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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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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