consumers; and the global backdrop is challenging.
Tail winds are from: brisk government spending (in the form of public demand), with a focus on health and investment; and the export uptrend, supported by the lower dollar.
Policy stimulus has been deployed - with 3 RBA rate cuts and modest tax rebates. Housing is responding, with prices rebounding sharply. But the flow-on effects to the real economy are yet to emerge. The tax rebates seem to have been largely saved.
The severe bushfires this summer have disrupted activity, across construction activity, consumer spending and possibly business investment. The impact in Q4 may be about -0.1ppt.
In Q3, real GDP growth was 0.4%qtr, 1.7%yr. The arithmetic being: domestic demand +0.2%; net exports +0.2ppts; inventories, +0.1ppt; and the statistical discrepancy, -0.1ppt. For Q4, real GDP growth is a forecast 0.5%qtr, 2.1%yr, with risks tilted a little to the downside. The arithmetic: domestic demand 0.1%; net exports +0.2ppts and inventories +0.1ppt, as well as the statistical discrepancy, +0.05ppt.
Private demand, on our figuring, contracted further, -0.1%qtr, -0.5%yr. Home building is contracting, so too business investment and consumer spending is soft. The last time private demand expanded was 2018 Q2.
On the consumer, accounting for 57% of domestic demand, the national accounts provide us with a detailed update on spending, saving and incomes. Notable is the softness in incomes (wages and non-labour income). Households are income constrained and the savings rate has declined in recent years, to a low of 2.7% in June 2019, then spiking to 4.8% in September 2019 as tax rebates were saved.
The labour market was on the softer side in the December quarter. Job numbers increased by 0.3%qtr, 2.0%yr and hours worked by 0.3%qtr, 1.8%yr. Productivity remains weak, exacerbated by the severe drought.
National income has been running at a 5% plus annual pace of late, supported by higher commodity prices. That changed in Q4, with commodity prices moving into reverse and the terms of trade down an estimated 4.7%. Nominal GDP growth is a forecast -0.3%qtr, 4%yr.
For 2020, our assessment is that output growth will remain stuck below trend, at around 2%. The coronavirus will have a material impact, particularly in the March quarter, when overall activity may stall, with a sizeable hit to trade, particularly tourism and education.
Read the full report <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/42327/14186/" target="_blank">https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/42327/14186/</a>
ANDREW HANLAN is a senior economist for Westpac
 
<div data-fuse="21821171146" data-fuse-code="fuse-slot-21821171146-1" data-fuse-slot="/71161633/PO_propertyobserver/article_incontent_mrec">
<div id="fuse-slot-21821171146-1" class="fuse-slot" data-google-query-id="CNCenuWd8-cCFRMeaAodOxAKKA"> </div>
</div>
</body></html>

Economy stuck in the slow-lane with coronavirus impact yet to come: Andrew Hanlan

<html><body>
An office building, currently owner-occupied by Netball Victoria, has come onto the market. 
The two-level building a is located 150 metres from Melbourne’s historic Flagstaff Gardens.
It features a 10-car basement. 
Following 23 years of occupation, Netball Victoria is relocating to the State Netball &amp; Hockey Centre in Parkville, which is expected to be completed early-mid 2021. 
Savills have listed the property, being sold via an expressions of interest closing April 1.
An anticipated sale price of at least $4.75 million is expected.
</body></html>

Netball Victoria's west-Melbourne office building listed for sale

<html><body>
A Liverpool commercial office building has sold for $52.5 million to an investment group from China.
It's the highest every property sale in Liverpool.
The block at <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/211-northumberland-street-liverpool-nsw-2170-2015756170" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/AHqZC81V1xhLWOxAH1SEax?domain%3Decomms.raywhite.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1582841778809000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH5OYxNT7pmwSwsJ8ZhzeH-0V16nw">211 Northumberland Street</a> was originally purchased by vendors ESR Australia as part of the Denison Portfolio, that also included a building in Campbelltown.
It was sold fully leased to the NSW Government Department – Family and Community Services – until 2022, with 7,645 sqm of net lettable area.
The building sold with an initial yield of 6.6 per cent, producing just over $3.45 million per annum.
Ray White Commercial Western Sydney agents Peter Vines and Victor Sheu secured the sale, in conjunction with Colliers International's James Barber, Frank Oliveri and John McCann.
Vines said the property was one of Centrelink’s most concentrated multi-service centres across Australia.   “We had a huge amount of interest throughout the campaign with more than 120 enquiries coming from multiple demographics,” he said. 
“With Parramatta currently booming, investors are seeking the next hot spot and given its proximity to the new airport and billions of dollars being invested in infrastructure in the South West, Liverpool is a very good option.”   Sheu said the property was an impressive commercial asset investment that came with value add potential.
“The property is a four-level commercial building that was completed in circa. 2000 and has two levels of security basement parking,” Sheu said.   “The asset offers large efficient floor plates that are light-filled and flexible. The plates are highly desirable to Government tenants with a strong retention history.   “Being in the Liverpool CBD, it provides easy access to the M5 motorway, Hume Highway and arterial roads. It’s also close to the Westfield shopping facilities.”
</body></html>

Chinese investment group pays $52.5 million for Liverpool office building

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
The Urban Taskforce CEO, Tom Forrest, today urged the NSW Government to be bold in their plans for reform of the NSW planning system as new ABS data on housing construction shows that NSW has fallen far behind Victoria and risks sleepwalking into a recession.
Across Australia, the value of construction work on new housing in 2019 declined in New South Wales (-15.5 per cent), Queensland (-10.1 per cent), South Australia (-7.4 per cent), and Western Australia (-14.0 per cent). By contrast, the value of work done on new housing increased: by 0.1 per cent in Victoria, 5.4 per cent in Tasmania and 9.6 per cent in the Australian Capital Territory
NSW has the slowest planning system in the country for every single type of development application according to the NSW Productivity Commissioner, Peter Achterstraat. 
Today’s ABS figures show that in the final three months of 2019, the dollars spent on the construction of new housing in NSW plummeted, and that is before the impact of the bushfires, subsequent floods and the Corona Virus are taken into account. This resulted in a dismal decline in NSW new home construction for the year of 2019.
Today’s ABS figures are a wake-up call for the NSW Government.  The NSW economy needs a stimulus now with new Commonwealth and State funds urgently needed for infrastructure to unlock private sector investment in housing. 
Only increased supply will create downward pressure on housing prices. Rather than increasing taxes on new housing, the NSW Government needs to boost its own spending to unlock private sector investment.
I welcome Premier Berejiklian’s calls for major reforms to the planning system. 
Planning reform is urgently needed because the current planning system is allowing NIMBYs to wreck our economy.  Local groups have successfully pressured Councils and the NSW Government into opposing new housing and apartment development across Sydney. This has slowed up the process, reduced the number of approvals and will result in a shortage in new housing supply.
This downward trend started prior to the State election in 2018 and has gotten worse. This is now having a direct impact on GST revenue, stamp duty revenue, employment and investment.  If urgent steps are not taken to reverse this trend, housing prices will skyrocket while the economy tanks – a worst case scenario.
TOM FORREST is the CEO of Urban Taskforce
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Is NSW sleepwalking into recession? Urban Taskforce's Tom Forrest

<html><body>
<div>EXPERT OBSERVER</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Plenty of people bemoaned the record low nominal growth in Australia's wage price index in calendar year 2019, myself included.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Through a prolonged period of high levels of immigration the workforce has clearly become more casualised, and there's been widespread underutilisation as well as wage theft. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>On the other hand, the latest average weekly earnings figures show that there are still plenty of dollars sloshing around some parts of the economy. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the year to November 2019 there was +3.3 per cent growth in average weekly earnings, driven by solid +3.4 per cent growth for full-time employees in the private sector.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>That's well ahead of the rate of inflation of about +1.8 per cent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Full-time ordinary time earnings for males increased by +3.2 per cent, which is plenty better than some of the numbers we've seen for men in recent years (while the equivalent figure for females was robust at +3.5 per cent):</div>
 
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SyB2L8bRUVA/Xk-vRpxsMqI/AAAAAAAA0XE/Lrn-C_wEfMMYQdySez7wuAk_1sGGaTOBQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="368" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1404"></div>
 
<div>For average total male earnings there was very solid growth in Victoria (+5.5 per cent) in particular, as well as in New South Wales (+3.8 per cent). </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In the mining boom glory years male workers drew in extremely strong rates of pay in the Top End - I even lived in Darwin myself for a short time - but those days have long gone, and many workers are leaving the Northern Territory as gravity and mean reversion take hold. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>You can click on the below chart to see how male full-time total earnings have progressed over time by state and territory, with the impact of the end of the mining construction boom in evidence for the resources state figures:</div>
 
<div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpcNpSshjJY/Xk-vRkHSG3I/AAAAAAAA0XI/zeb15JHAWVYEvQdg4c7c9SS3fPKL6JzKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/A2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LpcNpSshjJY/Xk-vRkHSG3I/AAAAAAAA0XI/zeb15JHAWVYEvQdg4c7c9SS3fPKL6JzKgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/A2.jpg" width="640" height="384" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1371"></a></div>
Sector trends
<div>Overall, average weekly earnings increased by +3.2 per cent over the year to November 2019 to a new high of $1,659, which was a stronger result than the +2.5 per cent seen a year earlier.  </div>
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spjyzBpAnJg/Xk-vRtX1rBI/AAAAAAAA0XM/ri4qmweXsLQdjer9sPAvNXGfMAHXfkgXgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/AWE.jpg" width="640" height="636" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="814">
<div>Thus while growth in the wage price index has been benign, it's clear that some earners and sectors have been faring reasonably well. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Higher income earners may include healthcare specialists, construction workers and project managers, engineers, and some of those in tech roles...especially employees based in Melbourne and Sydney. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Indeed, construction topped the industry sectors for adult ordinary time earnings in 2019, with major infrastructure projects seeing some big pay packets being offered, including in inner-city Brisbane. </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>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Important market trends investors should keep an eye on: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
Australians as a whole expect prices to increase by only 3.9% annually over the next two years, according to Roy Morgan surveys conducted in January. This is a slight decrease of 0.1% on December, but down 0.3% on a year ago.
This is the lowest expectation of future price increases to start a year since the series began in 2010 and compares to price expectations of 6.6% annually over the next two years in January 2011.
Comparing price expectations by Federal voting intention shows the highest price expectations are held by those voting for Independents/Others at 4.4% annually over the next two years equal to those who can’t say who they would vote for – also 4.4%.
In terms of supporters of the major parties ALP supporters expect annual price increases of 4.1% over the next two years which is slightly higher than the national average of 3.9% and significantly higher than both L-NP supporters on 3.5% and also Greens supporters on 3.7%.
Roy Morgan’s Inflation Expectations Index measures what Australians believe the future trajectory of prices will be over the next two years. Every Australian brings a unique perspective to the anticipated movement in prices, including which prices are important to them in particular – whether that be food and drink prices, the price at the pump, prices for clothing and footwear, the cost of going to the footy, or prices for financial products, education, housing or transport.
Price expectations in January have dropped to only 3.9% and are now below the record low yearly average of 4% in 2019. Importantly, there are clear differences in perceptions of price increases between supporters of different parties. ALP supporters are the only major party supporters with price expectations above the national average at 4.1% whereas there are significantly lower price expectations for both Greens supporters (3.7%) and L-NP supporters (3.5%) that provide a significant drag on the overall index.
Inflation Expectations by Voting Intention: January 2020
<img src="https://meltwater-apps-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/57312c304f003481ed1f1231/image_4679910221582605124165_1582605127519.png" width="525" height="342" data-imagetype="External">
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source: January 2020, n=4,052. Base: Australians 14+.
Price expectations again highest in Queensland and Tasmania, lowest in WA and NSW
There are significant regional differences for price expectations over the next two years. Those in both Tasmania (5.4%) and Queensland (4.4%) continue to have far higher price expectations than anywhere else.
Price expectations in South Australia (4.0%) are marginally above the national average whilst they are slightly below the national average in Victoria (3.8%), NSW (3.7%) and WA (3.7%). 
Inflation Expectations Index long-term trend – Expected Annual Inflation in next 2 years
Click <a href="https://meltwater-apps-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/57312c304f003481ed1f1231/image_76785245631582605124167_1582605127842.png">here </a>to enlarge:
<img src="https://meltwater-apps-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/57312c304f003481ed1f1231/image_76785245631582605124167_1582605127842.png" width="690" height="420" data-imagetype="External">
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source: Interviews an average of 4,000 Australians per month aged 14+ (Apr. 2010 – Jan. 2020).
January Inflation Expectations are based on personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of 4,052 Australians aged 14+. Price expectations in 2019 averaged a record low 4% across the year slightly beneath the previous low of 4.1% averaged throughout 2016 and the mark of 3.9% for January represents the lowest price expectations to start a year since the series began in April 2010.
MICHELE LEVINE is the CEO of Roy Morgan
</body></html>

Inflation expectations much higher among ALP supporters than Liberal, National or Greens supporters: Michelle Levine

<html><body>
In general terms, the Sydney industrial property market performed strongly in 2019 and it will be the most exciting market to watch in 2020, according to the February report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.
The property valuation firm found a notable increase in demand in Sydney’s industrial market over 2019 with tenants and owner-occupiers alike experiencing difficulty finding well located, good quality industrial space, a trend we expect to continue in 2020.
Demand continues to be driven by lack of supply that has been influenced by residential infill re-zonings in traditional industrial precincts close to the Sydney CBD, airport and ports.
The increase in demand for imported goods and the need for transport and logistics centres have also contributed to the strong increase in demand for warehousing space. As a result, well-located industrial precincts with good connectivity to major transport routes and ease of access to regional business centres including Liverpool, Campbelltown, Parramatta, Blacktown and Penrith will continue to perform well this year.
Such precincts include Wetherill Park, Silverwater, Bankstown and Moorebank, all of which are well placed for access to key transport routes.
HTW valuers said, "we saw yield compression across most industrial precincts in 2019 and we expect this to stabilise somewhat in 2020 with most areas showing relatively low yield rates, currently generally sitting between 4% and 7%."
"We expect that in some areas it is possible that these yields will continue to tighten, but more generally we are expecting stability."
"Average rents across most industrial markets in Sydney grew in 2019, particularly in well located precincts that offer ease of access, transport or proximity to the CBD and ports. We expect that this upward trend will continue in 2020.
"A continued lack of land supply will see premiums paid for vacant land and under improved sites. in some areas we have noted the return of developers undertaking industrial developments and some smaller unit developments being undertaken by local land owners."
They said they will be closely watching the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
HTW forecast that 2020 will provide some great opportunities in the market, however the challenge will be supply, which may make finding the right property difficult.
Investors looking for returns will struggle at the lower end of the market, however some opportunity for returns and longer-term growth exist at the higher end of the market (say above $5 million), they concluded.
</body></html>

Sydney industrial market driven by lacking supply: HTW Industrial

<html><body>
We can anticipate the year ahead to remain stable for the Coffs Harbour industrial and commercial property market in 2020, according to the February 2020 report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.
The property valuation firm found the commercial market demonstrates firm yields across a broad spectrum of price ranges.
Based on the current low interest rate climate, these conditions should continue throughout 2020.
Whilst there will be limited impact throughout 2020, HTW would anticipate the market will become aware of the beneficial economic impact the construction development phase will bring to the local property market.
HTW valuers said, "industrial property should benefit and the demand for services will increase."
"We would expect that retailing will remain difficult with a continuation of the current market, featuring high vacancy rates and sensitivity with rental levels."
"The Woolgoolga commercial market is expanding with a number of new developments proceeding and this market should continue to strengthen throughout the year," they concluded.
</body></html>

Latest Investing Insights

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

Editor's Picks

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Investing Insights

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

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News