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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Australia’s largest pension fund AustralianSuper has reportedly agreed to buy a 20% stake in King’s Cross Central for £200 million (A$396m) London.
AustralianSuper beat off competition from overseas sovereign wealth funds from the Middle East and investment groups in the Far East, Property Week revealed.
AustralianSuper has more than two million members and over $75 billion under management.
It is the second UK deal in two years following its purchase of a 50% stake in the Milton Keynes regional shopping centre for £270 million in 2013.
At 67 acres, King’s Cross Central is a large mixed-use development being developed since 2001.
On completion it will include Google’s new European head office. Argent, DHL and London and Continental Railways appointed Rothschild and GM Real Estate to sell the stake in late 2014, and it is believed the deal was agreed in the past few days.
Last year AustralianSuper signalled its intention to aggressively build a $10 billion property portfolio by 2016.
AustralianSuper head of property Jack McGougan currently manages just over $6 billion of real estate ­investments.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

AustralianSuper's $400 million King Cross, London deal

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Marrickville, Gorokan and Toukley are among the busiest of Sydney's cheapest suburbs, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
For houses, Marsden Park is the cheapest Sydney suburb, with a median price of $119,310. However, the suburb only saw seven homes sold in the past year. Far busier was Gorokan, with 241 houses sold in 2014. With a median house price of $306,991, it is the fourth cheapest suburb in Sydney.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-gorokan-118545727" target="_blank">3 Bertha Street in Gorokan</a> sold for $310,000 last week.
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/1%20gorokan.jpg" alt="">
Above: 3 Bertha Street
The two bedroom house on a 550 square metre plot came with development approval for a duplex. The vendors paid $125,000 less when they purchased the home in 2007 for $185,000.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-gorokan-118696967" target="_blank">56 Gilbert Avenue</a>, which was marketed towards first home buyers, sold for $300,000 in mid-January (pictured below).
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/2%20gorokan.jpg" alt="">
Above: 56 Gilbert Avenue
The three bedroom villa has been recently renovated. The vendors, who paid $225,000 for the home in 2009, used it as an investment property. It was advertised to rent at $315 per week in 2013.
Marrickville has the fifth-lowest median price of any suburb within 10 kilometres of the Sydney CBD. With 213 homes sold over the last year, it is also the busiest of the 10 cheapest Sydney inner-city suburbs (see table below).
HOUSES: Greater Sydney
<img src="/images/2015/01/22/rp-jan-22-one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2015/01/22/rp-jan-22-two.jpg" alt="">
HOUSES: &lt;10km from CBD
<img src="/images/2015/01/22/rp-jan-22-four.jpg" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic RP Data.
CoreLogic RP Data recorded Marrickville's 2014 median value as $892,297 for 2014.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-marrickville-118559543" target="_blank">167 Sydenham Road in Marrickville</a> sold for $890,000 last week. The full brick, three bedroom house had been held by the vendors for almost 28 years – they paid $74,500 in 1987.
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/3%20marrickville.jpg" alt="">
Above: 167 Sydenham Road
In November last year, buyers paid $900,000 for a corner block two bedroom brick home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-marrickville-118351459" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">39 Gladstone Street in Marrickville.</a> The house was purchased by the vendors for $615,000 in 2008, with the home appreciating 46% in six years. 
<img src="/images/2015/02/09/4%20marrickville.jpg" alt="">
Above: 39 Gladstone Street
For units, Toukley in the Central Coast was one of the busiest of the cheaper outer suburbs. Toukley had a median of $265,887, making it the sixth cheapest Sydney suburb for units. This one sold for $259,000 in September.
<img src="/images/2015/02/13/toukley%20feb%2013%20one.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-toukley-117752435" target="_blank">2/39 Victoria Avenue in Toukley</a> (pictured above) is a single storey two bedroom unit with an enclosed sun room and a courtyard.
UNITS: Greater Sydney
<img src="/images/2015/01/22/rp-jan-22-one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2015/01/22/rp-jan-22-three.jpg" alt="">
UNITS: Under 10 kilometres from the CBD 
<img src="/images/2015/01/22/rp-jan-22-five.jpg" alt="">
For inner city units, the busiest of the 10 cheapest suburbs was again Marrickville, with 268 units sold last year. The suburb is the 10th cheapest in the Sydney inner-city for units, with a median sale price of $508,813.
For that price, a buyer might get an apartment like one at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-marrickville-118620451" target="_blank">9 George Street</a> (pictured below), which sold for $509,000 last month.
<img src="/images/2015/02/13/marrickville%20feb%2013%20one.jpg" alt="">
The one bedroom offering was one of multiple renovated apartments at the 9 George Street complex offered.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-marrickville-117382003" target="_blank">14/416 Marrickville Road</a> (pictured below) was another one bedroom unit that sold around the median price, for $507,500.
<img src="/images/2015/02/13/marrickville-feb-13-two.jpg" alt="">
The apartment at the rear of its block last traded at $196,000 in 2005.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

The busiest of Sydney's affordable suburbs: CoreLogic

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Unemployment remains a concern, but perhaps not when it comes to house price growth, according to recent Macquarie Wealth Management research.
They note counter-intuitively that a rise in unemployment typically sees house prices move higher.
"Whilst unemployment is a key factor to be cognisant of for housing demand, the below table indicates that prior cycles exhibiting a strong rise in unemployment typically illicit a policy response from the RBA (i.e. rate cuts) which sees house prices actually increase as unemployment rises," the January report to clients noted.
<img src="/images/2015/02/13/housing-cycle-feb-13-one.jpg" alt="">
It looked at five recent cyclical employment downturns going back to the 1980s.
"In the 1990 recession the unemployment rate increased ~180bps to 10.7%, but house prices increased ~8% in the following 12 months factoring a ~200bps decline in the cash rate. 
A similar scenario was seen post the GFC," the report noted.
Rising unemployment is likely heighten risks of mortgage delinquencies, according to Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia.
Ellie Comerford, chief executive of Genworth in Australia, expects expects its loss ratios to climb from its current 19 per cent to 25 to 30 per cent for the full 2015 financial year.
Ms Comerford's comments to the Australian Financial Review came after Genworth posted a $172.7 million statutory net profit for the six months to December, due primarily to lower than expected claims and a strong housing market. The result was a 52 per cent improvement to the prior corresponding period
Genworth's share price sits around $4.20, up 60 per cent since its public debut in May, compared with the 6 per cent gains of the benchmark S&amp;P/ASX200 Index.
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Unemployment won't stop house price rises: Macquarie Wealth

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) started a global house price index last year. 
They recently released a set of charts detailing their findings on world housing prices.
They continue to track house prices around the world. Their chart with annual percent change is based at Q2, 2014. It puts Australia fourth highest given a 7.4% gain.
Click to open in new windows: 
<a href="/news"> </a><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/globalhousepriceindex_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/globalhousepriceindex_600px.jpg" alt="chart of house price index"></a><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/housepricesaroundtheworld_lg.jpg" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1599998474121px; line-height: 1.3em;"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/housepricesaroundtheworld_600px.jpg" alt="chart of house prices around the world"></a>
Credit growth Around the world:
<div>
<a href="/news"> </a><center><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/creditgrowth_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/creditgrowth.jpg" alt="chart of credit growth around the world"> </a></center>
</div>
House price-to-income ratio:
<div>
<a href="/news"> </a><center><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetoincome_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetoincome.jpg" alt="chart of house price-to-income ratio"> </a></center>
</div>
House price to rent ratio:
<div><center><a href="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetorent_lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.imf.org/external/research/housing/images/pricetorent.jpg" alt="chart of house price-to-rent ratio"></a></center></div>
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Australia ranks fourth in IMF's global house price index

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GUEST OBSERVATION
You know Australia’s in trouble when the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates.
Last week, the central bank did precisely that, in belated recognition of the <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/national/national_income_recession_already_2sLhoU9EtfoC0g0M5xvujI" target="_blank">income recession</a> that has struck. Gross domestic income (GDI) fell by 0.3% in the June quarter of 2014, followed by a further 0.4% slump in the September quarter.
The RBA has cut its 2015 GDP growth estimate as well, by 0.25%, predicting a 1.75%–2.75% range.
In 2012, I <a href="https://theconversation.com/buckle-up-australia-recession-is-coming-7950" target="_blank">predicted</a> an Australian recession, albeit as a “delayed tsunami” effect of the global financial crisis of 2008–12. However, some <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/economist-expects-recession-2015-034208840" target="_blank">bank economists</a> since late last year have <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-17/australia-out-of-luck-odds-of-recession-rise/5972732" target="_blank">declared</a> there is a recession in the making in 2015.
Welcome to the post-industrial economy. Fortress Australia is long gone; the automotive industry is evanescing before our eyes; while textiles, footwear and clothing barely exist on these shores.
Steel, once the linchpin of Australia’s heavy industries, is a shadow of its former self. Battered by fierce competition from China and India, Australian steel tonnage output didn’t even crack the <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271979/the-largest-steel-producers-worldwide-ranked-by-production-volume/" target="_blank">top 20 world rankings</a> in 2013.
As everyone knows, the main game in Western Australia and Queensland is mining, mining and mining. Meanwhile, the sucker-fish, located predominantly in Sydney and Melbourne, comprising the <a href="https://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/new-roosevelt/fire-sector" target="_blank">finance, insurance and real estate (FIRE) industries</a>, gorge themselves on the vast swathes of export dollars produced by coal and iron ore.
But for how long?
From hero to zero?
Throughout the last 12 years, Australia has produced world-beating results. Australia’s <a href="https://www.tradingeconomics.com/australia/gdp" target="_blank">GDP doubled between 2007 and 2013</a>. It is the world’s 12th-ranked economy, a remarkable feat for a population comprising a mere 24 million people (and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_in_Australia" target="_blank">20.7 million cats</a>, apparently). Nationally, unemployment is low. In 2013 and 2014, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/property-makes-australians-the-world8217s-richest-says-credit-suisse-20141014-1163ip" target="_blank">Australians were the world’s richest</a>, thanks to the property boom, with every man, woman and child worth an average of $A258,000.
And oil prices are so low that they’re better than any tax cut any miserly government could ever give you in its wildest dreams.
Everything’s going swimmingly, isn’t it? Where’s the party?
But Australia is also facing an <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/doing-more-with-less-as-incomes-shrink-20141205-120so4" target="_blank">income recession</a>. Real <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/real-wages-growth-worst-in-17-years-20140521-38p5j" target="_blank">household disposable income</a> is <a href="https://www.adelaidereview.com.au/commentary/article/falling-real-wages" target="_blank">falling</a>, exacerbated by the tumbling Australian dollar. Ominously, the world may be about to experience a Great Deflation.
Agriculture and manufacturing – the mainstays of Australian employment from federation until the 1990s – have been displaced by service sector industries. These largely feed off the revenues of a resources sector whose exports dwarf all others. But even iron ore export prices have halved in the past year, and there could be <a href="https://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/could-iron-ore-drop-to-%24us30-a-tonne" target="_blank">worse to come</a>. There is not much point in Australia boosting its iron ore output if no one wants to buy it. Just ask the Soviets what they did with their surplus steel. Komrade (they dumped it in the west, to save you looking it up).
Unfortunately for us, we like to party hard and we didn’t invest all the enormous benefits of the boom in the terms of trade during the 2000s. We spent it on tax breaks. Which we then spent. On property. And Chinese consumer goods.
And speaking of being dwarfed, Australia’s Future Fund – designed to fund public service pensions and the odd politician – is paltry by comparison with <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-09/all-norwegians-become-millionaire-shareholders-in-world27s-big/5191480" target="_blank">Norway’s</a>, which ranks third in the world with almost US$1 trillion in assets.
By contrast, Australia ranks 13th globally (as it does in most things, except cricket), with a mere <a href="https://www.futurefund.gov.au/" target="_blank">A$109 billion</a> at its disposal. Or about 2.1 years of Commonwealth deficits, roughly.
Article continues on the next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
The Great Deflation
This week, China reported its <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-inflation-drops-to-five-year-low-in-january-1423533186" target="_blank">inflation figures</a> and the numbers are troubling. Year-on-year domestic demand has weakened considerably. Moreover, in January, the US economy saw its consumer-price index (CPI) fall to its lowest level since bottoming out during the Great Recession of 2009.
Deflation means prices are down. One type of deflation can be positive, as it emerges from gains in technology, efficiency and scale, coupled with cheaper labour and energy.
But too much of the wrong kind of deflation – where inflation is negative – leads to long-term unemployment, reduced demand and low, zero or negative growth. Exhibit A: Japan. <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL1N0VJ0BN20150210?pageNumber=2&amp;amp;virtualBrandChannel=0" target="_blank">Two decades of deflation</a>.
The main reason price deflation is occurring is due to weak demand. This is due partly to a reduction in the gross money supply, and partly as a by-product of lower wages.
Money supply evaporated – temporarily – as credit markets froze in 2008. As governments poured liquidity back into financial markets in 2008–09, credit cautiously returned, but growth was non-existent or hesitant throughout most of the developed world. Millions of jobs vanished during the Great Recession, and the jobs that eventually returned <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/30/british-wage-slump-post-financial-crisis-uk" target="_blank">paid much less</a> than they had just a few years earlier.
In fact, the US has reportedly regained all the jobs it lost during the recession. With one hitch: these jobs pay <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-income-inequality-20140812-story">23% less</a>.
Now, this scenario has some resonance in Australia. The 2007–13 period saw Australian wages rise much faster than their OECD counterparts. But in 2014, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-19/abs-figures-show-annual-wages-growth-slowest-on-record/5269480" target="_blank">wages hit a brick wall</a>, barely matching inflation. Yes, even miners saw lower wage growth. And, judging by their trade magazines, neither white-collar nor blue-collar resources industry workers are too optimistic about the future.
Oh Eurozone crisis: we’ve missed you most of all
If you thought the IMF and European Central Bank (ECB) had muddled successfully through the 2011–12 eurozone crisis, think again. Exhibit B: The ECB’s January 2015 quantitative easing program, injecting €60 billion per month into the eurozone economy.
Sounds impressive. But it isn’t. What it will do is simply refinance the banking sector, which is now beginning to pay back the three-year Longer-Term Refinancing Operation (LTRO) funds it borrowed during the crisis. Over 500 eurozone banks accepted more than €1 trillion during the crisis.
Now the ECB’s LTROs are maturing. As of January 2015, banks were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/16/ecb-policy-idUSL6N0UU3V720150116" target="_blank">due to repay up to €196 billion</a> on LTROs by the end of February. But they still owe nearly €900 billion.
Consequently, the ECB’s QE program will only keep liquidity flowing back to the banking sector, as it replaces old LTROs with new QE.
The elephant in the room is not Greece. It’s inflation – or lack of it, to be precise. Eurozone inflation is running at -0.2%, a far cry from its 2% target. Not to put too fine a point on it, but -0.2% is not inflation. I’ve met inflation. And that’s not inflation.
The clear objective of the ECB’s €1.2 trillion QE program is to reflate the eurozone economies and ensure sufficient bank liquidity. But it also has a secondary objective: currency manipulation. 18 months of the Federal Reserve’s QE 3, which concluded in late 2014, injected $US85 billion per month into the American economy, pumping up its GDP growth figures, manipulating its currency and, coincidentally, depreciating China’s massive stash of US bonds.
How has the ECB responded to this? By engaging in its own currency manipulation scheme. This has sent the euro <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=EURUSD%3DX#symbol=EURUSD=X;range=1y" target="_blank">below US$1.15</a>, a far cry from its US$1.45 rate of mid-2011. With the euro closer to parity with the US dollar, eurozone global exports can at least remain competitive.
Why does any of this matter to Australia? First, the EU is Australia’s largest source of foreign direct investment. Second, the currency power-play between New York, Tokyo and Frankfurt has hurt Australian productivity and exports, even as the Reserve Bank <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/australia-accused-of-manipulating-australian-dollar-to-save-iron-ore-miners-20150204-135jzu" target="_blank">tries to play</a> this poker game as well. Although the dizzy heights of an above-parity Australian dollar are a long-forgotten dream, currency depreciation in Europe, North America and Asia has contributed to the loss of Australian industries, such as the automotive sector. Equally, the Australian dollar, even at US$0.70, is not competitive enough to substitute for a lack of productivity.
The ducks are all lined up. A perfect storm approaches.
Welcome to capitalism. We hope you enjoy your stay.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/37355/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Remy Davison is Jean Monnet Chair in Politics and Economics at Monash University.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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You know Australia’s in trouble when the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates: Remy Davison

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Following the recent cut in interest rates, we can see that there will be a pickup in residential construction particularly in Melbourne, Sydney and to a lesser extent in Brisbane, that will feed the appetite of the property investor who makes up more than 50% of the purchase of these apartments.
We think that self-managed super funds, as well as mum and dad investors, will be heightened with the fall in interest rates. Affordable housing, lower interest rates and higher job confidence will tempt first home buyers.
The concern is that outside of Sydney the economic indicators are not as strong, which permeates into confidence.
We are of the opinion that although interest rates have been lowered, it will not push another increase in property prices above circa 4% on the back of home purchasers being mindful of the price.
From the rental point of view we expect to see vacancy rates in the major capital cities to tick up as more of the investor stock comes on the market, which means a good opportunity for tenants.
As far as the government looking to regulate property investment, we don’t think this will take place as the major economic driver is the construction boom, which the government will not wish to disrupt.
We will see a multi-tiered market with Sydney continuing to grow with strong economic conditions coupled with job security to a lesser extent in Brisbane and in Melbourne.
Concern lies with Perth where there is a declining state economy due to job losses in the mining industry and the housing marketing beginning wane.
Malcolm Gunning is the president of the <a href="https://www.reinsw.com.au/imis15_Prod/web" target="_blank">REINSW </a>and the principal of <a href="https://gunningcommercial.com.au/" target="_blank">Gunning Commercial</a>.
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Outside of Sydney the economic indicators are not as strong: Malcolm Gunning

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The first Zara Home store has opened in Australia.
The Spanish retailer launched its first Australian store at Highpoint Shopping Centre, in Melbourne's inner west.
The <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/property/zara-moves-home-to-highpoint-20150211-13c3wo" target="_blank">Sydney Morning Herald</a> suggests that more Zara Home stores may be coming, with Sydney's Macquarie Centre a likely spot for the first New South Wales store.
Zara Home sells furnishing and homewares, and will apparently offer two main branded collections per year. It follows the Australian arrival of the business's fashion arm, Zara, which has set up shop in Melbourne's Bourke Street arcade.
Zara is just one of many international "fast fashion" retailers (so-called because of their high turnover of new products) to hit Australia in hopes of expanding their global reach.
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/zara-gap-h-m-and-uniqlo-announced-for-macquarie-centre-north-ryde">H&amp;M, Zara, Gap and UNIQLO </a>have all expanded their Australian businesses or approached the Australian market for the first time in the last few years while J.Crew is <a href="/expert-insights/investing/american-retailer-j-crew-tipped-to-arrive-in-australia">rumoured to be launching here soon</a>. 
Highpoint Shopping Centre has undergone significant refurbishments in the past three years. The centre is partially owned by the Besen family.
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Zara Home opens at Melbourne's Highpoint

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Australian Securities Exchange-listed apartment developer Finbar Group has sold an office building in Perth to Singapore stock exchange-listed Sim Lian Group, which is buying the property through a wholly owned property trust.
The Gateway Building in Victoria Park, south-west of Perth’s CBD sold for $72.8 million, with the sale price representing a yield of 8.48%.
Finbar Group said the price was consistent with the building’s current external valuation and carrying book value. It expects to realise $20 million in cash from the sale after the repayment of the building’s finance and minority joint venture interests. Finbar Group owned 69% of the property.
“The sale of the Gateway Building represents a timely disposal opportunity where we can seek to deploy more funds into our core business of residential apartment development which has a very robust pipeline of exciting and large scale projects,” Finbar managing director Darren Pateman said in a statement.
Finbar received approval in December for the development of a $120 million mixed-use development including 118 apartments and more than 2,000 square metres of commercial tenancies in South Perth.
The company reported the Gateway Building, which it completed building in July 2010, accounted for 54% of its rental income for the first half of 2014. Rental income contributed 5% to Finbar’s overall earnings, with the majority of its earnings deriving from apartment developments.
The market for office property sales in Perth was sluggish in 2014, with Savills research showing the value of office property sales was down 81% compared with the previous year. Only 16 office buildings changed hands in the city in 2014, down from the five year average of 35, Savills found.
Savills estimates yields for Perth CBD office property at December 2014 were in the range of 7.5% to 8.75% for A Grade buildings, and 8.75% and 10.25% for secondary grade buildings.
CBRE’s research shows there are high vacancy rates and leasing incentives in the Perth office market. The agent expects these challenging conditions for landlords to continue during 2015 with 155,805 square metres of new office space expected to come to market in the second half of 2015.
The Gateway Building has a net lettable area of 12,813 square metres and is 99% leased to retail and office tenants. The major tenant is listed engineering company Monadelphous Group, which has its head office in the building.
The sale is expected to settle in March 2015. 
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Finbar Group sells Gateway Building in Victoria Park, Perth

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The OECD’s <a href="https://www.oecd.org/economy/growth/going-for-growth-australia-2015.pdf" target="_blank">Going for Growth report</a> released this week is a good reminder of why Tony Abbott wants to be remembered as “the infrastructure Prime Minister”.
The OECD argues addressing infrastructure service shortfalls will help productivity performance and sustainable growth, and in the 2014-15 Australian federal budget, <a href="https://www.budget.gov.au/2014-15/content/glossy/infrastructure/html/index.htm" target="_blank">spending on infrastructure</a> was planned to increase substantially, compared to the last budget of the Rudd government.
The focus carried through to the Brisbane G20 meeting. It saw a commitment to use infrastructure spending, along with other measures such as free trade agreements, as a lever to improve productivity and help deliver the additional 2% of GDP growth over five years targeted by the G20.
How is Australia performing?
Australian contributions to the G20 target, in terms of infrastructure investment, are outlined in the <a href="https://g20.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/g20_comprehensive_growth_strategy_australia.pdf" target="_blank">Comprehensive Growth Strategy</a>.
Two proposals are highlighted. First, there is a commitment  “to achieve better project prioritisation, selection and coordination by providing greater transparency through cost benefit analysis of major projects and improving the operation of Infrastructure Australia (the body that assesses major infrastructure projects). Rigorous appraisal processes will help ensure that high-quality projects that create the most benefit will be prioritised.”
Things have not started well. For example, The 2014-15 budget provides funding for 36 major named infrastructure projects but, as a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview201415/Infrastructure">report</a> by the Australian Parliamentary Library notes, only four have been assessed by Infrastructure Australia, and only seven appear anywhere on the priority list.
Sydney’s WestConnex motorway is one of the infrastructure projects named in the budget but not prioritised by Infrastructure Australia. The federal commitment comprises a grant of A$1.5 billion to the New South Wales government, and a A$2 billion concessional loan. In December 2014 the New South Wales Auditor-General reported that the government’s Major Projects Assurance Framework had not been implemented and that, as a consequence, there were deficiencies in the analysis of the risks, cost and benefits of the project. Clearly this falls short of the G20 commitment.
Asset recycling
The second proposal is the <a href="https://theconversation.com/asset-recycling-no-dream-for-hockey-but-efficiency-boost-likely-28802">asset recycling initiative</a>. State governments that sell assets will receive 15% of the net sale proceeds as a grant from the Commonwealth, provided the funds are reinvested in infrastructure. Proposals must pass evaluation and approval before 1 July 2016, with construction to commence before 1 July 2019.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission this week <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/national/accc_warns_on_asset_recycling_XfHInVjskCpfCIfCm5AdEP" target="_blank">flagged concerns</a> about the scheme, warning of the risk of governments taking action that could lessen competition due to the lure of incentive payments.
At A$5 billion, the initiative accounts for only 10% of federal infrastructure spending commitments over the next ten years. However, the government forecast the incentives it provides will leverage an additional A$33 billion of infrastructure investment, making a major contribution to the proposed boost in infrastructure spending.
Asset privatisation was a central issue in the recent Queensland election. Of the estimated A$37 billion proceeds from the sale of energy and port assets, the Newman government proposed to allocate A$3.4 billion to a “cost of living” fund and A$25 billion to pay off state debt. New infrastructure investment of A$8.6 billion would attract a Commonwealth recycling incentive of A$1.3 billion, making A$9.9 billion in total.
Queensland voters rejected these proposals. Should the same result emerge from the New South Wales election next month the asset recycling initiative will effectively lapse.
An alternative approach
Where investment in long-lived productive infrastructure is involved, attaching the label <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/prime-minister-tony-abbotts-speech-from-the-national-press-club-in-canberra-on-february-2/story-fni0cx12-1227204983604?nk=2ddb61facd9133e0d55d3bac5bbf4287" target="_blank">“intergenerational theft”</a> to government borrowing is clearly misleading – the generations who benefit from the investment also service the debt.
If the asset recycling initiative fails to meet its targets, alternatives are possible. The first requirement would be to live up to the commitment made to the G20 for stringent and transparent project evaluation by Infrastructure Australia. Second, think carefully about ways to improve efficiency in state-owned assets. Then, given that the yield on 21-year bonds is currently less than 3%, the government could pursue its infrastructure agenda by borrowing long-term and investing through the states in the same way as in the past.
Implementation of this strategy would require a more mature political discussion about fiscal deficits, debt, and long-lived infrastructure. Relying on slogans like “debt and deficit disaster” is unlikely to achieve positive outcomes.
Graeme Wells University Associate, School of Economics and Finance at University of Tasmania
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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PM’s infrastructure plan failing growth and cost-benefit goals: Graeme Wells

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US, Singaporean and Chinese investors dominated Australia’s offshore commercial property investment market in 2014 spending nearly 71% of the more than $5 billion in foreign investment in Australia, according to Savills Australia.
The total, comprising more than $4 billion worth of office transactions, $399 million worth of industrial transactions and $519 million worth of retail property transactions, continues the trend of above average spending following the record $5.9 billion invested in the year to June 2014. 
Nearly 82% of the 2014 money <a href="/expert-insights/investing/foreign-investors-behind-a-third-of-2014-australian-office-purchases-savills">was spent on office property</a>.
Savills’ national head of research, Tony Crabb, said collectively Asian countries accounted for more inward investment than all other foreign buyers at $2.7 billion including China $1.13 billion, Singapore $1.16 billion and Malaysia $243 million.
He said the foreign play accounted for 22% of the more than $24 billion worth of commercial property transacted nationally in the 12 months to December.
Savills’ managing director – cross border investments, Paul Craig, said all indications were that Australia could see another $5 billion plus year given the fall in the value of the Australian dollar, Australia’s low interest rates, and the relaxation of investment restrictions flowing from Australia’s new Free Trade Agreement with China.
"There seems little doubt that the lower Australian dollar will further encourage the very significant level of foreign investment we have seen over the last few years. In addition there is ample reason to suggest that Chinese investment in Australia may reach another level following changes to investment rules discussed in the FTA," Craig said before today's threshold announcement aimed at agricultural land
"While we are yet to see  the detail it seems clear that rules governing private Chinese investment will encourage even greater levels of investment and that could mean the continuation of what has been a white-hot foreign investment market in Australia in recent times.’’
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