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“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into.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>
EXPERT OBSERVER
The decision by Ryde Council to reject a planning proposal due to community concerns demonstrates a flaw in the NSW Planning system.
Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale used the fact that around 400 submissions were against a planning proposal for a large development at Macquarie Park as the reason to reject the proposal despite the clear support from council staff in their detailed report.
Mayor Laxale stressed the loss of local amenity and character as a community concern but clearly the project was creating a new local character.
The NSW Department of Planning promotes the importance of community participation as being about ‘preserving local character’ in their draft Community Participation Plan.
Clearly new projects in Planned Precincts and areas around rail stations are going to have a new character that is quite different to the existing local character.
At the Ryde Council meeting many community members said they wanted no development and that they wanted to preserve the existing character of their area.
The Exhibition Draft of the Department of Planning and Environment’s Community Participation Plan lists three reasons why community participation is important.
This includes ‘Community participation creates a shared sense of purpose, direction and understanding of the need to manage growth and change, while preserving local character.’
Clearly the preservation of local character leads to minimal growth and change and this is contributing to the anti-development attitude by some community members in Ryde.
In a pre-election environment a number of politicians are using the government policy of ‘preserving local character’ to lobby communities against new development.
This approach is particularly apparent in Ryde where the local member, Victor Dominello, has encouraged his constituents to be against new development.
This is despite the fact that that half way through the 5 year targets for new homes set by the Greater Sydney Commission for Ryde of 7,600 homes the current numbers are about 10 percent above the half way point but the slowing housing market will mean it is unlikely the GSC target will be met.
We need greater government leadership on the creation of a new local character particularly in nominated Planned and Priority Precincts.
Communities need a clear message that in the areas nominated by the NSW Government for growth that the local character will change significantly.
Community input should them be about the quality of the new urban character and the mix of amenities.
The Urban Taskforce believes the NSW Government should amend it’s planning documents that focus on the preservation of local character in growth areas and replace with the creation of a future local character.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO 
</body></html>

cjohnson-8xfqfuuCSq

Ryde planning rejection demonstrates flaws in the NSW planning system: Chris Johnson

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
For Michael Hickinbotham, Managing Director of South Australia’s number-one home builder, his company’s deep-seated family roots and commitment to innovation, quality, and value make the Hickinbotham Group a trusted household name today — some 60 years after the first house went up.  
His father and grandfather, Alan David and Alan Robb respectively, established the company more than 60 years ago. Today, it has built 40,000 homes and more than 50 community estates and maintains the founders’ mission of creating beautiful, quality homes for South Australians.
Hickinbotham tells me he proudly attributes the company’s ongoing success to its core values. 
“Above all, I believe in the concepts of innovation, creativity and value. It’s innovation and creativity that allow us to create value and, it’s the ability to offer superior value that underpins our success,” he enthusiastically shares. 
Hickinbotham Group is the only homebuilder to create and successfully manage brands for every segment of the market, from first home buyers to the middle market and all the way up to luxury homes.
But keeping the company at number one, Hickinbotham explains, takes tenacity and a passionate team that thrives on a sense of urgency. “When we decide to do something, we commit to it, and we do it as well as we can.”
He says, “To sell significant volumes of real estate you have to offer unmatched value. That starts with beautiful designs, great build quality, and fantastic service and is backed up by people who care.”
While Hickinbotham says luck has played a part of the company’s success, he also notes the company has continued to pioneer through significant challenges, including the South Australian State Bank collapse in the 1980’s, the Global Financial Crisis, and the residential building downturn of the mid- and late-2000’s.
The family business emerged from each crisis stronger, smarter, and wiser. 
South Australian Heritage
Hickinbotham’s father and grandfather were the first in the family to develop homes for sale, starting with a house in 1954 on Sturdee Street in Linden Park, an inner-eastern suburb of Adelaide. I understand that house still stands today and is in immaculate condition. 
These are humble beginnings, but both men had a vision to improve communities that still inspires the company’s success today.
His father was a renowned sportsman who represented South Australia and Geelong in football and seemed larger than life. He was well read and engaged with the world but determined and single-minded about the family business.
His grandfather —known to many as “Hick”— was a respected academic and the founder of Australia’s most famous winemaking course at Roseworthy, which is now part of the University of Adelaide.
The legacy of these two men drive Hickinbotham to try new things. 
“While I don’t like failures, I accept that if you don’t have some failures you’re not pushing the envelope far enough, you’re not testing your limits, you’re not growing,” Hickinbotham said. 
“With business you have to learn to take risks and to minimise risk where you can. You have to be willing to fail and, more than that, to face your failures squarely and learn from them.”
Creating homes, not houses 
Although a trained lawyer, Hickinbotham chose property. He could have also joined his family’s other business, which is wine. His older brother David oversees a business that produces excellent wines. Twice they have been ranked among the 100 best in the world by Wine Spectator magazine.
“I love real estate because it is so fundamental to human happiness,” Hickinbotham says. “Nothing improves lives like putting a roof overhead. Real estate is also a time-honoured way for people to build their wealth.”
“I whole-heartedly believe the family serves the business, not the other way around. The business, in turn exists to serve our customers and the community”.
And, as Hickinbotham confidently and proudly states, it is this philosophy and commitment that will continue to guide the business for the next generations. 
Hickinbotham Group was the first Australian developer to put telephone and power lines underground; the first to impose restrictive covenants on the felling of trees at a new home estate; the first to win a Civic Trust award for a housing development. They were the first to store run-off stormwater in the aquifer for later re-use. They were also the first to develop a privately-owned public school at a time when the South Australian State Government couldn’t afford to fund new schools. 
Notably, the company recently signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Tesla to explore the deployment of Tesla batteries in its estates. And the company already puts solar on many of the homes it builds. 
Hickinbotham Group has even worked on plans to take an entire housing estate “off the grid” via photovoltaic cells and batteries. This means homeowners might be able to earn revenue by selling excess power back to the grid. 
Advice for First Time Buyers and Investors 
As a proud Adelaidean, Hickinbotham whole-heartedly believes his city is the best in Australia for first home buyers.
“You will get a lot more for your money in Adelaide than in Sydney or Melbourne,” he says. 
“Infrastructure here is less stretched. Prices are not as high, so there is a lower entry cost. Adelaide is beautiful and the perfect size at 1.3 million people.”
According to Hickinbotham Group, South Australia is a less volatile market to invest in because traditionally it hasn’t been subjected to the same booms and busts as other capital cities.
“I have also lived in London, Sydney and Melbourne, and I love those cities. But in Adelaide, I can take the family to the beach, or we can go to the wineries and small towns in the Adelaide Hills. Both are only about 30 minutes from the city centre.”
And, naturally, he firmly believes houses are a fantastic investment. 
“The secret to investment success in property is to understand that it is the land that appreciates, not the buildings”, he explains. 
“If you’re in a block of 200 apartments, when the land value increases, the extra value is divided 200 times. That’s the main reason why houses have been such a good investment for such a long time.”
GEORG CHMIEL, the chairman of Juwai, a Chinese website for buyers of overseas property, was speaking to Michael Hickinbotham in his regular column giving insight into the leading minds of Australian property experts.
He has spoken with LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf about the ins and out of the Sydney market, REINSW president Leanne Pilkington about women in real estate, developer Larry Kestelman about developing your first property, Harcourts boss Mike Green on real estate investment secrets, Ironfish chief Joseph Chou on investing in today's market and liveability guru Cecile Weldon.
 
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Georg Chmiel chats with Hickinbotham Group's Michael Hickinbotham about the home building family business

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The private real estate group Markham has bought Sydney's popular King Street Wharf development.
Located next to the Barangaroo precinct, King Street Wharf has been sold for $125.5 million, on a yield of 6.02 per cent.
It was listed in January at $130 million.
<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/2018/12/4/Wharf3.jpg" alt="">
It was a 99-year leasehold of the first project built in the area, opening just before the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
LaSalle Investment Management had paid about $90 million in 2016 for about $90 million having bought it from Brookfield Multiplex who developed the property.
Its 14 tenants include the Cargo Bar, the Malaya restaurant, and Bungalow 8.
<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/2018/12/4/Wharf2.jpg" alt="">
Markham spent $90.5 million in May this year on the office space at the northern end of the Piers 8&amp;9, Walsh Bay.
In 2016 Markham and development heavyweight Lend Lease teamed up to buy the Sydney Superyacht Marina.
Markham is headed by James Markham and Cameron Habler.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Markham adds another wharf to its Sydney portfolio

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EXPERT OBSERVER
<div id="post-body-6685871502057582012" class="post-body entry-content">
<div>The Coalition, have been crushed in the Victorian elections at the hands of Labor.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Voting was so one-sided it was effectively all over by 7pm.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Not too long now until the Federal election, and it all looks pretty gloomy for Prime Minister Morrison.</div>
<div>
 Some interesting news that quietly slipped out on Friday is that the government's financials are in enormously good nick when compared to the Budget profile. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The year-to-date cash balance showed a deficit nearly $9 billion ahead of the Budget profile (with the year-to-date deficit of $15 billion miles ahead of the $24 profile deficit).</div>
 <div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WO4oj3X5o9M/W_m_w6YrtmI/AAAAAAAAtCk/o39wSjwGIr0XdKBW8UmG97Gd04s3_cOtACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9793.PNG"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WO4oj3X5o9M/W_m_w6YrtmI/AAAAAAAAtCk/o39wSjwGIr0XdKBW8UmG97Gd04s3_cOtACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_9793.PNG" width="640" height="556" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1338"></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Source: Commonwealth Government</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is mainly thanks to a sharp fall in unemployment and stronger commodity prices, leading to a tremendous surge in tax receipts, combined with lower payments. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NCvarkC4RU/W_m_w8UzUmI/AAAAAAAAtCo/C6xsiM1KABgk0kOYgMu4lUq_leqXKiAswCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9794.PNG"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NCvarkC4RU/W_m_w8UzUmI/AAAAAAAAtCo/C6xsiM1KABgk0kOYgMu4lUq_leqXKiAswCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_9794.PNG" width="640" height="408" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1441"></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The latest labour force figure<a href="http://petewargent.blogspot.com/2018/11/blessed-relief" target="_blank">s</a> revealed annual employment growth surging back up to 2½ per cent, or +308,100, with an unemployment rate at a six-year low of 5 per cent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Budget has been in deficit for more than a decade, but on these numbers a surplus might be withing striking distance as soon as next month when the mid-year Budget update is normally scheduled. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The electorate may not like them much - an understatement - but at least this is a strong result for the Coalition's management of the Budget. </div>
</div>
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Here comes the surplus: Pete Wargent

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Rising prospect that the RBA will cut before hiking: Shane Oliver

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Hospitality owner and Rich Lister Chris Morris is injecting $7 million into the Portsea Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula in a serious makeover which is set to be unveiled next week.
It sits within the Colonial Leisure Group’s $300 million tourism portfolio.
The Portsea Hotel was purchased in 2000.
“Portsea Hotel has been a great place to go in the warmer months and although it is seen as a Portsea icon, the charm had left the building some time ago,” Morris said.
Its getting more than just a lick of paint.
Morris hopes the renovations creat a mecca for families, couples, holidaymakers and tourists alike.
<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/2018/12/3/CLG%20-%20PORTSEA%20HOTEL%202494.jpg" alt="">
 
Chris Morris (right) and CLG General Manager Lawrence
“We’ve utilised every space in the venue to truly realise its full potential.”
Known for its sprawling beer garden on the water's edge, Portsea Hotel will host a number of live music acts over summer.
Morning yoga will cater to the ever-growing active lifestyle enthusiasts.
The second floor is home to the ‘Bertram Bar’  (in honour of John Bertram) and with ocean views.
There is also Cliff’s Bar  - a California-inspired burger bar - and the RIP Bar  - a whisky inspired cocktail bar to lure guests in the cooler months.
Morris’ hospitality group owns some of Australia’s most iconic destinations and venues including Orpheus Island, Mount Mulligan, Print Hall in Perth and Half Moon in Brighton.
The group is also undertaking renovations on the popular Albert Park Hotel.
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The revamped Portsea Hotel will open its doors to the public next Monday.
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Portsea Hotel's $7 million facelift - with yoga lessons on offer

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<div>EXPERT OBSERVER</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Actual investment was quite flat over the third quarter of the calendar year at a seasonally adjusted $29.4 billion, while fortunes have diverged significantly around the traps, according to the latest data from CapEx.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In the economic powerhouse state of New South Wales the quarterly trend investment for private capital investment tore 12 per cent higher over the year to September 2018 to a record high of $8.22 billion. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>No wonder Greater Sydney has created almost 120,000 new jobs on a net basis over the past year, with plenty more coming down the pipe!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Building and structures investment exploded 20 per cent higher over the year in NSW, while plant and equipment investment was up by a pretty solid 5 per cent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Huge investment numbers for the Premier State.</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oP_LByC_MKw/W_9NyZULKgI/AAAAAAAAtHQ/_i6wzk2vJqEiNow9D_QEIrgLLo82y484QCLcBGAs/s1600/Capex.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oP_LByC_MKw/W_9NyZULKgI/AAAAAAAAtHQ/_i6wzk2vJqEiNow9D_QEIrgLLo82y484QCLcBGAs/s640/Capex.jpg" width="640" height="368" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1384"></a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">There was also steadier trend growth in Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland, while Tassie was off the charts with capital investment up by a ripping 33 per cent over the year to September, albeit from a low base in this cycle. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Unfortunately this was offset by shrinking investment in Western Australia - the quarterly trend now a walloping 62 per cent below the heady 2012 peaks - while Ichthys LNG investment has now dropped off the charts for the struggling Northern Territory. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">On the plus side a number of iron ore and other resources projects are now hoving into view for WA, so from a sentiment perspective the bottom is now likely to be in out west. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Brighter times ahead</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Despite the modest actuals the Reserve Bank will surely be well pleased with this release, with the fourth estimate for 2018-19 capital investment rising all the way up to $114 billion, a substantial double-digit lift from the third estimate of $102 billion.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">We haven't seen a quarterly upgrade in expectations of this magnitude for just shy of two decades. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">The additional investment is planned and expected largely for the services industries, although investment in both mining and manufacturing also appears set to rise. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Overall, it was a sluggish result for actuals due to the seemingly endless drag from the resources jurisdictions, but Sydney is firing and the expectations for investment recorded a solid improvement. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.</div>
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NSW investment booming: Pete Wargent

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Queensland's Airlie Beach Hotel has been sold after being on the market for the first time in over 30 years.
It took around a year to find the buyer and there was no price revealed.
It is understood local interests secured the leasehold of the waterfront Airlie Beach Hotel.
CBRE Hotels’ Wayne Bunz and Hayley Manvell managed the transaction on behalf of the O’Neill family, who have owned the asset for over 30 years.
The family will continue to own the freehold with a new operator.
The Courier Mail advised industry sources calculated the leasehold sold for about $3 million.
The hotel has three major street frontages and is on what is considered to be one of the most strategic land holdings on the Whitsunday coast. 
Wayne Bunz, CBRE Hotels agent said the Airlie Beach Hotel is situated on a significant 8,819 sqm waterfront site, in what is arguably the best location in the Airlie Beach CBD, with never to be built out views across to the Whitsunday Island
“It has been well maintained by the family with constant capital expenditure totalling approximately $3.5 million over the past five years,” he said.
The building facilitates 80 accommodation rooms, conferencing facilities, a commercial car park, a restaurant, a pub, retail liquor sales, 35 gaming machines and a stable retail rental income.
The retail tenancies have a "substantial" Weighted Average Lease Expiry (WALE), with the first lease expiring in 2022.
Christie Leet from PRD Nationwide said the property is one of the most strategic land holdings on the Whitsunday coast.
“A site of this size cannot be replicated on Airlie Beach’s Main Street, where over 60% of properties are already strata titled,” Mr Leet said.
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Airlie Beach Hotel leasehold sold

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GUEST OBSERVATION
There’s little doubt the information technology revolution has improved our lives. But unless we find a new form of electronic technology that uses less energy, computing will become limited by an “energy crunch” within decades.
Even the most common events in our daily life – making a phone call, sending a text message or checking an email – use computing power. Some tasks, such as watching videos, require a lot of processing, and so consume a lot of energy.
Because of the energy required to power the massive, factory-sized data centres and networks that connect the internet, computing already <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629618301051" target="_blank">consumes 5% of global electricity</a>. And that electricity load is doubling every decade.
Fortunately, there are new areas of physics that offer promise for massively reduced energy use.
The end of Moore’s Law
Humans have an insatiable demand for computing power.
Smartphones, for example, have become one of the most important devices of our lives. We use them to access weather forecasts, plot the best route through traffic, and watch the latest season of our favourite series.
And we expect our smartphones to become even more powerful in the future. We want them to translate language in real time, transport us to new locations via virtual reality, and connect us to the “Internet of Things”.
The computing required to make these features a reality doesn’t actually happen in our phones. Rather it’s enabled by a huge network of mobile phone towers, Wi-Fi networks and massive, factory-sized data centres known as “server farms”.
For the past five decades, our increasing need for computing was largely satisfied by incremental improvements in conventional, silicon-based computing technology: ever-smaller, ever-faster, ever-more efficient chips. We refer to this constant shrinking of silicon components as “Moore’s Law”.
Moore’s law is named after Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, who observed <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mooreslaw.asp" target="_blank">that</a> "the number of transistors on a chip doubles every year while the costs are halved".
But as we hit limits of basic physics and economy, Moore’s law is winding down. We could see the end of efficiency gains using current, silicon-based technology as soon as 2020.
Our growing demand for computing capacity must be met with gains in computing efficiency, otherwise the information revolution will slow down from power hunger.
Achieving this sustainably means finding a new technology that uses less energy in computation. This is referred to as a “beyond CMOS” solution, in that it requires a radical shift from the silicon-based CMOS (complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor) technology that has been the backbone of computing for the last five decades.
Why does computing consume energy at all?
Processing of information takes energy. When using an electronic device to watch TV, listen to music, model the weather or any other task that requires information to be processed, there are millions and millions of binary calculations going on in the background. There are zeros and ones being flipped, added, multiplied and divided at incredible speeds.
The fact that a microprocessor can perform these calculations billions of times a second is exactly why computers have revolutionised our lives.
But information processing doesn’t come for free. Physics tells us that every time we perform an operation – for example, adding two numbers together – we must pay an energy cost.
And the cost of doing calculations isn’t the only energy cost of running a computer. In fact, anyone who has ever used a laptop balanced on their legs will attest that most of the energy gets converted to heat. This heat comes from the resistance that electricity meets when it flows through a material.
It is this wasted energy due to electrical resistance that researchers are hoping to minimise.
Recent advances point to solutions
Running a computer will always consume some energy, but we are a long way (several orders of magnitude) away from computers that are as efficient as the laws of physics allow. Several recent advances give us hope for entirely new solutions to this problem via new materials and new concepts.
Very thin materials
One recent step forward in physics and materials science is being able to build and control materials that are only one or a few atoms thick. When a material forms such a thin layer, and the movement of electrons is confined to this sheet, it is possible for electricity to flow without resistance.
There are a range of different materials that show this property (or might show it). Our research at the ARC Centre for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (<a href="http://www.fleet.org.au/" target="_blank">FLEET</a>) is focused on studying these materials.
The study of shapes
There is also an exciting conceptual leap that helps us understand this property of electricity flow without resistance.
This idea comes from a branch of mathematics called “topology”. Topology tells us how to compare shapes: what makes them the same and what makes them different.
Image a coffee cup made from soft clay. You could slowly squish and squeeze this shape until it looks like a donut. The hole in the handle of the cup becomes the hole in the donut, and the rest of the cup gets squished to form part of the donut.
Topology tells us that donuts and coffee cups are equivalent because we can deform one into the other without cutting it, poking holes in it, or joining pieces together.
It turns out that the strange rules that govern how electricity flows in thin layers can be understood in terms of topology. This insight was the focus of the <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2016/press-release/" target="_blank">2016 Nobel Prize</a>, and it’s driving an enormous amount of current research in physics and engineering.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LV4uFHqdio4?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
We want to take advantage of these new materials and insights to develop the next generation of low-energy electronics devices, which will be based on topological science to allow electricity to flow with minimal resistance.
This work creates the possibility of a sustainable continuation of the IT revolution – without the huge energy cost.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106060/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Daisy Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow, UNSW School of Physics, UNSW
Jared Cole, Professor of Physics, RMIT University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/computing-faces-an-energy-crunch-unless-new-technologies-are-found-106060" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Computing faces an energy crunch unless new technologies are found

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EXPERT OBSERVER
As dwelling values and transactions decline and stock for sale mounts properties are taking longer to sell across most regions of the country.
Over the three months to October 2018, properties nationally had a median time on market of 53 days.
As the first chart shows there has been a clear increase in days on market of late, up from 42 days a year ago and a recent low of 38 days in December 2017.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%201.JPG" alt=""><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%202.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
Across the combined capital cities, the median days on market sat at 46 days over the three months to October 2018 compared to 61 days across the combined regional markets.
Across each of these broad regions the days on market figure was higher than during the previous year when it was recorded at 35 days and 55 days respectively.
The capital city days on market figure is now the highest it’s been since March 2016 and across the combined capital cities it is the highest since October 2016.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%203.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
Although the median days on market in Sydney and regional NSW has edged slightly lower over recent months, across both regions, days on market is higher than a year ago.
In Sydney, the median days on market was 31 days a year ago and has increased to 50 days currently which is much higher than the recent low of 24 days in April 2017.
Across regional NSW, days on market currently sits at 64 days compared to 52 days a year ago and a recent low of 48 days in May 2017.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%204.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
In Melbourne, the median time on market is currently recorded at 38 days and in regional Vic it is recorded at 41 days.
In Melbourne, the days on market is trending higher, it is much higher than the 23 days a year ago and the highest it has been since March 2016.
In regional Vic the days on market figure has been trending lower and is down from 49 days a year ago, highlighting the strengthening of housing market conditions in regional Vic as the Melbourne housing market slows.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%205.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
Throughout Queensland, properties are taking longer to sell than they were a year ago.
In Brisbane, the median days on market is currently recorded at 53 days which is the longest it has taken since February 2013 and has increased from 37 days a year ago.
In regional Qld it is typically taking 69 days to sell a home, up from 55 days a year ago with the 69 days the longest it has taken to sell since February 2016.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%206.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
As at October 2018, the median time on market for Adelaide was recorded at 42 days and in regional SA it was recorded at 93 days.
As the chart shows, the days on market figure for Adelaide is trending lower and is down from 55 days a year ago.
In regional SA, days on market has begun to trend higher over recent months however, it is lower than the 102 days it was typically taking a year ago.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%207.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
Perth properties were typically taking 63 days to sell over the three months to October 2018.
The days on market figure for the city is trending higher and is up from 56 days over the same period in 2017.
In regional WA, the days on market figure has been trending higher over recent months however, it is unchanged from a year ago with the median currently recorded at 82 days.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%208.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic 
Properties that transact in Hobart are continuing to sell quickly however, there has been a fairly steep rise in days on market over recent months.
Properties in Hobart took 25 days to sell over the past three months, up from just 10 days a year ago and a recent low of 9 days during a number of months over the past year.
Properties are taking much longer to sell in regional Tas at 45 days however, the days on market figure has fallen from 53 days a year ago.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%209.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
With the ongoing weak housing market conditions properties take a long time to sell across NT.
The small volume of sales also creates volatility in the days on market figure.
In Darwin, it currently takes 90 days to sell a property compared to 100 days a year ago.
In regional NT, it was taking 66 days a year ago which was a shorter days on market than the 74 days currently.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%2010.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic 
Over the three months to October 2018, the median days on market for a Canberra property was 43 days.
The days on market for the city was higher than the 37 days it took at the same time last year.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/DOM%201.JPG" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
Across the nation, the data shows that the trend is towards properties typically taking longer to sell.
This is reflective of the weaker housing market conditions whereby dwelling values are falling with growth slowing in most regions, transaction volumes are lower and the overall stock available for sale continues to climb which provides buyers with more choice and less urgency.
With credit conditions much tighter than they have been over recent years accessing finance is tougher which is a major contributor to weaker overall conditions.
As a result of these trends, it is expected that the median days on market figure will continue to trend higher over the coming months as vendors of ’stale’ inventory eventually adjust their price expectations lower or withdraw their property from the market.
CAMERON KUSHER is a property research analyst for CoreLogic.
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Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

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