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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/doma-group">DOMA Group</a> has unveiled plans for Newcastle Quay, a major waterfront precinct set to reshape Newcastle’s harbourfront and further cement the city’s evolution into one of Australia’s fastest-growing urban destinations.

Positioned on a prominent site within the Honeysuckle Precinct, Newcastle Quay will span both sides of Honeysuckle Drive, connecting directly to the Foreshore Promenade and sitting within walking distance of Newcastle Interchange.

The mixed-use precinct is planned to include around 1,000 apartments, more than 28,000 sqm of commercial office space, 6,000 sqm of retail, and a 180-room hotel anchored by a 500-seat conference and exhibition centre, a move expected to significantly lift Newcastle’s ability to attract major business and tourism events.
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<img alt="DOMA Group unveil Newcastle’s future with transformative Newcastle Quay Precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0642ca09-67cc-4920-8a7e-d18df9729b4e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/%3D.png?VersionId=CnDmZxQnOV5LN0ePu7jaFBXC9tPGTrWm" />

The proposal builds on DOMA’s growing Newcastle pipeline, where the developer has already delivered 866 apartments and more than 19,000 sqm of commercial and retail space since entering the market in 2013. A further $2 billion pipeline is also in the works across the city.

The masterplan and executive architecture are led by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, with building concepts developed alongside Stewart Architecture, Architecture AND and Curious Practice, and landscape design by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/turf-design">Turf Design Studio</a>. More than 11,000 sqm of open space is planned, including a new waterfront park known as Honeysuckle Green, upgrades to Tree of Knowledge Park, and new pedestrian and cycling links throughout the precinct.

At the centre of the development will be the heritage-listed Wickham School of Arts, which DOMA plans to reposition as the civic and cultural heart of the precinct through restaurants, bars, events and public gathering spaces.

The broader vision is to create a genuine day-to-night precinct, blending residential, hospitality, retail, commercial and cultural uses in a way Newcastle has yet to experience at this scale.

DOMA Group Managing Director Jure Domazet said the aim was to create a precinct that becomes synonymous with Newcastle itself.

“Our vision is to create a precinct that not only delivers high-quality commercial, residential, and cultural spaces, but also defines Newcastle’s waterfront for generations to come,” Domazet said.

DOMA’s Chris Farrington said the project would fundamentally change how Newcastle is perceived nationally.

“Newcastle Quay is more than a waterfront precinct, it is a national announcement for this city,” Farrington said.

“A world-class Conference and Exhibition Centre will open Newcastle and the Hunter Region to a national and international audience for the first time, delivering something this city has long deserved.”

The project is expected to generate more than 4,000 full-time equivalent jobs and act as a major economic driver for the Hunter region through tourism, business events, hospitality and commercial investment.

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Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the final parcel of harbourfront land will be a "true mixed-use precinct destination that includes housing, hospitality and entertainment, commercial spaces, retail, economic and social outcomes."

Joel Robinson

DOMA Group unveils 1,000-apartment Newcastle Quay precinct

ASX-listed developer Stockland is continuing to ramp up its return to the apartment market.

In late 2024, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/stockland">Stockland</a> announced it would resume apartment development after a 13-year absence, launching with Stanton Place in Rosebery, a 144-apartment project now under construction.

Last week, the developer unveiled plans alongside the NSW Government for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-nsw-gov-unveils-plans-for-3-300-home-waterloo-south-renewal">3,300-home precinct in Waterloo</a>.

Now, Stockland has shifted its focus in St Leonards, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to replace an approved 42-storey office tower with a 52-storey residential development comprising more than 500 apartments.

<img alt="Stockland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8979095e-9072-432b-a7da-58b180cf994d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-20%20at%204.27.36%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=_jbRXYOafCSHjwsz.yQCNIymMyCj8zkF" />

An existing 14-storey commercial office building would make way for a 264.5-metre tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a>. The project would deliver 538 apartments, including 30 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses at the podium and ground plane.

It will rise from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">601 Pacific Highway</a>, a prominent 2,844 sqm triangular site adjoining Mitchell Plaza and fronting Pacific Highway.

The development is being pursued under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway after Stockland’s proposal was declared State Significant Development earlier this year.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans 52-storey mixed-use tower with 538 apartments in St Leonards" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="67f40f35-0458-47ab-80c0-a4e98a31838a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%201.png?VersionId=rxXe3njr.auuGDuiR0k42uI8Zr4K.gZA" />

The apartment mix includes 217 one-bedroom apartments, 191 two-bedroom apartments, 122 three-bedroom apartments, and eight four-bedroom residences. Six basement levels would accommodate 300 car spaces, bicycle parking, loading areas, and building services.

Bates Smart said the project has been shaped around a series of urban design principles intended to improve the pedestrian experience and respond to the evolving character of St Leonards.

“With a boundary length of almost 75m along Pacific Highway and 70m along Atchison Street to the north, complying simply with the LEP envelope and required setbacks would result in a very wide tower form on the skyline,” the architects noted in the Design Report.

“We propose breaking the tower form into two defined volumes rather than a singular form.”

The podium has similarly been articulated into separate forms to reduce perceived bulk and create a finer-grain response to Mitchell Plaza and Atchison Street. Retail tenancies would activate the lower levels, while commercial space is proposed across the podium floors.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans 52-storey mixed-use tower with 538 apartments in St Leonards" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="90149990-0551-40d2-bd48-14b69a015d12" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%202.png?VersionId=MJC2KIIWFvU9FPGr3IVq09gkRN_gX3m8" />

The design also places a significant emphasis on communal amenity and environmental performance. Residents would have access to landscaped terraces, wellness areas, flexible workspaces, and rooftop communal facilities, while the all-electric building is targeting an average 7-star NatHERS rating. Bates Smart said the project incorporates passive design measures including natural ventilation, integrated shading, and lightweight façade systems.

Planning documents note the site is around 350 metres from St Leonards Station and 400 metres from the metro entrance, placing it within one of Sydney’s most connected emerging residential precincts.

The project arrives amid a wave of large-scale redevelopment proposals reshaping the St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline. Several nearby sites have recently been approved, lodged, or declared under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway as the precinct absorbs significant residential density uplift tied to transit-oriented development policies.

<img alt="Stockland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7805bd7c-dfd7-4b35-8e15-ec4a8bf8e61b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-20%20at%204.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=iY12K2m2bQ6EeDnshqfZC9rbLx_oEugP" />

Bates Smart’s report describes St Leonards as transitioning away from its historical commercial identity toward a more mixed-use urban environment.

“In recent years, the character of St Leonards has started to evolve, driven by new development trends along the Pacific Highway corridor,” the report said.

“These projects have increasingly focused on residential accommodation, marking a shift from its purely commercial roots.”

Sekisui House Australia is currently selling Waterstone down near Newlands Park, in a pocket being branded "St Leonards South." Hyecorp recently completed Audrey in the same pocket.

First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower

ANZ believes the Reserve Bank is in no rush to move again.

Following the release of the May Monetary Policy Board Minutes, ANZ has taken the view that the RBA is now firmly in a holding pattern, with the cumulative impact of previous rate hikes giving the Board scope to assess how the economy evolves from here.

That positioning, in ANZ’s view, makes a June rate hike unlikely.

The bank continues to expect the cash rate to remain unchanged at 4.35 per cent for an extended period, with the RBA adopting what is effectively a wait-and-see approach.

The Minutes point to a Board that sees financial conditions as already restrictive, but without a clear read on just how restrictive they are. That uncertainty has shifted the focus away from immediate policy action and toward monitoring both domestic conditions and global developments, particularly the conflict in the Middle East.

As ANZ interprets it, the Board is deliberately avoiding strong forward guidance.

Instead, it is allowing itself flexibility, acknowledging that monetary policy has limited ability to influence the near-term trajectory of inflation, while also recognising that economic growth is likely to remain below potential for some time.

Despite that pause in momentum, ANZ notes that the Board still carries a tightening bias.

The Minutes reveal that, in weighing up its decision, the Board seriously considered another 25 basis point increase. The key debate centred on the trade-off between inflation and activity, particularly in the context of global uncertainty.

Ultimately, most members leaned toward the inflation side of that equation.

Underlying inflation is still expected to remain above target for an extended period, regardless of how external risks evolve. That has led to a view within the Board that the risks to its inflation objective have increased, and that the current cash rate may not be sufficiently restrictive to fully contain those pressures.

That’s important.

While the decision, for now, is to hold, the underlying tone of the Minutes suggests the door to further tightening has not been closed.

ANZ also points to commentary from Assistant Governor (Economic) Sarah Hunter, who highlighted the risk that inflation could pass through the economy more quickly and broadly than in previous cycles. Both Hunter and a majority of the Board expressed concern that inflation expectations could become less anchored after such a prolonged period above target.

That combination, persistent inflation and the risk of expectations shifting, is what continues to underpin the RBA’s cautious stance.

However, where ANZ diverges from the RBA is on the outlook for activity.

The Board appears relatively comfortable with current spending patterns, effectively downplaying recent declines in business and consumer sentiment. It notes that sentiment has historically been only weakly correlated with actual spending, and that feedback from its liaison program has not yet pointed to a meaningful slowdown in consumption.

ANZ is less convinced.

The bank believes the link between household disposable income, sentiment and spending is more direct than the RBA is currently acknowledging. With inflation continuing to erode real incomes, ANZ expects household spending to soften more materially than the central bank is forecasting.

That divergence matters because it shifts the balance of risk.

If activity weakens more than expected, the trade-off between inflation and growth changes. In ANZ’s view, that would reduce the need for further tightening and reinforce the case for the RBA to remain on hold.

It also suggests that the current policy setting may already be doing more work than the Board fully appreciates.

The broader takeaway from ANZ’s interpretation is that the RBA is walking a narrow path.

On one side sits the risk of inflation remaining elevated for longer than expected. On the other is the growing pressure on households and the potential for a sharper slowdown in activity.

For now, the Board is choosing to wait.

But it is a pause that still carries an underlying tightening bias, rather than a clear pivot toward easing.

In practical terms, that leaves the cash rate anchored at 4.35 per cent for the foreseeable future, with the next move still uncertain.

For borrowers, it reinforces the reality that relief is not imminent.

And for the broader economy, it highlights the delicate balance the RBA is trying to strike, between bringing inflation back to target and avoiding an unnecessarily sharp slowdown in growth.

According to ANZ, it is a balance that is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

RBA to hold rates for "prolonged period" rather than hikes: ANZ

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/venturecrowd-property-projects">VentureCrowd</a> is down to the final Canopy Villa release at Cumulus Grand Villas in Carrara, as construction continues on the 59-residence gated community positioned above 100 hectares of natural savanna on the Gold Coast.

The remaining Canopy Villa forms part of one of four collections within the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>-designed community and has attracted interest from buyers seeking larger-format homes that combine privacy, security and low-maintenance living. Positioned within a private cul-de-sac and facing a protected black she oak forest, the four-bedroom villa includes a large private outdoor area suited to pet owners and families wanting more flexible space.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/cumulus-grand-villas-carrara-17-baltimore-court-carrara-qld-4211">Cumulus Grand Villas</a>, located at 17 Baltimore Court, comprises a mix of three and four-bedroom villas across the Skyline, Canopy, Savanna and Broadview collections. Prices currently range from $1.455 million to $1.895 million, with the final Canopy Villa priced from $1.825 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135663 project_image_fid=360477]

The Canopy Collection villas offer four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and approximately 245 sqm of internal space, alongside double garages and landscaped private areas. Expansive glazing, open-plan living spaces and private balconies have been designed to maximise natural light and outlooks toward the surrounding savanna landscape.

Construction is now underway across the fully funded development, which VentureCrowd says has become an increasingly important consideration for buyers assessing off-the-plan opportunities on the Gold Coast. The project is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/devcon">Devcon Property Group</a>, which has operated in South East Queensland since 1993 and delivered more than 1,000 homes across the region.

VentureCrowd Director of Property David Whitting previously said the project responds to changing buyer priorities in the prestige Gold Coast market.

“Flexible floorplans have proven particularly relevant for purchasers aged between 40 and 65, including next home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Whitting said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135663 project_image_fid=360505]

The buyer profile at Cumulus has reflected that shift toward owner-occupier-driven demand. Stuart Towns and Tracey Loynes recently purchased a Canopy Villa, drawn to both the lifestyle offering and the flexibility the home provided for their next stage of living together.

The couple, who met three years ago, sold their Robina home earlier this year after identifying what they saw as strong long-term investment potential at Cumulus while remaining within the same Gold Coast market. The villa’s private backyard was a major drawcard for their dog Luna, while proximity to golf courses including Emerald Lakes also aligned with their lifestyle interests.

Beyond the residences themselves, the community has been planned around shared lifestyle and recreation amenities. The Infinity Terrace will include a 20-metre heated pool, barbecue facilities, alfresco dining spaces and elevated retreat areas overlooking the surrounding landscape. Walking trails, a private nature reserve, orchard and herb garden are also integrated into the masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135663 project_image_fid=360473]

BDA Architecture Director Darren Greenaway said the design approach was heavily influenced by the site’s outlook and secluded setting.

The practice sought to create what Greenaway described as a “little piece of paradise,” drawing inspiration from the elevated views, surrounding greenery and quiet location.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/carrara-qld-4211">Carrara</a> continues to attract buyers seeking larger homes within proximity to the coast but without direct beachfront pricing. Cumulus sits within easy reach of Broadbeach, Pacific Fair, Robina Town Centre and the M1, providing connections north to Brisbane and south toward the Gold Coast Airport and northern New South Wales.

The first stage of Cumulus Grand Villas is targeting completion in 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135663]

VentureCrowd nears sell-out of Canopy Collection at Cumulus Grand Villas in Carrara

Waverley Council has made a call that many councils have been reluctant to make publicly. Growth is coming, regardless of who controls it.

The release of the Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan is less about whether the Eastern Suburbs’ primary centre will change, and more about how that change is shaped, funded, and ultimately experienced on the ground. Waverley Council has released a 100-page plan which is effectively the first comprehensive blueprint for Bondi Junction in over two decades, and in doing so, signals a clear shift in how councils are positioning themselves in the current planning environment.

For the past 18 months, the conversation across New South Wales has been dominated by the State Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms and the emergence of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway. Both have created faster, more centralised avenues for development approvals, particularly in well-located, infrastructure-rich areas like Bondi Junction.

Waverley Council’s response has been to move early, and decisively.

Rather than react to individual proposals as they come through the HDA or broader State-led reforms, Council has sought to establish a clear, place-based framework that sets the terms for how Bondi Junction evolves. The underlying position is relatively straightforward: if densification is inevitable, it should be tied to infrastructure, public domain improvements, and a cohesive vision for the centre, not delivered piecemeal through ad hoc applications.

<img alt="bondi junction" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f1f729c-ed99-4c6c-bf87-ffbce6991941" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-19%20at%209.58.16%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ULX4OlXKjeJ5BvNCNGL86evgXCjCfMih" />

At its core, the document is attempting to reposition Bondi Junction from what it largely functions as today, a transport interchange anchored by a major retail centre, into something far more layered. The ambition is to transform it into what the plan describes as the “civic and cultural heart of Sydney’s East,” a place that is active beyond commuting hours and capable of supporting a broader mix of uses, experiences and communities.

That repositioning is built around four key ambitions.

The first is to create a true destination. Bondi Junction already attracts significant foot traffic, with more than 86,000 daily transport users and millions of annual retail visits, but much of that activity is transient. People pass through, rather than stay.

The Master Plan seeks to change that dynamic. It leans heavily into the idea of an “18-hour economy,” extending activity well beyond traditional retail hours through dining, cultural programming, events, and a more active night-time offering. This is not just about adding more hospitality venues, but about fundamentally shifting how the centre operates, from a daytime shopping destination to a place that functions across the full span of the day and into the evening.

Oxford Street Mall sits at the centre of that shift.

Long seen as underperforming relative to its potential, the Mall is identified as one of the key catalyst projects in the plan. It is to be reimagined as a day-to-night spine, combining retail, dining, wellness and cultural uses in a way that creates a continuous flow of activity. Outdoor dining, rooftop venues, laneway activation and a curated events program are all part of the strategy, alongside significant public domain upgrades that aim to improve comfort, safety and usability.

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The second ambition is to transform Bondi Junction into a world-class interchange.

Despite being one of the most heavily used transport nodes in Sydney, the current experience is fragmented. Connections between the station, Westfield, Oxford Street Mall and surrounding streets are often unclear, and major roads create physical barriers that disrupt pedestrian movement.

The Master Plan proposes a more seamless, people-focused network. That includes clearer pedestrian links, improved wayfinding, better integration between transport modes, and a rethinking of how arrival into the centre is experienced. The aim is to shift the perception of Bondi Junction from a place people move through, to a place they arrive in.

The third ambition focuses on greening and open space.

One of the more consistent pieces of community feedback throughout the Vision phase was the need for more greenery, better public spaces, and a more comfortable urban environment. Despite being surrounded by major parks, Bondi Junction itself has relatively limited accessible open space, with much of the public realm dominated by hard surfaces and traffic infrastructure.

The plan responds with a network of new and upgraded public spaces, increased tree canopy, and what it terms the “Parkline,” a green link connecting Waverley Park through to Centennial Park. This is not just about aesthetics. It is about addressing heat, improving liveability, and ensuring that increased density is matched by access to high-quality outdoor space.

The fourth ambition is perhaps the most important from a development perspective: growth that gives back.

Bondi Junction is already the primary location for new housing supply in the Waverley LGA, and that is expected to continue. The area carries a target of 2,400 new dwellings by 2029, with further growth projected beyond that as demand for well-located housing continues to rise. The Master Plan does not seek to limit that growth. Instead, it attempts to shape it.

New housing is to be concentrated around transport, with stepped building heights designed to protect the character of surrounding neighbourhoods. At the same time, the plan introduces a more explicit link between development uplift and public benefit. This is where value capture becomes central.

The document outlines a framework where increased development potential is tied to contributions that fund public domain improvements, community infrastructure, open space, and affordable housing. It is an approach that recognises that much of the transformation of Bondi Junction will be delivered by the private sector, but seeks to ensure that the benefits of that growth are shared more broadly. The Civic Precinct is a key part of that equation.

Leveraging Council-owned land, the plan proposes a consolidated civic and cultural hub centred around Ebley Street. This would include new community facilities, cultural spaces, and potentially a new Council Chambers, creating a focal point for civic life that currently does not exist in Bondi Junction at scale.

It is one of several catalyst projects identified in the Master Plan, alongside the Oxford Street Mall transformation. These projects are intended to anchor change, acting as early interventions that unlock broader investment across the precinct.

Importantly, the Master Plan is not just a design document. It includes a delivery framework that sets out how these ambitions are intended to be realised.

Council is explicit in acknowledging that it cannot deliver the transformation alone. Implementation will require coordination between State agencies, private developers, landowners and the community, with a mix of planning agreements, infrastructure contributions and direct delivery mechanisms used to fund and stage improvements over time.

The plan outlines a mix of short-term, medium-term and long-term actions, from immediate public domain upgrades and planning controls, through to larger-scale projects that will unfold over the next decade or more. In practical terms, the next 12 to 24 months will be the most important.

This is when the Master Plan will move through exhibition, refinement and eventual adoption. It is also the period in which Council will seek to embed the framework into its planning controls, giving it weight in the assessment of future development applications.

Council officers have indicated that once the Master Plan is in place, it could be used as a benchmark when assessing Housing Delivery Authority proposals, and potentially reduce the need for further HDA declarations within Bondi Junction. In effect, it is an attempt to bring planning control back to the local level, while still aligning with State housing targets.

That tension between State-led reform and local planning control is not unique to Waverley. It is playing out across Sydney.

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If delivered as intended, Bondi Junction will become denser, more active, and more complex. It will support more residents, more workers, and a wider range of uses, extending beyond its current retail core into a more layered urban environment.

“The civic and cultural heart of Sydney’s East”: Bondi Junction masterplan revealed

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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A mixed use investment property with further development potential in Melbourne’s inner east suburb of Hawthorn is expected to fetch more than $1.6 million at auction.
Located at 81-83 Church Street, the 300 square metre property on the corner of Brook Crescent comprises a two-level brick building including a ground floor café and a first floor, three bedroom apartment.
Situated in the heart of Hawthorn, Commercial 1 zoned site has been listed through Teska Carson’s Matthew Feld.
The auction is on November 20.
The property will be sold subject to two leases -- a five-year for the ground floor café and a monthly lease for the first floor residence -- for a total annual rental of $80,151.
He said the property presented substantial development potential subject to council approval in a popular suburb. It had a strong holding income and potential for capital growth.
"As such this property offers options for investors, developers and owner-occupiers in a very accessible and desirable location within the leafy inner eastern suburbs,’’ Feld said.
He said the area, only five kilometres from the CBD, had seen high-end residential and commercial developments in recent years and various other projects are under construction or in the planning stages.
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Investment property in Melbourne's Hawthorn expected to fetch more than $1.6 million

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Austlander Developments Pty Ltd has bought an infill development site at Keysborough in Melbourne’s south-east with plans for an industrial estate, paying $5.69 million.
Located at 241 Perry Road, the property comprises a 5.66 hectare allotment zoned Industrial 1 and adjoining Fraser Property’s (formerly Australand) Key Industrial Park.
The deal was brokered by Paul Jones and Kosta Filinis of Savills Australia.
Austlander will seek to subdivide the land into 29 x 1000 square metre and two x 7000 square metre lots.
"This is a prime industrial development site, adjacent to a successful and very popular industrial estate with excellent access to Greens Road and EastLink," Jones said.
He said Austlander was confident an industrial subdivision would attract tenants given the south-east’s status as one of Australia’s fastest growing regions.
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Austlander buys infill development site in Melbourne's Keysborough for $5.69 million

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AMP Capital Global Direct Property Fund has purchased 308 units in 13 separate apartment buildings in the Kansas City, United States for US$27.7 million.
The Vintage at Zona Rosa, Kansas City is 85% occupied.
AMP Capital Fund Manager Tim Fallet said the investment presented "compelling opportunities" to improve the asset.
"This acquisition demonstrates continued execution of our strategy, with the recent sale of our Boston CBD office asset generating a total return for investors in excess of 26% per annum and recycling capital into a high quality core-plus multifamily asset where we can continue to drive investment performance," he said.
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AMP Capital acquires Kansas City residential community

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A residential property with a permit for 10 apartments at Hampton, one of Melbourne's sandbelt locations, will go under the hammer on November 27.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-hampton-501744534" target="_blank">22 Railway Crescent</a> property is expected to fetch more than $1.8 million.
It is a four-bedroom, two-storey home on a 420 square metre site zoned General Residential 2 with frontage to Railway Crescent.
An approved permit allows for the development of a three-storey building containing 10 apartments with roof decks and basement car parking.
The property is located within walking distance of Hampton Village strip shops and railway station, as well as numerous other local amenities, including the Hampton Beach.
It is being sold through Teska Carson’s Adrian Boutsakis and Fergus Evans.
"With a permit in place for an apartment development the property will obviously appeal to developers in what is a highly sought after residential area, but it will also appeal to a family looking for an exceptional home in a prime location within easy commuting distance of the CBD," said Boutsakis.
Evans said an upsurge in the area’s popularity, with its easy access to Melbourne’s CBD and the beach, had driven the development of new, high-profile, residential and commercial projects there.
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Beach site in Melbourne's Hampton with apartment permit to go under the hammer

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Sydney's industrial sector has had a strong 2015 in which the emergence and recovery of the sector throughout 2013 and 2014 has been consolidated, according to the valuation firm Herron Todd White.
Some of the Sydney’s highest performing areas continue to include the South Sydney region which remains the beneficiary of the increasing shift of older style industrial facilities into more high-tech accommodation, the latest HTW report suggests.
"The demand for this type of stock has seen capital rates increase throughout the calendar year, with smaller stock achieving rates up to and above $3,500 per square metre.
"Larger industrial holdings within this precinct benefit from their proximity to the Port Botany precinct, which appears to be one of the main drivers of demand in this sector."
The report goes on to state that the gentrification of industrial precincts in close proximity to the Sydney CBD such as South Sydney, as well as Sydney’s ever steady push to the west is resulting in the emergence of industrial precincts such as Marsden Park, Eastern Creek, Erskine Park and the like developing into strong contenders in the Sydney industrial market.
"Demand levels have increased in these areas progressively over the past few years, though with the ongoing completion of infrastructure in these locations, demand has continued to strengthen in 2015 with a number of national distribution facilities setting up in this region (Woolworths, Linfox, BlueScope Steel)."
The HTW review adds that the Sutherland Shire/St George industrial sector has witnessed capital rate increases over 2015 with torrens and strata title properties commonly achieving rates over and above $2,000 per square metre.
"The strength of this market is driven by a dominant owner occupier sector, with a strong presence of local tradesmen occupying this precinct.
"Generally speaking, industrial yields have fallen, in keeping with all sectors across the Sydney property market."
The report concludes by explaining the fall in yields in consistent with the historically low interest rates and an increase in capital values while rental rates have largely remained stable.
"Larger prime assets are typically achieving yields ranging between 7.5% and 9%, dependent on size, while smaller assets have fallen to the 5% to 7% range."
 
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Sydney remains strong in industrial property sector: Herron Todd White

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Get ready Australia. The Prime Minister announced this week his road map for tax reforms that he proposes to take to the next election.
No need to guess what the centrepiece will be – look no further than a 5% increase to the GST. This will be very hard to achieve given when the GST was introduced in 2000 the states and territories immediately reneged on their agreement to abolish duty taxes, so we can rightly expect that they will never renege again.
The problem facing Malcolm Turnbull is that the states and territories want more money and the federal government can’t fund this through their tax receipts. For years I have argued that (in the case of NSW for example) the state government is the biggest dead weight on the NSW economy.
Stamp duties, insurance duties, pay roll tax... the list goes on. For well over the past decade we have read tax paper after tax paper recommending the removal of these taxes although (until now) this has been ignored by federal politicians.
A report released this week by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling identified that the current 10% GST consumes 13.4% of disposable income for those in the bottom fifth of households, so a further rise in the GST would see this figure jump to 20%. Households in the top 20% would experience a much softer impact where this currently sits at 5.9% and after an increase the new figure would come in at around 8.8%.
For obvious reasons this analysis is going to make the sales pitch for an increase in GST all the much harder when Australians go to the polls around this time next year. Banking economist Saul Eslake announced this week that “Australia’s home ownership rate is actually the lowest it’s been since 1954.” So to fix this, negative gearing will come under much greater scrutiny as established home prices continue to rise. Let’s face it – Australia’s entire tax system is a mess, broken and in urgent need of major surgery.
The Turnbull government will need to also look at the benefits of allowing 100% of new developments to be sold off shore – up until December 2008, the previous restriction was 50%. Two of the big ticket items in the “rivers of gold” are Stamp Duty on residential housing and payroll tax – where we are now seeing clear evidence of what impact these duty/taxes are having on the economy.
If you look at the Mosman house market in 2011/12/13 there were on a weekly basis 75 occasions where there were more than 100 houses on the market. In 2014 the 100 barrier was broken on 14 occasions and in 2015 the market is yet to break 100 where we can all but guarantee Mosman will not break 100 in 2015.
NSW is currently drowning in wage stagnation which highlights why voters will be hard pressed to approve a 5 per cent increase to the GST. Pay roll tax for decades has been referred to as the most insidious tax – so by abolishing pay roll tax employers can then pay their respective staff more which then improves wage stagnation.
No doubt there will be many other opinions as to what is required to finally correct Australia’s taxing imbalances. We can rest assured that over the next twelve months we will be thrown many fascinating and troublesome alternatives for deliberation.
The Turnbull government should also be looking at the overall effect of simply removing the middle – tier of government given the duplication of departments that exist in both state and territories and Canberra. Maybe the time has arrived to simply remove the state and territory governments and thus broaden the responsibilities of the local governments.
Maybe the NSW government has identified that it’s vulnerable so it is moving quickly to amalgamate the councils and then alleviate any such scrutiny?
Whatever happens the next twelve months will unveil debates that we Australians have never before witnessed given the magnitude of this long overdue assignment.
Australia’s Prime Minister is more than capable of handling the task ahead – the people aren’t the problem it’s the politicians who have created this. The time has arrived to set an example once and for all – Australia’s road map for tax reforms has finally been given a new engine and a set of wheels.
Just don’t crash it PM.
<h5>MOSMAN – 2088</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 105
• Number of houses on the market last week – 64
• Number of houses on the market this week – 75
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 76
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 63
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 60
<h5>CREMORNE – 2090</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 17
• Number of houses on the market last week – 14
• Number of houses on the market this week – 12
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 41
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 16
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 17
<h5>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 10
• Number of houses on the market last week – 8
•Number of houses on the market this week – 6
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year– 42
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 31
*Number of apartments on the market this week – 30
 ROBERT SIMEON is a director of <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985.  He has also been writing real estate blog <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000. 
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Australia’s greatest ever sales pitch? Robert Simeon

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GM Property Group has paid $16.95 million for an industrial property with a yield of 7.34% in Melbourne's south-east suburb Mulgrave.
The property, 730-750 Springvale Road, was sold subject to a weighted annual lease expiry of five years at circa $1.2 million per annum nt. 
Tenants include Shop Fitters &amp; Building Services, Moffat, Form A Sign, and ACER.
The deal was brokered off-market by Savills Australia Directors, Chris Jones and Ben Hegerty.
Chris Jones said the industrial property is on a strategic main road, south-eastern locality, with minimal vacancy levels, at a price which reflected an excellent land value component and reflected an underlying land value equivalent to approximately 75% of the value of the property.
 
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GM Property pays $16.9 million for Mulgrave industrial property

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We have valuation firm Herron Todd White to thank for this quite startling revelation earlier in the week: “Signs of slowing have emerged in Sydney property markets.”
Were it not for the ground-breaking analysis and cutting-edge research of HTW, no one would have noticed that the Sydney market has been fading. 
The marked decrease in sales volumes since the start of the year would have passed us by.
The stark decline in auction clearance rates over several months would have gone unnoticed.
The significance of the steady increase in stock on the market would have been lost of all but the most brilliant among us. 
And the wind-down in the pace of price growth would have been quite meaningless.
Fortunately, HTW to the rescue, publishing a report that contains zingers like: “There are signs that the market may be cooling.”
Good grief. What were they thinking? Were they competing for first prize in a competition for under-statement of the year? Or was it the time-honoured tradition among the valuation profession of being unwilling to say anything meaningful for fear of being relevant? 
There are signs that the market may be cooling? Is there seriously some doubt that the Sydney market is in wind-down? 
This is sadly symptomatic of the absence of expert analysis in the residential property industry.
We had another example in a speech last week by Reserve Bank assistant governor Malcolm Edey, in which he made the most common mistake in real estate “analysis”. This is the theory that says that if Event A coincided with Event B, therefore Event A must have caused Event B.
It’s irrelevant that there are five or six other events that also were aligned with Event B - Event A has had the most publicity, so Event A gets the prize.
So APRA made some announcements and then signs emerged, a la HTW’s rip-snorting expose, of a cooling in the market, therefore APRA must have caused the de-heating. 
Obviously.
This overlooks the reality that the Sydney market peaked and started its gradual wind-down long before APRA had its self-indulgent brain-explosion.
The Sydney market peaked in the December Quarter last year. Sales activity dropped in the March Quarter, dropped again in the June Quarter and continued its steady dissipation in the September Quarter.
Little by little, that has been reflected in other data. 
Clearance rates are now below 60% for the first time in three years, following a pattern of decline stretching back months.
The latest quarterly price data, always a long way behind the real game, indicates Sydney growth has fallen back to levels on a par with Adelaide and Brisbane.
 But Edey, as a boffin who gets no closer to the coal face than his computer screen, sees only “tentative evidence that sentiment may now be turning”.
 I fully agree with the growing list of pundits calling the end to Sydney’s boom. I’ve been writing about it for the past 5-6 months.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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Sydney market wound down before APRA's brain-explosion: Terry Ryder

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Mike Tyson is quoted as saying, "everyone has a game-plan until you get punched in the face”.
So, how do we take this true to life and memorable analogy and personalize it to our business? I spilled my coffee due to convulsive laughter, when I first heard this.
Like many sides of our personal makeup we, as human beings, personalize or internalize and emotionally invest in what we create and believe in.
In this particular post, I will look at how we can recession proof “protect” our brand as we move into 2016 - a year with many unknowns when it comes to the survival of real estate agents and their offices, independent or mainstream.
I'm talking about building a defensive wall that won’t allow adversaries an inch of space but don’t forget, your inner voice can also work against you.
 Yes, you too can punch yourself in the nose and sabotage your business.
I’m no expert, to say the least; so I called on the experience and expertise of my good friend and brand mentor, Anthony Carroll, from Yellowsneakers to help explore the idea of recession proofing my brand.
Anthony best explains the relevance and relationship between recession proofing our business and branding with a simple question:
<ul>
<li>How relevant is your brand when it comes to your purpose and your customers needs? All the elements of your brand should radiate out from your “purpose”.</li>
</ul>
Unravelling purpose is not just about having an idea, it is about solving a problem and engaging an audience.
A purpose is a solution to a problem that your target audience can't solve on their own. Your solution should therefore fit the problem but also be delivered in a way that is unique and different to what your competitors offer.
Staying true to your purpose is KEY to surviving and recession proofing your business.
The basic principles, on how we build a strong defensive wall, is sometimes forgotten. Most brands with no essence or belief, in other words purpose, will fail. Fail to be noticed and fail to engage the audience it needs to survive.
 A strong brand on the other hand, can weather many storms:
<ul>
<li>Product failure</li>
<li>PR fallouts</li>
<li>Corporate scandal</li>
<li>Dips in market share</li>
</ul>
Therefore, the strength of your brand can be gaged by your commitment to its purpose. The purpose that underlines your daily and constant decision making and reason to stay motivated and focused.
A good example of a brand weathering a PR fallout is the LiveStrong brand started by Lance Armstrong.
Because of its strong underlying purpose: Lifestyle choices, healthier eating and so on, the brand continues flourish despite the Tour-de-France doping scandal that Lance Armstrong was at the centre of.
Lance had to step down from the organization he founded and distance himself completely. However, as a result the brand remains relevant in the eyes of its audience.
People will forgive human frailty and it’s been shown that the more human or personable the brand is, the more supportive people become of the brand.
More recently, we can look at the VW emissions scandal. Sales for VW and Audi have actually increased. While it might be too early for sales to be affect, yet it will be interesting to see how VW survives this scandal.
So what happens when we have a kick-ass brand? More people engage with the brand as soon as they understand its core purpose.
Reflecting on the industry I’m presently engaged in and as I re-read this post, I find myself asking the following questions:
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<li>Will the main real estate brands remain true to the nature, the purpose of their founders? or Will they continue to lose the respect of both employees and clients?</li>
<li>Will the New Year 2016, usher in new real estate brands created by disillusioned employees of some of the more established brands?</li>
</ol>
No matter what industry you are in and particularly if you are about to launch with a new brand; I do hope these thoughts have been of help.
I leave you with this thought: never underestimate small beginnings, remain true to your purpose and your brand will make the impact you aimed for.
 
EDWIN ALMEIDA is licensee in charge of <a href="https://www.just-think.com.au/" target="_blank">Just Think Real Estate</a>.<a href="https://www.just-thin.com.au/"> </a>
He is also the creator of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/JustThinkProperty" target="_blank">Oz Real Estate.TV</a> and a presenter for <a href="https://propertyinvestingvault.com/" target="_blank">propertyinvestingvault.com</a>.
 
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Recession proof your real estate business: Edwin Almeida

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The ABS released its Overseas Arrivals &amp; Departures figures for September 2015 which confirmed that net permanent and long-term migration continued to slow to +282,400 on a rolling annual basis, which is now the lowest level since July 2007.
<a href="/images/2015/11/10/Arr1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/11/10/Arr1.jpg" alt="">
 
With New Zealanders and Europeans having increasingly opted to pursue more appealing or lucrative career and lifestyle choices elsewhere, net immigration into Australia is now overwhelmingly being driven by Asian migrants.
<a href="/images/2015/11/10/Arr6.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/11/10/Arr6.jpg" alt="">
 
<div>Indeed while migration from New Zealand continues to slow and British settler numbers are tracking at their lowest level in decades, settlers from China and India have steadily increased in number to their highest level on record.</div>
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<div>Later this week the ABS will release the latest Labour Force figures, which will show employment growth of close to +2% for the past year comfortably outpacing the rate of population growth of around +1.4%. Meanwhile tourism has become of the fastest growing sectors of the domestic economy. A recent Deloitte Access Economics report noted an existing shortage of 38,000 workers with a projected further 123,000 workers required by the end of the decade, leading inevitably to industry calls for a relaxation of visa rules.</div>
Part 2 - Record visitors
<div>The flip side to the slowing of Australia's economy - and in turn net permanent and long-term immigration - is that the lower dollar has encouraged a record 7.25 million visitors to our shores over the past year, a monster increase of well over 450,000. </div>
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<div>What is more the rolling annual number of short term departures is now in decline for the first time since a temporary blip through the financial crisis, as the weaker dollar encourages more Aussies to holiday at home. </div>
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<div>This is one of the many ways in which a weaker currency serves to boost an ailing domestic economy.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/11/10/Arr2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/10/Arr2.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div>Indeed anyone looking for evidence of how the weaker currency can help to rebalance the economy need look no further than the below chart, which shows the ratio of short-term departures to arrivals shifting into a long, sweeping downtrend.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/11/10/Arr7.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/10/Arr7.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div> </div>
<div>
<div>
Part 3 - China explosion Gosh! The number of visitors from China continues to explode at a breakneck pace being up by an outlandish 27% from September 2014, with more than 1.3 million visitors arriving from China and its provinces over the 12 months to September 2015. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>While the rise and rise of the Chinese middle class and tourism - with its associated surge in spending power - is very much a global trend, Australia has evidently been extremely successful to date in capturing its share.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/11/10/Arr3-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/10/Arr3-1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>In fact it was announced during the past month that Britain will slash the price of its two year visa for Chinese visitors from £325 to just £85 in a slightly desperate attempt to capture more of this lucrative market.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In a related trend, the lower dollar has also encouraged record education arrivals with a huge surge since 2014 taking rolling annual arrivals to beyond 453,000.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/11/10/Arr4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/11/10/Arr4.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
This is another trend which is very much skewed towards students of Asian origin and particularly Chinese students, with 2016 set to be the biggest year on record for higher education visas. The student visas boom is very much a capital cities phenomenon, which is one of a multitude of reasons that Australia's capital cities are set to capture an even greater share of population growth over the next decade. With recent changes to rules and regulations in New Zealand having reportedly curbed Chinese interest in the Kiwi property market, the above demographic shifts have potentially significant implications for Australian real estate over the remainder of the decade. Anecdotally there has been a renewed rush of interest in Australian property from would-be Chinese investors. A significant share of new arrivals come to Australia for education but stay for the long term on other substantive visas - it's one the reasons that Chinese investors are so active in targeting Australian property markets.
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<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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