The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

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

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Our tweet of the day today comes from @faisalislam who tweeted out this picture of a sign in Kuala Lumpur for Stratford flat roadshow.
"A brand new fully private luxury development," the sign says. With the addition "with no social housing".
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Actual "no social housing" sign in Kuala Lumpur for Stratford flat roadshow: developer paid £1m for offsite <a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/PqWhAQMg7i">pic.twitter.com/PqWhAQMg7i</a>
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/faisalislam/statuses/382939546825936896">September 25, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
We can't help but imagine the reactions if a similar sign was presented in Australia.
The UK's London Evening Standard reports that flats at Capital Towers, with two-bedroom homes starting at 321,000 pounds, has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/advert-for-new-stratford-homes-sparks-no-riff-raff-row-8826336">sparked a bit of outrage</a>.
"It’s unbelievable that 191 luxury apartments in Stratford are being advertised to millionaires in Kuala Lumpur with the promise they’ll never have to rub shoulders with the hoi polloi. Is this really what our Olympic legacy is about?" Darren Johnson, Green Party member on the London Assembly, was reported as saying.
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

Luxury development advertising "no social housing"

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Home buyers are not only encouraged to pay for a professional building and pest inspection report, but also to consider negotiating with it.
With recent claims of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/a-third-of-properties-unsafe/2013092265185">third of properties being unsafe</a>, and Archicentre also seeing around 30% of properties with a major flaw (see infographic below), some of these properties may still present an opportunity.
Click to enlarge
<a rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2013/09/26/infographic-sept-27-big2.jpg" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2013/09/26/infographic-sept-27-small.jpg"></a>
Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria, Claire Noone, urged buyers to undertake a pest and building inspection as in some cases major faults may be indicated. This may include issues with the sub-floor and roof structures, or termite damage.
 Some properties will be worth avoiding altogether.
“If you’re highly motivated to buy a property, getting a professional building or pest inspection can be one of the final stages in researching the home before you buy,” Noone said.
“The fee for a professional inspection service can be small when compared with the cost of buying a property that needs extensive, unforeseen repairs," she said.
“You may also be able to use the report to negotiate the price and conditions in the contract.”
Investors and home buyers wishing to use a building and pest inspection for potential negotiation should include <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/the-importance-of-building-inspections-in-property-transactions-tim-mansfield/2012052054762">relevant clauses in their contract</a> to allow it to be conditional for this inspection to take place.
A building inspection typically lists any faults, whether these can be repaired, and the potential cost. 
“Buyers negotiating a private sale can make the inspection report a condition of the contract,” Noone said.
“However, if you’re buying at auction you will need to consider whether you get an inspection beforehand – as you cannot make the contract subject to conditions, and you don’t get a cooling-off period to change your mind."
Full professional indemnity insurance is crucial for the inspection service you choose to use, ensure that they have this cover.
If your building and pest inspection has you confused, it might also be worth reading observer Jo Chivers' <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/how-to-read-between-the-lines-of-a-pest-and-building-report-jo-chivers/2012040454169">guide to reading between the lines</a>.
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Renegotiate with your building and pest report

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Property investment is an investment for the long term. As Brendon Hulcombe, CEO of valuation firm Herron Todd White points out, there are too many costs and taxes in buying property to make a lot on short-term horizons.
It’s important that you’re wary of how things may change over an extended period of time, rather than just over the next 12 months.
This means researching the existing and evolving longer term trends and forces shaping a location and region such as price movements, rental yields, gentrification and the evolution of the suburb.
You should also be aware of the property cycle – whether prices in the location you may buy are falling, rising, bottoming out or peaking – and also if there is a different outlook for apartments over houses.
Ideally you should try and buy at the bottom of the cycle.
<hr>
This article is fromProperty Observer's free ebook <a href="/guides/free-ebook-top-10-property-investment-tips">Top 10 Property Investment Tips</a>
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Research longer-term trends

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We have a new candidate for the title of “worst real estate article of the year”. 
   Unsurprisingly, it appeared in Australia’s most dismal newspaper, The Daily Telegraph.   The headline claimed that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/realestate/families-give-up-on-great-aussie-dream-of-home-ownership-as-rental-trap-snaps-shut/story-fnhytr0n-1226724745610">families have given up on the “great Aussie dream”</a>. You can be fairly sure that when an article starts with that most tired of clichés, what follows is likely to be nonsense. The article did not disappoint.   It relied on another great cliché of journalism, that you never let the facts get in the way of a good story. This piece made a number of startling claims, but provided no evidence to support them.   It began with this statement: “An alarming number of Australian families are losing sight of the home ownership dream, being forced into long-term rental situations and struggling to provide security for their children.”   That’s a pretty big statement. I searched the article for information that backed it up, but there was none. No figures to support the “alarming number” claim. Nothing to justify the claim that large numbers of families are “struggling to provide security for their children”.   The second paragraph talked about “soaring property prices”. Again it didn’t provide any figures, which is a shame because I’d love to know where property prices have soared any time in the past three years.   The only markets that have achieved double-digit growth in any of the years since 2010 have been regional towns and cities, mostly those boosted by the resources sector. (Chinchilla in Queensland, for example, has averaged 10.8% annual growth in recent years, according to Australian Property Monitors figures).   The third paragraph says that “the situation is particularly severe in NSW”. Why? Apparently, because NSW has a third of the nation’s renters. Well, you would expect NSW to have a third of nation’s renters because NSW has a third of the nation’s population.   NSW is in line with national averages, whereby roughly a third of households rent and two-thirds own their homes, with or without mortgages. It’s been that way for a long time.   Paragraph six begins with this: “News that the home ownership dream is fading comes …” Really? What news that the home ownership dream is fading? Certainly it’s not contained in this article, which presents zero evidence to support the claim.   The article then moves on to blame the planning system for the crisis they say exists, but for which they have presented no supporting information.   Sensationalism at its worst and not one, not two, but three Telegraph writers interviewed their keyboards to come up with this pile of twaddle.   Yes, this anorexic article totalling 15 shallow paragraphs required contributions from three non-journalists. There was a triple byline, as if this was an epic of investigative journalism.   It was the antithesis of journalism, but sadly typical of print media’s coverage of real estate issues. No wonder the two major media organisations have been sacking journalists by the thousands recently. If this is the best three colluding writers can come up with, they don’t deserve their jobs.   So, I repeat <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/hotspots/my-first-rule-for-successful-property-investing-stop-reading-newspapers-terry-ryder/2013091865120">my comment from last week</a> on Property Observer. If you want to be informed about real estate, stop reading newspapers and start looking elsewhere for information.
 
<hr>
 Terry Ryder is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" rel="nofollow">hotspotting.com.au</a> and you can contact Terry via <a href="https://mailto:%20ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email</a> or on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
 
 
  
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Claims that the "great Aussie dream" of home ownership is dead are pure sensationalism: Terry Ryder

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The property market is on the rise and so is the inner city building boom. As off-the-plan apartment sales attract investor attention what does that mean for existing property price potential?
It can mean everything and nothing.
By ‘everything’ I mean that the increase in brand new apartments coming onto the market could obviously potentially decrease the value of existing property in the area. It isn’t a great story to be telling as a real estate agent but it’s undeniable that many people will say "why buy an old one if there is a brand new one available?"
That’s the obvious and worst case scenario. It’s the concern I’ve encountered regularly when talking to investors whose property we manage in and around Pyrmont in particular. Should they get out now?
My response is that new apartments could also mean ‘nothing’ to the value of existing property.
It’s important to remember the apartment building boom is a reaction to carefully calculated and evaluated prospective growth in demand. That means demand for new apartments will not automatically cancel out demand for those already built.  Also, for existing properties in Pyrmont and the CBD significant value is invested in their prime location which will not decline.
It means there will be more choice but the anticipation is there will be more people looking.
My advice to landlords is to ensure their property is well maintained so it remains competitive in both in the rental and sales market.  It can be more cost-effective to undertake smaller, regular upgrades to keep fixtures and fittings top class and top quality.
I suppose what I am saying here is the shiny new play thing might capture a lot of attention but don’t underestimate the inherent value of elegance and sophistication; virtues that increase with age.
 
<hr>
 Ewan Morton is managing director of the Sydney based <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mortonandmorton.com.au/" rel="nofollow">Morton &amp; Morton</a>.
 
 
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Inner city building boom will not automatically cancel out demand for existing properties: Ewan Morton

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A parcel of commercial assets formerly home to the south-east corridor campuses of a federally-funded trade training college in Western Australia's Armadale and Maddington have been put on the sales block.
The portfolio, which is being offered separately or in one line, comprises of two warehouses and an office in Armadale and a purposes-built training facility in Maddington. They are being offered for sale or lease on behalf of Australian Trades College (WA) receivers and managers Grant Thornton.
The Maddington property, at <a target="_blank" href="https://rca.colliers.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-wa-maddington-500878743" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-result="17">10 Alloa Road</a> (pictured below), comprises 806 square metres of administration and classroom facilities and two workshops totalling 1,132 square metres on a 10,924 square metre site.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/09/25/mad]}
In Armadale, three separate lots, at 41, 43 and <a target="_blank" href="https://rca.colliers.com.au/property-offices-wa-armadale-500875051" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-result="18">45 Commerce Avenue</a> (pictured below), are offered on two titles over a combined total land area of 5,264 square metres. The assets comprise a 2,175 square metres warehouse with basement car parking, a 688 square metre office building and an 880 square metre warehouse. One of the warehouses is currently leased to Polytechnic West, formerly known as Swan TAFE.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/09/25/arm]}
Colliers International director of metropolitan markets, Nicholas Agapitos said both the Maddington and Armadale assets presented real opportunity for potential buyers or tenants. Mr Agapitos is marketing the portfolio of assets.
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Former Australian Trades College (WA) asset portfolio to be parceled off 

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A local private investor has purchased a fitness centre in Adelaide's inner suburb of Hindmarsh for about $7 million.
The 233 Port Road centre was purchased from Bantry Developments and Aretzis Properties on a net yield of 8.6%. The property is currently leased to Goodlife Operations Pty Ltd - a subsidiary of Ardent Leisure Ltd - under a 15 year lease.
Constructed in 2008, the 2,223 square metre centre was sold through selling agent Lukas Weeks of Jones Lang LaSalle.
Mr Weeks commented that the property was sold two weeks prior to the close of expressions of interest.
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Local investor pays $7 million for Hindmarsh fitness centre

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National automotive and hardware tool wholesaler, Kincrome Australia Pty Ltd has signed a two year lease in Melbourne's south-eastern suburb of Noble Park.
Kincrome agreed to a two year lease with a two year option at about $240,000 per annum gross plus GST and CPI increases.
The 21-23 Summit Road property comprises a 3,458 square metre office and warehouse facility including a 10 metre height, clear-span warehouse component.
Savills Notting Hill office director Lynton Williams brokered the deal.
Mr Williams said Kincrome had required additional warehousing space to satisfy the overflow from its warehousing/distribution centre, head office, at nearby Caribbean Gardens in Scoresby.
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Kincrome coming to Noble Park

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Cleanaway, a subsidiary of waste management company Transpacific Industries Group, has secured a 10-year lease with Walker Corporation for a purpose built recyclable waste transfer station in Canberra's Monaro Industrial Park.
The facility valued at $5.5 million will include a 4,200 square metre warehouse and 225 square metres office, purpose built by Richard Crookes Constructions. It is expected to be completed next month.
Cleanaway joins the likes of Allied Pickfords, Grace Records Management and Toll Ipec to the estate.
Monaro Industrial Park is one of Canberra’s first master plan industrial estates and is located 13 kilometres south of Canberra's CBD.
The 30-hectare estate is located in the industrial hub of Hume, and is said to provide a flexible and cost effective alternative to Canberra's older areas of Fyshwick and Mitchell.
Cleanaway plans to use the site for its operation of a waste transport depot, which will service Canberra and the greater Australian Capital Territory when they relocate to Monaro from their current location at Alderson Place.
In addition to the Cleanaway facility, seven 120 square metre architecturally designed strata units with mezzanine offices are being built at the Monaro Industrial Park. The stand-alone industrial zoned units will be offered for sale or lease in the fourth quarter of 2013.
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Cleanaway secure 10-year lease at Monaro Industrial Park

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The southern end of the Sydney CBD is set to become the location for a new major commercial office development, with some big corporate names already believed to be circling.
Joint venture partners Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia have released their A-Grade commercial offering at the $2 billion Central Park development on Broadway.
The 26,000 square metres building, to be known as ‘100 Broadway’, is located on the corner of Abercrombie Street and Broadway and sits within the country’s largest “knowledge precinct” - UTS, Sydney University &amp; Notre Dame University. 
It is understood several blue-chip companies are considering Central Park, which is said be particularly appealing to IT and professional services companies. One source said the project was attracting companies looking to attract future talent.
The joint venture partner is targeting net rents of around an average of mid $600s per square metre.
Frasers Property Australia chief executive Guy Pahor said 100 Broadway was "at the epicentre of what will soon be Sydney’s most dynamic urban quarter".
Designed by internationally renowned architects Foster + Partners, in conjunction with Australian architects PTW, 100 Broadway is said to boast Sydney’s most efficient floor plates (2100 square metres), along with impressive environmental credentials, such as its connection to Central Park’s central thermal plant and tri-generation facility.
Mr Pahor said 100 Broadway would draw its power from the precinct’s 2MW gas-fired tri- generation facility operating in tandem with electricity sourced from the grid.
“This means that tenants will have access to alternative sources of power, which translates into a high level of power source security and reliability – a critical requirement for many tenants, especially those with high-density IT demands”, he added.
CBRE have been appointed leasing agents of the project. Construction is due start to in 2014 with completion in early 2016.
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