<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

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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Two apparently contradictory things are happening in real estate – sales of residential land have fallen (a lot) but the prices being paid are rising (sharply).
In Sydney the rate of sale of residential lots has almost halved over three years, but prices (to quote a popular pun in real estate media) have gone through the roof.
How can that be? Do the laws of supply and demand no longer apply in Australia?
The answers to these questions lie at the heart of the affordability discussion.
And a clue to the answers lie in an announcement earlier this week: that a New South Wales state government decision is set to add as much as $50,000 to the cost of new house-and-land packages in Sydney.
Prices for residential allotments and new dwellings are rising so sharply because the costs of creating new shovel-ready land, and the homes that are built there, are constantly rising.
Those costs are escalating primarily because the housing industry is a beloved cash cow for politicians everywhere. All three levels of government milk the housing sector for revenue like there’s no tomorrow. 
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian came to power mouthing platitudes about making housing affordability one of her key priorities. But her government regularly announces decisions that make the problem worse.
Gladys is not alone. This is an issue across the nation. Every time a state or territory government that brings down an annual budget, affordability gets worse because there are always new taxes, fees and charges imposed on the industry that creates dwellings for Australian households.
On 19 February The Australian reported that “house prices on greenfield sites in Sydney could rise by as much as $50,000 following the NSW Government’s decision to uncap infrastructure levies on developers”.
It reported: “The government is about to lift the cap on section 94 levies — how much councils charge developers for infrastructure. A recent application by Blacktown council for the Marsden Park development, successful with the government’s Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, was for the $30,000 per home cap to be lifted to $87,000.
“In August, the UDIA and the Property Council wrote to the Premier saying: “Housing affordability is one of the NSW government’s three chief priorities announced when you became Premier this year. However there are several recent policy initiatives from the government that run contrary to achieving this outcome looking ahead. Changes to biodiversity regulations ... could add between $20,000 and $30,000 per lot while uncapping section 94 could add anywhere between $30,000 to $80,000 per dwelling.’’
When you understand that these decisions are a few among many that add to the cost structure of those who create new dwellings, you begin to see why real estate is so much more expensive in Sydney than elsewhere.
The latest Residential Land Report published by the Housing Industry Association shows that the median lot price in Sydney is more than double those in Brisbane and Adelaide, almost four times the median price in Hobart, and 55% higher than in Melbourne.
The report found that the median vacant residential land lot price nationally hit an all-time high of $267,368 in the September 2017 Quarter, up 10.9 per cent on the same period in 2016.
But land prices rose faster in the capital cities, up 12.8 per cent annually on average.
Sydney was the most expensive capital with the cost per square metre at $1,051, followed by Perth ($752), Melbourne ($737) and Adelaide ($637), while Hobart was the cheapest ($180).
HIA senior economist Shane Garrett says supply is struggling to keep pace with demand, leading to greater housing affordability issues.
“The high cost of new residential land is at the heart of Australia’s housing affordability crisis,” he says. “The housing industry’s ability to ramp up the supply of new dwellings as demand dictates is hampered by the inconsistency of the land supply pipeline. The time it takes for land to be made available to builders is unnecessarily long.”
These delays add to costs. Mix in the constant intrusion of new taxes, fees and charges, and you have the nub of the affordability issue.
It’s easy to see why it’s difficult for find an affordable house in Sydney, when you pay $480,000 for the typical home site, even though the average lot size keeps gets smaller – and despite the reality that the number of lot sales fell to below 250,000 in the September 2017 Quarter, compared to around 470,000 in the December 2014 Quarter (but the median price has risen from $340,000 to $480,000 in that time).
In Melbourne you pay $310,000 for the typical block of land, before considering the cost of building the house.
“The ability of new home building activity to respond to this increased demand has been held back by insufficient supply of shovel-ready residential land,” says the Residential Land Report.
So it means that the number of land sales has dropped not because of lower demand, but because of lower supply. That shortage, plus the rising cost structures imposed by state governments and local councils, means prices rise relentlessly.
In capital city Australia, the number of lot sales peaked in mid-2015 and has been trending steadily downwards ever since. But the median lot price has risen from around $250,000 to over $310,000 in that time frame.
 
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

Residential land sales fall but prices paid rise? Terry Ryder

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GUEST OBSERVER
Customers are good at troubleshooting the small stuff and research shows when they come to customer service staff they expect complex problem solving, options or answers - not apologies.
My research used video recordings of interactions between airline staff and customers to analyse the behaviour of both the staff and the passengers. I examined the non-verbal cues of the airline staff in more than 100 interactions and found that when they made effusive apologies it actually diminished their ability to be effective problem solvers.
Businesses have been trying to be better at customer service since it was invented. But unfortunately it seems like they aren’t making much progress.
A 2017 study showed that 62 million families in the US are estimated to report at least one service problem a year. This left 56% customers in a “rage” or extremely upset.
According to the same study, only 25% of the customers were able to resolve the service problem in one contact with the company. In fact, 19% reported having to contact the company more than seven times to resolve the problem. Despite this, 80% of the customers remained unhappy even after the resolution.
Cost of ineffective problem solving is estimated at US$313 billion in sales for US businesses alone.
But below par customer service is not unique to US businesses. One Ernst-Young survey showed that Australian consumers fare no better. 56% experienced unacceptably poor service in a 12-month period and 57% of those who complained were very or fairly dissatisfied with the way the problem was resolved. Also, 47% upset customers posted their complaint on social media but in 75% of the cases, the company didn’t respond.
The loss to Australian businesses from these problems: A$720 for every negative customer experience, and A$40 billion per year.
How customers are changing
Over time, the nature of customer’s problems have changed with the internet and social media.
Now customers prefer to solve simple and typical problems on their own using online resources provided by companies. My research shows they increasingly reach out to companies with complex, unexpected and urgent problems.
Customers are also now connected to a community of consumers who actively vocalise and report their service problems on social media. This community are increasingly aware and confident about the what (outcomes) and how (process) of problem solving.
A 2017 market research survey of consumers in North America, found that consumers actively and increasingly use a range of self-service channels including FAQs (60%), online community forums (38%), online virtual agents (37%), mobile apps (35%) and chatbots (32%). Many of these options did not exist just a few years ago.
According to this same report, intelligent assistants like Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa will make it easier for customers to use self-service options.
Leading service organisations are developing and prototyping new artificial intelligence tools to respond to these trends. For instance, Vanguard, an investment advisor group, is piloting an artificial intelligence project to assist customer service staff answer questions and problems posed on inbound calls from customers.
Vanguard’s plan is to have customers engage directly with this bot and transition customer service staff to handle more complex activities.
What customer service providers should be doing
My research shows customer service staff should only empathise or apologise to customers in the first five to seven seconds before moving on to creative problem solving. We found customers view “small” talk in customer service interaction as a sign of ineffectiveness.
If customers are presented with options to solve their problem, my research shows, it gives them a sense of control over the difficult situation. In an experiment we conducted, customers were shown two scenarios, both of which were identical in nature. The problem involved a lost bag that contained materials and clothing for an important job interview.
The first scenario provided a single solution, while in the second scenario there were three reasonably comparable alternative solutions for the customer. At the end, the customer chose the same solution in both scenarios.
Our research found customers expressed greater satisfaction with the multiple choices of the second scenario. It’s the quality and quantity of the solutions given to customers that’s the crucial difference.
Yet in many companies, service agents are directed, trained and monitored only to connect with customers and make them feel comfortable. This training is intuitive, easier to script, amenable to supervisory monitoring and suitable for standardised training.
By contrast, creative and problem solving is not intuitive or easy to train. This is the challenge for service companies.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91646/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Businesses must forgo the easy route to customer problem solving and take a more counter intuitive approach. By overcoming this challenge, business could see substantial payoffs and stem the financial losses that spring from bad customer experiences.
Jagdip Singh, Professor of Marketing, Case Western Reserve University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/customer-service-staff-need-to-be-problem-solving-not-apologising-91646" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Customer service staff need to be problem solving, not apologising: Jagdip Singh

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First home buyers should pay attention to market conditions, not the incentives on offer.
According to recently released housing finance data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the volume of new loans to first home buyers in New South Wales and Victoria has climbed substantially over recent months as value growth has slowed and even begun to fall in Sydney and Melbourne. 
First home buyers must be vigilant about purchasing homes and not just be lured into buying at the peak of the market because of attractive incentives.
In New South Wales, from 1 July 2017 first home buyers don’t have to pay stamp duty for both new and existing homes for properties up to $650,000.
Stamp duty payable is reduced for buyers paying between $650,000 and $800,000.  In Victoria, if you buy a new or established home from July 1 2017 no stamp duty is payable on homes worth less than $600,000 and stamp duty is reduced for properties worth between $600,000 and $750,000.
The removal of stamp duty has resulted in a substantial increase in first home buyer housing finance commitments. 
Over the six months from July to December 2017 there were 14,279 first home buyer finance commitments in New South Wales and 18,675 in Victoria.  To put this into some sort of perspective, over the six months prior to the new incentives going live there had been 7,891 first home buyer housing finance commitments in New South Wales and 12,683 commitments in Victoria.  This represents an increase in first home buyer volumes over the two six month periods before and after the changes to incentives of 81.0% in New South Wales and 47.2% in Victoria.
Since the stamp duty changes, average loan sizes have increased by 1.3% in New South Wales compared to an increase of 1.1% over the previous six months.  This seemingly suggests that the first home buyers entering the market are not using the removal of the stamp duty barrier to borrow more. 
In Victoria, it is a bit of a different story with average first home buyer loan sizes increasing 7.0% over the past six months compared to a 2.7% increase over the previous six months.  This would seem to suggest in Victoria, the stamp duty concessions are leading to mortgagees borrowing more.
The most concerning thing for any potential first home buyer in the current New South Wales and Victoria markets should be the lure of entering a market which has been growing rapidly for many years.  In fact, recent data for Sydney and Melbourne indicates that values are now declining. 
Across all of New South Wales, values have fallen -2.4% from their August 2017 peak to January 2018 with values -3.1% lower in Sydney and not yet declining in regional New South Wales.  In Victoria, values are -0.1% lower than their November 2017 peak with declines of -0.4% in Melbourne and no declines as yet in regional Victoria.  An important point to note is that the rate of value growth is slowing in regional areas of New South Wales and Victoria although the slowdown is greater in regional New South Wales to-date.
While those declines may sound quite minor, first home buyers are generally most sensitive to changes in interest rates.  Although the cash rate is expected to be on hold until early 2019, the combination of already falling dwelling values and potentially higher mortgage rates in the medium-term, these factors should raise some alarm bells for potential buyers. 
For first home buyers there may be a sense that the removal of stamp duty along with the falling share of investors in the market creates the opportunity for entry however, ideally you do not want to be buying into a market which has only recently entered a downturn. 
The best bet for potential first home buyers may not be to jump at the incentives which are currently available.  With values declining and investor demand continuing to trend lower a better option may be to remain on the sidelines somewhat longer as values potentially continue to slide.  By doing this you potentially avoid going into negative equity immediately, you potentially buy at a lower price and you have time to save an even larger deposit for your mortgage. 
Furthermore, for well qualified borrowers with substantial deposits banks are competing heavily and offering substantial discounts for owner occupiers taking out principal and interest mortgages so if you take time and shop around you may be able to get a really good mortgage rate.
Cameron Kusher is head of research for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.corelogic.com.au/taxonomy/term/28">here</a>.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Market conditions more important than incentives on offer for FHB's

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Luxury brand Hermes is set to take the lease at Sydney's Trust Building.
The building at 155-159 King Street is on the corner of Castlereagh Street.
Dior's flagship store sits across the road, as do the Chanel and Bulgari stores.
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The Australian Financial Review writes Hermes has pipped another luxury brand, Valentino, for the multiple-floor space
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The potential deal would see Hermes expand its retail footprint beyond its current single-floor space a block away at the corner of Castlereagh and Pitt streets.
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Another diagonal corner is occupied by the MLC Centre escalators which are set to be replaced with retail space.</div>
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Hermes eyes Trust Building move

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GUEST OBSERVER
If Australia has an Achille’s heal it’s the high and still rising level of household debt that has gone hand in hand with the surge in house prices relative to incomes.
Whereas several comparable countries have seen their household debt to income ratios pull back a bit since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), this has not been the case in Australia.
Some worry Australians are unsustainably stretched, and it is only a matter of time before it blows up, bringing the economy down at the same time. Particularly now that global interest rates are starting to rise. This note looks at the main issues. 
Australia - from the bottom to the top in debt stakes 
The chart below shows the level of household debt (mortgage, credit card and personal debt) relative to annual household disposable income for major countries. 
<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/2018/2/14/HOUSEHOLD%201.jpg" alt="">
While rising household debt has been a global phenomenon, debt levels in Australia have gone from the bottom of the pack to near the top.
In 1990, there was on average $70 of household debt for every $100 of average household income after tax. Today, it is nearly $200 of debt (not allowing for offset accounts) for every $100 of after tax income. 
Why has debt gone up so much in Australia? 
The increase in debt reflects both economic and attitudinal changes. Memories of wars and economic depression have faded and with the last recession ending nearly 27 years ago, debt seems less risky. Furthermore, modern society encourages instant gratification as opposed to saving for what you want.
Lower interest rates have made debt seem more affordable and increased competition amongst financial providers has made it more available. So, each successive generation since the Baby Boomers through to Millennials have been progressively more relaxed about taking on debt than earlier generations. 
It’s not quite as bad as it looks 
There are several reasons why the rise in household debt may not be quite as bad as it looks: 
<ul>
<li>Firstly, higher debt partly reflects a rational adjustment to lower rates and greater credit availability via competition. </li>
<li>Secondly, household debt has been rising since credit was first invented. It is unclear what a “safe” level is. This is complicated because income is a flow and debt is a stock which is arguably best measured against the stock of assets or wealth. </li>
<li>The rise in the stock of debt levels has been matched by a rise in total household wealth in Australia. Thanks to a surge in the value of houses and a rise in financial wealth, we are far richer. Wealth rose 9.5% last year to a new record. The value of average household wealth has gone from five times average annual after tax household income in 1990 to 9.5 times today. <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/2018/2/14/HOUSEHOLD%202.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
</li>
</ul>
So, while the average level of household debt for each man, woman and child in Australia has increased from $11,837 in 1990 to $93,943 now, this has been swamped by an increase in average wealth per person from $86,376 to $475,569. 
<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/2018/2/14/HOUSEHOLD%203.jpg" alt="">
As a result, Australians’ household balance sheets, as measured by net wealth (assets less debt), are healthy.
Despite a fall in net wealth relative to income through and after the GFC as shares and home prices fell, net wealth has increased substantially over the last 30 years and is in the middle of the pack relative to comparable countries.
<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/2018/2/14/HOUSEHOLD%204.jpg" alt=""> 
<ul>
<li>Fourthly, Australians are not having major problems servicing their loans. According to the Reserve Bankís Financial Stability Review non-performing loans are low and Census and Household Expenditure Survey data shows that mortgage stress has been falling. Of course, this may reflect low mortgage rates with interest costs as a share of income running a third below its 2008 high. </li>
</ul>
<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/2018/2/14/HOUSEHOLD%205.jpg" alt="">
<ul>
<li>Fifthly, debt is concentrated in higher income households who have a higher capacity to service it. This is particularly the case for investment property loans.</li>
<li>Sixthly, a disproportionate share of the rise in housing debt over the last 20 years owes to investment property loans. As servicing investment loans is helped by tax breaks the debt burden is not even as onerous.</li>
<li>Finally, lending standards have not deteriorated to the same degree in Australia as they did in the US prior to the GFC where loans were given to NINJAs borrowers with no income, no job and no assets. </li>
</ul>
What are the risks? 
None of this is to say the rise in household debt is without risk. Not only has household debt relative to income in Australia risen to the top end of comparable countries but so too has the level gearing (ie the ratio of debt to wealth or assets). 
<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/2018/2/14/HOUSEHOLD%206.jpg" alt="">
It certainly increases households’ vulnerability to changing economic conditions. There are several threats:
<ol>
<li>Higher interest rates – the rise in debt means moves in interest rates are three times as potent compared to say 25 years ago. Just a 2% rise in interest rates will take interest payments as a share of household income back to where they were just prior to the GFC (and which led to a fall in consumer spending). However, the RBA is well aware of the rise in sensitivities flowing from higher debt and so knows that when the time comes to eventually start raising rates (maybe later this year) it simply won’t have to raise rates anywhere near as much as in the past to have a given impact in say controlling spending and inflation. And so, it’s likely to be very cautious in raising rates (and is very unlikely to need to raise rates by anything like 2%). 
</li>
<li>Rising unemployment – high debt levels add to the risk that if the economy falls into recession, rising unemployment will create debt-servicing problems. However, it is hard to see unemployment rising sharply anytime soon.  
</li>
<li>Deflation – high debt levels could become a problem if the global and local economies slip into deflation. Falling prices increase the real value of debt, which could cause debtors to cut back spending and sell assets, risking a vicious spiral. However, the risk of deflation has been receding.  
</li>
<li>A sharp collapse in home prices – by undermining the collateral for much household debt – could cause severe damage. Fortunately, it is hard to see the trigger for a major collapse in house prices, ie, much higher interest rates or unemployment. And full recourse loans provide a disincentive to just walk away from the home and mortgage unlike in parts of the US during the GFC.  
</li>
<li>A change in attitudes against debt – households could take fright at their high debt levels (maybe after a bout of weakness in home prices or when rates start to rise) and seek to cut them by cutting their spending. Of course, if lots of people do this at same time it will just result in slower economic growth. At present the risk is low but its worth keeping an eye on with Sydney and Melbourne property prices now falling. But high household debt levels are likely to be a constraint on consumer spending. </li>
</ol>
Conclusion 
While the surge in household debt has left Australian households vulnerable to anything which threatens their ability to service their debts or significantly undermines the value of houses, the trigger for major problems remains hard to see. However, household discomfort at their high debt levels poses a degree of uncertainty over the outlook for consumer spending should households decide to reduce their debt levels. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://plus.google.com/110172465327488162875?rel=author" target="_blank">SHANE OLIVER</a> is head of investment strategy and economics and chief economist at <a href="https://www.ampcapital.com.au/home" target="_blank">AMP Capital</a> and is responsible for AMP Capital's diversified investment funds.
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Australian's love affair with household debt - how big is the risk? Shane Oliver

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GUEST OBSERVER
The Westpac Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell by 2.3% to 102.7 in February from 105.1 in January.
The survey was conducted over the week of February 5 – February 11. That week was marked by a wave of volatility in global share markets.
The Australian market, which was more stable than most, still experienced some significant swings, being down a net 4.6% for the week while the US market (S&amp;P 500) was down by a net 7.2%.
Extensive media coverage of these developments would have unnerved respondents on two fronts – the impact on their own financial position and concerns for general global stability.
These concerns appear to have been acutely felt by retirees whose confidence fell by 13.5%.
In those circumstances the 2.3% fall in the Index is a decent result and is now registering a fourth consecutive month where optimists outnumber pessimists. Recall that this sequence follows 12 consecutive months where pessimists were in the ascendency for all but one month.
Having said that the level of the Index is still well below levels typically associated with a robust consumer.
Every six months we gauge respondents’ outlook for interest rates. In August last year 61% of respondents expected interest rates to rise over the next year. That was an uplift from 54% in February 2017. The proportion has fallen back to 58%, partly explaining the boost to confidence since the middle of last year.
Developments in the components of the Index are consistent with the likely impact from last week’s market volatility. In particular respondents’ assessments of their own finances suffered, the ‘finances vs a year ago’ sub-index fell by 4.5%; and the ‘finances, next 12 months’ sub-index fell by 3.1%. We assume that these components have suffered temporary set- backs associated with market volatility. On face value the ‘year ago’ component is sending a very weak signal about likely spending prospects.
Not surprisingly the ‘economic conditions, next 12 months’ component fell sharply by 4.7% while the ‘economic conditions, next 5 years’ component was stable.
The ‘time to buy a major Item’ sub-index increased by a modest 0.9%. Despite the overall Index still being 3.1% higher than a year ago this component is only up by 0.6% over the year – signalling ongoing reluctance from households to commit to large purchases”.
<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/2018/2/14/consumer.jpg" alt="">
Consumers continue to become more comfortable about the outlook for jobs. The Westpac Melbourne Institute Unemployment Expectations Index declined 1.8% to 120.6 in February to a new cycle low (recall that lower reads mean more consumers expect unemployment to fall in the year ahead).
The Index, which can be viewed as a measure of consumers’ sense of job security, is down 15.2% on this time last year and well below its long run average of 130. The state detail shows the improvement has become more broadly based as well with all state indexes now comfortably below their long run averages.
Consumer views around housing showed mixed moves with buyer sentiment softening but price expectations improving.
The ‘time to buy a dwelling’ index declined 2.7% to 103.8 in February but was coming off an 18 month high in January. The index is still showing a clear improvement on last year’s very weak reads (an average of 95.7 for 2017) but is well below the positive long run average of 120.
The state detail shows a significant pull-back in Victoria (down 12.7% to 93). In contrast, there was a notable lift in NSW buyer sentiment (up 7% to 96) having been at much weaker levels through 2017 (an average of 82).
The Westpac Melbourne Institute Index of House Price Expectations rose 4.8% to 135.3, reversing all of last month’s decline to be back comfortably above its long run average. The biggest gain in February was in NSW although price expectations in the state are coming from a weaker starting point and still show the biggest pull back on this time last year.
The Reserve Bank Board next meets on March 6. In a speech on February 8 the Governor concluded, “the Reserve Bank Board does not see a strong case for a near-term adjustment in monetary policy”.
Clearly there will be no policy change at the March meeting.
<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/2018/2/14/consumer%202.jpg" alt="">
Through 2017 Westpac has argued for rates to remain steady in 2017–2019. The Bank expects to make some progress in reducing unemployment and having inflation return to the midpoint of the target range. However, based on its recent forecasts that were released on February 9 that progress is expected to be painfully slow. Underlying inflation is expected to reach only 2%, the bottom of target range, through 2019 and the unemployment rate is expected to fall from 5.5% to 5.25% (compared to an estimated full employment rate of 5.0%) by end 2019.
While we are less optimistic about the unemployment rate and the growth outlook the Bank’s forecasts are not entirely out of line with our own view and, arguably, consistent with steady rates over the next few years.
BILL EVANS is chief economist of <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
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Consumer sentiment falls in response to stock market turmoil: Westpac's Bill Evans

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Agent Kirsten Mueller has joined The Agency, the latest in the line of defectors from McGrath.
“Kirsten Mueller is one of the most focussed and professional agents I have met,” Matt Lahood, The Agency’s CEO says.
Mueller aims to build a powerful team on Sydney’s Upper North Shore.
“I am so excited to work for a brand and around people where I don’t feel like my wings are clipped anymore. Around people that support you and push you to succeed and believe in you. It is now my time to soar like an eagle and I couldn’t be more excited,” Mueller says.
"I believe that is what Matt Lahood has created with The Agency. His model is ingenious.”
Just two years into real estate she was presenting at one of the industry’s leading conferences AREC and has held the number one position in Normanhurst since 2013 at McGrath.
"I know change to most people isn’t a big deal but for anyone who has served in the military it is a big deal.
"It is drilled into us… never abandon ship… but I had tried absolutely everything where I was,” Mueller says.
“I called Matt and he was amazing.
"He really understood why I had to do this and supported me. I will forever be thankful to Matt for that. He is a great leader.”
Real estate mentor Tom Panos once credited the former truck driver in Australian Army, as proving it was "possible transform yourself into a 7-figure agent in a short space of time".
The Doain website suggests Mueller sold 16 properties via Domain in the last 12 months , with an average sale price of $1.4 million, and these properties were on the market for an average of 28 days.
Kirsten's highest recorded sale price was $2 million for 61 Hinemoa Avenue, Normanhurst NSW 2076, a 5-bedroom house which sold at May auction.
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Kirsten Mueller jumps ship from McGrath to The Agency

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Dexus has upgraded its guidance for distribution per security growth for FY18 having announced a strong result for the first six months of FY18.
Dexus CEO Darren Steinberg says suggested the office leasing activity was a big contributor.
“Our core office markets across the country are all showing positive leasing activity and the latest record employment numbers support our view of continued positive momentum over the next few years.
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“We have seen more evidence of strong take up in Sydney and Melbourne and have converted significant levels of enquiry to leasing commitments at 240 St Georges Terrace in Perth. 
“Our focus on enhancing returns through the activation of office development projects in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth enables us to leverage our leasing and development expertise and is an efficient use of capital at this point in the cycle.
Click here to enlarge.
<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/2018/2/14/dexus2.jpg" alt="">
 
“Our funds continue to deliver strong performance and we completed the first equity raise for the new Healthcare Wholesale Property Fund, generating interest in the sector from global and domestic investors, and adding three new clients onto our platform. 
“We advanced opportunities that will contribute to future trading profits and are confident of securing our FY18 target. 
“From an employee perspective, we achieved an engagement score of 87% in our latest Willis Towers Watson employee engagement survey, which is eight percentage points higher than the Australian National Norm and two percentage points above the Global Property and Asset Management Norm.” 
 
 
 
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Financial Highlights
<ul>
<li>
Net profit after tax of $997.1 million, up 39.3% on the previous corresponding period 
</li>
<li>
Funds from Operations1 (FFO) of $321.8 million, up 8.7% on the previous corresponding period 
</li>
<li>
Underlying FFO per security (FFO excluding trading profits) of 30.2 cents, up 1.7% on the previous corresponding period
</li>
<li>
Distribution per security of 23.7 cents, up 9.2% on the previous corresponding period 
</li>
<li>
Reduced the Group Management Expense Ratio to 33 basis points 
</li>
<li>
Completed Dexus’s largest ever debt raising of $653 million, achieving Dexus’s longest average 
duration for a debt issue of 13.5 years and extending Dexus’s total debt duration to 7.0 years 
</li>
<li>
Gearing (look-through) 2 of 26.5% 
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Dexus upgrades guidance growth for FY18 after strong first six months

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One-third of Australian residential development site in 2017 were purchased by Chinese investors and developers, equating to AUD$2.02 billion of site sales, according to Knight Frank.
Their report, Chinese Developers in Australia – Market Insight 2018 found Chinese developers continued to dominate foreign investment in residential development sites across Australia.
"Many are now well-established in the local market," Knight Frank’s head of residential research, Australia Michelle Ciesielski said.
The share of sales to Chinese buyers has tripled since 2013, but decreased from the 38 per cent recorded in 2016.” (See Figure 1)
<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/2018/2/14/FIGURE1.jpg" alt="">
“Sustained developer interest in the Australian market has come in spite of government efforts in both Australia and China to tighten credit conditions as they relate to residential investment and development.
“In Australia, the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) has encouraged local financial institutions to impose stricter controls, while in China the government has attempted to moderate capital outflow with China’s Central Bank imposing new rules for companies which make yuan-denominated loans to overseas entities.
“However, in mid-2017, this was relaxed somewhat – resulting in a boost to market confidence.” said Ms Ciesielski. 
According to the report Victoria recorded the sale of 38.7 per cent of residential sites to Chinese buyers – the highest share of all states. 
Ms Ciesielski said many developers consider that Melbourne offers better relative value when compared to Sydney. New South Wales and Queensland followed, with Chinese buyers comprising 35.6% and 7.4% of their state’s total volumes, respectively.
<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/2018/2/14/FIGURE3.jpg" alt="">
Knight Frank’s Head of Asian Markets, Australia Dominic Ong said as Chinese developers gain experience in higher-density projects across the major cities, there has been diversification in many of their portfolios to include medium and lower-density sites.
“These lower-density projects have also become more popular with local developers – especially in NSW with the draft Medium Density Design Guide being released, identifying the ‘missing middle’ to encourage more low-rise, medium-density housing to be built.
“This type of project also tends to have less hurdles with the imposed tighter lending restrictions, and overall, lowers the delivery risk to the developer,” said Mr Ong.
The report found that residential development sites purchased by Chinese developers and investors in 2017 had an average site area of 21,785 square metres.
Of all Australian development sites purchased by Chinese developers and investors, 29 per cent were suited to low density (single dwellings or landed properties) – up from two per cent in 2013.
 
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One-third of Australian development site sales in 2017 to Chinese

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One of several reasons that some of Australia's property markets might fare surprisingly well in 2018 is the looming equities correction, driven by volatility in the US and elsewhere. 
<div id="post-body-3635881065614058753" class="post-body entry-content">
It's now become clear (if it wasn't already obvious) that <a href="http://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/rate-hikes-are-not-on-cards" target="_blank">interest rates aren't going to be hiked</a> this year, and probably not next either. 
<div>Employment is picking up nicely in some capital cities, and population growth is rising too, driving demand for housing. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Meanwhile, the lack of enticing alternatives will keep a healthy volume of investors interested in real estate, with the cash rate stuck at record lows for the foreseeable future. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Since closing at 6135.81 on January 9, the Aussie share market as measured by the ASX 200 index has already dropped by -5.13 per cent. </div>
 <div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_sAlsZxuWc/WoGEnIt1p4I/AAAAAAAAoVU/Wh5XDB5n5WIcr8wZ2yalDLc1Cu-9oILIgCLcBGAs/s1600/ASX.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_sAlsZxuWc/WoGEnIt1p4I/AAAAAAAAoVU/Wh5XDB5n5WIcr8wZ2yalDLc1Cu-9oILIgCLcBGAs/s640/ASX.jpg" width="640" height="382" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1373"></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>An inauspicious start to 2018 to say the least. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>'Pain trade'</div>
<div> </div>
<div>US stock futures are up quite strongly at the time of writing, so perhaps tomorrow will be a better trade Down Under. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>But somehow it seems doubtful that stock market nerves are going to be settled for a while yet. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>That's the uncanny tendency of markets to deliver the maximum amount of punishment to the most investors from time to time, especially after a long, strong run.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Myer (ASX: MYR) finished today's trade with a fresh low close of 55 cents. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Shorters should now be wary of the takeover risk. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> 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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