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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One of the specialist property magazines, for lack of an original idea, is featuring what it calls “the age-old stoush” of capital growth v cash flow.
This recurring theme in property media – whether you should buy for good capital growth or for good cashflow prospects – shows a fundamental lack of understanding.
Investors do not have to make that choice. A good property investment will provide both.
There are myriad opportunities around Australia to secure properties that pay their own way and are located in areas with the core drivers to deliver good capital growth as well.
Currently, the best income yields in the nation are found in Cairns. The days of double-digit yields in mining towns and resources-driven regional centres are over, for now at least. Cairns, meanwhile, can readily provide investment properties with gross yields in the 7-8% range.
Cairns is also a strong prospect for ongoing capital growth. The North Queensland centre has a poor record but in hotspotting the recent past is irrelevant. The future is another country.
Cairns’ future will be different from its past because there is fundamental change taking place in the city’s economy. Like others including the Sunshine Coast and Port Macquarie, Cairns is re-inventing itself, so that it is no longer just a tourism town.
Tourism-based economies are fragile and habitually bad real estate performers. It’s only when economies diversify through infrastructure spending and creation of new industries that their real estate performance improves.
Cairns is undergoing that process. There is major spending on infrastructure, city leaders are working hard to encourage economic diversity and, as a bonus, tourism is thriving again.
In New South Wales, Dubbo is one of the strongest regional economies. It offers an attractive package for investors: affordable property with good rental returns, underpinned by a growing population, a strong economy with diversity and plenty of jobs generation.
It’s not too hard to find houses with returns above 6% and the median house price has increased 10% in the past year. In other words, good cashflow and good capital growth is on offer.
At the Victoria-NSW border, Albury-Wodonga is one of the nation’s most important regional economies, underpinned by a strategic location with strong road, rail and air links. Houses are typically priced in the $200,000s and rental yields in the 6-7% range are common.
In the past 12 months, many suburbs including <a href="/news">Lavington</a>, <a href="/news">North Albury</a>, <a href="/news">West Albury</a>, <a href="/news">Wodonga </a>and <a href="/news">West Wodonga</a> recorded median price growth of 8% and above.
There are myriad examples in regional Australia. Toowoomba and Rockhampton in Queensland, Tamworth and Goulburn in NSW, and Bendigo and Ballarat in Victoria, are all strong growing cities that offer the desired combination of good cashflow and superior growth.
It’s a formula that can also be found in capital cities. Brisbane and Adelaide will be among the growth leaders in 2015 and both present options for investors seeking the best of both worlds.
In affordable Logan City, the municipality the bridges the urban gap between Brisbane City and Gold Coast City, eight suburbs have recorded median price growth between 8% and 13% in the past 12 months.
There are also a dozen suburbs with median rental yields in the 5.7% to 6.7% range.
The most compelling location in Adelaide, in terms of 2015 growth prospects, is the municipality of Salisbury in the city’s north. This is an area with good infrastructure and lots of major job nodes. Most of the LGA’s suburbs have median prices below $300,000, with typical yields in the 5.7% to 6.5% range.
Virtually every suburb in this precinct has shown some sort of capital growth in the past year, with more to come in 2015.
The question occupying the minds of property investors is not whether they should chase capital growth or cashflow, but which of many available options should they choose to achieve both.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
Terry will be participating in a webinar on 'The Best and Worst for 2015: Top 5 Hotspots and 5 Places to Avoid' on 3 February.
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Best of both worlds - the cities where you can find capital growth and cash flow: Terry Ryder

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GUEST OBSERVATION
When you work in the property industry, you tend to notice patterns. Anytime you're immersing yourself in data in order to predict how things are going to turn out in the future, this is bound to happen.
In terms of real estate, one unmistakable trend that I've noticed is that more and more Australians are looking outside the Sydney CBD to fulfil their property goals. Rather than looking at smaller apartments in the city centre, buyers are opting for houses and land in suburbs that we might think of as more remote.
These investors have the right idea. As Sydney gets bigger and bigger, the premium on its outer suburbs is only going to follow suit.
Bucking the conventional thinking
This all might sound strange or even counter-intuitive for those who feel they know the Sydney real estate market. For some time, investors were quite cautious about looking outside the CBD area, which has always been a strong reference point.
This reflects one of the issues around property investment. There are 1.7 million property investors in Australia. Rather than taking a scientific or math-based approach to their investing, however, most of these Australians base their investment choices on instinct, gossip and what they already know. Familiarity, not fact, becomes the basis of judgement.
Unfortunately, while this might seem like a safe approach, it can also close you out of a number of opportunities. In fact, it is the investors who broke away from this trend earlier and invested in outer suburbs who are reaping the benefits now.
Outer suburbs mean big returns in Sydney
When you look at the totality of Sydney, it's clear how limited simply focussing on the CBD is. For one, let's take the fact that, for most investors, the price range is around $400,000-$700,000. Today, to afford something in the CBD for around $600,000, you're looking at a one-bedroom apartment. This is on top of the fact that rental yields aren't necessarily high, that you're facing high body corporate costs and you've got a low land component.
As well as this, there's the massive amount of growth and development happening in parts of Sydney other than the CBD. You've got a city like Parramatta emerging, which is about to overtake Adelaide as the fifth biggest CBD economy in the country, is a considerable economy in its own right and is seeing the construction of the tallest tower in Sydney.
You can also look at key infrastructure areas like Penrith, or maybe Liverpool, whose hospital is the largest in the southern hemisphere. There is a massive amount of growth and development happening in many previously overlooked parts of Sydney, making them more viable for investors to consider.
It used to be that people wouldn't think twice about a region like western Sydney, which is stereotyped as a low socioeconomic area. But it's also one that's experiencing a large amount of investment, from the new airport in Badgerys Creek to the $11 billion WestConnex road project, along with the many housing developments taking place in the region.
The first law of economics
The fact is, Sydney is a basin, and there is only so much land - something investors are increasingly becoming aware of.
Because of this, it's the areas that were once ignored that will be the new growth centres over the next decades - that's where the affordability is. If you can get land there now and hold onto it, you stand to win. It's basic supply and demand.
A good example of this is Kellyville. Years ago I was telling people it was a great place to invest, and people would ask me if anyone actually worked out there and whether they had high incomes. Today, land is virtually impossible to access in Kellyville, and before I even start talking, people ask me if I have anything available there.
If investors can look beyond conventional wisdom and forget about what they're familiar with, they can benefit just like the landowners in Kellyville have.
Sam Khalil is founder and director of <a href="https://www.dpn.com.au/" target="_blank">Direct Property Network</a>.
Direct Property Network (DPN) provides clients with an end to end property investment solution from selecting the right property through to settlement and beyond.
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SamKhalil-UNoWQ73CmG

When you invest in property, leave familiarity at the door

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Can a social media campaign save a business from liquidation?
That’s what <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/leadership/profiles/30077-nahji-chu" target="_blank">Nahji Chu</a>, founder of Vietnamese food chain MissChu is hoping, following the launch of a social media campaign called #weneedchu to save her company.
The campaign, designed by Sydney agency Cypha, launched on Australia Day. Along with regular updates on the MissChu social accounts, there is a dedicated #weneedchu website designed to spread the campaign's tagline: “Nothing’s changed, we’re still here.”
Videos featuring the people who have helped MissChu “grow so much over the past five years” form part of the campaign, with MissChu customers invited to share why they love MissChu on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
In a statement issued to SmartCompany, Cypha said the aim of the campaign is to "reinvigorate nostalgia towards the [MissChu] brand, encouraging old and new customers to socially share why they love MissChu" and to visit the MissChu stores. 
Cypha said the campaign will run for two weeks and will attempt to "increase consumer traffic in stores and keep the business trading at an effective level". 
The Sydney operations of MissChu <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/45153-i-m-hurting-and-i-m-working-through-it-misschu-founder-says-the-restaurant-chain-will-trade-through-voluntary-administration" target="_blank">collapsed into voluntary administration</a> just days before Christmas, with administrators Rahul Goyal and Jannamaria Robertson of KordaMentha appointed on December 23, 2014.
On the same day, Chu said in a statement on the MissChu Facebook page the administrators were in the process of creating a restructuring package “to save the business, save the stores and to save as many jobs as possible”.
Chu has said she would attempt to <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/45215-misschu-s-4-million-debt-revealed-todd-sampson-joins-qantas-board-midday-roundup" target="_blank">buy back the business</a>, which has continued to trade throughout the administration process, and last month <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/45365-misschu-to-close-london-store-economic-data-points-to-slowing-chinese-economy-midday-roundup" target="_blank">said on Facebook</a> the patronage of the Sydney stores means “the business will not be put into liquidation”.
But in the same statement, Chu confirmed the MissChu restaurant in London has closed and the international licence will be sold.
Speaking to SmartCompany today, Chu says she decided to launch the #weneedchu campaign to "remind people we are still open". 
"Unfortunately, when people see the words voluntary administration, they jump to conclusions ... the first thing they think is we have gone bust rather than it be an opportunity for the business to be restructured. Unfortunately that's just the way people think," Chu says. 
"Voluntary administration is my putting up my hand saying I need help. It doesn't mean I've gone bust."
Chu says she wants to remind MissChu customers of "the core values that are really important to us", including the hard work that individuals have contributed to MissChu. "We don't want people to forget."
Social media expert Catriona Pollard describes the #weneedchu campaign as a “classic crowdsourcing campaign”,said it is essential MissChu “gets the sentiment right”.
Pollard says Chu struck the right chord with her first Facebook post after the company entered administration by honestly telling customers she had made some mistakes. But Pollard says this latest public appeal will only work “if there is loyalty and affection for the brand already”.
“She has a high profile and lots of customers, so it might work,” Pollard says. “This type of campaign probably wouldn’t work for a company that didn’t have lots of customers or brand recognition.”
But Pollard says it will be difficult to see results in a short time frame of just weeks.
“It hasn’t hit the viral stage yet and there is only moderate interaction,” she says.
“They need to up the frequency of their messaging and work on the sentiment.”
At the same time, Pollard says a successful crowdsourcing campaign isn’t about “bombarding people” and it can often take up to a month to reach the “tipping point” needed for a message to sink in and for “people to take action”.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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ekeating-PWvazjYE25

#weneedchu: MissChu takes to social media to salvage business

po-LsXgBTHBmX

With $91 million in personal property holdings, are Queensland's politicans really unbiased?

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Guest observation
I’m not happy about it, but Australia's housing market has a potentially tough year ahead of it.
There are no guarantees in forecasting, but when half-trillon-dollar investment managers start throwing around phrases like "looming housing correction," you know there could be a problem.
In its recent report on Australia's economy, Alliance Bernstein used just that phrase. The report concluded, "There's a clear risk that falling house prices may be the next phase in the post-commodity–adjustment story."
(<a href="https://www.apple.com/">Jessie Richardson</a> covered this report. Get your own <a href="https://www.apple.com/">PDF copy</a> here.)
I'm certainly not one of those who think investment bankers are always right. Perhaps only investment bankers themselves fall for that fallacy.
There is strong evidence, however, that residential prices in the capital cities will either stall or fall in the coming 12 months. Here are four of the key points:
<ol>
<li>Australia is facing an income recession and weak GDP growth. In trend terms, GDP increased only 0.5 percent in the September quarter 2014. Australia's <a href="https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/50fbcf2e-9d4b-11e4-9b22-00144feabdc0#ixzz3PUJBQwE4">income recession</a> is mostly due to lower prices for our biggest exports, resources. Gross domestic income fell 0.3% and 0.4% in the second and third quarters of 2014, respectively. As a result, real wages are falling for the first time since 1992. 
</li>
<li>Conditions in the labour market, as the Reserve Bank points out in its <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2014/nov/html/overview">November statement</a>, remain subdued. Weak employment and weak housing markets tend to reinforce each other. This was shown most clearly in the wake of the GFC in the US. <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2013/article/the-relationship-between-the-housing-and-labor-market-crises-and-doubling-up.htm">Many studies</a> found increased “doubling up” of families sharing homes, and more young adults remained in their parents' homes instead of starting their own households. As one newspaper put it, “Love isn’t all that’s keeping family together today. The bruising housing market is too.” 
</li>
<li>Bloomberg news <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-05/australia-needs-stimulus-to-avoid-recession-morgan-stanley-says">concluded recently</a> that Australia may well have a recession this year, unless the government "acts decisively to stimulate the economy." One of the government's roles is to help balance out the business cycle. The Abbott government promised to do this with big investments in infrastructure. Unfortunately, even today that is still more an aspiration than a reality. 
</li>
<li>Investors are likely to play a smaller part in the housing market this year, as the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has begun discouraging banks from engaging in higher-risk lending. Risky interest-only loans (popular with onshore investors) accounted for 42.5% –almost half– of new housing loan approvals in the September quarter. That's such an outsized role that any significant drop in investor transactions will take real heat out of the housing market.</li>
</ol>
 All things considered, housing could indeed have a tough year in 2015. It will certainly be poor by comparison to last year's performance.
ANDREW TAYLOR is the co-CEO of Juwai.com, China’s No. 1 international property portal and recent winner of the "most influential international property site in China 2014" award from the country’s peak e-commerce body. 
Forbes calls Juwai.com “China's biggest real estate source for those looking to buy overseas.”
 
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ataylor-LB7AWVFTs9

Income recession one of four reasons 2015 might not be celebratory

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The Wenona School has purchased another North Sydney property, highlighting the expansionary ways of private schools in pricey neighbourhoods.
The 81 Ridge Street cottage cost $2.15 million.
The double fronted Federation is on a 409 square metre block opposite North Sydney Oval.
The school's previous big property acquisition was when they purchased the Independent Theatre, at 269 Miller Street, <a href="/news">North Sydney</a>, from the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust for $4.97 million in 2013.
It also bought 263 Miller Street in 2012 for $2.65 million.
Wenona has been an independent, non-denominational day and boarding school since 1886.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Wenona Schools buys up more of North Sydney

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GUEST OBSERVER
In December, I was happy to be involved in the launch of a new Gold Coast project, The Beach Apartments At Broadbeach.
<a href="/news">Broadbeach </a>is easily one of the best locations and most desirable neighbourhoods on the Gold Coast, and since the launch over 40 apartments, with a value of $20m have already been sold.
This is the only off-the-plan project of its kind, and I think for a number of reasons it represents a turning point for the Gold Coast apartment market. The Beach offers the sort of combination that many buyers look for, headlined by a great location, value for money, with a quality developer and builder profile and a reasonable expectation for an up-side when the project is finished.
The Gold Coast has a interesting history, its been the location for lots of activity since the 1880’s when the then Queensland Governor built one of the first holiday homes in the area.
The 1930’s saw quick growth when cars became more common and from around the 1940’s the term ‘Gold Coast’ started to come into common use and the growth trend continued strongly after the Second World War.
In the 1960’s, high-rise holiday apartments made a lasting impression on the area, as did the big changes to the skyline in the 1980’s with the Japanese lead investment boom, along with the opening of the areas well-known and legendary theme parks.
Now the Gold Coast is taking on a new level of glamorous sophistication, as evidenced by the new generation of mega towers, a mature lifestyle offer and the energy of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games will be a welcome bonus.
Among interstate buyers, Broadbeach already has a well established reputation as the Gold Coast’s premier apartment location – given the suburb’s proximity to the beach, the new light rail network and surrounding lifestyle amenities.
In combination it all comes together to deliver a lifestyle offer that is clearly very appealing. The quality of apartments like The Beach has improved in leaps and bounds to accommodate a more demanding and design, quality driven buyer. It’s a trend that developers and their architects and builders are aware of and are responding to with some really appealing product. That’s exactly where I see this project rightfully positioned.
I have shared a little slice of the Gold Coast’s history because I think its important to understand how Australia’s sixth largest city has changed. It continues to evolve, but can sometimes be in the shadow of it’s larger sister cities.
Today, the entire area, including the Tweed, is home to more than 605,000 people, while the 5-year growth rate sits at around 11.2%.
Leading areas of employment are perhaps more diverse than might be expected and spread evenly across three sectors, retail trade, health care and construction. The area’s non-residential building approvals ranks fifth out of all Australian cities and in combination this creates a stronger and more robust local economy.
Combined these figures do I think clearly show that the local economy has moved on from the bikini clad ‘Meter Maid’ image of the past. As an investment destination the Gold Coast deserves to rank well. The potential growth outlook looks set to continue over the next three years. The weaker Australian dollar will also help the area, as locally based tourism regains strength and at the same a time international visits are also on the rise.
A Strong Value Proposition
I also feel the project is perfectly timed and that overall the Gold Coast is currently an ‘undervalued market’. It’s one of the few markets on the east coast that you would have to consider as a buyers market. The local market has been one of the last areas to feel the impact of boom conditions that has swept across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. When you look at reasons to buy here, above all the area represents outstanding value.
In particular, for those buyers who might see themselves as priced out of some areas in the other cities. That applies equally to owner-occupiers and investors. But then it’s also good to keep in mind that Broadbeach is also a stunning location. The overall development taking place in the area is impressive and so there’s always going to be strong demand for short term holiday leasing.
Those buyers looking for a lifestyle asset get a bonus out of buying into The Beach Apartments.
Already according to our local sales team, since the December launch there’s been strong demand out of Sydney and Melbourne from buyers looking at possible future retirement to the area in five or so years time. Understanding the areas appeal, Sydney, Melbourne and also Brisbane families that are regular Gold Coast visitors have lead the enquiry on the premium ocean view, high floor, 2-bedroom apartments.
These buyers are looking for a toe-hold in the area that’s both a good investment and a semi-permanent holiday home, and again this is where the position and aspect of the project clearly come into play. Almost 70% of the 219 apartments will enjoy ocean views. The apartments are affordable with good-sized 1-bedroom apartments starting from $330,000. With sales currently sitting around $7300/sqm, buyers can reasonably anticipate capital growth before and after completion.
Tony Hazell, chief executive of Anthony Moreton Group, says local Gold Coast residents looking to downsize and enjoy the Broadbeach lifestyle have also been attracted by the two year settlement which gives them time to plan for their next move. Again this appears to be ideal timing, as the wider market on the Gold Coast starts to look more assured.
I agree with Tony that the Gold Coast is currently the most undervalued property market on the east coast of Australia. Over the last two to three years there has been a decline in stock of new beachside apartments, and this has begun to put upward pressure on values and pricing.
Even if we see a position where some of the activity of the last 18 months starts to slow in Sydney and Melbourne, in those markets prices are not going to retreat, current price benchmarks are set to remain and continue to increase and so buyers will be looking further afield.
On the Gold Coast the emerging demand appears to indicate that buyers recognise that the market is now in an upward cycle. There are strong expectations that by the time The Beach project is due to settle in early 2017, the value of new property will very likely have improved significantly from where we are today.
The Gold Coast has always been seen as one of Australia’s most desirable holiday destinations. The market has adapted well to the shifting demands from visitors, and despite some bumpy patches it’s a very resilient market.
I suggest that with projects like The Beach Apartments and the recent completion of several major mega-high rise projects, that we are seeing a new depth of maturity in the market, which is underscored here by the perfect location and value for money.
Peter Chittenden is managing director for residential of Colliers International.
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pchittenden-eLqUUC8TWW

Bumpy, but resilient, the Gold Coast's Broadbeach has strong drawing power: Peter Chittenden

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In February last year, NAB released a list of suburbs tipped to enjoy above average capital growth over the next year.
The list was compiled from responses from a panel of respondents involved in the real estate industry, including agents, developers, fund managers and investors.
This year, 28 <a href="/expert-insights/investing/the-28-suburbs-tipped-to-enjoy-above-average-2015-price-growth-nab-economics-survey">outperforming picks</a> have been chosen including Sydney's Penrith, Melbourne's Essendon and Perth's Kelmscott.
But how did last year's picks fare?
Property Observer has cast an eye over the 27 suburbs picked out by NAB's respondents at the beginning of 2014, excluding the city centres – Darwin, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth – due to lack of specificity.
The suburb where NAB's respondents seem to have gotten it the most wrong is Perth's Subiaco.
Rather than enjoying "above average capital growth", Subiaco saw, according to Corelogic RP Data, that unit prices decline over 2014 by 6%. There was 1.8% median house price growth over 2014.
CoreLogic RP Data's December figures report that Perth wide, house prices were up 2.1% for the year, while units were up 1.9%.
This Subiaco house, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-subiaco-118078359" target="_blank">72 Townshend Road</a>, sold for $810,000 in October last year (pictured below). The price was just 1.8% up from the $795,000 vendors paid for it in 2009.
<img src="/images/2015/01/28/subiaco%20house.jpg" alt="">
Buyers paid $340,000 for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-subiaco-117587127" target="_blank">10/36 Bagot Road in Subiaco (pictured below)</a> in August last year, only $5,000 than vendors paid in 2009 – a difference of just 1.4% over five years, or average annual growth of 0.03%.
<img src="/images/2015/01/28/subiaco%20unit.jpg" alt="">
However, NAB's respondents certainly did get it right with their pick of Liverpool, in Sydney.
According to CoreLogic RP Data, Liverpool houses recorded 24% median price growth over 2014, well above the city's already impressive average of 13.4%.
The south-western suburb had a median price of $629,000 in December.
After just six months of ownership, the owners of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-liverpool-118478895" target="_blank">the Liverpool home</a> pictured below flipped it for $625,000, $89,000 higher than their purchase price of $536,000.
<img src="/images/2015/01/28/liverpool%20house.jpg" alt="">
Over 2014, Liverpool's median unit price increased by 12.2%, while Sydney's median unit price was up 8.3% for the same period.
In November last year, the unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-liverpool-118305579" target="_blank">10/5 Charles Street in Liverpool</a> sold for $115,000 more than its October 2013 purchase price.
<img src="/images/2015/01/28/liverpool%20unit.jpg" alt="">
The vendors paid $230,000 for the home in 2013, before trading it for $345,000 in November – a 50% increase in just 13 months.
Here are NAB's Residential Property Survey 2014 picks for above average growth, and their actual 2014 median price capital growth, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
South Australia:
<ul>
<li>St Peters Houses: 5.6% Units: 0%</li>
</ul>
Western Australia:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="/news">Mandurah</a> Houses: 5.6% Units: 9.8%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Maylands Houses: -2.6% Units: 0.0%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>South Lake Houses: 4.8% Unit: 9.9%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Subiaco Houses: 1.8% Units: -6%</li>
</ul>
Queensland:
<ul>
<li>Bulimba Houses: 16.1% Unit: 3.9%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Caboolture Houses: 3.5% Unit: -8%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New Farm Houses: 9.2% Unit: 4.2%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Toowoomba (City) Houses: 4.7% Units: -22%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>West End Houses: 6.6% Units: 0.4%</li>
</ul>
New South Wales:
<ul>
<li>Blacktown Houses: 18.7% Units: 14.9%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Darlinghurst Houses: 26.1% Units: -4.8%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dulwich Hill Houses: 8.1% Units: 21%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Liverpool Houses: 24% Units: 12.2%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Marrickville Houses 11.1% Units: 13.1%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Penrith Houses: 20.9% Units: 15.1%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Potts Point Houses: 0.0% Units: 3.7%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Rosebery Houses: 5.6% Units: 16.3%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Surry Hills Houses: 16.5% Units: 17.6%</li>
</ul>
Victoria: 
<ul>
<li>Cheltenham Houses: 10.6% Units: 7.8%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Frankston Houses: 6.3% Units: 4.1%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Glen Iris Houses: 9.5% Units: 3.5%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Hastings Houses: 0.9% Units: 8.6%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Highett Houses: 13.9% Units: 3.1%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Point Cook Houses: 3.4% Units: -13.5%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Richmond Houses: 10.3% Units: -0.2%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Toorak Houses: 7.8% Units: 4.9%</li>
</ul>
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Liverpool took off, but Subiaco was a dud: winners and losers in NAB's 27 survey predictions for 2014

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I wonder what media is going to do with the latest admission from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that it has been grossly under-estimating the number of first-home buyers in the market.
On Wednesday this week, the ABS posted an update on its "investigation to evaluate the robustness of estimates of loans to first-home buyers".
The investigation, it said, found that "some lenders experience difficulty reporting on loans where the buyers does not receive a first home owner grant".
This, as I pointed out in my column earlier this week (and commented throughout last year, as did other writers on Property Observer), is the nub of the matter. The ABS collects data from the banks on home loans, and the method of identifying a loan applicant as a first-home buyer has always been their application for the first home owner grant.
If the applicant does not apply for a grant, the system does not identify them as a first home buyer.
Since state and territory governments across Australia stopped providing grants for established properties, the number of grant applications has dropped significantly. The research shows that most first-time buyers opt for an established home (cheaper, usually with more land and often better located) over a new home – and therefore most first-home buyers are no longer receiving grants.
The banks no longer record them as first-home buyers.
Because of the under-estimation of first-home buyers, the ABS statistics on home loans have given the appearance that first-time buyers have almost vanished from the market.
Media has leapt on this as a recurring headline, giving rise to claims that young Australians have been priced out of the market – and then, as a natural progression, generating witch hunts to find someone to blame for the situation. Negative gearing benefits to local investors and the activity of foreign investors have been popular targets.
There have been thousands of articles written in the past 12-18 months about the demise of the Great Australian Dream, all based on a fundamental falsehood, created by the ABS miscount of first-home buyers.
It's a damning indictment on journalistic standards in this country that so few have picked up on this. Nobody thought to investigate. No one asked the most basic of questions. Media rushed en masse to the cheap and easy headline – the dream is dead because young Aussies can't afford to buy.
It took a simple phone call from my office in mid-2014 to extract an admission from the ABS that their figures on first-home buyers were wrong – and why they were wrong.
Just how wrong was demonstrated by the recent NAB survey which found that 25% of established homes sold are being bought by first-time buyers and that 24% of new homes are bought by first-timers.
Journalists and editors across Australia should be hanging their heads. But you can be sure none of them will. Nor will the many economists, analysts and commentators who have seized on the ABS figures to justify their attitudes on real estate issues (such as those with an anti negative gearing stance or those opposed to foreign investment in Australian real estate).
"Users are advised to exercise caution in using this data," the ABS said on Wednesday. That warning has come at least 12 months too late. Not that it will make any difference to some.
I would bet my house that next week there will be more articles in major newspapers repeating the fiction that first-home buyers are at an all-time low. And the week after. And six months from now. People won't let the facts get in the way of an entrenched attitude or an easy sound byte.
"ABS and APRA will continue to work with lenders to improve data quality," the ABS said this week. "In the meantime, from the December 2014 issue (to be released on 11 February 2015), estimates of loans to first home buyers will include an adjustment for under-reporting of loans where the buyer did not receive a first home owner grant.
"An Information Paper will be released on the ABS website on 4 February 2015 explaining changes to the method of estimating first home buyers' data and the extent of revisions.   The ABS will continue to update the method as lenders progressively improve their reporting."
Too little, too late. Australia is awash from misinformation on the real estate industry and the most extreme example has been the first-home buyer miscount and all the column inches of inaccurate comment and posturing it has generated.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
Terry will be participating in a webinar on 'The Best and Worst for 2015: Top 5 Hotspots and 5 Places to Avoid' on 3 February.
Click here to <a href="/news">register now</a>.
 
 
 
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First home buyers are still here, but good research has gone missing: Terry Ryder

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<div class="column">
Following the global financial crisis, the world economy was regaining momentum after the sharpest downturn in activity since 1929, attendees at the World Economic Forum have been told.
Both 1929 and 2008 were financial landmarks, but they were not unique, a report to the World Economic Forum at Davos prerepared by the Steering and Advisory Committees of the Emerging Horizons in Real Estate – Asset Price Dynamics Initiative noted. 
"Episodes of extreme volatility in financial and physical asset markets are a recurring feature of modern market economies; neither the frequency nor the amplitude of market cycles seems to be diminishing.
"Real estate markets participate prominently in many of these cycles. 
"Moreover, as cross-border capital flows grow, real estate markets are becoming more globalized, and the potential for disruptive market cycles involving real estate may be increasing," said the report co-authored by Dr David Rees, JLL research director.
Speaking in Davos, Switzerland, Colin Dyer, the chief executive of JLL, also said that, globally, total direct real estate investment was expected to have reached $US700 billion in 2014, matching the pre-recession levels of 2006.
It is also projected to increase a further 5-10% in 2015, driven by the robust economic environment.
</div>
</div>
</div>
"Multi-family assets have been a focus of investor activity in the US and interest in these properties has spread to countries such as the UK and Australia. Additionally, Chinese residential developers have expanded aggressively into overseas markets in recent years, with a focus on London, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Sydney," <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/jllnews/status/556572078317785089" target="_blank">he said</a>.
The annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland attracts more than 2,800 business, government and civic leaders from nearly 100 countries. This year's conference, themed "The New Global Context," will examine how the global economy will adapt to the massive technological, social and political transformations shaping the world today.
 
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