<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

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.

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

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

<html><body>
A continuining drop in first home buyer numbers has chief executive of the Real Estate Instute of Western Australia (REIWA), Neville Pozzi, warning the government not to introduced any stamp duty increases for first timers.
He said that this drop should come as a budget warning to the state government.
“Given that first home buyers are dropping in numbers, it’s critical that the Treasurer doesn’t bring back stamp duty for this segment of the market,” Pozzi said.
Currently, first home buyers in Western Australia are exempt from stamp duty payments for homes under $500,000.
“It’s very concerning, however, that Premier Barnett has indicated that the current tax break for first home buyers is under review and might be changed,” he said.
“The housing market is very susceptible to cost pressures and making first homes more expensive would be a terrible blow to the market just as it’s starting to stabilise,” he said.
FHOG applications for the March quarter, as recorded by the Office of State Revenue, recorded a 9% drop. This is 21% below the June 2013 peak.
This drop is across both the established and new-build sectors, with established homes dropping by 14%.
“This means that grants being paid out have now fallen below the average since the FHOG was first introduced 14 years ago,” he said.
He noted that the "last thing" the market needs at present is any added cost pressure on first time buyers.
The median purchase by first home buyers in March was $470,000 in Perth, and $350,000 in regional Western Australia.
</body></html>

jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

REIWA chief executive warns against FHB stamp duty introduction

<html><body>
Charter Hall’s latest Brisbane development is 100 Skyring, a $175 million A-Grade 12-storey office building in Newstead. It’s three months ahead of schedule, with announcements that the first tenants will be moving in from November.
Located in the Gasworks precinct, the building is set to be the national headquarters for the Bank of Queensland, the anchor tenant who is leasing 54% of the building.
The 2,200 square metre campus-style building with floor plates is in the fastest growing office precinct in Brisbane.
It is 1.7 kilometres from the CBD, and contains 23,759 square metres of office and retail space. The area already has companies such as Leighton Contractors, Bechtel, Virgin Airlines, Macquarie Bank, AECOM, Australian Agricultural Company and Energex in residence.
Charter Hall regional asset manager Belinda Kalinin said that it’s now three months ahead of construction schedule due to careful planning.
“This month, Hutchinson Builders has installed the final level of facade, allowing interior work to ramp up,” explained Kalinin.
Interested tenants include companies looking for flexible floor plate office spaces near to Brisbane CBD.   
“100 Skyring, jointly owned by Charter Hall’s Core Plus Office Fund and a global institutional partner, is the latest major Brisbane office property investment by Charter Hall, which already owns Brisbane Square, 175 Eagle Street and 275 George Street,” she said.
BOQ is moving the headquarters to the development to transform the way staff work, creating a more flexible and collaborative environment, according to chief executive Stuart Grimshaw.
“We are also looking forward to being part of the growing Newstead community – it is exciting to see the calibre of companies and retailers choosing to base themselves there and there is a real sense of momentum building about the precinct."
</body></html>

Brisbane’s 100 Skyring, new BOQ headquarters, to see first tenants

<html><body>
The median price of a house in Adelaide now sits at $410,000 on a quarterly basis.
According to RP Data, Adelaide saw a 2.4% increase in its median house price over last month. Despite recording the strongest monthly price growth of any capital city market for the month, Adelaide house values are still the second lowest in the country, after Hobart’s.
Property Observer looks to recent Adelaide sales to see just what $410,000 will buy you.
<ol>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-port+adelaide-115474079" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">13 HAGEN AVENUE, PORT ADELAIDE</a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-port+adelaide-115474079" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;"> <img src="/images/2014/05/05/1.jpg" width="800" height="600"> </a>A three bedroom home was sold in Port Adelaide for $410,000 early last month. Marketed towards first home buyers, the house was a new build in an area that’s relatively well populated with subdivisions and new developments. The home includes an open plan living and dining area and an outdoor entertaining area. Price: $410,000 Bedrooms: three Drive to CBD: 22 minutes 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-kidman+park-116221411" target="_blank">1 STEWART STREET, KIDMAN PARK <img src="/images/2014/05/05/kidman%20street.jpg" width="800" height="600"> </a>This home sold for just under the city’s median price, going for $402,000 in March. With three bedrooms and located on a cul-de-sac, the house was marketed towards young families. Sitting on a 634 square metre lot, the home includes a sizeable backyard and a two car carport. The vendors purchased the property for $178,000 in 2001. Price: $402,000 Bedrooms: three Drive to CBD: 16 minutes 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-mansfield+park-116055019" target="_blank">1A KENT STREET, MANSFIELD PARK </a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-mansfield+park-116055019" target="_blank"> <img src="/images/2014/05/05/mansfield-may-2-breakout.jpg" alt=""> </a>This house on a subdivided plot brought in $422,000 for the vendors. Located just over 10 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD, this north facing brick veneer house was built in 2012. Inside there are four bedrooms, with floating floorboards throughout. Price: $422,000 Bedrooms: Four Drive to CBD: 20 minutes 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-clapham-115896883" target="_blank">10 MACPHERSON STREET, CLAPHAM <img src="/images/2014/05/05/claph.jpg" width="800" height="600"> </a>Located eight kilometres south of the Adelaide CBD, this two bedroom home sold for $412,500 after two weeks on the market. Vendors purchased the property in 2006 for $375,000. Price: $412,500 Bedrooms: Two Drive to CBD: 13 minutes 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-newton-116592771" target="_blank">12 CHATSWOOD GROVE, NEWTON </a>
<img src="/images/2014/05/05/newton.jpg" width="800" height="600">
Purchased last month for for $412,000, this three bedroom home is located in Adelaide’s north eastern suburbs. It is currently tenanted til the end of the month, with the previous owners earning $280 per week in rental income. They purchased the house in 2000 for $145,000. 
Price: $412,00 Bedrooms: Three Drive to CBD: 17 minutes
</li>
</ol>
</body></html>

jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

What can you get for Adelaide’s median house price?

<html><body>
Illegal drug labs set up in rental properties can cause fear for property investors, particularly as the clean up costs can be significant, not to mention a hefty repair bill in some instances.
While it's uncommon for tenants to be engaged in this type of activity, it's worth every property manager and investor (particularly self-managing landlords) to be keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.
Terri Scheer Insurance's executive manager Carolyn Parrella explains that whether it's cannabis, methamphetamine or ecstasy, illegal drug cultivation has specific signs that astute investors can look for.
“Temporary drug laboratories in rental properties can be difficult to detect if you do not know what to look out for,” said Parrella, even though tenants will go to significant lengths to hide this type of activity.
For those who do find evidence of a drug lab, investors should first contact their property manager, and also the police.  Obtaining insurance coverage often requires a police report. A tenant will be required to vacate, after which time insurance assessors can determine the damage.
In the meantime, here are the five things to watch out for:
<ol>
<li>
Regularly inspect  There's no way to figure out whether illegal activity is being undertaken if you are not regularly inspecting.  Detecting temporary drug labs can save you money, particularly if they're found early, as this will help mitigate loss and will allow you to lodge an insurance claim as soon as possible, said Parella.  “It takes three months to cultivate a hydroponics crop so carrying out quarterly inspections will increase the chances of detecting any illegal activity as soon as possible," she said. Ensure you undertake routine inspections. 
</li>
<li>
Neglect or lack of furnishings  The first thing you should be looking for at an inspection is a lack of furniture, and/or signs of neglect. While some certainly live with the bare minimum, it's unusual to see a rental that has a lack of personal effects.  “When conducting an inspection look for signs that the property is being lived in. Illegal drug manufacturers generally do not live at the properties they use to cultivate drugs, therefore the premises may appear under furnished or neglected," she explains.  It is always worth asking the tenant if they've been away, and looking for another reason before assuming they run a drug lab (a stretch if this is the only suggestion can see). 
</li>
<li>
Look for modifications  Creating a drug lab isn't exactly a simple task. As anyone who watched Breaking Bad can tell you, it requires some specific equipment, materials and products.  “Some hydroponic systems or temporary drug laboratories require specific modifications to the property,” she said.  You want to be on the lookout for tampering with the property. Pipes and hoses are often required in hydroponic setups, that filter through the roof or a man hole. Holes in the ceiling can be a signal of a drug lab set up.  “It is also a good idea to check whether the meter board has been tampered with or rewired. Holes in nearby walls or built-in cupboards are common in order to feed wires to a power source," she advised. 
</li>
<li>
Look for specific items  We can't all know what every item is that someone else owns, however an abundance of unusual items may suggest that something untoward is happening.  “Certain items are commonly used to manufacture illegal drugs, including glass flasks, beakers, rubber tubing, gas cylinders, chemical containers, drums, drain cleaner, acid garden fertiliser and cough, cold or allergy medicine,” Parrella said.  A portable air conditioner is also frequently a key part of kit when cultivating hydronic crops, she said. Again, don't jump to conclusions - similar items have been owned in children's chemistry sets - however, use your common sense. Some of these items in combination may set alarm bells ringing. 
</li>
<li>
Sealed/covered windows  Windows that are constantly covered or sealed during the day may also be a small suggestion that these tenants are looking for an extra level of privacy.  Windows covered in aluminium foil, in particular, however should have you concerned. 
</li>
<li>
Bills If you're seeing unusual signs in the property, then it's time to turn to the bills.  “A dramatic spike in water consumption could signal drug manufacturing as more water is generally needed to cultivate drug crops," notes Parella. 
</li>
<li>
Unusual wear and tear  Temporary drug labs can leave signs in unusual ways. Colour variations on the walls, such as behind hanging pictures or artworks, after a short-term period is worth a second look.  “If there are intense lights being used as part of a hydroponics set up it may visibly fade paintwork," notes Parella.
</li>
</ol>
</body></html>

Seven ways to detect if your investment property is being used as a drug lab

<html><body>
Eling Forest Vineyard, the Southern Highlands of NSW boutique winery, has been sold.
Located just west of Sutton Forest village, the 73 hectare property has been bought by the Wang family for $5.8 million.
<a href="https://www.andrewhearn.com.au/listings/rural_sale-93411-sutton-forest/" target="_blank">It had been listed</a> by interests associated with Warwick Wainberg through Andrew Hearn at the Berrima based Andrew Hearn Real Estate.
The buyers were Wei Guo Wang, Wei Min Wang, Chen Yang Wang and Pei Hong Cao.
It last traded in 2005 at $600,000.
It highlights the Southern Highlands stature as one of Australia's most exciting new wine regions, though still not a patch on the Hunter Valley which has been attracting strong Chinese buying interest in recent years.
The Southern Highlands' first wine producer in recent times was Kim Mogine at Joadja in 1983. There were about 50 vineyards in the region by 2000 that spanned 145 hectares within Australia's newest wine region better known for its tulips.
Cool climate vineyards were first planted at Joadja Creek in the 1870s, supplying Sydney with table grapes.
Established in 1990, Eling Forest was the second modern winery to be established in the cool climate area, with its first wines produced in 1993. 
Its first vines were planted by Leslie Fritz, who was then 80, and came from a long line of winemakers in Hungary. The then 157 hectare holding had cost $1.9 million in 1989.
The grapes are handpicked and vines hand pruned in the traditional manner at the Hume Highway property, with the wine fermented in stainless steel vats, then aged in American and French oak barrels. 
<a href="https://www.elingforest.com.au/cafe-a-cellar-door/gallery" target="_blank">About 120,000 bottles are currently produced plus "Apple Thief" ciders.</a>
The cool climate vineyard produces white and red wine varieties and blends sold through is cellar door which is open seven days a week.
There is an 1840 colonial homestead - restored in 2005 during the ownership of Ron Fryer - and other living quarters that provides accommodation in picturesque gardens tendered to at one point by Clause Crowe. 
It comes with function centre that caters for up to 200.
The former boxer Fortunato "Lucky" Gattellari and his brother Frank briefly bought into Eling Forest Winery, initially securing a small stake around 2003. Their venture, which soon soured, <a href="https://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-01-22/entertainment/0301220080_1_winemaking-wine-bottle-australian" target="_blank">attracted international media interest</a>.
Other major vineyards in the highlands include the Centennial Vineyards at Bowral, established by the co-founders of Cellarmasters, John Piven Large and his partner, Mark Dowling.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Eling Forest, Sutton Forest vineyard sold to Chinese interests

<html><body>
Take a cursory look through the international press and reports on housing related matters, and it could be merged it into one text as property cycles become increasingly interrelated and investors search for ‘safe havens’ off-shore.
Overwhelmingly, affordability, bubbles, the rise of Asian investors, and fears of a new breed of non-home owning ‘renters’ dominates, and although headline chasing would place any sensationalist report front of line, the reader comments and related dialogue that follow present a familiar picture for the ordinary home buyer – no matter what reforms are taken, it never seems to get any easier. 
You could be forgiven in thinking it’s by some abject force of nature, bustled in at the time of the ‘big bang’ that property (or as I pointed out <a href="https://catherinecashmore.com.au/wp/?p=494" target="_blank">here</a>, ‘land’) is deemed unaffordable. Outpacing wage growth and inflation through the course of a cycle, subject to the whims of a bank’s propensity to lend - burdening buyers with one of the most stressful experiences they’ll go through in life. 
Or in the bleak words of the eminent poet <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lin-a2lTelg&amp;feature=kp" target="_blank">Leonard Cohen</a>:
“Everybody knows… That’s just the way it goes.”
This is what the real estate and finance industry would have you believe as they navigate through the fluctuations of the property cycle with authoritative analysis, on what and where to buy.  And no doubt, it’s been a prosperous affair.
The number of property investment <a href="https://www.propertybooks.com.au/">books</a> written by the ‘<a href="https://www.propertybooks.com.au/">I Did It - And You Can Too!</a>’ experts, belies belief. And yet, becoming successful in the game isn’t incredibly hard for anyone with an ounce of locational common sense. The authors are simply singing their own interpretation of an age-old song titled ‘Monopoly’. 
Over the course of a business cycle, which is both lead by, and correlated to the housing cycle, the gains – more correctly termed economic rent or “earnings from land,” alone - by far and away surpass those that can be gleaned from other more productive investments.
This was stressed in a recent submission by <a href="https://www.earthsharing.org.au/" target="_blank">Earthshare Australia</a> to the upcoming Senate enquiry into housing affordability:
“Unearned incomes in land increased a whopping $187 billion in the December 2013 quarter alone (<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6416.0" target="_blank">ABS 6416</a>). Total yearly dividends (2013), for investors engaged in risk, was recently reported at $84 billion – $103 billion less for an entire year.
(Leading them to question) “Why invest in small business or the ASX when one can earn more for less risk at a lower tax rate as a land speculator?”
These gains occur primarily because we choose to leave the larger proportion of ‘economic rent’ (mistakenly termed, ‘capital growth’ – however in this context, we are talking about the unimproved value of the site) locked in the land, rather than recycled back into community – from where it evolved.
Hence why housing is so expensive – the financial benefit derived from improving the surrounding facilities, is not effectively utilised – and our tax and supply policies do little to assist.
The Henry Tax review was not slow to <a href="https://taxreview.treasury.gov.au/content/finalreport.aspx?doc=html/publications/papers/final_report_part_1/chapter_12.htm" target="_blank">point this out</a>, when it suggested progressively scrapping a vast array of ‘bad taxes’ (payroll, insurance, vehicle registration, stamp duty, and forth, as well as reducing those that reward speculation) and instead, collecting more of the economic rent of natural resources - significantly land. (Notwithstanding, it was another government review which fell largely on deaf ears.)
Yet, historically, the capture of economic rent (through land tax and to some extent ‘betterment’ taxes) financed some of the most remarkable infrastructure we have. Sydney Harbour Bridge being a case in point.
The tale of a bridge and our accumulated wealth
It was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rearvision/tony-abbotts-big-plans-at-odds-with-infrastructure-history/5404212" target="_blank">acknowledged</a> at the time, that residents on the north shore would benefit significantly from an increase in their property values as a result of this essential piece of infrastructure.  Therefore, a framework was set in place to capture a proportion of the uplift – approximately one third – to assist with funding. 
This was in no way detrimental to the property owners. 
The increased advantage of economic activity coupled with the rise in prices resulting from the enterprise, more than compensated. A win-win if you like – and readily accepted by the public as fair.
Over time, changes in the way both state and federal government collected tax moved focus away from land values, onto productivity, effectively, placing a fine on labour and doing a good job of keeping us asset rich and income poor.
It’s great for the haves – but not the ‘have-nots’ (our growing pool of tenants.)
Consequently, the wealth locked in our residential land market, through the process of this accrued speculation – sits at post $4 trillion (add the buildings on top, and it’s an estimated $5.02 trillion).
It’s so large a number; it’s almost meaningless in real terms.
In comparison, the UK housing market is assessed to be $5.2 trillion with a population of around 60 million, so the distribution across a population of 23 million, is telling.
It’s this, that enables publications, such as the <a href="https://www.credit-suisse.com/ch/en/news-and-expertise/topics/wealth.article/article/pwp/news-and-expertise/2012/10/en/global-wealth-report-locating-the-super-rich.html" target="_blank">Global Wealth Report</a> produced annually by Credit Suisse, to assess Australian’s to be the ‘richest in the world’ in median terms. 
In other words – if you stand everyone in a long line, richest to poorest, the middleman has more asset wealth than any other country assessed.
It should therefore come as no surprise that our wealthy know where to bank their dollars - and it’s not down the high street.
As economist <a href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/adair-turner-explains-how-a-fresh-wave-of-automation-is-transforming-employment-and-much-else" target="_blank">Adair Turner</a> and others have pointed out in response to a recent report by Oxfam, which demonstrates how Britain’s five richest families are wealthier than the poorest 20% of the population.  The riches are only in part derived through productive activity – the vast ‘wealth’ however, has been derived through ‘rents’ (unearned gains) in land.
If you thought wars were about religion – think again.
The compounded rent is effectively what we pay for when acquiring real estate – a calculation that takes into account expectations of future growth, minus expenses for the time held – along with a range of other variables such as wages and borrowing rates.
Yet capturing a greater percentage of annual land values, whilst at the same time reducing those on productivity holds much in its favour.
<ul>
<li>It reduces the propensity of boom/bust housing cycles. 
</li>
<li>Encourages timely construction and effective utilisation (good for both the economy, employment and consequently, our welfare state). 
</li>
<li>Aids infrastructure financing. 
</li>
<li>Supports decentralisation. 
</li>
<li>Assists in keeping the cost of shelter affordable – levelling to some degree, the playing field between non-owners and owners. 
</li>
<li>And importantly, in regions where it’s been implemented with <a href="https://catherinecashmore.com.au/wp/?p=414" target="_blank">success</a> - Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania being examples - most owners pay less tax when there’s a shift from productivity onto land, than would be the case otherwise.</li>
</ul>
Article continues on next page. Please click below. 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Change ahead?
Of course, to change the mindset of any nation that has been encouraged to use their housing investments as leverage for economic activity, a welfare fund for retirement, collateral for the advancement of business and commerce, and an ATM for family emergencies, is no easy task. 
Not to mention the many vested interests in both government and the property industry, all of which derive their income from the promotion of it.
However, it’s vitally important we do so – because it sits at the very base of everyconversation government is current having regarding the welfare state, cutting pensions, and increasing the working age until retirement.
Even in our technological age of driverless cars, lasers that can change the weather, 3D printers that can produce substitute body parts, and solar farms that can produce enough energy to run a small city, nothing is possible without the land which gives us the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and a rich array of commodities to fuel our appetite for ‘growth.’
There is nothing to be gleaned in from the hording of land, and whilst secure private tenure of property is vital in so much as land needs to be cared for, cultivated, and effectively utilised, a proportion of unearned economic gains that come from the locational rent of the unimproved value alone – should not be privatised to the extent that prices escalate through the inducement of speculative gain.
Can supply policy solve it alone?
We talk a lot about supply, but whilst the status quo exists - rising land values being used as the primary driver for economic growth – high prices ensure land will only developed for profit, timed to capture the upward wave of a cycle, rather than developed to meet the immediate needs of a home buyer, which does little to deter the wasteful process of <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/wa/a/22865421/developers-choking-land-supply/" target="_blank">land banking</a>.
It is not insignificant that the burdens to supply policy, which we consistently criticise – the structural impediments to development - were implemented along side a gradual shift of the rental capture of land, onto productivity.
As <a href="https://www.bobday.com.au/PDF/Home-Truths-Revisited-May-2013.pdf" target="_blank">Bob Day asserts in his submission</a> to the Senate debate on housing affordability:
“The regulatory seeds of the housing affordability crisis were sown in the 1970s. Until then land was abundant and affordable, and the development of new suburbs was largely left to the private sector.”
The 1970s was not only the point at which urban zoning (a process of false scarcity) was imposed by state governments – it also came at a time at which any hope of tax capturing the fair uplift in land values to keep construction timely and offset soaring costs, had been truly eroded.
This, coupled with a shift in infrastructure financing – as private enterprise played an ever-increasing role and projects were no longer provided with capacity ahead of time, but required to prove revenue – ‘user pays’ whilst home owner benefits – was the beginning of the end.  
A Glance Back At Policy
Early settlers had rejected the British system of taxing both land and buildings, in favour of the methods advocated by the classical economist <a href="https://www.prosper.org.au/about/henry-george/" target="_blank">Henry George</a>, who had previously presented his ‘single tax' theory in Australia to thunderous success. 
However, over time, the government’s inept and poor administration in the regularity and standard of valuations, the creeping in of exemptions (including the family home) coupled with lobbying from large landholders - a group which have historically maintained the greatest political clout – significantly eroded the system, and by the 1950s an array of taxes were falling increasingly on productivity, rather than land. 
In 1953 when the Menzies government abolished the <a href="https://www.prosper.org.au/about/geoists-in-history/clyde-cameron/" target="_blank">Federal Land Tax</a>, rapid post war population growth had firmly laid the foundations for a thirst to profit through capital gain (mounting land values.
The then Labour party – which had historically always rallied in favour of raising revenue from the economic rent of land rather than productivity, were up in arms, prompting <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Calwell" target="_blank">Arthur Calwell</a> to speak in opposition of the plan, passionately declaring:
“We have always believed in the land tax…The land belongs to the people, and its use must be safeguarded and protected at all times!” (Hansard, Vol 221, pp 165-170 passim)
However, it was the beginning of the end. Up until 1961 it was an integral part of the Labour platform. By 1963 however, the commitment had been omitted all together, apparently, <a href="https://www.cooperativeindividualism.org/cameron-clyde_how-labor-lost-its-way-2005" target="_blank">without conference approval</a>.
When Whitlam came to power in 1972 (see Bob Day’s comment above) he ignored any call to bring in legislation to collect the economic rent of land, instead of levying heavy direct and indirect taxes on income, and in so doing, a politically fabricated boom in land values was underway.
In the decades that followed, the promotion of negative gearing (1985), halving of the capital gains on investors (1999), onerous levies on development and upfront infrastructure costs passed onto buyers - grants, incentives and so forth, had little to do with the delivery of affordable housing, and everything to do with escalating land prices.
It should come as no surprise then, that large landowners and the commission side of the real estate industry, shy away from any changes to the tax system. The smoke screen debates on affordability and scrapping negative gearing are just that.
So what now?
Due to China-led resilience and economic stimulus Australia, although in no way unscathed, avoided the disastrous consequences of 2008, resulting in thousands of foreclosures across the US and Europe, whilst banks were bailed and families <a href="https://stephendonnelly.ie/betrayed-by-victorian-era-debtors-prison-mentality/" target="_blank">continue</a> to be evicted.
Not so the recession that marked the early 1990s.  
Affecting 17 out of 18 comparable OECD countries, high unemployment, a large current account deficit and elevated level of foreign debt left many economists gloomy Australia would ever achieve long lasting economic recovery.
Endless debate was given to the causes and consequence, which left policy makers reassuring the community that lessons’, would be learnt! However, as the then Governor of the RBA, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/ian-macfarlane/3378434" target="_blank">Ian McFarlane, later summed up in his 2006 Boyer lecture</a>:
“Any boom built on rising asset prices financed by increased borrowing has to end.”
And considering the date this lecture was given (2006), the following comment was insightful:
“No-one though has a clear mandate at the moment to deal with the threat of major financial instability associated with an asset price boom and bust.”
It’s unfortunate that “no-one” happens to be our most influential political and economic policy makers – and indeed, we’re not alone. 
After every economic crisis, there is always the promise that events will never happen again – safe guards are put in place and eventually the wreckage is cleared. however happen they do, and reforms that promise otherwise repeatedly fail.
Significantly, globalisation, the interrelating of major economies, is adding to the volatile nature of each economic downturn.  As Wayne Swan asserted in his speech <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=speeches/2009/006.htm&amp;pageID=005&amp;min=wms&amp;Year=&amp;DocType=" target="_blank">“A Future Of Promise”</a> given at The Sydney institute in 2007:
“It is, truly, the sharpest synchronised global downturn in living memory… And it's being inflicted on good Australians through no fault of their own.”
No cycle is exactly the same, but while history may not exactly mirror the past, patterns do emerge. 
There’s only one reason we have devastating house price booms and busts –  and that is speculation induced, in this case, through the privatisation of unearned gains.  And whilst some continue to reap a windfall from exploiting the process, we really need to pause and ask – Who is it really benefitting?
It’s time for change. 
</body></html>

catherinecashmore-6LXia3pPQj

Who is really benefiting from the property cycle, and at what cost?

<html><body>
Month end - again
Been blinkin' busy of late, and yesterday I was appalled to discover that according to my calendar it's already the start of a new month!
That being the case, with all the usual caveats about why spending too much time looking at monthly and quarterly dwelling price data might not be a smart idea, we can run a few calculations to show what RP Data will report in a few days time as their dwelling price movements for the month, quarter and year to date.
<div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yDRXr-mmbhI/U2A20wikabI/AAAAAAAAM1U/wtIDKYYc5eM/s1600/RPDq12014.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yDRXr-mmbhI/U2A20wikabI/AAAAAAAAM1U/wtIDKYYc5eM/s1600/RPDq12014.jpg"></a>
</div>
So, nationally dwelling prices were recorded as being +0.3% for the month, +2.6% for the quarter and an extremely strong +3.9% for the 2014 year to date, with the national figures being skewed by exceptionally strong growth in Sydney.
The strongest gains in 2014 have been in Sydney (+5.0%) as we <a href="/expert-insights/buying/crystal-ball-gazing-property-market-predictions-for-2014">confidently predicted</a> in our 2014 forecasts, with Melbourne just a tick behind (+4.9%).
Forecasting
I also explained in the same article why I'm not a big believer in property price forecasts...particularly those which claim to forecast to one decimal place!
Anyone who tells you that they have a model to predict prices to that level of accuracy is either (a) lying or (b) delusional.
It doesn't matter what econometric model you choose to build, eventually it will blow up due to an unforeseen X factor.
All you can really do is start with borrowing rates, household debt levels, market sentiment and fundamentals, economic and employment forecasts etc. and then build a base case from there.
But think of all the unpredictable events we've seen in recent years - the US sequester and fiscal cliff, the US debt ceiling crisis, Cyprus debt crisis, changes in monetary and fiscal policy...you just can't predict and factor in all that stuff.
So you either make a forecasts with a huge range (e.g. 12% to 30% growth in 2014) or you make a weighted average forecast, accept you'll probably be wrong and risk ending up looking like a total doofus (e.g. our own <a href="/expert-insights/buying/crystal-ball-gazing-property-market-predictions-for-2014">6% to 9%</a> in 2014 for Sydney).
As to whether or not Sydney overshoots the top of our expectations? Well, we're only a third of the way through the year, and that remains to be seen.
This all rather contrary to my investment philosophy in any case, which is that property should be seen as a 20-30 year investment decision, and ideally much longer still.
If you're banking on market price movements within a few years, then you're probably in the wrong game.
Other cities
You'll note from the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/crystal-ball-gazing-property-market-predictions-for-2014">same article</a> that we were generally less optimistic than almost everyone else about property prices in 2014, since we felt that houeshold debt levels were generally too high and annualised wages growth tracking too low to facilitate anything like the levels of nationwide dwelling price growth we've seen in cycles past.
Anyways, back to RP Data's figures.
Melbourne was next up for the year to date (+4.9%), though there's been plenty of chatter around easing auction clearance rates, and RP Data recorded a small fall for the month of April itself (-0.5%).
Some signs of life in Adelaide at last too! - although year-on-year the South Australian capital has still been the worst performing major capital city by a wide margin.
Still, prices have under-performed in Adelaide for so many years that some level of catch-up at last now appears due.
Other providers 
<div>Incidentally, I don't have any allegiance to particular data providers.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And since I have no barrow to push on that front and have even less interest in the bickering between them (just look at all of them is my reckoning, and if necessary, give any outlying results the flick) below is what Australian Property Monitors recorded for the first quarter for houses and units.</div>
 
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_oT6dawPwtU/U2A4GLzG3aI/AAAAAAAAM1g/gHePLGV-THQ/s1600/APM+Q1.jpg"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_oT6dawPwtU/U2A4GLzG3aI/AAAAAAAAM1g/gHePLGV-THQ/s1600/APM+Q1.jpg"></a>
Sydney still clearly leading the recovery, both in terms of houses and apartments. Note, however, that these figures have been impacted by revisions to the December quarter figures. Without the revisions, Melbourne would have recorded extremely strong house price growth of more than 6% in the first quarter.
SQM Forecasts
<div>Our forecast for Sydney was 6% to 9% growth in 2014, taking the broad view that price growth could eventually be derailed as the year draws to a close and yields begin to sag, just as they did in 2003.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>At this stage that looks like that forecast be a touch under-cooked since prices are growing strongly, the market is tight and as yet there is no sign of interest rate hikes on the horizon to dampen sentiment.</div>
<a href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/NationalOutlookReport2014MediaRelease.pdf" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">SQM Research forecast</a> very strong growth of 15-20% in Sydney in 2014. 
Natch these forecasts will be benchmarked against a different price series from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) at the end of the year, but for a bit of light interest as much as anything else, I've been tracking their annual forecasts against RP Data's Daily Home Value Index. A bit of mental gymnastics tells me that since a third of the year has gone and Sydney's dwelling price index has been humming along at 5% YTD price growth, then prices should be tracking right at the bottom end of SQM's forecast range:
<div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VCZ8faEN_uE/U2A6l_2ELbI/AAAAAAAAM14/gDX2r-x_Ym4/s1600/SQM2014SYD.jpg"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VCZ8faEN_uE/U2A6l_2ELbI/AAAAAAAAM14/gDX2r-x_Ym4/s1600/SQM2014SYD.jpg"></a></div>
And indeed, so they are.
</div>
<div>
And below are SQM's national forecasts benchmarked against RP Data's index for the first four months of the year.
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5v6TwFilem0/U2A65csTnZI/AAAAAAAAM2A/nbrhiJzcs-A/s1600/SQM2014AUS.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5v6TwFilem0/U2A65csTnZI/AAAAAAAAM2A/nbrhiJzcs-A/s1600/SQM2014AUS.jpg"></a>
Only a third of the year gone, but at this stage I'd take a bet that their national dwelling price forecast could prove to be bang on the money when benchmarked against the ABS series.
You can visit <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) or Pete's <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blog</a>.
His new book '<a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>' is out now.
</div>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Dwelling prices rise further in April

<html><body>
The release of the Commission of Audit yesterday has recommended the federal government abolish support for funding through the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/financing-a-business/commission-says-startups-should-not-receive-government-help/2014050112201" target="_blank">Commercialisation Australia and Innovation Investment Fund</a>.
The commission believes the government should stop providing assistance to startups as there was no greater public benefit, with benefits only for the companies.
“The intellectual property, and any profits arising from these new ideas remains with the business, and there are no clear public benefits arising,” the report says.
“The process of commercialising new products can often be a difficult one.
“However, skills and finance can be acquired from the private sector, and there is no clear reason for the Commonwealth to provide this assistance in competition with private sector providers.”
We spoke to a number of investors about their reaction to the recommendation and what impact, if any, it would have on the community.
Rui Rodrigues, investment manager, <a href="https://www.tankstream.vc/" target="_blank">Tank Stream Ventures</a>:
Rodrigues says that while the tech sector is not reliant on these grants, and nor should they be, there will be an impact in the industry should the recommendations be approved by the government.
“There grants are important in early stage startups and there will be consequences for the sector if they are abolished,” Rodrigues says.
He points out that Commercialisation Australia was responsible for commercialising Wi-Fi (a method was developed and patented by Australian CSIRO researchers to "unsmear" radio waves that echo off indoor surfaces making Wi-Fi possible) something the government was still reaping rewards from through licensing.
He says the audit was not well executed and there were no ideas on how to support innovation and no recommendations on how things could be done better.
“Companies will continue with these grants or not, it’s not critical, but they will be impacted,” Rodrigues says.  
Governments should not be responsible for investment in startups, but they do need to put incentives in place to facilitate it from the private sector.”
Adrian Stone, chairman, <a href="https://www.investorsorg.com/" target="_blank">Investor’s Org</a> and early stage investor:
Stone says his concern is for early stage startups, which were never well-supported by their Commercialisation Australia or the Innovation Investment Fund.
“They were relics of the old days developed along a manufacturing model that did not support startups well,” he says.
The crucial factor here, according to Stone, is that early stage investment represents better “bang for your buck.” Using government money to get in early would represent a greater reward to the economy in the long-run with smaller amounts of money needed.
“The Commercialisation Grant should stay, but it needs to be simplified,” Stone says. “Governments should be co-investing with investors and accelerators that know and understand the market.”
He says IIR was never relevant and in setting up accelerator Inspire 9, of which he is a partner, there was no government support available.
He says a new process that was quicker and simpler was needed by the industry and the current commercialisation grant, which insisted on startups being “pre-revenue”, went against lean startup best principles, forcing startups to apply at a stage where they hadn’t proven their viability as a business.
Clearly the government had a mandate to save money without giving much thought to the longer term impact beyond two years, he adds.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartUpSmart</a>.
</body></html>

jake-cSmGT7VXVf

Investors react to Commission of Audit recommendations

<html><body>
International cosmetics retailer Sephora will arrive in Australia in time for Christmas, with the retailer confirming on Thursday that it will open a stand-alone store in Sydney’s CBD in December.
After <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/marketing/sales/41469-sephora-tipped-to-open-in-australia" target="_blank">reports earlier this year</a> that the retailer would enter the Australian market in the first half of 2015, <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/business/companies/sephora_to_open_first_australian_PzbdFGr3eLfG9vgtnaKtUN" target="_blank">Fairfax reports</a> Sephora has secured a three-level 800 square metres store in Pitt Street Mall which is currently occupied by clothing retailer Esprit.
It’s just the first step in the retailer’s ambitious plans to shake up the local beauty and cosmetics market, with Ravi Thakran, group president for Asia and the Middle East for parent company LVMH, telling Fairfax there is room for around 20 Sephora stores to launch in Australia in coming years.
Sephora is the fastest growing brand within the LVMH group, which includes other brands such as Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Bulgari.
The retailer will be hoping to secure a share of Australia’s cosmetic and toiletry sector, which according to the latest figures from IBISWorld generates annual revenues of $5.5 billion, and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 3% over the next five years.
Senior IBISWorld analyst Caroline Finch told SmartCompany the local cosmetics market is “big bikkies”, with local shoppers choosing to spend their cash with a variety of retailers, including David Jones and Myer, Priceline, and speciality retailers such as Aesop and the Body Shop.
As the latest <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/33935-uniqlo-to-open-first-australian-store-in-melbourne" target="_blank">international retailer to set its sights on the Australian market</a>, we’ve pulled together three quick pieces of information you probably didn’t know about Sephora.
1. European market leader
Sephora has a long history in the European beauty and cosmetics market, having been founded in in 1969. The retailer is now the market leader in Europe, as well as holding a large portion of the United States cosmetics market.
The business was acquired by LVMH in 1997 and now operates more than 1,400 stores in 30 countries.
2. A wide range of premium products
According to Finch, Sephora will opt for a “targeted approach” to the Australian market that will be based on offering an extensive range of premium beauty products, including high-end brands such as Marc Jacobs not currently distributed locally.
For this reason, Finch believes the retailer will pose the biggest threat to DJs and Myer, rather than Priceline, which competes on everyday low prices. In fact, Finch says Sephora may complement Priceline’s strategy, with customers choosing to buy high-end products from Sephora but continuing to visit Priceline for basics.
3. More bang for your buck
Finch says the biggest challenge for the department stores will come from Sephora’s customer service strategy, with the retailer’s sales staff able to sell across brands.
While sales staff at DJs and Myer work on commissions, customers visiting Sephora stores will be shown products from more than one retailer at a time. Finch says this is likely to please shoppers, who will see value in the approach.
Internationally, Sephora is also known for providing free samples to its customers, another feature of the retailer’s strategy likely to impress local shoppers.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
</body></html>

ekeating-PWvazjYE25

International cosmetics giant Sephora to open first Australian store in December

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
If you own a rental property you could be one of the 110,000 investors who will be getting a letter from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) about your tax liabilities.
The ATO has announced that it will be writing to a sample of rental property owners about their tax obligations and entitlements, after new data mining technology identified that property investors may have submitted incorrect tax claims in prior tax years.
The ATO are targeting aggressive expense deductions and particularly the estimated two thirds of property investors who are negatively gearing their investments and claiming losses on their investment properties to offset their tax bills.
If you fall into this category, the following tips might be worth considering when you are completing your tax return.
What’s the status of the property?
Firstly, it’s vital that, if you’re claiming deductions, your rental property needs to be rented or available for rent. If a property is not available for rent, then expenses incurred by a taxpayer are not deductible.
This would seem an obvious point, but it’s worth remembering particularly if your property – as a holiday home or other part-time accommodation - is not rented out across the entire year. If that’s the case, remember that you can only claim deductions for the period that the property is rented or available for rent.
Who’s the owner?
It’s also worth remembering that the legal ownership of the rental property determines the proportion of ownership and entitlement to deductions on your individual tax return. This means that if a husband and wife purchase a rental property in joint names, then their levels of ownership will be 50/50 unless stated otherwise in the purchase contract.
Categories of deduction
Generally, the ATO specifies three types of rental property expenses:
<ul>
<li>Those which you cannot claim a deduction. 
</li>
<li>Those which can be claimed as an immediate deduction in the financial year in which they were incurred. 
</li>
<li>Those that can be deducted over a number of years.</li>
</ul>
Capital or personal expenses aren’t deductible, although you may be able to claim decline in value deductions (depreciation) or capital works deductions, or include certain capital costs in the cost base of the property for capital gains tax purposes. Other examples across each of the three categories are outlined in the sidebar alongside this article.
The picture also gets a bit more complicated when other considerations are factored in. For example, if you take out a loan to purchase a rental property, you can claim the interest charged on that loan as a deduction. However, if the loan is taken out for more than one purpose, you can only claim the interest relevant to the amount borrowed for the rental property. Depending on your circumstances, there may also be potential to claim prepaid interest to maximise your deductions.
Another factor which often confuses owners is the area of repairs and improvements to the property. Spending on repairs and maintenance is tax deductible, but you can’t immediately deduct costs on improvements and total replacements of items, as these are considered capital in nature. However, you might be able to claim depreciation and capital allowances on some improvements.
And, if you’re looking to fix something straight after buying the property, remember that you cannot claim initial repair costs for deterioration and damage already there when you bought the property until at least 12 months after purchase
You should consider getting a quantity surveyor’s depreciation report to ensure you can claim the maximum depreciation and capital allowances deductions. A specialist quantity surveyor can visit your property and prepare a depreciation report that will cover the actual building and the items within it (such as air-conditioner, stove, hot water service, etc).
It’s also worth consulting your accountant before you leap into the property investment space. Given the issues outlined above, tax time can be complex for property investors. When it comes to completing your tax return, working with your accountant to get it right can save a great deal of paperwork – and cost – down the track.
Daniel Deutsch is a partner at <a href="https://www.marinaccountants.com.au/" target="_blank">Marin Accountants</a>, a firm specialising in advice for individuals, investors and family businesses. 
</body></html>

Latest Investing Insights

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

Editor's Picks

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Investing Insights

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News