<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>
Agent: Karen Mychaelle Seeto<img src="/images/2014/04/14/Karen-Seeto--PROFILE.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;">
Position: Sales/Principal
Company: Ray White Commercial
Location: Brisbane
How long have you been in the industry?
12 years.
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
The commercial industrial property market is seeing increased buyer activity. This is in both tenanted and vacant assets.
Describe the most interesting property you have sold:
The most interesting property I have sold is Wirrina Cove in South Australia. The sale of Wirrina Cove encompassed selling of the following:
<ul>
<li>Resort, Conference Centre, Golf Course</li>
<li>Caravan Park</li>
<li>Undeveloped Land</li>
<li>Developed Lots</li>
<li>Marina Berths and Head Lease</li>
</ul>
The assets were sold in five stages and were marketed with a budget of $449,951.07, generating a total of 851 enquiries.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
<ul>
<li>People skills</li>
<li>Team work</li>
<li>Negotiation skills</li>
<li>Efficiency</li>
<li>Product knowledge</li>
<li>Commitment</li>
</ul>
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most? 
I enjoy working with people and being able to help them with both the sales and acquisition of assets.  In all situations being able to look for the win for both parties to ensure a successful outcome.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000?
The residential investment market.
Which football team do you support?
I don't. Netball - Firebirds 
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
The new iPad air.
How do you use social media?
Website - <a href="https://kms.raywhitecommercial.com.au/" target="_blank">https://kms.raywhitecommercial.com.au/</a>
Linkedin - <a href="https://au.linkedin.com/pub/karen-mychaelle-seeto/63/b02/b00" target="_blank">https://au.linkedin.com/pub/karen-mychaelle-seeto/63/b02/b00</a>
Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/KarenSeeto" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/KarenSeeto</a>
Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/karenmychaelleseeto" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/karenmychaelleseeto</a>  
</body></html>

kjiminez-eaYKfU7qd2

In profile: Ray White Commercial's principal - Brisbane, Karen Mychaelle Seeto

<html><body>
Foreign investors and businesses have been showing a great deal of confidence in the Australian retail market, and all types of retail property are benefiting.
South African retail group Woolworths last week <a href="/expert-insights/investing/david-jones-taken-over-by-woolworths-sa">made a $2.15 billion bid for David Jones</a>, with the $4 a share bid representing a 25.4% premium to the previous day’s closing price for the Australian department store’s stock. Woolworths’ chief executive Ian Moir told media the company planned to expand David Jones and add more than $130 million to its bottom line over the next five years.
The proposed takeover is the latest in a series of offshore retail entries into the Australian market.
Swedish fashion retailer <a href="/expert-insights/investing/h-m-set-for-australian-roll-out-as-its-first-local-store-launches-tomorrow">H&amp;M opened its first Australian store in Melbourne’s GPO</a> at the start of April. Japanese brand Uniqlo is due to open its first store at Emporium Melbourne on Wednesday April 16.
Those brands follow others such as Zara from Spain and Top Shop from the UK, as well as Canadian home ware retailer Williams-Sonoma which have all entered in the past few years.
The international brands favour being located in prime shopping locations, which has boosted assets in those areas.
Retail sales more generally have been improving and major regional shopping centres have benefited.
Turnover rose 0.2% in February 2014 in seasonally adjusted terms, following a rise of 1.2% in January 2014, Australian Bureau of Statistics data released last week shows.
Victoria was the largest contributor to the rise, with turnover increasing 0.5%, followed by Western Australia with a 0.4% increase and New South Wales with 0.1% more turnover.
Resilient returns on major regional shopping centres are attracting institutional investors, Colliers International national director of <a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/Services/Property_Types/Retail.aspx" target="_blank">retail </a>investment services Lachlan MacGillivray said in March after facilitating the sale $496 million of a 50% stake in Northland, a major shopping centre in Preston in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, to GPT Wholesale Shopping Centre Fund.
“Yields for this asset class across Australia currently range between 5.25% and 6.00%, reflecting the significant value and core nature of this asset category.  However, the increasing demand over recent years has led to some yield compression,” MacGillivray said.
More than $7 billion worth of shopping centres transacted in 2013, a record for the sector, and the trend is expected to continue this year.
Investors are also pursuing smaller retail properties, particularly in Melbourne.
At the start of April, a local private investor paid $1.67 million representing a yield of just 4.58% for a strata retail premises at 353-355 Flinders Lane in Melbourne leased to Café Del Corso, until November 2020.
In March, a private Chinese investor paid $1.05 million for a 20 square metre property and $2.1 million for a 281square metre store, both ground floor of 114 Russell Street, Melbourne. A separate Chinese buyer bought an adjoining 235 square metre property in the same building for $1.61 million. The sales were made at initial yields of around 6.5%.
CBRE negotiator, Victorian retail investments Rorey James said the depth in the market for sub-$5 million strip retail properties in Melbourne was as diverse as it had ever been.
“We are receiving strong interest from local, national and offshore parties all looking to capitalise on both the low interest rate environment and the improved retail tenant and consumer confidence,” James told Property Observer.
“Buyers are looking for alternatives to term deposits and the volatile share market and are willing to pay premium prices to secure these properties.”
Melbourne has more than 20 substantial retail strips, with the prime shopping areas, such as Acland Street, Chapel Street, Church Street and Carlisle Street, being the most sought after and tightly held in the current marketplace. 
CBRE recently sold a property in Acland St for a tight yield of 3.7% and price that reflected the highest building rate ever paid in the strip. Other recent sales include two properties on Toorak Road that sold at yields below 5% and a retail premises on Bay Street, Brighton that went for a 3.7% yield. 
James said the strong results were evidence of unprecedented buyer demand for sub-$5 million retail investment properties at a time when there was a significant lack of buying opportunities combined with record low interest rates, which was spurring investors to compete to acquire the assets.
The lack of prime strip properties being offered to the market was forcing investors to look to secondary locations, such as Bridge Road, Richmond, where retailers have not been performing as strongly, he added.
"We are noticing a heightened level of buyer demand in secondary locations given the inability to purchase properties in prime strips, and this increased demand is seeing yields compress in all Melbourne strip retail markets,” James said.
The early strong results set the benchmark for 2014 and were clear indicators that buyers were aggressively seeking high quality retail properties in well located areas and were willing to pay premium prices.
Offshore buyers entering the Victorian commercial property market were also having a positive effect on pricing when vendors decided to bring their assets to market for sale.
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zfielding-GvX3Uq9KTa

Retail market benefitting from foreign investor and business confidence

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Where are we right now and what actually determines the cycles for the residential and commercial sector?
As it happens, most people believe every sector is quickly affected by interest rate movements, that's not strictly true.
And where interest rates do have an effect, the actual timing of that also varies.
How it seems to work in practice
The most sensitive sector is clearly residential property.
As interest rates rise, this immediately starts to curb home buyer borrowing — which, in turn, thins out the number of people bidding at auction and that quickly affects selling prices.
Generally, about three to six months later, you'll notice retail sales being affected. As a result, investors will tend to temper their demand for that sector.
Because most industrial property is largely used for product distribution … any fall in retail sales tends to decrease the need for storing additional stock.
As such, the industrial market can then start to become affected — with about a 12-month time lag.
Residential property right now
Despite all the publicity about having an over-heated housing sector, the stats suggest any collapse in the residential market is still a fair way off.
During last year, home buyers were more or less playing catch-up — as a result of effectively doing nothing since the GFC.
And so, you are likely to see prices stabilise throughout the remainder of 2014.
The office sector
The office sector is basically unaffected by interest rates.
Instead, it closely tracks economic activity and this is what then determines the supply and demand for office space.
Bottom line: As a result of where things sit in the current cycle, you should be enjoying good growth for office property over the next three to five years — certainly in the Sydney and Melbourne markets.
With a those markets expected to peak somewhere around 2018/19.
Unfortunately, the other capital city office markets appear to be running several years behind this time frame, so make your investment decisions with this in mind.
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chrislang-EQKojcgJPV

Do low interest rates affect the commercial property cycle?

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Sometimes, an investor is presented with the exciting prospect of picking up a dual-income residence at below-market buying rates. Many readers will be very familiar with the ‘duplex’ housing type in Australia. Throughout most capital cities and regional centres, duplexes have been a popular choice for many decades.

Modern innovation on the humble duplex design have also paved the way for new investor opportunities.

For those not familiar with duplex property types; a duplex property is effectively two conjoined properties occupying one block or plot of land and will share at least one common wall. Both dwellings in a duplex are constructed at the same time, however, depending on the title structure, they may be strata or non-strata titled.

If strata titled, each dwelling may be sold and owned separately. However if not strata-titled, it means both dwellings within the duplex can only be sold together. Sometimes investors can purchase both sides of a strata-titled duplex, enabling for the opportunity to owner-occupy one half, whilst renting out the other half.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27728]

Each dwelling in a duplex is completely separate with no shared rooms or entrances. Each dwelling has its own bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, courtyards and sometimes their own garages. Duplex designs have come leaps and bounds in recent years, evolving from what were once pretty ugly property types that were viewed as only occupying dodgy suburbs.

This was because decades ago, tenant demands were very different to what they are today. Typically, ‘good quality’ tenants favoured only houses on large blocks, located in suburbs very far from the CBD centre (greater than 20 kilometres). For this reason, duplexes were harder to market, with rental return sometimes not being strong, due to renter demand preferring detached houses.

However, fast forward to 2014 and as the cost of land skyrockets across most major capital cities and renter demand is shifting towards smaller living spaces (but in closer proximity to CBD centres); the concept of the duplex has become a popular talking point again.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4807]

So here are some of the pros and cons for the duplex housing type:

Pros 

<ul>
<li>
The biggest pro is the potential to pick up two income revenues on what is effectively one property. 
	 </li>
	<li>
If well-purchased, this rental return rate can make for a positive cash flow from the outset. 
	 </li>
	<li>
Duplex properties tend to fare better in terms of re-sell value compared to a traditional house that has had a granny flat added to the property. 
	 </li>
	<li>
The potential to have no strata title structure creates an opportunity for investors to not only reduce holding costs (thereby adding more rental return to the property), but it also enables greater control over the expenditure of both properties. 
	 </li>
	<li>New providers and builders are innovating in this space. Designs are way more aesthetically pleasing these days and are in fact are being designed to give the appearance of one big house (from the street) rather than a duplex or an uglier ‘bolt-on’ house. This adds curbside appeal to both dwellings and helps maintain street value, and for investors this also enables greater capital growth potential for both dwellings.</li>
</ul>
[smartcode_project:default project_id=7275]

Cons 

<ul>
<li>
Whilst it is great having no strata costs; the reality is as owner of both halves you must maintain both dwellings as you would any other detached house. This can mean three to four bathrooms to maintain instead of just two; two kitchens instead of two; two gardens; HVAC systems and so on. 
	 </li>
	<li>
Further to this; you thus lose many of the ‘economies of scale’ gained when owning a unit in a strata titled complex of say a dozen or so units/villas. Things like roof maintenance become much more expensive when split between only two dwellings versus a dozen. 
	 </li>
	<li>
I mentioned the opportunity to live in one half and rent the other, however there could be capital gains tax consequences to doing this. The reason being it is effectively one title on the overall property. On the flip-side however, you could strata title each one and owner-occupy one dwelling (and never rent it out as an investment property) there is potential to qualify for capital gains tax concessions for that dwelling only. However… 
	 </li>
	<li>
Traditionally duplexes on one title are harder to sell. This is because you can only market the property to either owner occupier investors or owner occupiers who require a second dwelling for extended family. So, it shrinks the prospective buying pool, which may result in a less favourable sales price when you do find a buyer. 
	 </li>
	<li>However, this may not be such a bad thing, because as our aging population gets older; the potential demand for properties that can occupy a young family, along with the grandparents, is significant.</li>
</ul>
Image courtesy of the the NNECAPA photo library/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">CC</a>.
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cmcevoy-Go82SmsJA9

The pros and cons of investing in a modern duplex

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Many rely on rental investments for a low risk source of cash flow. But poor planning and bad decisions can turn your stable income stream into a financial sinkhole.
Whether you’re considering the purchase of an investment property or wondering why your rental is eating cash, avoiding these traps can minimise your costs and maximise your profits.
<ol>
<li>
Setting the rent too low or too high.  According to Terri Scheer Insurance executive manager Carolyn Parrella, before purchasing your investment property you should research extensively to determine the right rental price. “Setting the rent too high may result in limited interest from prospective tenants, leaving you out of pocket if the property remains empty for an extended period of time,” she said. “However, setting the rent too low may place you under financial pressure, limit your rental income and has the potential to attract unsuitable tenants. “Look on real estate websites and through newspaper classifieds to find listings with similar features to your property, as this will give you a guide on the rental market in that area. “If you appoint a property manager, they should be able to provide you with information on comparable properties and advise an appropriate rent for your own investment.” Remember, depending on your tenancy agreement, once tenants are signed onto the lease it may be a year before you can you change the rent. Take the time to do your research. 
</li>
<li>
Failing to monitor arrears “If a tenant falls behind in their rent, it can be a very long and costly process to resolve and could leave you considerably out of pocket,” said Parrella. “Diarise the dates that your tenant’s rental payments are due and check your bank account on those days. “If your tenant doesn’t pay on the due date, monitor your bank account on a daily basis. If they fall into arrears a breach notice should be sent for non-payment of rent,” she said. “The number of days in rental arrears before a termination notice can be sent, and the time between presenting the notice and requesting vacation varies around Australia, so it is important to be familiar with your local tenancy laws. “Regularly monitoring arrears and issuing tenants with appropriate notices promptly may help resolve issues sooner and mitigate any financial loss.” 
</li>
<li>
Attempting to self-manage a property.  Landlords may attempt to save some coin by self-managing their property, but many are often under resourced for the task and left losing money. “While it can be tempting to save a small percentage of rental income by self-managing your rental property, the benefits of appointing a property manager can far outweigh the costs,” said Parrella. “Property managers are able to conduct regular property inspections to identify maintenance issues, have systems in place to find and screen prospective tenants, and have access to databases that list tenants with a history of defaulting on rental payments, damaging property and eviction.  “If a dispute arises with a tenant, they are also familiar with the relevant legislation and can follow the correct procedures to help resolve the problem as quickly as possible.” If you don’t have the time, resources and experience to self-manage your property, a property manager is the best way to go. <a href="/news/how-to-choose-the-best-property-manager">Make sure you choose a good one</a>.  
</li>
<li>
Neglecting maintenance.  Don’t let the state of your property slip away from you – unfortunately, your rental isn't a case of “set it and forget it.” Parrella noted that neglecting maintenance issues could see you liable for injuries your tenants sustain on your property. “As a landlord, once you have been alerted to maintenance issues, it is your responsibility to act on these or authorise your property manager to do so as soon as possible,” she said. “If a maintenance issue arises and you are slow to fix it, you may be legally liable if your tenant injures themselves. It is also important to ensure that all maintenance is completed properly and to appropriate standards.” 
</li>
<li>
Inadequate insurance.  Make sure you are adequately protected against lapsed rental income, damage to your assets and legal liability.  “Specialised landlord insurance cover can protect investors from many of the risks associated with owning a rental property, provide peace of mind and ease a landlord’s concerns about receiving regular rental payments if their tenant damages the property or absconds,” said Parrella. “Standard building and contents insurance policies usually don’t cover landlords for these risks. “Landlord insurance can cover property owners for malicious damage by tenants, accidental damage, legal liability for occurrences on the property that cause death or bodily injury, and loss of rental income as a result of property damage or a tenant absconding. “Even the most careful tenant can damage a property, whether accidental or otherwise. “This can be extremely costly for the landlord in terms of repairs and the loss of rental income," she said. For more information on landlord's insurance, see our <a href="/expert-insights/what-insurance-policy-do-i-need-as-a-landlord">article on the topic here</a>. 
</li>
</ol>
 
 
For more real estate traps and tips visit <a href="https://realestatetraps.com.au/">realestatetraps.com.au</a>
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Landlords beware: five common financial traps

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The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales, after a two year absence and intense lobbying, has welcomed the recommencement of tenancy cases being heard in Parramatta.
Announced on Friday, Attorney General Greg Smith said that the area would once again host regular sittings, this time of the new super tribunal - the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal, more commonly referred to as NCAT.
This will happen from 30 June 2014, and will see NCAT sit in Parramatta three days each week as a service for tenants and landlords.
This has been welcomed by the president of the REINSW, Malcolm Gunning, who said that it was needed for Sydney's west. Estimations are currently that up to 40 issues would be heard per day in Parramatta.
“We were very concerned when old Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) stopped operating in Parramatta in early 2012," said Gunning.
“Resolving disputes in Parramatta is a win for everyone in the property industry, especially landlords and tenants who will no longer face the costs and time restraints of having to travel to the Sydney or Penrith Register to have their case heard."
“Our efforts over the last two years to highlight the importance of tribunal hearings in Parramatta have been vindicated by this decision,” he said.
NCAT is the replacement to the CTTT system, that is said to simplify the "complex and bewildering" system, according to Smith.
“The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) will be a one-stop shop for almost all state tribunals, ranging from relatively small bodies such as the Chinese Medicine Tribunal through to the much larger Consumer, Trader &amp; Tenancy Tribunal,” said Smith.
It deals with tenancy disputes, customer complaints, applications for guardianship and a number of other issues.
After operating from 2 January 2014, NCAT conducted 28,000 hearings in 100 days.
Parramatta hearings will be held in a room at the Commonwealth Law Courts building.
“This is great news for Western Sydney and consolidates Parramatta’s position as the state’s largest legal hub outside of Sydney’s CBD," said Smith.
“It follows confirmation that the Court of Criminal Appeal will sit in Parramatta for two weeks in July and August, with the Chief Justice of NSW Tom Bathurst to be among the judges presiding over the hearings.”
Regular Supreme Court sittings may also be a possibility, with Chief Justice Bathurst examining this in the future.
“While the old Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal sat in Parramatta until early 2012, many of the tribunals that have joined NCAT have never conducted regular hearings in Sydney’s west,” said Smith.
“NCAT will provide the people of Western Sydney with quick and cost effective access to justice.
“Tribunal proceedings are typically less formal than a traditional court hearing and often achieve earlier resolutions.”
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

REINSW lobbying pays off, tenancy cases to again be heard in Parramatta

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The Collins Street gallery of photographer Ken Duncan will close at the end of this month, a year and a half after <a href="/expert-insights/investing/photographer-ken-duncan-rents-gallery-space-on-melbournes-collins-street">the site was secured</a>.
The move marks the end of the gallery’s physical presence in Victoria, after 17 years and three different locations in the state. The nature photographer also previously had a gallery in Melbourne's Docklands. In a public release, Duncan wrote that waiting four years for the repair of the Southern Cross Observation Wheel “hit [the gallery] very hard.”
Known for his panoramic landscape photography, Ken and his wife, managing director Pam Duncan, will focus on consolidating their main gallery on the New South Wales Central Coast. Last year, the <a href="/news/landscape-photographer-ken-duncan-lists-matcham-house-and-former-gallery">Duncans sold their Matcham house and gallery</a> property (pictured below) for $1.23 million.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/09/27/matcham-sept-27-one.jpg" alt="matcham-sept-27-one">
The Ken Duncan gallery will be open on the ground floor of 500 Collins Street until the end of the month. Ken Duncan signed a five year lease with CBRE in October 2012, reportedly paying about $1000 per square metre. Savills is currently advertising a half-sized ground level gallery adjacent to the Ken Duncan gallery in 500 Collins Street for $1,400 per square metre. 
The mixed retail and office building was purchased by the Kador Group in 2002 and underwent significant upgrades to improve sustainability, becoming Australia’s first refurbishment project to receive a five star Green Star design rating. 
Office space in the building is currently available to rent at $390 to $440 per square metre. 
Ken Duncan received a Medal of the Order of Australia from the federal government for his services to landscape photography, publishing and the arts.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Ken Duncan to close Melbourne gallery at end of April

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With generally positive labour market figures for March 2014, AMP Capital has renewed its prediction of a rate hike in September or October, virtually ruling out the possibility of another rate cut this year.
According to the latest ABS Labour Force figures, March saw seasonally adjusted employment rise by 18,100 people, ahead of market expectations of a 2,500 person gain.
Following a 48,200 gain in February, employment is now up 1.1% from a year ago.
Unemployment fell in March, now at 5.8% from an upwardly revised figure of 6.1% in February. However, the decrease can largely be explained by a fall in the participation rate, which AMP Capital’s chief economist and head of investment strategy Shane Oliver also believed factored into an “odd slump” in Western Australia’s unemployment figure which fell from 5.9% to 4.9% for the month.
Full time jobs were down 22,000 for the month across Australia, after an 80,000 job gain in February.
According to Oliver, the “messy details” of the ABS’s latest report and the tendency for monthly volatility in labour data highlights the importance of trend data, which shows monthly jobs growth of about 14,000, with unemployment rising slowly.
Given the available data, AMP considers Australia’s job market better off than media reports suggest, though not as strong as implied in February and January’s data. Forward looking employment indicators such as job vacancies, job ads and hiring intentions as detailed in the NAB Business Survey (see below) suggest gradual improvements in the jobs market. 
<img src="/images/2014/04/15/chart%20april%2015%20one.png" alt="">
While AMP expects that the rising value of the Australian dollar is likely to become a cause for concern for the Reserve Bank, the investment house predicts that the RBA will “renew jawboning efforts” to suppress the dollar’s international value in the coming months, rather than adjusting interest rates. The Australian dollar sits at US$0.94 at the time of writing.
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Employment up for March with rate hike expected later this year: AMP

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I, like many property observers, am laughing at those commentators who are speculating that Australian houses could fall by up to 20% – an assumption that I find totally absurd.
It's far easier to question the state of the minds of those making such fanciful attention-seeking ‘listen to me because I’m important’ commentaries. Yes, house prices now equate to 4.3 times annual income and 28 times annual rent – however we are seeing less households selling today, with the mindset moving to long-term holds.
There is little point or relevance for that matter comparing Australian house growth to the other major economies around the world, for the simple reason that Australia has the smallest population – 22.68 million which is then reflective in the number of properties. The smaller the market, the tighter the hold and today there is no better example than Mosman, which has just 4,800 houses approximately.
In 2007 as the global financial crisis (GFC) loomed Mosman was put on notice by many of these so-called experts that prices would be decimated given its high dependence on the banking and financial industries which were spiraling downwards into oblivion. Well as it later showed Mosman had one of the (if not the) lowest delinquency rates in Australia and I am the first to admit that home prices move in wave – like motions.
In 2006 Mosman sold just 366 houses for a median price of $2,050,000; in 2007 there were 373 sales for a median price of $2,400,000.
In 2008 the median went to $2,450,000 with 247 sales (see my point – less sales with a higher median).
In 2009 sales increased to 278 yet that median fell to $2,200,000, then in 2010 we saw 317 sales recorded and the median jumped up to $2,325,000. In 2011 it went to $2,400,000 with 270 sales, then in 2012 the median fell to $2,100,000 with 284 sales and in 2013 it jumped back to $2,345,000 with 379 sales. Only a genius could make sense from that data.
Earlier this year we read speculation that with the Australian dollar falling our unemployment was on track to be higher than America’s, given it appeared our unemployment rate was 6.00% and climbing. This week we were pleasantly surprised to see the unemployment rate tracking at 5.8% which is a far cry from being north of 6.6%. Although of concern would be the International Monetary Fund warning of new challenges to developing economies. The Australian economy is still seen as below growth trend, although they do have our unemployment tracking at around 6.2% so the latest unemployment results are a fabulous achievement.
Two other interesting observations this week with the All Ordinaries hitting 5,503.5, which is the highest intraday level since September 2008. Then a day later the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed property investor participation rates were trending downwards for the first time in 18 months.
<a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/04/11-04-2014-9-42-47-AM.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8497" src="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/04/11-04-2014-9-42-47-AM.jpg" alt="11-04-2014 9-42-47 AM" width="629" height="386"></a>
Source: Digital Finance Analytics
One can only hope that this time around property investors are not jumping back into the stock market by borrowing against their property portfolios. If so, this would be yet again another recipe for disaster – but then again history does repeat itself given it is well documented the two don’t really mix.
The Australian Property Monitors March Quarter 2014 Report was released last week and revealed the most amazing statistic (a week of amazing statistics) that Sydney maintains the mantle as the most expensive major capital for tenants with the median weekly asking house rent over the March quarter at $500 and units at $490 per week. With house rents flat lining over the last twelve months, units continue to rise simply because of affordability and an obvious lack of supply which again is a problem caused by governments stymieing the development process.
The latest Landsbury Deep Leeds an Occasional Research Paper which was released last week, revealed the number of proposed apartments in Inner Sydney has grown 20% since their last report in September 2013 to now reach over 30,000. The pipeline now includes 156 projects or major stages of projects, up from 130 in their last report, spread widely across 40 suburbs in 11 local government areas. The Sydney CBD has the most apartments proposed with 4,900 in the Inner Sydney region although the fact that construction is years behind demand is causing Sydney major concerns given our younger generations are now moving interstate.
<a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/04/11-04-2014-10-05-06-AM.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8499" src="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/04/11-04-2014-10-05-06-AM.jpg" alt="11-04-2014 10-05-06 AM" width="578" height="310"></a>
Last week the ABS predicted Melbourne’s population will overtake Sydney’s by 2053. In the last financial year, NSW lost 4,000 people to Victoria, where a majority are well-educated, highly productive workers in their 30s, in search of cheaper housing or a shorter commute. The tell-tale signs of this migration have been floated for years and are a major concern for Sydney given it lay idle for years and Melbourne on the other hand, was building apartment developments at the fastest rate of any capital city in Australia.
Once they leave it’s a very hard task to entice them back as businesses will move with the population and Sydney can ill-afford to see major business relocating to fit their workforces.
Just another reason why some state governments are seen as totally hopeless with absolutely no vision – the reality is that population planning is completely beyond their comprehension.
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robertsimeon-hRNTwJyXkQ

Why Sydney has a big problem with the future

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<li>A tenant must be 14 or more days in rental arrears for you to begin formal eviction proceedings, which begins with a Notice to Vacate. At this point, you need to wait a further 14 days before any action can be taken. Alternative payment arrangements with either the landlord or property manager can halt this process. 
</li>
<li>You cannot lock a tenant out and personally evict them, or change the locks. The only authority that can do this is the police, and they will need to have obtained a valid Possession Order and a Warrant of Possession (from VCAT in the state of Victoria). If you try to do this, the tenant can apply for a Restraining Order and can call the police. 
</li>
<li>Tenants can put in a claim for compensation for inconvenience, loss or damages if the landlord has acted unlawfully when attempting eviction proceedings. 
</li>
<li>The tenant should still be paying you rent until the termination of the tenancy, which tends to be when they move out. 
</li>
<li>There are some instances where you can apply straight to Tribunal for a possession order, without the usual circumstance of notifying the tenant. These include, but are not limited to, serious damage to the home or neighbouring homes, injury to the landlord, agent or a neighbour by the tenant, use for illegal purposes (such as drug manufacturing) and a number of other serious circumstances. 
</li>
<li>A landlord's case can be thrown out of Tribunal if they have not abided by the rules required surrounding dates and notice periods. Be sure to know what the required number of notice days is for your particular state or territory (where the property is located) and any extra days required for postage. Keep postal receipts and clear documentation for future reference. 
</li>
<li>If a tenant tries to rectify a breach, a Tribunal may not decide to grant the termination. For instance, Tenants New South Wales notes that "If you can show that you have fixed the breach or taken steps to fix it, NCAT may decide not to end the tenancy." 
</li>
<li>Sub-letting without permission can be grounds for eviction. 
</li>
<li>You cannot dispose of a tenants' items or "goods left behind" straight away. Perishable goods and rubbish may be thrown out, however personal documents must be disposed of after 90 days notice, by returning them to the issuing authority or in another lawful manner and not in a way that makes information publicly available. Other goods require 14 days notice, and they may be sold or disposed of. You must keep a record of the goods disposed of. 
</li>
<li>The tenant will not pay the landlord's legal fees at Tribunal if they are unsuccessful, unless the Tribunal orders otherwise, such as in a case of unreasonable disruption.</li>
</ol></body></html>

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