Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

Joel Robinson

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

First look: Winx billionaire’s beachfront Surfers Paradise apartment development greenlit

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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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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