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.

<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.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376196]

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.

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.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376194]

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.

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.

Families are also well positioned for access to a broad selection of established schools and education options across Strathfield and the surrounding Inner West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376181]

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.

Apartments start from $560,000, with the development protected by 10-year Latent Defects Insurance.

Construction is well underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026 and move-in anticipated from Q1 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134873]

Joel Robinson

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

Melbourne developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pdg-corporation">PDG</a> has unveiled its vision for the former Water Tank Site in Ivanhoe, which would see it transformed into a thriving residential neighbourhood, complete with a 2000 sqm public park.&nbsp;

Delivered in partnership with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/development-victoria">Development Victoria</a>, the proposal would transform the prominent corner of Bell Street and Upper Heidelberg Road into a connected community comprising two residential buildings, generous public open space and shared amenities.&nbsp;

The vision includes 287 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with a minimum of 10 per cent allocated to affordable housing, alongside a 2,000-square-metre publicly accessible park featuring a children's playground, activity lawn, indigenous planting, timber climbing logs, seating areas and a rock gathering circle.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dko-architecture">DKO Architecture</a>, the proposal draws on the site's industrial heritage, using a robust architectural language that references the former water tank through expressive structural elements and durable, self-finished materials.&nbsp;

Extensive landscaping has been woven throughout the development, creating a living landscape that strengthens connections to nature while responding sensitively to the surrounding neighbourhood. Two residential buildings ranging from three to 12 storeys are linked by a landscaped forecourt, creating a welcoming arrival experience and improving pedestrian connections through the site.&nbsp;

Residents would also enjoy more than 1,000 square metres of communal open space, including barbecue and dining facilities, vegetable gardens, landscaped seating pavilions and a dedicated coworking space.&nbsp;

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the vision reflected an opportunity to transform one of Ivanhoe's most recognisable sites into a place that balanced housing, community and landscape.&nbsp;

"This is an opportunity to reimagine an important site and create a neighbourhood that delivers lasting benefits for Ivanhoe," Giuliano said.&nbsp;

"We're creating much more than new homes. The vision brings together affordable housing, quality architecture, meaningful public open space and shared places that encourage people to connect, while respecting the site's history and its place within the local community."&nbsp;

Development Victoria’s Executive General Manager Precincts, Niall Cunningham, said the application is an important step for the government-owned site.&nbsp;

“This is about delivering more homes in a well-connected location, along with public open space that the Ivanhoe community will benefit from for years to come,” Cunningham said.&nbsp;

PDG was selected as development partner in late 2025 following a competitive tender process.&nbsp;

A planning submission for the project is currently being progressed through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program, with positive early engagement from both Banyule Council and the Department of Transport and Planning.

PDG unveils plans to transform landmark Ivanhoe Water Tank Site

Shane Wilkinson's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pace-development-group">Pace Development Group</a> has lodged plans for a major residential precinct on the former Presentation College site in Windsor, with an eight-building masterplan ultimately rising to 10 storeys.

The proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/167-dandenong-road-windsor-vic-3181">167–187 Dandenong Road</a> spans a substantial 19,027 sqm site and is being progressed across six stages, with the first residential stages comprising 170 homes across four buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>.

Stage Two will deliver the bulk of the initial housing, with Building A comprising 81 apartments and Building B 49 apartments, both rising to six storeys.

Stage Three will deliver a further 40 homes. The heritage Nagel Building, identified as Building C, will be converted to 12 dwellings, while a new five-storey Building D will comprise 28 apartments at the Hornby Street and Dandenong Road corner.

The 170 homes across Stages Two and Three will include a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including townhouse-style dwellings.<img alt="First look: Pace plans landscaped housing precinct on former Windsor school site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="83c56e3e-dfb9-4e12-b172-c3f18513ec32" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_9.png?VersionId=xRcRpSZsxX.UX_NDDGcRZktw7HVrzx7u" />

&nbsp;

The longer-term masterplan points to considerably greater density across the site.

Indicative plans show Building E accommodating around 80 dwellings across up to 10 storeys, while Building F is earmarked for around 120 dwellings and also up to 10 storeys. Building G is planned to range between four and 10 storeys, however its apartment yield is yet to be determined. That means the masterplan currently identifies at least 370 dwellings across Buildings A to F before any apartments within Building G are counted.

Across the 1.9-hectare site, that represents an indicative density of at least 194 dwellings per hectare, with the final figure to increase once the yield of Building G is established.

Pace is pursuing the project through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program, with Urbis lodging a combined Section 96A planning scheme amendment and planning application on behalf of the developer, which secured the site earlier this year.

The application seeks detailed approval for Stages One, Two and Three, alongside approval of the broader masterplan framework that will guide the later residential stages. Stage One will see an existing heritage building adaptively reused for a wellness and fitness-related facility, while the broader precinct will retain several significant heritage buildings and established trees as part of the redevelopment.

A minimum 10 per cent affordable housing contribution is proposed across both the initial residential stages and the later masterplan stages, delivered through a discounted rental model.

The project comes immediately after a major change to the site's planning controls.

The site was rezoned to the Housing Choice and Transport Zone through Planning Scheme Amendment GC285, gazetted on July 22, 2026, and now sits within the inner catchment of the Windsor Station precinct under the State Government's Train and Tram Zone Activity Centres Program.

While the new controls identify large sites within the inner catchment for buildings of up to six storeys, Pace's masterplan pushes height to 10 storeys in parts of the site, with the taller buildings concentrated toward the centre and along the Sandringham railway corridor.

Lower-scale built form is proposed toward the site's more sensitive residential and heritage edges, with Buildings A and B generally stepping from three storeys at their interfaces to six storeys at upper levels.

Cera Stribley's masterplan breaks the development into a collection of separate buildings rather than a continuous built form, with landscaped spaces, new pedestrian links and a new publicly accessible road forming part of the precinct.

The planning report says the development will create new pedestrian connections to Elm Place and along the railway corridor, as well as a new publicly accessible road linking Elm Place with Dandenong Road. The proposed buildings will occupy around 54 per cent of the site, leaving a substantial portion available for landscaping, communal areas and permeable surfaces.

Urbis said the scale of the project reflected the site's strategic location close to Windsor Station, tram services and the Chapel Street Activity Centre, with the former school campus identified as a significant opportunity to increase housing supply on an underutilised inner-Melbourne site.

&nbsp;

First look: Pace plans landscaped housing precinct on former Windsor school site

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/jl-place">JL PLACE</a>'s Veil Brighton is approaching its final months of construction, with the nine-townhouse development at 17 Rooding Street expected to complete in December 2026.

The milestone is bringing the boutique project closer to becoming a finished part of the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/brighton-vic-3186">Brighton</a> streetscape, with much of Brighton's everyday amenity within a short walk.

Palace Cinema, Coles Supermarket and North Brighton Station are all around five minutes on foot from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/veil-brighton-17-rooding-street-brighton-vic-3186">Veil</a>, alongside numerous cafés, restaurants and bars. The station provides a direct rail connection toward Melbourne's CBD, while Bay Street and the wider Brighton retail and dining network add to the range of services accessible without relying on a car for every trip.

"The location was fundamental to the project. Brighton is an established suburb where many buyers already have strong connections to the area and want to remain close to the people, places and amenities that form part of their everyday life," the developer said.

"Veil sits in a highly walkable part of Brighton, with a Walk Score of 90/100."

For buyers looking to right-size within Bayside, that level of walkability adds to the appeal of a more manageable way of living. Everyday shopping, dining, entertainment and public transport can be accessed without relying on the car for every trip, while residents remain connected to the places and routines that make Brighton familiar. It allows buyers to simplify day-to-day life without giving up the convenience, amenity and connections they already value.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7877 project_image_fid=355754]

As completion approaches, the architecture, landscaping and material palette are progressively becoming visible on site, giving prospective purchasers a clearer view of the finished development beyond its plans and renders.

Veil comprises nine townhouses, predominantly three-bedroom homes with between 2.5 and 3.5 bathrooms, two car spaces and, depending on the residence, study areas and private outdoor space. Selected homes include a bedroom on the ground floor.

Veil occupies a middle ground between detached housing and apartment living, retaining private gardens, storage and secure parking within a more manageable residential format.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/schmidt-pang-architects">Schmidt &amp; Pang</a> designed the architecture around natural light, ventilation, privacy and practical use of space. From Rooding Street, the façade has been composed to read as a cohesive residential building rather than nine individual townhouses, with landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/john-patrick-landscape-architects">John Patrick Landscape Architects</a> integrated throughout the site.

Inside, natural stone, oak flooring, integrated joinery and brushed nickel finishes establish a restrained material palette, while kitchens include Miele appliances and substantial storage such as pantries. Walk-in robes and dedicated study spaces have also been incorporated across the collection.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7877 project_image_fid=355852]

The project team said the planning of the homes has been informed by how the spaces function for both daily routines and larger gatherings.

"Our new homes owners at Veil have enjoyed the attention to detail in creating efficient layouts that use every space well. Hosting Christmas lunch and large family gatherings is an ease when care is taken to consider how people really live and entertain."

Private landscaped gardens extend the living spaces outdoors, while secure basement parking and bicycle parking are provided below. The homes have also been designed to achieve a 7-star energy rating, supported by double glazing, high-quality insulation, natural ventilation, LED lighting, water tanks and water-efficient fittings. Each residence is backed by a 10-year building guarantee.

Veil is being built by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/jeniton">Jeniton</a>.&nbsp;Limited-time stamp duty savings are also currently available on selected purchases at Veil, adding another consideration as the project moves toward completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7877]

Veil Brighton nears completion in one of the suburb's most walkable pockets

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mosaic-property-group">Mosaic Property Group</a> has recorded 134 sales worth just over $400 million in two months of pre-release activity at The Riversdale, as the developer brings its $750 million South Brisbane riverfront project to the broader market.

The sales represent more than 60 per cent of the project's 213 apartments, with Mosaic reporting the majority of purchasers have been local owner-occupiers and downsizers.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-riversdale-by-mosaic-south-brisbane-91-montague-road-south-brisbane-qld-4101">The Riversdale</a> will rise 39 storeys from its north-facing site at 91 Montague Road, delivering a mix of two, three and four-bedroom apartments alongside a collection of Mosaic's premium Masterpiece Series Sky Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=371872]

The early buyer response comes ahead of the wider evolution of the northern end of Montague Road, where The Riversdale will be one of the first major residential projects delivered within an emerging riverfront precinct.

Directly adjoining the development is a planned 7.1-hectare mixed-use precinct, set to introduce new residences, parkland and public realm along the river's edge. The Riversdale's position directly on the Brisbane River gives it a relationship with the waterfront that Mosaic says cannot be replicated by future buildings within the precinct.

The site is also the result of a years-long pursuit by Mosaic. The developer first earmarked the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-brisbane-qld-4101">South Brisbane</a> property in 2018, reflecting what Founder and Managing Director Brook Monahan has described as a deliberately patient approach to acquiring development sites.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=372083]

"We aren't opportunistic," Monahan previously told Apartments.com.au.

"Every site purchase is carefully considered. As seen with Kangaroo Point and South Brisbane, it can take years to eventuate. There are sites we're looking at now that we may not secure for several years."

Designed in collaboration with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bureauproberts">Bureau Proberts</a>, The Riversdale has been shaped around the qualities of the riverfront site, with apartments oriented to capture northern light and uninterrupted Brisbane River views.

Generous floorplans and expansive balconies extend the living spaces towards the river, while natural materials and a restrained interior palette have been selected with longevity in mind.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=371890]

Residents will have access to a level of amenity more commonly associated with world-class hotels and private members' clubs, with almost 3,000 sqm dedicated to wellness, connection, recreation and everyday convenience.

At ground level is a business lounge, private meeting rooms and dedicated workspaces. Mid-tower is a wellness sanctuary featuring magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, sauna, steam room, infrared therapy facilities, a Pilates and yoga studio, and a commercial-grade gymnasium.

Crowning The Riversdale is a rooftop featuring a 35-metre swimming pool with lap lane and spa, outdoor dining and seating terraces, firepit lounges and views of the city, river and Mount Coot-tha.

A private members' club-inspired retreat offers private dining rooms, a whisky lounge, media rooms and immersive entertainment experiences. Completing the amenity offering are two hotel-style guest suites and a resident-exclusive electric vehicle fleet and car-share program.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151614 project_image_fid=371877]

The Riversdale sits at the northern end of Montague Road between South Bank and West End, around 1.3 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, providing access to the city's major cultural, dining and recreation precincts.

It becomes Mosaic's largest Brisbane project to date and adds to a pipeline already under construction across the city.

In Brisbane, the developer is currently delivering The Bedford and The Carter at Kangaroo Point, both of which are approaching sell-out, with a further four projects being delivered on the Gold Coast. Mosaic has completed more than $2 billion in projects since 2012 and has a further development pipeline exceeding $2 billion across South East Queensland.

Early works are underway at The Riversdale, which will be delivered by Mosaic's in-house construction division. Completion is anticipated in late 2029, with remaining apartments priced from $1.98 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151614]

Mosaic records more than $400m in two months at South Brisbane's The Riversdale

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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Interest rate cuts are losing their potential at stimulating the economy, Reserve Bank deputy governor Philip Lowe says.
Lowe said rate cuts were having little effect on household consumption because retirees and other savers were instead cutting back spending as their incomes fell in line with deposit rates.
"At the end of the day, the solution to the problems caused by the disconnect between the desire to save and the desire to invest cannot lie with monetary policy," he said in a speech in Sydney yesterday.
"Instead, it lies in measures to improve the investment environment so that once again there is strong productive demand for the use of our societies’ savings."
Lowe noted borrowers with debts have been using the lower rates to accelerate repayments rather than raising their spending.
<a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-03-05-graph11.gif" target="_blank" title="Graph 11: Mortgage Repayments"><img src="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-03-05-graph11-small.gif" alt="Graph 11: Mortgage Repayments"></a>
Lowe said monetary policy was becoming less effective worldwide, in a speech titled, 'Low Inflation in a World of Monetary Stimulus' to the Goldman Sachs Annual Global Macro Economic Conference.
<a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-03-05-graph10.gif" target="_blank" title="Graph 10: Housing Equity Withdrawal"><img src="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-03-05-graph10-small.gif" alt="Graph 10: Housing Equity Withdrawal"></a>
“In the years leading up to the (global financial) crisis, a reduction in interest rates could be reliably predicted to encourage such a response,” Lowe said.
“Credit was easily accessible, economic volatility in many economies was low and people were prepared to borrow.
"In today’s world, things look quite different.”
“Many borrowers have responded to the lower interest rates of recent years by paying off their loan a little faster, rather than increasing their spending.
“Conversely, it seems likely that those relying on interest income have reduced their spending by more than would previously have been the case.
 “Certainly, the many letters we have been receiving at the bank recent­ly would suggest this.
“In (this) earlier period, the level of interest rates that we have today would have caused a large boom in borrowing, but this has not occurred.”
<a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-03-05-graph9.gif" target="_blank" title="Graph 9: Household Saving and Debt"><img src="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2015/images/sp-dg-2015-03-05-graph9-small.gif" alt="Graph 9: Household Saving and Debt"></a>
Dr Lowe said the same reaction to low interest rates could be seen in governments.
“Few governments have seen the very low intere­st rates as an opportunity to support long-term infrastructure investment at low cost.
“Rather, much as households have done, governments have taken advantage of the lower debt-servicing costs to help shore up their finances.”
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

There is no boom in borrowing says RBA

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This Sunday we celebrate International Women's Day and the theme this year is MAKE IT HAPPEN.
What a great theme. Yes, us ladies really need to make things happen for ourselves and for our families.
As women today, we are responsible for our own financial freedom but also we are role models to our children, teaching them the concept of being entrepreneurial and to invest early. Unfortunately, this is still not taught in school.
I wish I'd learnt to be an entrepreneur at school and wished I'd started on my property investment journey earlier than I did. I now clearly understand that time in the market is such a valuable thing. Property investing is not a short-term investment, although you can make some relatively quick gains by using development strategies to add value, by holding you avoid the exit costs.  If you hold property for the longer term - 10 years plus, you really see the results.
The start of my investment property journey coincides with the birth of my first son. He's turning 14 this year so it's easy to remember when I started to invest. My then husband and I had purchased the family home a good time before this and reaped the rewards of capital growth that a beach side suburb bought.
But it was my will to MAKE IT HAPPEN that started our investment portfolio. I wanted to plan for the future now we had a child on the way and I didn't want to depend on a pension in retirement like my parents had to.
When I was pregnant and after reading the famous book Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kyosaki,  I embarked on an intense property investment course because I wanted to become financially and property literate. I wanted to learn as much as I could so that I could make wise investment decisions rather than trust others with our money. I did this on my weekends and at night whilst I worked full time.
Just before my first son was born after much due diligence, I took a risk and purchased an off the plan property. Not long after my son was born, the completed property made me over $150,000 in less than a year and so my property investment journey began on a high note. I went on to buy, hold and add value to five more properties before my son turned five.
Whilst investing and being a mum, I found a way not to return to the gruelling corporate world by establishing my property development project management business; Property Bloom.
In 12 years we've developed exactly 92 properties for our clients.
I have worked hard and MADE IT HAPPEN. By the time my second son arrived seven years ago my business was established and I was doing what I loved.  Working in my own business gave me the flexibility to be with my kids when I needed and wanted to and to attend the school assemblies, special presentations and coach their soccer teams.
For me MAKING IT HAPPEN means that I am in a great place doing what I love for wonderful people that appreciate the guidance we can give through the property development process.  It also means having choices.
One thing that drove me on my journey of MAKING IT HAPPEN and to keep working whilst raising my kids was the thought of taking time off work which would leave me financially dependent on my husband not only during that period but also into my retirement. There would be no contributions made during this time to my superannuation and how could I keep investing in property if I had no income? 
According to The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA):
<ul>
<li>Women retire, on average, with $112,000 in super savings – $92,000 less than men 
</li>
<li>One in three women will retire with no superannuation at all 
</li>
<li>Around 90% of women will retire with inadequate savings to fund a comfortable lifestyle in retirement.</li>
</ul>
What's astonishing is that if we want to retire at the age of 60 and we live about another 30 years which is becoming more feasible each day as the average life expectancy is rapidly rising - right now there is a massive spike in people living to one hundred.   We will actually need in excess of $2 million in our superannuation to support an annual income of $70,000.
We all have a lot of work to do to build up our super but women in particular are on the back foot because of the pay gap and because women tend to be the primary caregivers for their children. We also tend to care for our aged parents which may limit our earning capacity at that time as well.
The gender pay gap is actually decreasing and is lower now than it was in 1985!  According to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.dca.org.au/News/News/IWD-2015---Are-Australia%E2%80%99s-working-women-heading-back-to-the-future-/456" target="_blank">the Diversity Council of Australia's figures</a>, full time adult ordinary time earnings for women were 17.8% less than men in 1985 – now they are 18.8% less than men.
So what can we do?  Start with asking your boss for a raise, whilst that may not get you that two million bucks in super now, it may give you more serviceability to borrow. By leverage our incomes we can buy more property to hold.  Don't forget to look for property that you can add value to by using smart development strategies.
Finally,  we need to stop waiting and MAKE IT HAPPEN now! Let me know if you need a hand.
<a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au" target="_blank">www.propertybloom.com.au</a>
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jochivers-wq5Bp59R5a

Women, it's up to us to make our financial freedom happen: Jo Chivers

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H&amp;M, the international retail giant, has announced the opening of its third Queensland store.
Located in Brisbane's Westfield Garden City, the store is set to open in May, the website<a href="https://www.ragtrader.com.au/news/handm-where-to-next?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Newsletter+05+March+2015&amp;utm_content=Newsletter+05+March+2015+CID_0cceae9bf660fa3e671839f3ae9a9bda&amp;utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&amp;utm_term=HM%20where%20to%20next" target="_blank"> ragtrader</a> revealed.
It will follow an opening in Indooroopilly Shopping Centre in Queensland tomorrow, as well as a Queen Street site later in the year.
H&amp;M also has stores in Melbourne's GPO in Victoria and Macquarie Centre in North Ryde.
Australia's first H&amp;M fashion store<a href="/expert-insights/investing/h-m-set-for-australian-roll-out-as-its-first-local-store-launches-tomorrow"> opened in Melbourne's GPO building</a> in the Bourke Street mall.
The chain has about 3,182 stores in 53 countries, opening a further 375 this year.
It took around three years to find the initial outlet sites in Australia, including the distribution warehouse at Eastern Creek in Sydney.
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H&M opening third Queensland department store

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While accountants PwC brush up on Point Piper foreign buyer laws, the Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey says further suspicious house purchases across Australia were to be investigated by the reinvigorated Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).
It follows the government decision to <a href="/news/point-pipers-villa-del-mare-back-for-sale-as-australian-treasurer-thwarts-chinese-billionaire">force the sale of the $39 million Point Piper trophy home, Villa de Mare</a> (pictured above).
"It's amazing how many phone calls we got this morning," a chuffed Joe Hockey said yesterday, ignoring the backlash from some business interests which sees far wider ramifications for Chinese trade relations.
"We're not going on a witch hunt," the Treasurer added.
"And we definitely don't want an atmosphere of xenophobia or anything.
"We actually just want to be in a position where we maintain, preserve and enhance the integrity of the foreign investment regime."
The Sydney-based, but beneficially China-owned, company Golden Fast Foods has 90 days to offload 63-67 Wolseley Road, Point Piper after being found to have breached foreign investment rules.
The company was deemed ultimately beneficially controlled by Chinese developer Evergrande Real Estate Group and China's 15th richest man, according to Forbes, Xu Jiayin.
Golden Fast Foods is directed by Sydney-based accountant and former PwC partner Stanley Brogan and two Chinese associates, including the Evergrande director Huang Xiangui, <a href="/news/guangzhou-evergrandes-chinese-billionaire-owner-xu-jiayin-tipped-as-villa-del-mare-point-piper-buyer">as Property Observer noted on its November 2014 settlement</a>.
The federal goverrnment forced sale comes as Xu shortly attends, as a delegate, China's annual parliamentary meeting, the main public event on China's political calendar.
Searches on Baidu, a Chinese version of Google, brought up the matter of Xu's Point Piper mansion, though with an error page saying "the news content was unable to be provided".
Earlier critical coments by internet users had appeared on the Weibo website, according to The Australian's China correspondent, Scott Murdoch.
Hockey would give no details of the other houses under suspicion but advised they were across price ranges.
The Australian Financial Review reported Joe Hockey had indicated he had no sympathy for the owner of the home and the FIRB investigation had been requested personally.
The sale of Villa del Mare is FIRB's first forced divestment since 2006 coincided with the unveiling of a federal government consultation paper.
The proposed measures are designed to restore confidence in a foreign investment review system that had not prosecuted anyone for breaching the rules in nine years.
"We welcome foreign investment. It is hugely important," Hockey said.
But Sydney's top end of town fears the fallout will be much wider than a prestige property upheaval, arguing it was easy for the Chinese government to tacitly advise banks that there were not to be acquisitions of Australian businesses for a while.
Geoff Raby, Australia's former ambassador to Beijing, recently noted Chinese interest in Australian farms and processing assets was surging.
Since 1 March, foreign investors require approval from the FIRB to buy agricultural land worth $15 million, down from the previous threshold of $252 million.
Raby, who was the Chinese ambassador from 2007-2011 and has since founded Beijing-based advisory Geoff Raby &amp; Associates, said the changes had been noticed in China.
"The Chinese certainly wonder what our intention is and ask: Is this directed against China? Is this a Chinese concern we have? Any change in the [regulatory] regime will create uncertainty," he told The Australian Financial Review following his presentation to the ABARES Outlook 2015 conference in Canberra.
The Australian reported PwC had no role during the purchase of the Point Piper property as PwC merely helped Mr Xu establish the shelf company that later bought the property. 
The firm was also called in for advice after questions arose about why approval for the transaction had not been sought by the FIRB, The Australian advised.
 
 
 
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Foreign buyer crackdown is no witch hunt says Joe Hockey after Point Piper FIRB divestiture order

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The private school Haileybury College has been tipped to open a city campus after buying on Melbourne's King Street in a $50 million deal.
The 383 King Street contains a substantial 10-level office overlooking Flagstaff Gardens sold by Singapore-listed Aspial Corporation.
It sold at $41.5 million in January last year with intention for a mixed-use development with 600 units.
Haileybury has campuses in Keysborough, Brighton East, Berwick and Wuqing, China.
Colliers International acted for Haileybury College, Fairfax Media reported.
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Haileybury College buys likely Melbourne CBD campus site

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Australian listed property companies with a focus on commercial property delivered solid results in the February reporting season while corporate activity and property transactions were high on the agenda.
Property companies have outperformed the broader share market. The S&amp;P/ASX 200 A-REIT index, which tracks Australian listed real estate investment trusts, is up 30% over the year to the end of February compared with 10% for the ASX 200 index.
Companies with exposure to retail property performed well in the latest reporting season as sales growth and asset revaluations lifted profits.
While not specifically a property company, homeware giant Harvey Norman has a sizeable holding of retail property. It said improving consumer confidence and growth in equity and housing markets benefited its results while its own property assets increased in value.
The company reported a first-half net profit of $142 million, up 27.4%. Sales revenue increased 8% to $839.3 million, while the value of its property assets rose to $2.31 billion from $2.27 billion.
Fellow retailer Wesfarmers reported that Coles’ revenue increased 2.8%, while homewares sales, including Bunnings, were up 11.8%. Sales from Woolworths’ home improvements business were also up, although overall the grocery giant reported weaker sales results.
Declining sales growth for Woolworths is a risk for listed property companies such as SCA Property Group, Charter Hall Retail REIT and Federation Property, which own mostly neighbourhood and smaller shopping centres with those retailers as anchor tenants. However, each of those groups reported solid results and increasing property values.
Gains in asset values was a common theme for retail-focused Australian real estate investment trusts. There was also a large number of shopping centre sales through the period with commercial property agent Savills reporting $5.7 billion worth of retail property changed hands in 2014, down from $7.4 billion in 2013, but up compared with the five-year average.
Corporate activity was also a feature of the most recent reporting season.
Novion Property Group is in merger talks with Federation Property while Scentre Group formed in mid-2014 out of the restructure of the Westfield Group. All three companies reported higher asset valuations and positive results.
Westfield Corporation, which also formed out of Westfield Group and invests in shopping centres in the US and UK, reported half-year profit increased 20% to US$582.3 million.
“Retail has performed strongly in recent years, but rental growth is expected to moderate going forward because of pressures of sales leakage to online retailers, consumer deleveraging and declining sales productivity,” Morningstar analysts said.
Industrial property is seen as one of the beneficiaries of increasing online sales as warehouse and logistics-focused property gains importance. There has been strong growth in investor demand for industrial properties over the past 12 months, particularly top quality properties, CBRE’s 2014 Q4 Industrial MarketView report showed.
Investor demand for office property has also been strong although tenant demand, particularly in Perth and Brisbane has been weaker as a result of the downturn in mining investment. 
In total $24 billion worth of commercial property transacted in 2014, Savills’ research shows.
Growthpoint Properties Australia, which invests in office and industrial property, noted in its interim report that there has been a “disconnect between weaker occupier demand and high investment demand” for Australian commercial property over the past two years.
“This appears to be the result of mixed economic conditions coupled with historically low interest rates and bond yields” Growthpoint noted.
“In the office sector, weak occupier demand has resulted in high levels of vacancies and incentirves across Australia. Within the industrial market, occupier demand was patchy over 2014 with the gross take-up being substantially below the 10 year average and at its lowest level since 2009.
“Office market leasing conditions are expected to remain difficult in 2015 … Moderate occupier demand for industrial space is being experienced. Competition for well leased office and industrial properties will continue as the demand for investment outweighs the supply of property coming to market for sale with the strong demand from offshore investors, as well as domestic institutional and A-REIT investors expected.”
Growthpoint reported half-year profit up 123.4% from the previous corresponding period to $141.8 million. Its properties were revalued 4.5% higher in the first half.
Analysts at CLSA reportedly expect B-grade office, industrial and regional retail asset classes to outperform in 2015, and anticipate further mergers and acquisitions from the likes of Mirvac, Cromwell, Dexus, GPT and Charter Hall. They believe stocks in the sector are expensive but estimate an 11% return in 2015 if bond rates stay low.  
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zfielding-GvX3Uq9KTa

REITs deliver strong results in February reporting season

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Ride sharing service Uber has taken a converted warehouse property in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Cremorne to run its operations.
The 64 Gwynne Street property comprises 520 square meres of converted office space. 
Uber has signed up for a three-year term at an annual rental of $136,000 net. 
The company's growth meant that the St Kilda office was no longer suitable.
CBRE’s Joshua Jennings negotiated the lease in conjunction with DBR Property.
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Uber take Cremorne, Melbourne warehouse lease

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Following his narrow loss at the recent Victorian state election, Clem Newton-Brown has launched a new property consultancy, pushing through difficult planning applications.
He was a former planning barrister before winning the marginal seat of Prahran for the Liberal Party. Gracious in defeat, Clem Newton-Brown lost to the Greens, who he will no doubt continue to battle with on planning issues.
Whitemark Property and Planning offers to maximise land owner's value by reviewing the potential at the beginning of the planning process, all the way through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
"Planning does not need to be confrontational and much can be done to get sensible development permits through with community support and without the angst and uncertainty of VCAT appeals," Newton-Brown said.
He has been pro-actively suggesting and reviewing sites, including a dual apartment block on Clara Street in South Yarra.
"This site has attracted a lot of developer interest due to its large open air carpark at the rear and three street frontages," he noted.
"However, it is located in the Neighbourhood Residential zone and is incapable of further development, either to the rear or on top.
"The only options for adding value appear to be landscaping and creating private open space for ground floor tenants and attaching balconies for the upper levels."
There's also <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whitemark-Property-and-Planning/1587975278085100" target="_blank">some comments</a> he had made on a South Melbourne development site at 201-209 Ferrars Street.
"This is a really interesting opportunity for an investor with some vision," he said.
"It is located in the Commercial 1 zone and the IM is suggesting 3 commercial tenancies and 23 apartments over three levels above.
"I think this is quite conservative given the site is in the transition zone between Fishermans Bend and the older residential areas of South Melbourne.
"It is far enough away from the residential areas for greater height to not have an impact on existing neighbours.
"Due to the long and skinny site the units would have great internal amenity," he noted adding the agent was quoting $2.5 plus.
Newton-Brown has personal expertise having developed the Ponyfish Island cafe on a flood-prone island set under the Southgate footbridge.
Then in 2008, he offloaded a development-sensitive site on the banks of the Yarra River in Toorak with a permit.
<video width="938" height="100" src="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/2015/03/05/Caller%20JOHN%20040315.mp3" preload="none"></video>
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Former Liberal politician Clem Newton-Brown establishes Whitemark Property & Planning consultancy

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The Garibaldi Inn commercial retail premises at 37 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill have been listed for sale.
The landmark property comprises the original sandstone building and two substantial separate retail and commercial buildings. 
The centre has 14 retail and commercial tenants with a total lettable area of approximately 770 square metres and underground parking for 14 cars.
Its net income is $555,885.
It sits within what became known in the 1850s as The French Village, at Hunters Hill, Sydney's smallest and oldest municipality.  
The two-storey sandstone building, Garibaldi on the corner of Ferry and Alexandra streets in Hunters Hill was the early home base for some of the stonemasons who worked for the wealthy settlers, Didier and Jules Joubert and Count de Milhau for building the many enduring beautiful homes. 
The cosy emporium takes its revolutionary name from Giuseppe Garibaldi via the Genoese stonemason, John Cuneo who built the first inn and grocery store.
It was renovated in 1983.
Then for many years in the late 1980s Garibaldi was the home and office to advertising man John Singleton.
It has been listed for 10 March auction <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-nsw-hunters+hill-501453179" target="_blank">through LJ Hooker Mosman agent Scott Stephens</a>.
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Sandstone Garibaldi, Hunters Hill commercial offering

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After more than 200 enquiries, Peter Tyson and Jon Tyson of Savills Retail Sales have secured the Bribie Harbour Shopping Village for $13.15 million.
The centre occupies a 1.71 hectare site at 25 Sunderland Drive at Banksia Beach on Bribie Island, 45 kilometres north of Brisbane.
 The 4,514 square metre centre is anchored by a Woolworths supermarket, which is secured on a 15 year lease to 2023 with further options. 
The centre has 16 specialty shops plus on-grade parking for some 316 vehicles. With several shops vacant, the passing yield was around 8.7 per cent.
The neighbourhood-shopping centre asset class has seen a big uplift in transactions in Queensland.
"We expect this to continue to similar or greater levels over the next 12 months,” Peter Tyson said.
Savills recorded a total of $1.48 billion worth of retail property transactions above $5 million in value in Queensland in 2014, up from $1.1 billion in the previous year and up on the five-year average of $1.29 billion. 
The 39 shopping centres sold in 2014 was also up from the previous year’s tally, and five-year average, of 37 sales.
About half of the total number of retail properties transacted in Queensland in 2014 were in the $10 million to $50 million price range. 
"While fund managers accounted for some 58% of the value of all retail properties purchased in Queensland in 2014, private investors were responsible for the majority of transactions," he said.
Savills have commenced marketing <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-qld-mount+warren+park-501470807" target="_blank">the 2005-built Mt Warren Park Shopping Centre</a> located in the Brisbane/Gold Coast growth corridor. 
It's estimated net income is $1,030,659 per annum.
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