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

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

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

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of living landscapes.

"We've always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren't there," Hameister says.

"In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that's concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.

"The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

What does it really mean for a building to be 'green'?

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
There are strong linkages between events in the local economy and outcomes in real estate markets.
If a city’s economy is growing and creating jobs, real estate markets will be busy.
Proximity to employment nodes is an important marker to look for, remembering that most of the jobs are in the suburbs, not in the CBDs.
At Hotspotting we’re scouring information sources every day looking for events that indicate buoyancy (or otherwise) in local economies.
If a major new infrastructure project is planned, we want to know about it. If a business is expanding, creating hundreds of extra jobs, that’s worth adding to our database of knowledge. If a company is relocating its business because of a particular dynamic in the new location, that creates a blip on our radar screen.
Here are some examples of what I mean:
Tesla and South Australia
Elon Musk’s Tesla has set up the group’s first Australian battery and electric cars service centre at the Tonsley innovation precinct in Adelaide. 
Heath Walker, senior manager, marketing and communications at Tesla, says: “The facility will help service our growing footprint in the state, including the <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/worlds-largest-lithium-battery-switched-on-near-jamestown/news-story/2c4992845ce77309d7dad0d48a2d754c">Hornsdale battery system</a> and other Powerwall systems we have there, including one recently installed at the TAFE facility at Tonsley.”
The Federal and State Governments last month announced they will invest in South Australia’s second large-scale Tesla “big battery’’. The 52MWh battery will be connected to the existing Lake Bonney Wind Farm near Millicent in the state’s south-east.
Tesla installed Australia’s first big battery - and currently the world’s largest at 100MWh - at Jamestown, next to the Hornsdale wind farm run by French company Neoen.
In July, Tesla installed residential-scale batteries at 100 Housing SA homes, equipped with solar panels as part of the first phase of a State Government-backed 250 MW virtual power plant. A further 1000 public housing properties will receive the same equipment in the second phase.
Why do we care? Because the South Australian economy is on a growth path and a significant part of the emerging growth is the state’s status as the national leader on alternative energy and Adelaide’s growing reputation as the nation’s leading city for high-tech innovation.
The Tonsley precinct, which has emerged from the ashes of a former Mitsubishi car plant, is a thriving innovation, health and education centre in the Marion LGA, which we rate highly as an emerging hotspot.
Youi and the Sunshine Coast
Insurance company Youi is currently seeking to recruit 120 people for its headquarters on the Sunshine Coast. 
When the $73 million building at Sippy Downs first opened in November 2017, it employed 1,000 people and the company's stated vision was to eventually grow this to 3,000. 
Youi’s decision to locate its national HQ on the Sunshine Coast is indicative of the evolution of this location from tourist resort to regional city.
A lot is changing in the Sunshine Coast economy, much of it inspired by major spending on infrastructure and new business ventures. 
The new medical precinct, based around the $2 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital, has been a game-changer.  Billions more are being spent on the local airport, key sections of the motorway, the new Maroochydore CBD and many other projects. 
The total list of Sunshine Coast projects is worth over $20 billion and it’s transforming the local economy - and with it the local property market.
Ipswich and the military economy
Any location with a strong military economy has an advantage. Cities with a RAAF Base and/or Army base have a built-in generator of economic activity and jobs, particularly given the current national trend of expansion.
Examples include Newcastle, northern Adelaide, Wagga Wagga and Ipswich in the far south-west of Brisbane.
Ipswich has the Amberley RAAF Base on its doorstep and has a growing number of major businesses servicing the military.
It was announced recently that TAE Aerospace will develop a Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility (TEMF) in the Ipswich suburb of Bundamba to support Australia’s fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike fighter jets. 
The addition of the F135 engine MRO&amp;U activities will add 15 aerospace technician jobs to its workforce and up to 85 additional jobs as part of the future F-35 Global Support Solution.
Not far away in Wacol, Rheinmetall is building its $170 million Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence to build vehicles for the Australian Army. Watpac has been appointed managing contractor to deliver the facility, which is expected to support 300 jobs, with completion expected in 2020.
The facility will be Rheinmetall's largest presence outside of Germany and will manage the delivery of the initial 211 Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles under Land 400 Phase 2, and accommodate Rheinmetall's other defence projects.
Also in Wacol, Volvo Group Australia recently opened its new national headquarters at the Metroplex Westgate business park, close to the company’s existing assembly plant.
Around 300 jobs were created during construction of the new headquarters and around 195 people will now work there, along with 530 at the nearby factory.
For these and many other reasons, I’m bullish about the prospects for real estate growth in Ipswich, which has many affordable suburbs and strong infrastructure, as well as many big jobs nodes. Businesses base themselves there because the land is cheap and the transport links are good.
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

Military economy benefiting Ipswich property investors: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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<div>In August 2017 I attempted to estimate the value and timing of forced interest-only ('IO') resets as a result of tighter lending standards. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Since that time many rational borrowers have elected to switch to principal and interest (P&amp;I) loans to benefit from the more attractive mortgage rates on offer. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>APRA's quarterly ADI figures showed that the flow of new IO loans was under 16 per cent for a second consecutive quarter. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>This dynamic combination has had a marked impact on the stock value of outstanding IO loans, declining by $93.2 billion of 16.1 per cent year-on-year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>As a share of ADI residential term loan exposures IO loans have therefore been reduced to 31 per cent as at March 2018, well down from close to 39 per cent a year earlier. </div>
 
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZXOTXlNodQ/Wy8El82AoVI/AAAAAAAAqwI/Ksa4JePKI1oQlWmiti6A7-46KuZ3uYeugCLcBGAs/s640/APRA1.jpg" width="640" height="374" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1367"></div>
 
<div>Most borrowers appear to be handling the switch comfortably.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Those most impacted are likely to be portfolio investors, although many of this cohort built their portfolios over a long period of time, building equity and cashflow in doing so. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Some may have to sell a property or two in order to reduce debt. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The share of higher loan-to-value (LVR) ratio lending continued to tighten in the March quarter, having already declined considerably since 2014. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xenupVlmdH4/Wy8El_m7iWI/AAAAAAAAqwQ/-WTHJbrtXA4wGT7M1HI2xxF-dGZjeU-_ACEwYBhgL/s640/APRA2.jpg" width="640" height="366" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1378"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The latest figures relate to the first three months of 2018, so it's difficult to know whether the Royal Commission had any further impact over the following period through to June.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It's interesting to note that the major lenders have lost some market share over time.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Yet bank share prices saw a punchy rebound this week, possibly relating to a short squeeze, or more likely a pervading sense of relief as the media loses its appetite for daily stories from the Royal Commission. </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>.
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Most IO borrowers handling the switch to P&I comfortably

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Real estate abounds with myths and misconceptions and there are few bigger than this furphy: you always get the best growth in the “prime” areas.
That old chestnut has always been false but commentators still repeat it, particularly those who make their living from selling real estate in the millionaire suburbs.
The top end of town in both Melbourne and Sydney have seen good growth in recent years, but over the longer-term they’re not the market leaders.
In Melbourne, the prime market is headed by suburbs like Toorak (median price $4.7 million) and Canterbury (a tick under $3 million). Toorak’s 10-year growth average is 5.9 percent a year, which is pretty ordinary, while Canterbury averages 6.8 percent. By contrast, the previously-stigmatized Sunshine suburbs in the western suburbs all average above 10 percent a year, while humble Thomastown and Lalor up in the northern fringes of the Melbourne metro area average better than 9 percent.
There are many similar examples to be found across Sydney and Melbourne.
It’s good news for real estate consumers, most of whom can’t afford the swanky suburbs and are simply looking for locations where the prices are attainable and the growth prospects are strong.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options around Australia.
Right now, the most buoyant markets – as well as the ones with the best future prospects – are generally the more affordable ones.
While the average price performance for Sydney and Melbourne is now a little in the negative, it’s mostly happening in the expensive areas, while the more affordable outer-ring markets are still delivering some growth.
Our strongest capital city market right now is the cheapest one, Hobart.
The capital cities with the best prospects moving forward are those which offer a lot more affordable options than Sydney or Melbourne – namely, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
And in terms of the markets that are showing the greatest activity and highest price growth right now – they’re mostly regional centres, where prices are a lot more attractive than their capital cities.
Geelong has thrived partly because of the price comparison with Melbourne and Newcastle has surged thanks in part to its pricing compared to Sydney.
For these and other reasons, the most popular reports at Hotspotting include the ones we call Cheapies with Prospects. We have a city edition and a regional edition.
Each edition has five locations worth considering and here I’m focusing on three of them, to illustrate why cheaper areas with good growth drivers are worthy of attention from real estate consumers.
Ipswich City
Not many capital cities offer suburbs with median house prices below $300,000 but Brisbane does. You’re most likely to find them in Ipswich City (pictured above) in the south-west of the Greater Brisbane area – although suburbs with medians in the $300,000s are more common.
So the area offers plenty of “Cheapies” but the key words are “With Prospects”, and Ipswich City offers plenty of potential for growth.
It has good infrastructure, transport links, amenities and major job nodes, helped by the evolution of master-planned communities like Springfield. 
A key factor in identifying hotspots is what’s coming up in the near future and this is what puts Ipswich firmly on our radar screen: there is big spending on infrastructure, like the ongoing expansion of the RAAF Base at Amberley, and major new jobs nodes, like the one being created by the $5 billion Defence contract recently announced.
City of Marion
The South Australian economy is steadily improving and prospects for Adelaide property markets are rising. 
I like the City of Marion because it’s middle market by Adelaide standards but its price levels are below the bottom end of Sydney and Melbourne.
Several suburbs have median house prices in the $300,000s though there are more in the $400,000s. The LGA is handy to the Adelaide CBD, with good transport links, and has multiple growth drivers, including Flinders University, the nearby Flinders medical precinct and the strongly-emerging Tonsley precinct created from the former Mitsubishi car plant.
Ballarat
Regional Australia abounds with growth markets at the moment and many of them have attractive prices.
Ballarat in Victoria stands out because it’s a strong, growing regional city with great links to its capital city, but at a fraction of the price.
There are growing numbers of Melbourne residents prowling Ballarat looking for affordable properties with attractive rental yields, amid a thriving local economy.
There are suburbs with median house prices in the mid-$200,000s and others in the low-to-mid-$300,000s. Yields in the 4.5 to 5.5 percent range are on offer.
Several locations have recorded double-digit price growth in the past 12 months.
The most popular suburbs, in terms of sales numbers, are Wendouree and Sebastopol, both of which have a median price of $260,000.
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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Three of the best and cheapest locations with growth prospects: Terry Ryder

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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.
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

house with no bills prototype in Cheltenham listed for sale

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A new global inner city metropolitan housing trend has arrived in Australia with full force which may assist to solve some of Sydney's housing shortages and affordability constraints.
Compact co-living dominated by young professional residents often from the start-up, creative, financial or professional sectors has become an emerging property sector, reports recent Savills Australia research.
Many occupants earn above the national average income, making them ideal prospective tenants for housing that mixes high quality rental rooms with communal lifestyle spaces.
Tertiary students have long sought co-living most recently in pod-style micro-apartments.
But the purpose built graduate, young professional city dweller accommodation is seen as a new rung, a step up from high quality purpose built student accommodation.
With the latest offering in a Paddington terrace house, there is no one size fits all approach in creating spaces for these community inspired, experience orientated young renters.  
The research shows that co-living is on the rise, emerging in key cities such as San Francisco, New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore.
The top five co-living hotspots in Sydney, according to the Savills report, are Waterloo-Beaconsfield, Parramatta-Rosehill, Potts Point-Woolloomooloo, Redfern-Chippendale, Sydney-Haymarket-The Rocks.
These are followed by Newtown-Camperdown-Darlington, Pyrmont-Ultimo, Surry Hills, Bondi Beach-North Bondi, and Erskineville-Alexandria.  
Leading the way are UKO, Hmlet, Zuu. 
One runs everything from movie nights, yoga in the courtyard, to gin making workshops!
They have been reporting full $500 a week occupancy, highlighting demand for their product that comes with bicycle parking, roof top terraces, outdoor cinema screens, shared laundries, barbeques, pools and kitchens.
The properties often fall under the next-generation boarding house code, so occupants typically sign a membership agreement instead of a lease.
“What’s interesting is that there is no one size fits all approach in creating spaces, as experienced in the student accommodation sector,” according to direct of student accommodation at Savills Australia, Conal Newland.
Sydney and Melbourne dominate emergence of the sector at scale in Australia as analysis shows that 88 of the top 100 regions for investment and development are located across these two global gateway cities with strong international student prescence.
In Melbourne, the top co-living hotspots are the Melbourne CBD, Richmond, Southbank, South Yarra East, St. Kilda, Prahran-Windsor, Brunswick, North Melbourne, Nawthorn, and Carlton.  
"As development costs and relative housing unaffordability continues its upward trend in Australia's capital cities, co-living options will only mature and success," said Newland.
"Co-living is a viable need, and it's going to become more and more of a necessity over time," said Mr Newland.
Some co-living operators are looking to be leaseholders with others fully developing and owning the real estate and operations.
The high-quality rental rooms on short-to long-term leases generally operate under the boarding house regulations. 
Across Australia, 1.46 million 25 to 35 year olds rent, reports Savills. 
Nationally, over 250,000 25 to 34 year olds live on their own.
For this demographic in particular, co-living offers social interactions, wellbeing and experience, alongside privacy in your living space and beautiful, sophisticated building designs, said Paul Savitz at Savills Australia.  
He said government policy is pivotal in attracting ongoing investment.
"Australian lawmakers should be mindful of passing legislation that may reduce the attractiveness of investments into new housing typologies which are more suited to generations with different preferences," Mr Savitz notes.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Co-living emerging as new global property trend

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EXPERT OBSERVER
More carnage overnight with US stocks down another -10 per cent again in early trade to smash into the circuit breakers, with the Dow Jones shedding -36 per cent in less than a month, before a late rally.
<div id="post-body-2582528096951691734" class="post-body entry-content">
The oil price (WTI) was down at nearly $20 at one stage, before a bouncing to $22, nestling in at the lowest level since the early 2000s...so there are some value plays emerging there.
But overall, cash is king at the moment while stock market valuations continue to mean revert.
This risks sounding like a broken record, but it bears repeating that overall US stocks are still far too expensive given the outlook, and could yet fall another -30 per cent even from here (if things got really bad they could go much lower).
 
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lq18M1eZhts/XnKhiiXFqbI/AAAAAAAA0vY/zUHAiE2ggegAqwyOYEAT9qR84VyY8a3tQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/CAPE.jpg" width="640" height="308" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1090"></div>
 <div>Source: Shiller PE</div>
 Don't forget that previously healthy earnings are about to be decimated, with JPM forecasting US GDP to shrink by 4 per cent in Q1 and 14 per cent in Q2. I can't watch another fund manager video demanding that you stay fully invested with them. It's time to step away from the noise and remember the <a href="https://lowrateshighreturns.com/2020/03/16/applying-the-8-timeless-principles-in-a-bear-market/" target="_blank">8 timeless principles</a>! The <a href="https://lowrateshighreturns.com/2020/01/04/maximising-your-long-term-wealth-with-the-kelly-criterion/" target="_blank">Kelly criterion</a> demands that you keep cash aside and live to fight another day - especially when markets are as overvalued as they have been - as better opportunities will always come around in the future. Remember Rule #1: don't lose money. The Aussie market stock index may catch a bid after a European stimulus announcement this morning. This is Lagarde's own 'whatever it takes' moment, but the ECB promising no limits to its commitment to the Euro, and another massive asset purchase programme. Still on the balance of probabilities the Aussie index increasingly looks likely to hit late 2009 levels this week in the 4,800s range this month. This is a swift and brutal lesson in the importance of <a href="https://lowrateshighreturns.com/2019/12/29/the-magic-of-rebalancing/" target="_blank">rebalancing</a> and keeping cash aside for future opportunities arising, with a decade of price gains erased in about 20 trades. Buy and hold at all times has been mistaken at times as a panacea or even a religion, but it's not; you need and do whatever it takes to keep yourself around to capitalise on the opportunities. 'Whatever it takes' moment
 
A historic An historic A momentous day ahead for Australian financial markets.
The Reserve Bank is set to make a landmark announcement at 2.30pm Sydney time, with Governor Lowe lined up to speak thereafter at 4pm.
Lowe will likely discuss an emergency cut in the official cash rate to 0.25 per cent, central bank purchases of government bonds, the ongoing conducting of repo operations, and other measures to ensure that credit continues to flow to households and businesses. 
Global cases of the coronavirus continue to increase at this stage, suggesting that a serious disruption to the global economy lies squarely ahead, although known cases in Australia remain relatively low at this stage. 
 
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PpQcwNO9df0/XnKlqpCKgHI/AAAAAAAA0vg/zHXvgYR03PYK6i4HO-HDdOhrRudmyWKYACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/CV.jpg" width="640" height="388" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="828">
Daily new cases hit fresh highs yesterday (the February 12 spike was a data collation or measurement issue).
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QesSeFEsy4A/XnKs4AK_b6I/AAAAAAAA0vo/i5BTQupD2EEaQuoc-z-AD4xeoeGEq6pVACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/Cases.jpg" width="640" height="342" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="897"></div>
 The biggest surge in cases lately has been in Italy, with 35,713 cases and 2,978 deaths recorded to date. Recession ahead Major bank economists see the Aussie unemployment rate rising to 7 to 8 per cent (not that you can really forecast in the present environment), while the government's initial stimulus package probably isn't enough to save the economy from printing negative growth for both the first and the second quarter of the year.  
This would lock in Australia's first recession in three decades. 
Recent years been characterised by the Reserve Bank 'leaning against' asset prices and continually undershooting the inflation target, with persistently slow growth in wages and living standards.
Nobody could've predicted the great trifecta of drought, bushfires, and a global pandemic, of course, but the economy was already running well below potential before these shocks. 
At this stage all we have is mostly anecdotes about the likely state of the economy, but so many of them reflect sharp drops in revenue, income, commissions, and profits, that this is no time for half measures.
Markets will be looking for a 'whatever it takes' pledge and from Lowe, and the use of unlimited monetary ammunition until things stabilise. Anything less than that will be brushed aside in the savage market conditions. From the government's perspective infrastructure programs and tax cuts aren't going to cut it. What's needed is putting cash into the hands of households and small businesses today...to prevent the R from becoming a D. They'll write books about all this next year; it's been a momentous month. 
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>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Infrastructure programs and tax cuts won't be enough: Pete Wargent

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The virus crisis creates unique challenges for everyone in real estate, including those of us who research, analyse and write reports. 
Every quarter I write The Price Predictor Index, which analyses key data like sales activity and price trends for every suburb and town in Australia. Researching and writing that report stretches typically across two months – and in the past two months the world has changed.
In some ways, the world is forever changed but the fundamentals underpinning Australia will not change. Areas with strong and diverse economies, growing populations, good existing infrastructure and investment in new infrastructure, will continue to be good places to own real estate. The underlying principles of supply and demand will remain intact on the other side of the shutdown.
The Autumn 2020 edition of the PPI is based on data that pre-dates the full impact of the virus crisis on property markets (remembering that the figures from both CoreLogic and SQM Research show little negative impact during March) but it shows that Australia was full of strong markets going into the crisis – and gives a clue to life on the other side.
The report identified growth markets right across Australia, finding uplift in places you don’t hear much about in mainstream media, as well as in the usual places. Based on our analysis of sales activity, the leading market jurisdictions were Regional New South Wales and Adelaide, ahead of Melbourne and Sydney. 
Other strong performers, in terms of the number of locations with rising sales activity, were Regional Queensland, Perth, Brisbane and Canberra. Regional South Australia was a surprise stand-out.
Our Autumn 2020 survey identified 77 growth markets in Regional NSW, while Adelaide and Melbourne both had 69 suburbs with rising momentum - but we rate Adelaide higher because it had the same number of growth market as Melbourne despite being a much smaller city. 
The survey reveals that both Sydney and Melbourne were well into growth phases prior to the onset of the coronavirus period, as part of a major upward movement in most market jurisdictions across Australia. 
Exceptions included the two previous national leaders, Regional Victoria and Hobart, which were both past the peaks of their recent upward cycles. We would expect price growth in those plateau-ing markets to level off - even without the additional impact created by the virus.
The report underlines some of the key principles of real estate which won’t change amid the current uncertainty. It demonstrates that price movements are preceded by significant changes in sales activity - and that prices take time to react to those trends. 
Our quarterly analysis shows that areas which experience a steady uplift in sales volumes will have increases in prices - eventually. And locations where sales activity is declining will eventually see price growth cease, or price decline. 
Both Sydney and Melbourne had falling prices in 2018 and early 2019, and this was preceded by a steady fall-off in sales volumes in the 12-18 months before values began their descent. Most researchers measure market peaks by price behaviour but at Hotspotting we measure it by analysing sales volumes – which allows predictions of whether prices will rise or fall in the near future.
The report also provides further evidence of the folly of generalisation about property markets. Media often discusses Australia as a single market, with forecasts of the likely movement in “Australian house prices”. It’s a ludicrous concept, but that’s what they do, fed by press releases from economists who discuss real estate as a single national entity. 
It is equally foolish to discuss a city as a single market. Our Autumn 2020 survey shows that while there was a noteworthy recovery under way in both Sydney and Melbourne in late 2019 and early 2020, the uplift was not occurring evenly across those very large metro areas. 
In Sydney, the revival was seen most vividly in upmarket areas like the Northern Beaches and the Inner West. The outer ring locations remained relatively quiet (with the notable exception of the Blacktown LGA). 
And while Sydney overall was the strongest we had recorded in any of our quarterly surveys in the past five years, there remained 12 suburbs we classified as declining markets and another 12 we rated as danger markets. The latter were all locations dominated by apartments, where extensive recent new development had created over-supply, without any evidence as yet of an increase in demand or prices. 
In Melbourne, we saw some similar patterns, with considerable uplift in the top end suburbs and also in Middle Melbourne - strong middle-ring locations like the Whitehorse LGA - but relatively little response in many of the outer ring areas. Melbourne still had 16 suburbs classified as declining markets, but no danger markets.
Equally, there can be stark contrasts in the performance of suburbs within a single local government area. The City Of Sydney LGA had five rising, 11 plateau, one danger and three declining markets - all those contrasting fortunes within one municipality, covering just 25 square kilometres of inner-city Sydney. 
Real estate markets are primarily driven by local events, even though national factors can impact sometimes. And we’ll find out how much when we see the data for April and May.
I continue to expect the negative impacts from the virus crisis to be short-term – and that, when we’re through this bizarre period in the life of the nation, the fundamentals will still apply.
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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Negative impacts of COVID-19 on real estate to be short-term: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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<div>
EXPERT OBSERVER
Very few cases of COVID-19 in Australia, with a handful of cases returning from overseas and headed to quarantine. 
 
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cgHNMSh-oQ/Xsx2s06IRqI/AAAAAAAA16g/wDLDtpPvcfkunQPJ6ms16Hj1eSX8Ba3kQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/CV1.jpg" width="640" height="362" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1410"></div>
 <div>Recoveries continue to comfortably outstrip new cases.</div>
 <div>And, importantly, we're consistently seeing zero deaths reported on a daily basis, with few serious cases even going as far as ICU. </div>
 <div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq1uYHyB-KM/Xsx2tGzEx0I/AAAAAAAA16o/8yxL_txLTsEmUkq7S9oXm1PF9d9-Es09gCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/CV2.jpg" width="640" height="362" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1409"></div>
 <div>There are 5 cases remaining in ICU nationally, against the expanded capacity of 7,500 beds.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Confidence returning</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Consumer confidence increased for an 8th consecutive week, up by +0.4 per cent to a reading of 92.7 points according to ANZ-Roy Morgan.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Future financial conditions gained by +3.2 per cent and is approaching its long term average reading.</div>
 <div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCSe5Ue0BOI/Xsx2s1gwkFI/AAAAAAAA16k/Zeb8FGowur8NGJMmSaZfv2E44F65IjhawCPcBGAYYCw/s640/CC2.jpg" width="640" height="502" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1011"></div>
 <div>Source: ANZ-Roy Morgan</div>
 <div>Credit card usage data shows that Aussies are willing and able to spend again, but realistically travel restrictions needs to be eased before the economy can begin to fire up properly.</div>
</div>
<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>
</div>
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Confidence up for 8th consecutive week: Pete Wargent

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A Gowanbrae mortgagee home has been listed for sale.
Located at 87 Primula Boulevard, the home features four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a double garage.
The total block comprises 898 square metres, with 399 square metres of internal floor space inside the house.
A price guide of $1,150,000 to $1,250,000 was provided. 
The block of land was purchased in 2013 for $290,000, and the house was completed in 2015.
Lilian Farrugia, from Stockdale &amp; Leggo Gladstone, has the listing.
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Gowanbrae mortgagee home listed for sale

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EXPERT OBSERVER

Regional Victoria remains one of the nation’s leading markets, especially on price performance. Of the 138 suburbs and towns ranked our Price Predictor Index, 116 of them have recorded price growth in the past year. 

That means 84% of locations throughout Regional Victoria have growing prices. More than half of those growth markets have increased their median house prices more than 5% in the past year, including many which have had double-digit growth.

The strength of prices in Regional Victoria is confirmed by the latest price data published by CoreLogic on 1 June. House prices recorded, after recording solid increases in March and April, were unchanged in May, while unit prices were up 0.5% during the month.

Regional areas of the state have been boosted by buyers out of Melbourne, including home buyers seeking a more relaxed and affordable lifestyle, while in some cases working remotely for a city business. The coronavirus shutdown period which forced people to work from home is likely to further enhance this trend.

Our Winter survey of sales activity reveals that Regional Victoria has remained quite resilient in terms of sales activity, in the faces of the Covid-19 impacts. There has been only a minor reduction in the number of locations with growing sales activity, compared to the results of our Autumn survey.

There are 27 locations with rising demand. The numbers for the Winter survey are comparable to the results of the previous four quarterly surveys, which generally have indicated that the Regional Victoria market jurisdiction has passed its peak but remains sturdy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=22699]

This market was at its strongest throughout 2018, when three consecutive quarterly surveys had 47, 47 and 51 locations with rising sales activity.

But, as our research regularly demonstrates, real estate prices often remain strong long after the peak of the market in terms of sales activity.

This is shown by the many individual suburbs and towns throughout Regional Victoria which have recorded median price growth above 10% in the past 12 months.

Ballarat has been particularly outstanding, with price growth headed by the suburbs of Ballarat Central (up 24%) and Lake Wendouree (23%). Brown Hills, Redan, Alfredton and Sebastopol have all increased between 10% and 12%. Other Ballarat suburbs have increased 7-8%.

The best performers in Geelong have been Drysdale (19%) and Bell Park (10%), while growth in Bendigo has been led by East Bendigo (21%).

But growth markets have been spread widely throughout the state, including Irymple (27%), Tatura (23%), Nagambie (19%) and Euroa (18%).

Other which have risen by between 10% and 14% include Apollo Bay, Portland, Woodend, Churchill, Daylesford and Morwell.

There are numerous locations throughout Regional Victoria which have delivered annual growth of 7-8-9%.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7633]

In terms of locations with rising sales activity, which is a pointer to future price growth, the outstanding LGAs are Geelong and Bendigo.

The City of Greater Geelong has provided strong growth markets for the past three years and continues to show resilience. It benefits from its ability to provide an affordable alternative to Melbourne, underpinned by a strong local economy and good links to the nearby capital city.

In our Winter survey we have identified seven growth suburbs and four consistency suburbs, a good result in difficult times. There are also 15 suburbs in Greater Geelong classified as plateau markets. 

Bendigo has five growth markets and two consistency ones, in addition to nine plateau markets. This important regional city is benefiting from growing interest from Melbourne buyers and also investors from other parts of Australia.

Bendigo is behind Ballarat in the market cycle so we think has more upside, looking to the future. Ballarat has been a great performer in the past 2-3 years, as the price growth figures show, but is past its peak, with only one suburb remaining with growing sales activity.

The other standout is Latrobe City, where Morwell, Newborough and /Traralgon are all growth locations, while Moe and Churchill are consistency markets.

Other growth markets across the state include Ararat, Benalla, Castlemaine, Gisborne, Romsey, Cobram, Horsham, Mildura, Wonthaggi and Mooroopna.

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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