<p>Longstanding Gold Coast and Canberra developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/morris-property-group">Morris Property Group</a> is continuing to roll on with its Glitter Strip apartment pipeline, seeking to return to Mermaid Beach with a new 68-apartment development.</p>

<p>Morris, founded by Barry Morris in 1978 and one of the Gold Coast’s most prolific apartment developers over the past two decades, has filed plans for a 12-storey mixed-use building at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/36-seabeach-avenue-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">34-36 Seabeach Avenue</a>, on the prized eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway.</p>

<p>The 1,227 sqm site occupies a prominent corner position at Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway, opposite the Mermaid Plaza retail and office precinct and around 140 metres walking distance from the future Mermaid Beach South light rail station.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser &amp; Partners</a> has designed the project, which will comprise 68 apartments across a mix of 48 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom residences.</p>

<p>The building will rise 12 storeys, reaching a maximum height of 36 metres, with the apartments accounting for a total of 156 bedrooms. The development application also seeks approval for short-term accommodation across the 68 apartments, while two office tenancies are proposed at ground level.</p>

<p>The plans show 108 car spaces across the development, with parking accommodated at ground level and within a three-level basement accessed from Seabeach Avenue.</p>

<p><img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2175c99-12fd-4a3c-9be1-89bbf258a90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.41%E2%80%AFPM_0.png?VersionId=iNLzWcE6gaAE76rafhEXfHve.4g4Se0p" /></p>

<p>Resident amenity will be concentrated on level two, where Fraser &amp; Partners has designed a recreation deck with a swimming pool, 90 sqm pool terrace, outdoor barbecue area and gym.</p>

<p>The broader communal offering will also incorporate landscaped spaces, with the planning documents noting the amenity has been designed to provide areas for recreation, social interaction and outdoor living.</p>

<p>The proposal would continue the transformation of the Gold Coast Highway corridor through Mermaid Beach ahead of the arrival of the light rail.</p>

<p>The site is zoned Neighbourhood Centre and sits within the Mermaid Beach/Broadbeach Light Rail Corridor neighbourhood plan. While the prescribed building height is 24 metres, the site is identified within an Urban Neighbourhood context providing for a 50 per cent height uplift to 36 metres.</p>

<p>Planning documents describe the stretch of the Gold Coast Highway between Broadbeach and Nobby Beach as increasingly characterised by medium and high-rise development, with the proposed Morris tower joining projects including Ventura, The Alfred, Oceans and Otto.</p>

<p><img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="911f193f-e381-4a55-be08-58be87fcf978" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.48%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=oxVvLJaY.SOXEdXrIcogfyEXDfvCmmpM" /></p>

<p>The development would mark Morris Property Group's latest investment in Mermaid Beach, where it has already delivered two apartment projects.</p>

<p>Otto, at 1 Bondi Avenue on the western side of the Gold Coast Highway, comprises 70 apartments across nine storeys. The project was completed in 2019 and includes a residents' gym, recreation deck and swimming pool.</p>

<p>Morris also developed Oceans at 46 Ocean Street, a nine-storey, 70-apartment build-to-rent development completed in 2019. Oceans was the group's first build-to-rent project and incorporates commercial space at ground level.</p>

<p>The two existing Morris projects sit further north along the same Gold Coast Highway corridor as the proposed Seabeach Avenue development. Fraser &amp; Partners' planning analysis specifically identifies both Otto and Oceans among the established built-form precedents surrounding the site.</p>

<p><img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14925119-7b71-4812-8149-340317512c7c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%203.00.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=aEJqYuw_nTCjcin17BSD0piB1EFotTlj" /></p>

<p>Mermaid Beach represents only part of Morris' considerable Gold Coast footprint.</p>

<p>The family-owned developer has been particularly active in neighbouring Broadbeach, delivering projects including Sierra Grand, Eclipse, Synergy, Qube, Koko, Opus and Malo, while its current pipeline includes Maison and the two-tower Crest development.</p>

<p>Further south, Morris has also developed a string of projects in Burleigh Heads, including Element, Boardwalk and Sandbar, while Essentia expanded its footprint north into Surfers Paradise.</p>

<p>The Seabeach Avenue application has been lodged by PMM Broadbeach Pty Ltd and seeks a development permit for a Material Change of Use for multiple dwellings, short-term accommodation and office uses. Zone Planning Group prepared the planning application, with Fraser &amp; Partners commissioned as architect.</p>

<p>The project comes as the developer continues to expand its Gold Coast pipeline while retaining a significant presence in Canberra. Morris now has more than $2.5 billion of development in its national pipeline and has delivered more than 7,000 homes during its near five-decade history</p>


Joel Robinson

First look: Morris Property Group returns to Mermaid Beach with new Seabeach Avenue apartment development

<p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hvFB2uWTRfEyEcpTSnnK9" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis" target="_blank">Fortis</a>&nbsp;is continuing its stronghold on Sydn​ey’s eastern suburbs apartment market, launching&nbsp;in September&nbsp;its latest boutique&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GI5S9-wNeiLUnM-d1uYkw" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">Double Bay</a>&nbsp;development,&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2YNouJQcFjiTTgVHbgDLA-" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">55 William</a>.</p>

<p>55 William presents&nbsp;just eight north-facing&nbsp;two-bedroom, three-bedroom and full-floor&nbsp;residences to the market, priced from $4.5 million.</p>

<p>The upcoming launch comes just weeks after Fortis secured approval for the $80 million development, its third eastern suburbs approval in two months. Construction is already underway, with completion targeted for 2028.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376250]</p>

<p>55 William adds to a growing concentration of Fortis projects in and around Double Bay, a market the developer has become increasingly active in over recent years.</p>

<p>Fortis previously completed the nine-residence Marmont on New South Head Road, while it is currently developing a mixed-use residential and retail project at 12 Cross Street. Its wider Double Bay footprint also extends into commercial and retail development.</p>

<p>The developer's broader Sydney residential pipeline is particularly concentrated across the eastern suburbs, with projects spanning Doub​le Bay, Ro​se Bay, Wo​ollahra, Dar​ling Point, Poi​nt Piper and Eli​zabeth Bay.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376253]</p>

<p>At 55 William, Fortis has again turned to MHN Design Union, the architecture practice behind several of its eastern suburbs projects, while London-based 1508 London has been appointed to handle the interiors and Wyer &amp; Co the landscaping.</p>

<p>The six-level building will comprise a combination of two and three-bedroom apartments, including a garden residence, full-floor apartments, a sub-penthouse and penthouse. Each residence will have secure basement parking and private outdoor space.</p>

<p>A rooftop terrace for all residents, along with select apartments, enjoys views across Double Bay Harbour and toward the Sydney skyline.</p>

<p>Ceiling heights will reach up to three metres&nbsp;in select residences, while the kitchens will feature natural stone and integrated Gaggenau appliances.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The boutique nature of the project reflects the type of stock Fortis has increasingly targeted across Sydney's eastern suburbs, where larger apartments and smaller buildings are being pitched primarily toward local owner-occupiers and downsizers.</p>

<p>Fortis Group General Manager Ed Eve said the developer continues to see demand from buyers wanting to remain in the eastern suburbs but move into newer, lower-maintenance housing.</p>

<p>“We're seeing continued demand from local owner-occupiers and downsizers looking for high-quality homes that allow them to remain in the eastern suburbs, close to the lifestyle and community they know,” Eve said.</p>

<p>55 William is also one of the early projects to respond directly to the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms. Fortis had previously secured approval for just two townhouses on the 599 sqm site before revising the scheme to eight apartments following the planning changes.</p>

<p style="text-align:start">Situated one street back from Double Bay's water's edge, the project enjoys an enviable harbourside setting within walking distance of Double Bay Village and the ferry wharf.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376252]</p>

<p>Fortis has increasingly made the eastern suburbs a major focus of its Sydney pipeline. Beyond Double Bay, it recently completed the 14-residence Piper in Point Piper and has projects underway or planned across Rose Bay, Woollahra and Darling Point.</p>

<p>The developer recently secured approval for Verano in Rose Bay, a six-level development comprising 21 two, three and four-bedroom apartments, also designed by MHNDU.</p>

<p>55 William&nbsp;is soon to be release to the market with VIP appointments commencing early September,&nbsp;with residences priced from $4.5 million.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152579]</p>


Fortis continues eastern suburbs push with 55 William launch

<p>UAE-based developer Arada has unveiled plans for a $2 billion twin-tower apartment development in Broadbeach, marking its first move into Queensland as it continues its rapid expansion across Australia.</p>

<p>Arada will develop 952 apartments across two towers on a prominent site opposite the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the project targeted for completion ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.</p>

<p>The project represents Arada's largest commitment to the Australian market since arriving in the country in 2024 and significantly expands a local pipeline that has now grown to eight projects and more than 5,000 homes.</p>

<p>It will also be the first major Queensland project delivered by Roberts Co since the tier-one contractor was acquired by Arada Group in 2025.</p>

<p>Plus Studio has designed the Broadbeach development, which will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two towers connected by a landscaped podium.</p>

<p>A significant resident amenity offering will include lagoon and lap pools, a gym, sauna and steam room, alongside a mist room, infrared room and salt scrub facilities. Communal terraces, private dining areas, a library, residents' lounge and work-from-home spaces are also planned. Around 1,200 sqm of retail and hospitality space will occupy the ground floor.</p>

<p>The site puts Arada in one of the Gold Coast's most active apartment markets, directly opposite the convention centre and within walking distance of Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and Broadbeach's dining and retail precinct.</p>

<p>It also has immediate access to the Gold Coast light rail network and sits just a few blocks from the beach.</p>

<p>Arada Group Chief Executive Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said Broadbeach represented an opportunity for the developer to expand beyond its initial NSW pipeline.</p>

<p>“Broadbeach is a world-class address that gives us the canvas to create a community of exceptional design and lifestyle quality that genuinely enriches the daily lives of the people who call it home,” Alkhoshaibi said.</p>

<p>“This is our first development outside New South Wales, and it reflects our growing ambition to grow in key urban markets around the country.”</p>

<p>Alkhoshaibi said bringing Roberts Co into the project would give Arada greater control over the development and construction process.</p>

<p>“Delivering this project through Roberts Co, our own tier-one construction business, means we can bring the quality, pace and accountability that our buyers expect.”</p>

<p>The move into Broadbeach comes as Arada accelerates its Australian expansion following its entry into the market two years ago. The developer has assembled a pipeline of eight projects comprising more than 5,000 homes, while the acquisition of Roberts Co last year gave the group its own Australian construction capability.</p>

<p>Globally, Arada has a development portfolio valued at $50 billion comprising more than 55,000 homes across the UAE, United Kingdom and Australia.</p>

<p>The Gold Coast is emerging as the next major market for the developer, with strong population growth and infrastructure spending ahead of the 2032 Games continuing to underpin significant apartment development across the coastal strip.</p>


Arada plots $2 billion Broadbeach towers in major Queensland move

<p>Sydney’s downsizer market is changing, with a growing cohort of buyers prioritising the right home over simply finding a smaller one.</p>

<p>Coronation Property Head of Sales Cam Porter says the traditional idea of downsizing does not necessarily reflect what many buyers are now looking for, particularly those moving from established family homes across Sydney.</p>

<p>Instead, he says they are increasingly becoming “right-sizers”, seeking lower-maintenance homes without sacrificing the space, amenity or quality they have become accustomed to.</p>

<p>“We are increasingly seeing buyers who are not motivated by the idea of simply moving into a smaller property,” Porter says.</p>

<p>“They are right-sizers. They want a home that is easier to manage and better connected, but they still expect generosity, quality and a floorplan that supports the way they live.”</p>

<p>It is a subtle but important distinction in a market where apartment developers are increasingly targeting established owner-occupiers.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377495]</p>

<p>For many of these buyers, moving from a house to an apartment is not driven by a desire to dramatically reduce their living space. Instead, the appeal is in removing some of the maintenance associated with a larger home while retaining generous living areas, storage and enough flexibility to accommodate family and friends.</p>

<p>Coronation’s sales team is seeing buyers place particular importance on natural light, practical storage and additional rooms that can be used as guest bedrooms, home offices or secondary living spaces.</p>

<p>Kitchens and dining areas are also playing an increasingly important role, particularly for buyers who regularly entertain or have children and grandchildren visit.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377494]</p>

<p>“These buyers still want their home to feel generous,” Porter says.</p>

<p>“They may want less maintenance, but they are not looking for less life.”</p>

<p>The challenge for the broader housing market is providing enough of the right stock to encourage that move.</p>

<p>While much of the discussion around Sydney’s housing shortage has centred on the number of homes being delivered, Porter says the diversity of those homes is equally important.</p>

<p>Older homeowners can remain in large family houses for longer when they cannot find an appropriate alternative in the neighbourhoods where they have built their lives.</p>

<p>“The decision is rarely as simple as wanting fewer bedrooms,” Porter says.</p>

<p>“People are weighing up their connection to a neighbourhood, the space they need for family, the quality of the home and whether it will continue to work for them over the long term.”</p>

<p>It also has implications beyond the downsizer market. Providing suitable apartments for smaller households can free up established houses for families who need the additional bedrooms and land, creating greater movement through the housing market.</p>

<h2>Lillian targets the next stage of apartment buyer</h2>

<p>It is a buyer Coronation is targeting at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, its new collection of apartments, terraces and penthouses at Erskineville Village.</p>

<p>Designed by Silvester Fuller, Lillian has been shaped around larger living spaces, natural light and flexible floorplans, alongside landscaped areas, wellness amenity and communal spaces for residents.</p>

<p>The development will form part of Coronation’s broader Erskineville Village precinct, which will combine new homes with green space, retail, hospitality and new pedestrian connections.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377688]</p>

<p>McPherson Park will sit at the centre of the precinct, creating a significant new green space alongside the project’s retail and hospitality offering.</p>

<p>For Porter, the opportunity is to give buyers another housing option without forcing them to leave the part of Sydney they already know.</p>

<p>“People should be able to change the type of home they live in without having to change their entire life,” he says.</p>

<p>“For many buyers, Lillian offers the opportunity to remain connected to the Inner West and the city, while gaining access to a more convenient, walkable and considered way of living.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377687]</p>

<p>Coronation will explore the changing <a href="https://lillianresidences.com.au/news/lillian-x-space-x-downsizers-event-27-august/">right-sizer market at an event on August 27</a>, bringing together experts across property, design and lifestyle.</p>

<p>Held in partnership with SPACE, Poliform and Downsizer.com.au, the event will include a property market outlook from economist Michael Blythe alongside discussion around the considerations facing buyers planning their next move.</p>

<p>Attendees will also be able to learn more about the residences and amenity planned at Lillian Erskineville.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135149]</p>


From downsizing to right-sizing: What Sydney buyers want from their next home

<p>Family-owned builder and developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/omaya">Omaya</a> is bringing its 27-storey The Maybelle development to market, with the 229-apartment tower rising alongside Ismay Reserve near North Strathfield.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-maybelle-21-parramatta-road-homebush-nsw-2140">The Maybelle</a> will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with its height providing elevated outlooks towards the Sydney skyline and Harbour Bridge, while other residences will look across neighbouring Ismay Reserve.</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/squillace-architects">Squillace Architects</a>, the tower combines its parkside setting with proximity to the established retail, dining and transport amenity around North Strathfield.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376196]</p>

<p>Residences will feature open-plan living spaces and a choice of two interior schemes, while communal amenity is spread across two elevated levels of the building.</p>

<p>Level 8 will be home to the Garden Pavilion, a full-floor resident space incorporating communal entertaining and breakout areas, seating and recreation spaces. Further up the tower, a landscaped Sky Terrace on Level 14 will provide another communal area with panoramic views towards the Harbour Bridge and Sydney skyline.</p>

<p>At ground level, the development sits directly alongside Ismay Reserve, where lawns, walking paths, children's play areas, picnic spaces and recreational facilities extend the green space available immediately around the project.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376194]</p>

<p>The Maybelle is also within walking distance of North Strathfield and the Bakehouse Quarter, which provides a mix of cafés, restaurants, shops and everyday services.</p>

<p>Existing rail and bus services provide connections across Sydney, while the future North Strathfield Metro and access to the M4 will add to the transport options available around the precinct. Walking and cycling routes also extend via Powells Creek towards Sydney Olympic Park and its sporting, entertainment and parkland precincts.</p>

<p>Families are also well positioned for access to a broad selection of established schools and education options across Strathfield and the surrounding Inner West.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376181]</p>

<p>Omaya has operated in Sydney for more than 35 years, managing projects from acquisition and design through to construction and delivery. The family-owned company is both developer and builder of The Maybelle.</p>

<p>Apartments start from $560,000, with the development protected by 10-year Latent Defects Insurance.</p>

<p>Construction is well underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026 and move-in anticipated from Q1 2027.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134873]</p>


The Maybelle brings 27-storey parkside tower to market near North Strathfield

<p>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.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.</p>

<p><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" /></p>

<p>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</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><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" /></p>

<p>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.<span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><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" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>​</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p>The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.</p>


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

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<p>An investment property leased to McDonald’s has come to the market at Norlane at North Geelong.</p>
<p>400 Melbourne Road is available for purchase with an expected price of just over $2,000,000.</p>
<p>“The low, affordable rental of $117,434 per annum reflects the property being subject to a ground lease with McDonald’s owning the building and all other above ground improvements” explained Raoul Holderhead, managing director of Burgess Rawson.</p>
<p>“With McDonald’s having re-built the building in 2003 and in recent years adding a McCafe, it is safe to say McDonald’s plan is to stay.” Mr Holderhead added.</p>
<p>The lease is for 5 years plus 20 years of options through to 2038 with rental reviews annually to CPI and to market, the next due in 2018 upon the exercise of option.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/3P1137#.ViSSoLSqqko" target="_blank">The site 3,277 sqm </a>with 48 onsite car spaces is almost double that of a normal fast food outlet.</p>
<p>"The busy and proven location is evident by some 37,000 cars passing the property each day," he said.</p>
<p>The site has been a McDonalds since 1980.</p>
<p><span>Greater Geelong is a growing regional city of 220,000 plus, predicted to double by 2050, according to the G21 Regional Growth Plan.</span></p>
<p><span>The tenant pays all usual outgoings including land tax.</span></p>
<p><span>Burgess Rawson is a leading investment sales specialist, pioneers of the portfolio auction system, which celebrates its 100th auction this October.</span></p>
<p><span>Beginning in 1975, Burgess Rawson established a nationwide network of offices and is Australia's largest locally owned and operated commercial property agency, marketing more than 10,000 properties and generating sales in excess of $25 billion over the past 40 years.</span></p>
<p><span>For more Burgess Rawson listings <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/portfolio-auctions" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

One with the lot - McDonald's Geelong listed for October auction with $2 million plus expectations

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<p><span>The Woolworths supermarket at Dural is up for auction through Burgess Rawson on October 29.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/buying/NSW/Hills/Dural/Retail/3P1167#.ViWpM94bSZx" target="_blank">The 508 Old Northern Road store</a></span><span> is currently on a 20-year lease to 2023 with options to 2053.</span></p>
<p><span>Located in Sydney's north western growth corridor, the supermarket is spread across 4,356 square metres.</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p><span>Its annual rent is $1,102,900.</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p><span>It has 200 car parks.</span></p>
<p><span>The tenant pays all outgoings, including land tax as per lease.</span></p>
<p><span>The property has been listed through Graeme Watson and Simon Staddon.</span></p>
<p><span>The agents noted this was a supermarket on an "old fashioned net lease," with the tenant paying outgoings that neither Coles nor Woolworths no longer agree to.</span></p>
<p><span>"The strong trading Woolworths supermarket is located in the heart of Dural, one of Sydney’s affluent suburbs," Graeme Watson said.</span></p>
<p><span>"The presents not only as a rare investment opportunity but also a secure one” he said.</span></p>
<p><span>Set 32kms from the centre of Sydney, it adjoins Dural Mall, a shopping centre with numerous specialty shops, all adding to Dural’s strong overall customer draw.</span></p>
<p><span>Itis expected to sell at circa $17,000,000 reflecting a yield in the order of 6.5%.</span></p>
<p><span>The property will be auctioned at Sydney’s Sofitel Wentworth Hotel as part of Burgess Rawson’s Investment Portfolio Auction 100. </span></p>
<p><span>Late last year, Burgess Rawson sold off a Woolworths supermarket in rural Gloucester, NSW for $9.88 million on a 5.88 per cent net yield.</span></p>
<p><span>Burgess Rawson is a leading investment sales specialist, pioneers of the portfolio auction system, which celebrates its 100th auction this October.</span></p>
<p><span>Beginning in 1975, Burgess Rawson established a nationwide network of offices and is Australia's largest locally owned and operated commercial property agency, marketing more than 10,000 properties and generating sales in excess of $25 billion over the past 40 years.</span></p>
<p><span>For more Burgess Rawson listings <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/portfolio-auctions" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></p>
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Dural Woolworths offers old fashioned net lease

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<p><span>Multinational grocer Supa IGA's store in NSW's Cobar is going under the hammer on October 29 at a Burgess Rawson auction.</span></p>
<p>Sitting at <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/2P0558#.ViWoO94bSZw" target="_blank">29-33 Marshall Street</a>, the store is spread over 3,642 square metres in the town.</p>
<p><span>The store is currently on a 15-year lease to IGA Distribution Pty Ltd up until August 2019 with a further 15-year option.  </span></p>
<p><span>The expected net income is $335,549 plus GST. There is a fixed 3% annual rent increase.</span></p>
<p><span>The indicative price is $3.35 million, translating to a net yield of nearly 10%.</span></p>
<p><span>The listing is by Dean Venturato.</span></p>
<p><span>Around 700 kilometres from Sydney, Cobar is nearly two-thirds the size of Tasmania and is home to about 5,120 people, according to the Cobar county website.</span></p>
<p><span>The area has reaped the benefits of mining - copper, lead, silver, zinc, gold - and pastoral industries.</span></p>
<p><span>Burgess Rawson is a leading investment sales specialist, pioneer of the portfolio auction system, which celebrates its 100th auction this October.</span></p>
<p><span>Beginning in 1975, Burgess Rawson established a nationwide network of offices and is Australia's largest locally owned and operated commercial property agency, marketing more than 10,000 properties and generating sales in excess of $25 billion over the past 40 years.</span></p>
<p>For more Burgess Rawson listings <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/portfolio-auctions" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Supa IGA store in NSW's Cobar up for sale 

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<p class="Body">One of the side effects of Sydney’s boom is that prices have risen a lot but rents haven’t, so yields have become ugly – i.e. not attractive to investors.</p>
<p class="Body">Melbourne prices haven’t risen as much (generally speaking) but the city has developed a gap between prices and rents similar to Sydney’s. These days you’re lucky to find a rental yield as high as 3% - which, even in these days of low interest rates, is unappealing.</p>
<p class="Body">Other capital cities like Adelaide and Brisbane have much better yields on offer, but for investors seeking properties that can pay their own way the pickings are slim.</p>
<p class="Body">There was a time when investors could access double-digit rental yields in resources-related locations (if they were willing to disregard risk). But many of those markets have collapsed, either through developer over-supply or the impact of FIFO workforces or the mining downturn - or some combination of those three factors.</p>
<p class="Body">There’s nowhere left that provides 10%-plus rental yields. Some of the more careless research houses publish lists claiming you can get 15% or 20% yields in certain locations, but those are statistical aberrations that prove the adage about “garbage in, garbage out”, exacerbated by researchers with a garbage approach to business ethics (as long as it generates publicity, to hell with accuracy).</p>
<p class="Body">A recent list claimed you could get yields above 30% (!!) in Mission Beach in Queensland, when in reality typical yields on residential property in this location are below 5%. If 30% yields were truly achievable, every investor in Australia would be stampeding north and buying every property in sight.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">The best yields you can find anywhere in Australia – I mean genuine rental yields based on real situations, not computer glitches, in locations of substance – are to be found in Cairns.</p>
<p class="Body">Cairns is one of a number of regional Queensland cities where you can readily buy property that pays its own way – i.e. cash flow positive or at least neutral.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">In the North Queensland city, you can find plenty of houses with rental returns in the 5.5% to 6% range and apartments between 7% and 8%. I can’t find another market of substance with rental yields that strong.<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body">Other regional cities in the state offer attractive returns as well. The Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Hervey Bay have this in common: houses where yields are typically in the 4.7% to 5.5% range and units that generally range from 5.7% to 6.5%. If you hunt around, you can find better.</p>
<p class="Body">The other common things they share are strong economies, growing populations, major spending on infrastructure, ambitious local councils and plenty of affordable dwellings. They’re all on growth paths, some of them after long periods of under achievement.</p>
<p class="Body">Some, like Cairns and the Sunshine Coast, are transition economies, where civic and business leaders have recognised that the historic reliance on tourism makes them vulnerable to downturns caused by forces beyond their control. So they’ve been proactively working to broaden the economic base and encourage new industries.</p>
<p class="Body">The Sunshine Coast now has a medical sector that didn’t previously exist, based on the $2 billion University Hospital which is generating all kinds of new medically-related development around it. It’s helping the Sunshine Coast become a regional city, rather than a coastal retreat for tourists and retirees. Similar things are happening in Cairns and, to a lesser extent, in Hervey Bay.</p>
<p class="Body">These property markets are starting to deliver good price growth and strong rents, with yields far in excess of what you can get in any of the capital cities.</p>
<p class="BodyA"> <em>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></em></p>
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Sydney rental yields becoming ugly: Terry Ryder

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<p><span>OK so the </span>ABS Building Activity<span> data series doesn't quite run back to 1788, but take a Captain Cook at this:</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/BA3.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA3.jpg" alt=""></span></p>
<p> </p>
<div>Dwelling completions have surged to their highest ever level with more than 186,000 homes completed over the past year.<br><br>Furthermore there are presently some 184,000 dwellings under construction, which is the highest number in Australia's history.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Many pundits scoffed at the Reserve Bank's plan to stimulate construction, but prices are rising and supply has responded with a vengeance, despite inflation in the cost of trades and materials. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>As the largest cities have become denser over time, this construction cycle has largely been a story of units, townhouses and apartments - the "attached dwellings" sector. </div>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br></span></strong><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Building work done</span></strong><br><br></p>
<div>It should be acknowledged that in spite of all the numbers that are being thrown around in relation to record home starts, record completions and record dwellings under construction, the residential construction boom has likely now nudged against its peak. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Despite being higher over the year the value of new residential building work done slipped -3.4 per cent lower in the June quarter to $12.8 billion, although the resi sector was held up to some extent by a long overdue +4.0 per cent surge in major renovations work. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There has not been much to shout about from the non-residential sector since the financial crisis stimulus. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/10/19/BA1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>At the state level the economies of the most populous states have benefited from a building boom, but the value of building work done appears to have peaked, albeit remaining at a historically high level. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/10/19/BA2.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA2.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Dwelling completions by state</span></strong><br><br><div>Where are new houses coming online? Mainly in Victoria with more than 31,000 houses completed over the past year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/10/19/BA4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA4.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div><span>As for units and apartments there has been a strong completion rate across most of the larger states, with Victoria again leading the way in completing nearly 25,000 units over the past year. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/10/19/BA5.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA5.jpg" alt=""></span></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Although it will be the topic of a separate blog post, these figures show why the "Sydney oversupply" meme has been wide of the mark. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The above charts represent state level figures, and it is clear that the supply of new units and apartments has ramped up impressively over the past four years.<br><br>But despite the improvement, total dwelling completions in New South Wales of 144,000 dwellings is barely keeping pace with a population which has surged by close to 400,000 over that time, while this follows on from a weak half decade of completions in the harbour city which ran from 2005.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>After accounting for stock obsolescence and demolitions, the thousands of apartments which are left vacant, and the fact that close to half of new dwellings in NSW over that time have been units (which typically house only provide accommodation for a couple)...well, there's not much overbuilding in aggregate to be found in those numbers, even if the rentals market is now fully supplied.<br><br>It is much more difficult for a growing city with a population the size of Greater Sydney (approaching 5 million) to overbuild housing than it is for a city the size of, say, Belfast, although Melbourne is certainly giving its best shot.<br><br>For all that, there are of course plenty of sub-regions around Australia with localised oversupply, and particularly so the case of higher-density dwellings. </div>
<br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Commencements peak at record high</span></strong><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br></span></strong>
<div>Total commencements have increased by +14 per cent over the past year to a new high of nearly 210,000.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It was another strong quarter in June, but the 53,314 commencements result was below that of two of the preceding three quarters, and it is forecast that commencements will now decline through 2015/16.</div>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/BA6.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA6.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Finally, there are 184,000 dwellings under construction at the present time, which is the highest figure in Australia's history. </span></p>
<p><span>Click to enlarge</span></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/BA7.jpg" alt=""></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>This should keep the residential construction sector operating at or close to its full capacity for some time to come.</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span><em>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>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>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>.</em></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
</div>
</div>
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Strongest homebuilding since 1788: Pete Wargent

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<div>
<span style="line-height: 1.3em;">In the past week the ABS released its </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Construction Activity</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> figures for the June 2015 quarter, which pull together data on building and engineering construction.</span>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>As you can see below total construction surprised in jumping back up by a seasonally adjusted +1.8% in Q2 to sit above $50 billion in chain volume measures terms.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The rebound was driven by a surge in engineering construction (see the blue shaded area in the graphic below), which rose by +5.7% in the quarter, although with fewer large projects in the pipeline this sector will soon enough resume its inevitable decline over the next couple of years. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Given the sheer size of the engineering construction sector at $26.7 billion of work done in the June quarter, the downturn is will continue to act as a material drag on economic growth for quite some time.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The red shaded area below shows that residential building work declined in the June quarter by -2.9% to $14.7 billion, despite still being up by +7.6% over the year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Non-residential building, denoted by the yellow shaded area below, has not really contributed a great deal to growth, having actually declined by -1.2% over the past year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/10/19/CONS1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/10/19/CONS1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Apartment approvals to decline</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>While there is still a high volume of residential building approvals in the pipeline - which is expected to see housing starts remain strong across the next financial year - it appears that the peak in construction activity may be in for the cycle.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Although defaults relating to apartment pre-sales have been low to date and indicators of household financial stress benign, developers will be increasingly reticent to lend against high density projects in certain inner city areas, particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>If you take a walk around Fortitude Valley/Newstead (see my photos <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/cranewatch-newstead" target="_blank">here</a> for an idea of what I'm referring to), or West End/South Brisbane (see my photos <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/brisbane-apartments-part-deux" target="_blank">here</a> for more of the same) it is not hard to see why, with building approvals as a percentage of existing dwelling stock already tracking at an elevated level.<br><br>Brisbane CBD faces similar challenges as I looked at with some photos <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/brisbane-apartments" target="_blank">here</a>, as does Melbourne in certain inner city locations.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The is a glut of apartment building coming online in these areas which will see vacancy rates rise and rents fall, and it follows there is no requirement for further apartment approvals.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Indeed, we already know that DA lodgements in Brisbane began to fall quite sharply earlier in the year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is one of the risks identified by the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2015/oct/html/contents" target="_blank">Reserve Bank</a> of a property cycle which is driven largely by investors - speculative demand can lead to a sharp supply response. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In this case it comes in the guise of rapid increase in construction activity in the apartment sector, and in turn a future supply overhang.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Implications</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>While work in the pipeline should keep residential building activity humming along at a historically high level - and a boom in major renovations work could even see total residential activity rise a little from here - there appears to be little hope that the sector can contribute a great deal more to economic growth than it already has.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Since engineering construction is also set to decline over the next couple of years, it is perhaps little wonder that future markets are beginning to look for further interest rate cuts (plural) towards a cash rate of just 1.50%. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>While forecasters are expecting the economy to grow at a moderate pace in Q3, on the evidence of the above numbers there could potentially be some downside risk, particularly if resources construction resumes its contraction. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p><span><em>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>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>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>.</em></p>
</div>
</div>
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Residential construction peak: Pete Wargent

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<p><span>It was another busy week for auctions across the combined capital cities with 2,817 auctions held after the previous week saw 3,016 properties taken to auction; the highest volumes have been since March this year. </span></p>
<p><span>The preliminary clearance rate of 69.3% has remained below 70% for the 5th week in a row, down from 69.5% last week. This time last year, the clearance rate was 68.6%, although volumes were lower with only 2,449 auctions held.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-capital-city.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-capital-city.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="423"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>In </span><strong>Melbourne</strong><span>, Australia’s largest auction market, 73.6% of the 1,193 reported auctions sold this week. There were 1,390 auctions held across the city this week, similar to last week, when there were 1,397 auctions and the final auction clearance rate was 73.4%. In comparison, over the same week last year, there were 1,167 auctions held with a clearance rate of 71.7 per cent. The Inner region of Melbourne had the highest number of auctions this week (287), with a preliminary clearance rate of 73 per cent. Meanwhile, the strongest clearance rate was recorded across the Outer East region, where 82.1 per cent of homes taken to auction sold based on the preliminary results.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Melbourne.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Melbourne.jpg" alt="" width="663" height="449"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Across </span><strong>Sydney</strong><span>, 1,074 homes were taken to auction this week with a preliminary clearance rate of 66.6 per cent across 830 reported results, the lowest clearance rate for the year and also the third week in a row where Sydney’s clearance rate has been below 70 per cent. The last time the clearance rate was this low was the first week of December 2014 (66.1). Last week, the final clearance rate for the city was 69.6 per cent, across 1,197 auctions. One year ago, 929 Sydney homes were taken to auction and the clearance rate was 72 per cent. This week, the performance across Sydney’s individual sub regions was varied. Across the Outer South West region, where 21 results have been reported so far, the preliminary clearance rate was 47.6 per cent, while across the Inner West (80 per cent) and the Eastern Suburbs (76.8 per cent), the success rate of reported auctions was much higher.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Sydney.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Sydney.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="434"></p>
<p><strong>Brisbane</strong><span> was host to 146 auctions this week, down from 186 last week, and the preliminary clearance rate was 53.2 per cent, down slightly from 53.8 per cent over the previous week. At the same time last year, 46 per cent of the 159 auctions held were successful. In the </span><strong>Gold Coast</strong><span>, a clearance rate of 56.5 per cent was recorded across 23 results.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Brisbane.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Brisbane.jpg" alt="" width="623" height="418"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>A total of 93 </span><strong>Adelaide</strong><span> homes were auctioned this week and the preliminary auction clearance rate of 72.1 per cent is higher than the 64 per cent from the previous week across 127 auctions. One year ago, Adelaide’s clearance rate was a lower 53.3 per cent across 103 auctions.</span></p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Adelaide.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></p>
<p><span><img src="/images/2015/10/19/20151019-Adelaide.jpg" alt="" width="659" height="446"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In <strong>Perth</strong>, just 16 auctions were held this week. Of the 8 results reported toCoreLogic RP Data so far, only 2 have been successful. Last week, the final auction clearance rate for Perth was 37.9 per cent across 34 auctions.</p>
<p>Across <strong>Canberra</strong> a total of 82 auctions were held this week, up from 68 last week and 55 at the same time last year. Canberra’s preliminary clearance rate of 67.3 per cent is stronger than it was the previous week (62.1 per cent).</p>
<p>Of the 12 <strong>Tasmanian</strong> auction results reported so far this week, 7 sales have been recorded.</p>
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Clearance rate below 70% for the fifth week running: CoreLogic RP Data's Shana Miller

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<p>The moderation in the rate of growth across our combined capital cities index in September is likely to be a positive development for Australian regulators such as the Reserve Bank and APRA who have been highlighting concerns about the strong rate of value growth in Sydney and Melbourne.</p>
<p>Of course it is only one month and it will be interesting to see whether the slowing trend will persist, particularly as we head into the busy spring selling season. </p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%208.51.33%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%208.51.33%20PM.png" alt="" width="436" height="370" style="line-height: 1.3em;"></p>
<p>The annual expansion in investor-related housing credit has continued at a pace that is higher than APRA’s mandated 10% growth per annum however, July figures from the Reserve Bank show credit for investment housing has increased by 10.8% over the year, down from growth of 11.1% the previous month.</p>
<p>Furthermore, in June investor housing credit rose by 0.6% which was its slowest monthly increase since October 2013. With many banks now placing a premium on investment mortgage interest rates and also increasing serviceability limits on all mortgages we may be starting to see the first evidence of a cooling in investment housing demand.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%208.58.44%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%208.58.44%20PM.png" alt="" width="414" height="161"></p>
<p>The cumulative effect of tighter lending conditions, more expensive mortgage rates for investors and lower yields, as well as natural affordability constraints and higher levels of new housing supply, is likely to dampen some of the exuberance we have seen across the Sydney and Melbourne housing market. Listing numbers are already showing their seasonal spring climb which will provide a timely test of the housing markets strength through spring.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.13.16%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.13.16%20PM.png" alt="" width="555" height="528"></p>
<p>Furthermore auction clearance rates have been trending lower in both Sydney and Melbourne over the past couple of months potentially highlighting a moderation in the rate of home value growth in these cities.</p>
<p><a href="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.00.28%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.00.28%20PM.png" alt="" width="620" height="436"></p>
<p><em>Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic RP Data. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/author/cameron-kusher/" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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Potential cooling in investment housing demand: Cameron Kusher 

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<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">At Property Bloom we are always trying to improve our process.  We put a lot of time and effort into designing our villas, houses or units whether they be for a dual occupancy or multi unit project, we want our finished product to look better than the standard 'investor stock'.</span></p>
<p>Of course, we need to do this in a cost effective way and so I've found that spending time on key areas like front façades, kitchens and bathrooms can add a wow factor without breaking the budget.</p>
<p>I read this great story about <a href="https://www.houzz.com.au/ideabooks/53600916/list/12-hot-kitchen-trends-set-to-sizzle-in-2016" target="_blank">12 hot kitchen trends</a> and was pleased to see we were meeting seven of the twelve trends in the kitchens we are building right now.</p>
<p>Here's a photo of a kitchen in one of our recently completed developments:</p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.45.50%20AM.png" alt="" width="508" height="325"></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Timber features for kitchens continues to trend. We've used it in our kitchen to add warmth and it was nice to see the report notes that walnut tones  will be trending next year. The timber cupboards we've used are Polytec European Walnut. </p>
<p>You can also add texture by using a textured product to your cupboards. We did this by using a textured melamine to the timber areas. Which brings me to the next trend - texture.</p>
<p> Most kitchen manufacturers offer a good choice of textured laminate benches or melamine cupboards and they are usually the same price as flat surfaces.  You can add texture to your splashback tile. We have used a softly lined splashback tile, although it's hard to see in the photo.</p>
<p>We purposely kept the main cabinetry neutral which ticks another trend box. We only wanted two main features for the kitchen which is the use of timber and stone for the benches.</p>
<p>Thin benches are in and it's goodbye to chunky style benches.  This is a relief as we used a thin, engineered stone bench with mitred edges. This was a choice more around cost than trend as the thicker bench tops were more expensive. <br><br></p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.46.48%20AM.png" alt="" width="553" height="340"></p>
<p>Engineered stone benches have become so well manufactured that it can be hard to tell the difference from natural materials.In an investment property it doesn't make sense to use real marble or granite so we are meeting the trend to use engineered materials. I love the wider choice of colours and tones you can get from the various supplies of engineered stone benches. It's important your bench works in well with your flooring, especially if you are using a mitred or waterfall edge where the bench will meet the floor.</p>
<p>Speaking of flooring, we've used a stone look floor tile with a polished finish. I like the floor to reflect light which can give the impression of a large, clean space. But perhaps this is not right on trend as I think more natural and matt finishes are in right now.</p>
<p>For our pendant lights, we've used a small white pendant with a silver foil lining inside it. This adds a little touch of glam. So we are only just half ticking the trend of using precious metals. If you really want to be on trend you should incorporate some brass, cooper or gold which may be used in the lighting, tapware, rangehood or splashback.But we didn't want to compete with the natural timber tones that were already a feature. Be careful not to have too many features as they can compete with each other giving you a cluttered or busy look.</p>
<p><img src="/images/2015/10/16/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-16%20at%209.47.32%20AM.png" alt="" width="436" height="277"></p>
<p>I find designing the kitchens and choosing the colours one of the most enjoyable parts of property development and valuers have told me that a well designed, spacious kitchen with quality features will add value to your property. If you'd like to know just how much this kitchen cost us, then send me an email and I'll be happy to share.      </p>
<p><em>Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a>.</em></p>
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jochivers-wq5Bp59R5a

Is your property development ticking kitchen trends?: Jo Chivers

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<p>Across the combined capital cities, 2,904 auctions are scheduled this week after 3,016 residential homes were taken to auction the previous week.</p>
<p>The clearance rate last week improved slightly, up from 68.2% to 69.5%, demonstrating that clearance rates are similar to the levels seen at the same time on year ago (67.8%).</p>
<p>This week, it is expected that <strong>Melbourne</strong> auction volumes will rise, while <strong>Sydney</strong> will be host to less auctions than last week. In Melbourne, 1,481 residential auctions will be held, compared to 1,397 last week and a significantly lower 1,167 one year ago. Meanwhile, there are 1,063 homes being taken to auction in Sydney this week, compared to 1,197 last week and 929 one year ago.</p>
<p>Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth will all see a lower number of auctions this week compared to last week and similarly, lower than they were one year ago:</p>
<p><strong>Adelaide</strong>:         88 this week                127 last week              103 last year<br><strong>Brisbane</strong>:       149 this week                186 last week              159 last year<br><strong>Perth</strong>:              16 this week                  34 last week               23 last year</p>
<p>On the other hand, <strong>Canberra</strong> is expecting 92 auctions this week which is higher than both last week (68) and last year (55).</p>
<p>This week, the top 10 busiest suburbs for auctions are all located in Victoria. Brighton and Reservoir are set to be the busiest, where 21 auctions will be held and Cheltenham, will host 19 auctions this week.</p>
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