The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Airbnb

<html><body>
Airbnb is a priority issue on the new Melbourne Lord Mayor's agenda, although Sally Capp concedes it is a State Government task. 
She told 3MMM's Hot Breakfast today that Airbnb apartments were "putting a huge impost on residents in the same building."
She noted a concentration in several locations especially around the Melbourne CBD in popular tourist precincts.
"We need to balance that with residents interests," she said.
"It is actually a state legislation issue.
"There's a lot security issues, damage and noise issues.... general interruption and wear and tear on the building, and a lot of uncertainty around safety.
"At the moment we don't see to have the balance right between the responsibility of owners of those Airbnb and the residents who end up wearing it."
Breakfast broadcaster Eddie McGuire suggested some Melbourne apartment buildings were basically becoming de facto hotels, except without the services of a hotel.
"It is not a level playing field because the hotels are complying with all the regulations, paying their staff and safety," Capp noted.
"We want to keep welcoming people to visit our city but this is about wanting to get the balance right," she said. 
No specifics were mentioned, but there is growing unrest about the Airbnb hotel style operations in the Eq. Tower
Set at 127-141 A'Beckett Street, the high rise building was completed since May 2017, with a high student residency and more recently Expedia, Booking.com and Airbnb clients.
But many guests have complain there's no reception, no 24/7 service or assistance. 
"Was weird to collect the keys from a man at a corner store," one guest reviewed in the early days of its operation.
"This is not a hotel," another said adding: "Rooms are basically Airbnb on a commercial scale. Without a reception, you can either pick up your keys at a local 711 or they will clip them outside for lock box collection."
"We had to pick up our keys at a convenience store a block away," another recent guest confirmed.
"No reception or concierge," another guest advised.
" We had to collect the room keys at a convenience store located very inconveniently at a far end corner," one advised.
"There is no reception .... the phone number we had to ring was in China so no reply.
"Had to wait outside complex for 45 minutes until someone in Australia contacted us after 6 phone calls and contact with bookings.com," a guest complained.
Keys are often left in a secure box on the street for collection.
The 2016 Victorian Owners Corporation Amendment Bill which seeks to regulate short term accomodation in residential apartment blocks is still before Victoria's Upper House.
Global contractor Multiplex completed its construction of ICD Property’s high-rise in May 2017.
Designed by Elenberg Fraser, Eq Tower comprises a total of 633 apartments in one, two and three bedroom configurations.
The 63-level complex offers residential facilities including a 25 metre outdoor swimming pool and BBQ area, indoor gym, sauna, spa, private dining rooms, karaoke suites, cinema, games room and lounges.
Graham Cottam, regional managing director of Brookfield Multiplex Victoria, noted they faced construction challenges including the building changing shape between levels 24 and 36, harsh weather conditions, and building damper tanks on the roof to counterbalance building sway.
Multiplex used techniques such as the installation of a façade curtain wall from behind protection screens to improve site safety and the installation of a centralised VRV air conditioning system, enabling all condenser units to be removed from balconies.
Eq. Tower’s design also includes a range of ESD features such as photovoltaic solar panels, rainwater harvesting, water efficient fixtures and appliances and double glazing throughout.
It was marketed as having karaoke facilities and a mahjong, poker and billiards room.
Michael Mai, managing director of ICD Property, said that the tower would have a strong sense of community in integrated vertical living.
“Elenberg Fraser has succeeded in bringing this vision to life and so we present Eq. Tower as the future of Melbourne living where residents can enjoy just as many experiences within their own apartment building as outside of it,” he said.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Melbourne's Eq. Tower set to be caught in Airbnb crackdown

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The rapid growth of the giant online accommodation-sharing platform, aka Airbnb, is creating serious concerns about equity and the impacts on our cities and neighbourhoods as we know them. Our recent research shows that the patterns of Airbnb listings in Australia’s biggest cities are highly uneven. The findings suggest impacts on rental housing are likely to be biggest in high-end areas that appeal to tourists. Low-income areas are less affected.
Our research – focusing on the Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan regions – looked into three important questions:
<ul>
<li>Where are the listings?</li>
<li>Who is hosting Airbnb?</li>
<li>What are the impacts on rental markets?</li>
</ul>
Where are Airbnb listings located?
The maps below show the distribution of Airbnb offerings in the Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan regions. These also show the composition of listings: entire (house/apartment, shown in red) versus partial (room only or shared room, in blue).
<img src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/114/animation_Syd.gif?1526600665" width="100%">
In Sydney (shown above), Airbnb offerings are mostly concentrated in popular tourist areas. Interestingly, partial house/apartment listings spread out more to the middle and fringe suburbs. Entire house/apartment listings are more concentrated around the city centre and eastern beaches.
<img src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/116/animation_Mel.gif?1526600836" width="100%">
We see a similar pattern in Melbourne (above). Airbnb listings aggregate around the city centre but also extend beyond the inner core to the residential outskirts. However, the composition of listings (entire versus partial) has less effect on their distribution in Melbourne than in Sydney.
Interestingly, the cities have very different Airbnb market sizes. The populations of the two regions are almost on a par, but Sydney has almost twice as many Airbnb listings as Melbourne. The difference in entire house/apartment listings is even greater.
Who is hosting Airbnb?
To understand who is participating on the Airbnb platform as host and who is not, we analysed Airbnb listings data against the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census-based SEIFA, the most widely used nationwide measure of socioeconomic status.
SEIFA is a suite of four summary measures created from Census information. For each index, every geographic area is given a SEIFA score. This shows how that area compares with others in Australia.
All areas are ordered from lowest to highest SEIFA score. This ranges from the lowest 10% of areas, which are given a score of 1, up to the highest 10%, with a score of 10.
Our analysis showed the sheer scale of inequity of Airbnb listings distribution. Over 95% of all entire house/apartment listings and about 87% of partial house/apartment listings (room only or shared room) in Sydney are in the socio-economically best-off areas (SEIFA deciles 9 and 10).
Airbnb offerings in Melbourne follow a similar pattern. Over 80% of entire house/apartment listings and about 70% of partial house/apartment listings are found in the best-off areas.
Our data analysis establishes that Airbnb hosting mainly occurs in the most affluent pockets of both regions.
What are the impacts on the rental market?
We also looked at the ratio of the size of the rental market to the size of Airbnb listings with specific attention to the socioeconomic status (using SEIFA) of each local government area in Melbourne and Sydney. This produced a few interesting observations, which help illustrate how local long term rental housing stock is, or could be, lost by conversion to Airbnb short-term listings.
In Sydney, there are no low socio-economic areas (SEIFA scores of 1-5) with high numbers of rental dwellings that also have high numbers of entire house/apartment Airbnb listings. This means that, to date, Airbnb is not displacing the rental stock in the most disadvantaged pockets of the Sydney metropolitan region.
Nevertheless, in a small number of high socio-economic areas (SEIFA scores of 8-10), the Airbnb market (entire listing only) represents sizeable proportions of the rental market. For the beachside location of Waverley (decile 10), for example, the number of Airbnb entire listings is almost equivalent to a quarter of the number of rental dwellings. Similarly, in Manly and Pittwater (both 10), Airbnb entire home listings are about 20% of the rental market size.
In other words, considering the very small size of Airbnb in comparison to the total rental market in Sydney – less than 3.5% – the overall impact can be expected to be minimal. However, the impact is not equally distributed, either geographically or socio-economically.
Indeed, the impact of Airbnb on the rental market is of concern in a limited number of areas in Sydney, mainly strategic tourism locations such as beachside areas. Although these are at the highest end of socio-economic spectrum, there is a danger of some local residents being pushed out of the most sought-after areas so tourists can move in.
The pattern in Melbourne is slightly different or, in a sense, less intense than in Sydney. Again, the general trend of high Airbnb listings in high socio-economic areas is observed.
The Melbourne CBD, which has a SEIFA score of 8, has the most Airbnb entire house/apartment listings. These listings represent the highest proportion, about 8%, when compared to the size of the local rental market. The pressure on the rental market, then, is far less than what we see in popular Airbnb spots in Sydney, such as Waverley, Manly and Pittwater.
We also see in Melbourne that popular rental areas in lower SEIFA areas have low numbers of entire house/apartment Airbnb listings. This confirms the Sydney hypothesis that the loss of rental supply is not yet a major concern at the lower end of the rental market.
The patterns we observed suggest that the pressure Airbnb puts on the rental market – at least at this point of time – is limited to a small number of high-end areas, mainly locations that are attractive to tourists. This represents a concern in terms of rental supply in these areas, where some local residents in the long-term rental market might be losing out to the short-term tourism market.
Tooran Alizadeh, Senior Lecturer, Director of Urban Design, University of Sydney
Reza Farid, Adjunct Research Fellow, Griffith University
Somwrita Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Design and Computation, University of Sydney
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/airbnb-whos-in-whos-out-and-what-this-tells-us-about-rental-impacts-in-sydney-and-melbourne-95865" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

What is Airnbn's impact on rental markets?

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The short-term rental management company MadeComfy has raised $6 million from the South African wealth group Investec.
MadeComfy manages properties for homeowner investors renting them out on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb in return for a commission of 20 per cent or more.
David Phillips, the head of emerging companies at Investec, said its missed the Airbnb opportunity so instead are involved in MadeComfy.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The new capital would allow MadeComfy to expand beyond its 500 properties in Sydney.
It now has around 100 properties under managements in Melbourne since it expanded last November.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It is aiming to manage 3500 properties by 2020.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
MadeComfy co-founder Quirin Schwaighofer said the company was prepared for any regulatory changes that might emerge after NSW government review of the home-sharing industry,
Fairfax media reported MadeComfy has partnered with the Dee Why branch of real estate agent Raine &amp; Horne and Belle Property agencies in Mosman and Neutral Bay to provide home management services to landlords who want to rent out their property on Airbnb rather than renting them out to long-term tenants.
MadeComfy is also experimenting with working with hotels partnering with the Ovolo hotel in Darling Harbour, which provides check-in service, free wi-fi and discounted breakfast for Airbnb guests who book through MadeComfy.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The $6 million capital injection will make Investec the biggest minority shareholder in MadeComfy.
Mr Schwaighofer and co-founder Sabrina Bethunin will still have the majority stake in the company.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Last year, the company raised $1.1 million from investors including former LinkedIn Australia chief executive Cliff Rosenberg.</div>
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Investec invests $6 million in MadeComfy

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GUEST OBSERVER
Housing affordability is a <a href="https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites/themercury/subscribe?sourceCode=TMWEB_WRE170_a&amp;mode=premium&amp;dest=http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/families-forced-to-live-in-tents-at-hobart-showgrounds/news-story/c297721586a2d2129dba7ec6a3186456?memtype=anonymous" target="_blank">central issue</a> in the Tasmanian election, but <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-05/tasmanian-election-promise-tracker/9373438" target="_blank">regulating Airbnb</a> is not the answer.
Our <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://ecite.utas.edu.au/118352" target="_blank">ongoing research</a> shows that Airbnb is beneficial for the economy, especially in remote areas. In addition to creating accommodation for tourists and providing income for hosts, we found that the recommendations Airbnb hosts provide are incredibly important for small businesses.
<a href="http://www.anglicare.asn.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/rental-affordability-snapshot-2017.pdf" target="_blank">A 2017 Anglicare report</a> acknowledged that Airbnb might be taking some of the private rental market in Tasmania but it didn’t have any evidence to confirm this.
Our <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsbm.12368/full" target="_blank">prior research</a> shows that shops and eateries in regional and rural areas struggle to attract visitors. The word-of-mouth marketing provided by Airbnb hosts is helping to solve this problem.
One of the Airbnb hosts in our study said:
It’s an opportunity for people to get an honest insight into where they’re staying … you might know of a local place that doesn’t have great marketing or money to spend on marketing that you know [guests] wouldn’t have found otherwise.
The Tasmanian government <a href="http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/releases/embracing_the_sharing_economy" target="_blank">deregulated</a> Airbnb in 2017, allowing owners to rent up to four rooms on sharing platforms. Airbnb <a href="https://www.airbnbcitizen.com/tasmania-embraces-home-sharing/">claims</a> to have hosted 169,000 guests in the 12 months to January 2017. This is around 10% of all tourists to Tasmania in that period.
According to a <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/au/Documents/Economics/deloitte-au-economics-airbnb-economic-effects-in-australia-tasmania-010517.pdf" target="_blank">report by Deloitte Access Economics</a>, a majority of Airbnb listings are located outside traditional hotel districts. Airbnb guests spent an estimated A$27.3 million outside the greater Hobart region in 2015-16.
In <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://ecite.utas.edu.au/118352" target="_blank">our research</a>, we have interviewed hosts, guests and small business operators in Tasmania. Many hosts rent out rooms that would not otherwise be available through long-term rental, which deflates some of the arguments that Airbnb is removing large portions of the supply of rental units.
Our study also confirmed Airbnb guests stayed, and spent money, in areas outside major tourist destinations. This provides opportunities for small local businesses located on the city fringe, as well as in suburban, coastal and rural regions.
Airbnb guests <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13683500.2013.827159?scroll=top&amp;needAccess=true" target="_blank">want to make deep connections with their destination</a>. They therefore desire alternative sources of information in addition to mainstream tourism marketing. Who better to give an insider’s view than a local?
As a result Airbnb visitors are discovering more local small businesses, in a variety of locations, through word-of-mouth recommendations from Airbnb hosts.
One Airbnb guest in our study said:
<blockquote>
I’m looking for a host to tell me what’s going on, and I would value that above any other source of information really … it makes a big difference what the host says.
</blockquote>
The demographics of the hosts are also important to note. <a href="https://www.airbnbaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Airbnb_SeniorHostsEuropeReport_English_9-13-16.pdf" target="_blank">Many Airbnb hosts</a> are single women. Hosting allows them to supplement their incomes and helps them pay rent or mortgages.
“I think it’s a positive way of making life a bit easier for everyone involved… it gives a sense for almost everyone to be an entrepreneur … maybe it’s a bit cheesy, but it empowers people…,” said one female host.
As the number of Airbnb hosts grows across Tasmania, <a href="http://www.themercury.com.au/realestate/bidto-curb-airbnb-surge-as-hobart-city-council-wants-house-limit-at-two-rooms-not-four/news-story/306f73e76b5c4eb2b7e72edd623e7bb7" target="_blank">local councils</a>, residents, <a href="http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4929443/tourism-chief-says-council-motion-is-leading-the-way-on-airbnb-regulation/" target="_blank">tourism and hospitality lobby groups</a> and small accommodation businesses continue to grapple with its impact.
Some on Hobart City Council want <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-19/councils-may-consider-taxes-to-deal-with-airbnb-tourists/8624710" target="_blank">to regulate and tax</a> Airbnb to discourage the conversion of rental properties into short-term rentals.
The Tasmanian Greens <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-05/tasmanian-election-promise-tracker/9373438" target="_blank">have promised</a> to regulate Airbnb if they are successful in the upcoming election.
But Tasmania is experiencing an <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/363899848/Accommodation-Supply-Analysis-in-Launceston-Part-1" target="_blank">acute tourist accommodation shortage</a> thanks to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-19/tourism-boom-on-track-in-tasmania/8367412" target="_blank">recent improvements in wilderness infrastructure</a> and the “<a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/the-mona-effect-towns-want-in-on-david-walshs-museum-act/news-story/f803dae3f027a31eb59e4a461303e345" target="_blank">MONA effect</a>”, among other factors.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91566/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Airbnb not only utilises existing infrastructure to meet this demand, our research shows it empowers female hosts and encourages tourists to discover, visit and spend in remote communities.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082" target="_blank">Louise Grimmer</a>, Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maria-massey-441127" target="_blank">Maria Massey</a>, PhD Candidate, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, ARC Training Centre for Innovative Horticultural Products, School of Land and Food, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank">University of Tasmania</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/oskaras-vorobjovas-pinta-443280" target="_blank">Oskaras Vorobjovas-Pinta</a>, Lecturer in Management, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank">University of Tasmania</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/airbnb-is-blamed-for-tasmanias-housing-affordability-problems-but-its-actually-helping-small-businesses-91566" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Airbnb is blamed for Tasmania's housing affordability problems

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The home sharing platform Airbnb has come out in support of  a limit on the number of days a investment property can be rented in NSW strata, as it seeks to avoid a tougher regulatory crackdown by the NSW government.
In a submission to the NSW government, Airbnb said if a host wants to rent out an investment property on Airbnb for more than 180 days in a year, they would have to apply for a development application through the local council.
There are more than 45,000 Airbnb listings in the state with average host earning around $5,300 a year.
Hosts will not require permissions to rent out their primary place of residence or investment property for less than 180 days a year.
The NSW government's options paper, which was released in July, considers a range of options.
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Submissions closed this week with the government is expected to release a response before Christmas.
NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts envisages any new policy would need to balance protecting neighbours and allowing people to profit from providing short-term accommodation.
<a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-submission-details.aspx?pk=%2053960" target="_blank">Airbnb's prior submission</a> has called for a statewide planning framework which clarifies how individuals are allowed to rent out the homes.
"Airbnb supports a clear, statewide approach that supports our host community sharing their own primary place of residence without the need for approvals, registrations, or caps, and for non-­primary places of residence, an approach that is streamlined with clear information about the safety and planning standards to adhere to," it said in the submission.
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London introduced a 90-day limit a calendar year on Airbnb rentals. 
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In June 2015, Philadelphia became the largest city in the U.S. to pass legislation specifically enabling people to share their homes for up to half a year.
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The city of Hamburg acted to clarify that rules restricting tourist accommodation in residential areas do not apply to primary residences.
The Hamburg housing law gives residents the right to use all of their home to host guests for up to 50% of the year. Alternatively, they can use 50% of their home to host guests all year round. 
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A recent City of Sydney Council survey of 1000 residents showed more than 40 per cent of Sydney inner-city residents oppose short term rentals on Airbnb or Stayz as a full-time investment and believe strata bodies should be able to ban short-term rentals.
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Airbnb also recommends the NSW government set up a "three-strikes-and-you're-out" framework to manage complaints.
Airbnb said it opposes giving strata bodies the power to prohibit short-term renting. 
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Airbnb has been gaining immense traction in New South Wales.
New South Wales’ host community has welcomed nearly 420,000 Airbnb guests during the past twelve months which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 167 percent.
We have a large community of people across New South Wales for whom sharing their home is now part of their lifestyle.
"There are now approximately 20,000 active listings in New South Wales and Sydney ranks as one of Airbnb’s top ten cities for most properties on the platform."
In an Economic Impact Study that Airbnb conducted in Sydney, Airbnbn found that the majority of hosts (85 percent) rent their primary residences occasionally and earn a modest but significant amount of extra income that they use to help make ends meet.
In Australia, the average host earns $7,100 per year and hosts approximately 51 nights per year.
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Airbnb support 180 day limit without formal NSW development approvals

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Despite the popularity of Airbnb, a recent survey reveals that more than 40% of Sydney’s inner-city residents oppose short term renting as a full-time investment and believe strata should be able to ban short-term rentals.
The survey of 1000 residents was commissioned by the City of Sydney Council.
However, the majority of residents supported short-term letting on home sharing platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz if the host stayed in the property or was away on holidays, according to The Australian Financial Review.
But a huge 42% were against short-term letting if it was used as a full-time investment. Only 35% said they are in favour of short-term letting as a full time investment.
The report said 45% only support short-term letting for a limited number of days a year.
Earlier this year, Sydney was ranked the second highest city to recoup investment on a home using a peer to peer rental service like Homeaway or Airbnb with an expected yearly return of 11.96% by peer-to-peer motorhome rental platform SHAREaCAMPER.
The new survey’s finding comes as cities get increasingly tough on Airbnb as a full-time investment tool. Both London and Paris each have 90 day and 120-day limits on entire home rentals on Airbnb.
The survey has sparked off a debate.
Airbnb's head of public policy ANZ Brent Thomas said "one small survey in one corner of inner-city Sydney is hardly a representative or robust basis for policy making right across NSW" and the majority of Airbnb hosts are people who rent out their home, rather than property investors.
Sydney is one of Airbnb's top ten cities globally, with over 22,000 listings.
"The vast majority of our hosts in Australia share their primary residence - the home they live in - for an average of just 30 nights per year," Thomas said.
Airbnb is running an "Airbnb Citizen" campaign asking hosts to fight for "fair home sharing rules" in NSW.
Stayz advisor Richard Colbeck said the short-term letting platform supports a "reasonable framework" to address "genuine amenity concerns" in cities, particular strata blocks.
But Stephen Goddard of Owners Corporation Network, which represents strata, said the survey results show there should be "sensible regulation" of short-term letting.
"We don't want to ban short-term lets, we just want to give apartment owners a say on whether or not it occurs in their respective buildings," Goddard said.
Carol Giuseppi of Tourism Accommodation Australia, which represents the hotels industry, said the survey results show residents support "sensible caps" on the number of nights an entire property could be short term-let.
An NSW parliamentary inquiry had previously recommended Airbnb operators should only be subject to "light regulation".
But in an options paper released in July, the NSW government said it was considering a range of options, from industry self-regulation to giving strata the power to put restrict or prohibit apartment short term letting.
It is also considering putting a restriction on the total days per year that a place can be used for short-term letting. The consultation is ongoing and submissions are due close on October 31.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Many Sydney inner city residents against Airbnb letting as 'full-time investment': Survey

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Fans of the television series Offspring can rent Nina Proudman’s 1900s Victorian-style house in the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy on Airbnb.

The house has been “kidproofed” and can sleep six guests.

The home’s interiors were designed by Melbourne-based host Kali Cavanagh who said it is amazing to be able to open up her home and share it with all kinds of people, now including fans of Offspring also, through Airbnb.

<img alt="" src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/09/21/2_gyldq4-1024x576.png">

“Whether they’re wanting to experience what it’s like to live like Nina Proudman, to enjoy a curated space or simply explore the amazing cafe and restaurants in the Fitzroy community, it’s always a pleasure to share my home with new people,” she told Domain.

Kavanagh re-designed the bathroom, lounge, dining and kitchen areas with polished concrete floors and benchtops, a double french oven and luxury appliances.

It is available for <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/5850884" target="_blank">$596 per night</a>.

Airbnb have three other homes used as Offspring sets listed.

The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/6609142" target="_blank">designer Fitzroy terrace</a> which featured as a regular set during the first season of the show has been heritage listed and can be booked for $350 a night.

<img alt="" src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/09/21/2_gyldqg-1024x576.png">

The apartment in the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2084207" target="_blank">heart of Fitzroy</a> overlooks the shopfront used as the set for Proudman’s Real Estate.

And the fourth component of the Proudman property portfolio, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/3845375" target="_blank">penthouse owned by the late Darcy Proudman</a>, can also be booked for $279 a night.

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Rent Nina Proudman’s Offspring house on Airbnb 

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83959/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The Airbnb and empty house phenomena and their presumed links to housing and rental prices have attracted considerable media and political attention.
The ABC points to the “dark side” of Airbnb and its effect on long-term rental prices. Empty houses are being linked to higher housing prices and to foreign investment, most often Chinese investment. The Australian headlines that “China buyers raise ghost town fears”.
The Commonwealth and state governments are seeking to regulate the phenomena. It is questionable whether they should and even whether they understand the data and trends.
<h2>The Airbnb question</h2>
Airbnb involves renting an entire home, a room or a shared room. Short-term rental of an entire house or flat that is available all year is equivalent to reducing long-term rental options.
Airbnb poses a possible threat to rental affordability. The income Airbnb generates in areas of cities popular with tourists causes owners of rental properties to withdraw these from the long-term rental market. It also causes investors to acquire property and enter the Airbnb market, and to increase the cost of long-term rental. 
This may create a ripple effect as relatively high-income households are displaced to adjacent neighbourhoods. The scale of Airbnb impacts on rents, displacement of long-term renters and neighbourhood fragmentation has led cities such as Barcelona, New York and Amsterdam to attempt to ban, or strictly regulate, the extent and location of Airbnb. 
Should similar effects be anticipated in parts of Australian cities that are popular with tourists? Data on Airbnb accommodation in Melbourne and Sydney as of December 2016 are:
<ul>
<li>
Melbourne: 12,174 listings, of which 57% are for entire homes
</li>
<li>
Sydney: 24,078 listings, of which 61% are for entire homes.
</li>
</ul>
Reportedly, "The number of Airbnb properties potentially removed from Sydney’s permanent rental market with an average vacancy rate of around 3% amounts to approximately half of the available rental properties."
The scale of the Airbnb phenomenon is increasing. So, too, is the company’s influence, with its membership of the Committee for Sydney and its status as a source of Qantas Frequent Flyer points. 
Government may well have to consider regulating Airbnb. The question is whether Airbnb is best managed by state government, or metropolitan or local government. 
For example, the Victorian government has designated the Melbourne suburbs of Fitzroy and St Kilda for Airbnb development. Why should this be a state decision? Might the residents of already costly rental Fitzroy and St Kilda have their own views?
<h2>The empty housing question</h2>
On the night of the 2016 Census, 1,089,165 dwellings were empty – 11.2% of all Australian dwellings. It’s widely assumed that these empty dwellings, by not contributing to housing supply, increase house prices.
Supposing that this is the case and presuming that foreign investors contribute significantly to the empty house phenomenon, the Australian government’s 2017-18 budget introduced a levy on foreign investors who leave properties vacant for more than six months.
Not solely blaming foreign investors and also looking at domestic speculative investment, the State of Victoria has introduced a vacant residential property tax. This “is intended to encourage these owners to make their property available for purchase or rent … [but] will only apply to vacant properties located in the inner and middle suburbs of Melbourne”.
However, empty house data should be seen in context: over the previous 35 years, between 9.2% and 11.2% of houses were empty. Vacancy rates have changed little over this time. Almost two-thirds of empty dwellings on census night are holiday houses or dwellings where owners were absent. Among the capital cities, only in metropolitan Perth did the empty dwelling rate exceed 10%.
SGS Economics and Planning estimates about 110,000 of the vacant dwellings – 10.6% of the total – were available for short and long-term rental. This small proportion available for rent, amounting to 1.2% of Australia’s houses, would probably not attract media and political attention.
Nonetheless, foreign investment in housing is a global phenomenon that focuses on specific cities, such as Vancouver, New York, Miami, London, Paris, Auckland and Sydney. Blaming foreign investors for its 107,000 empty dwellings, the Parisian government “tripled the current 20% extrathat non-resident owners have to pay in council tax, or taxe d’habitation, to 60%”.
Vancouver imposed a 15% tax on foreign investment in housing. Following this, “the number of foreign buyers dropped by 80%. That helped dampen house-price inflation there but pushed up demand in nearby Victoria.”
<h2>What level of government should manage these issues?</h2>
It is unclear whether Sydney and Melbourne will come to have a level of empty dwellings that warrants federal and state attention. Should this be required, the question is which tier of government can best manage the phenomenon.
It is difficult to argue that taxes should be applied at federal and state levels because foreign investment, property speculation and Airbnb affect some cities and not others. They affect some suburbs and not others. 
For example, due in part to “a soft residential property market” and “lower land values”, tax revenue for Western Australia is in its third year of decline. The state government and Perth homeowners might welcome foreign investment and Airbnb to sustain tax revenue and house prices.
Would a metropolitan government, learning from metropolitan interventions elsewhere, not be better placed to manage the effects of Airbnb and empty houses?
Cities around the world are seeking to manage these phenomena and sharing experiences of how best to do this. In Australia, though, the Commonwealth and state governments presume to know best.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-tomlinson-10016" target="_blank">Richard Tomlinson</a> is Professor of Urban Planning, University of Melbourne and author for <a href="https://theconversation.com/au" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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Airbnb and empty houses: who’s responsible for managing the impacts on our cities?

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 Short-term letting platform Airbnb says it can cure the ailing Northern Territory economy.
The peer-to-peer accommodation platform’s economic benefits for Australia were recently captured in a Deloitte Access Economics report that said Airbnb guests contributed $1.6 billion in GDP and supported more than 14,000 jobs.  
Airbnb’s head of public policy for Australia and New Zealand, Brent Thomas recently said Airbnb has become an economic lifeline for everyday Territorians and small businesses, according to the NT News.
“With the cost or delay of having to build new accommodation options, Airbnb is helping the Territory host more guests and grow the tourism pie,” Thomas said.
“We are injecting more than $6.5 million into the economy and creating more than 50 local jobs,” he said, while pitching for the need for fair and progressive rules for home sharing in the Northern Territory.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/03/AirbnbEconomy.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/03/AirbnbEconomy.png" alt="">
He questioned Tourism NT’s Vision 2020 strategy that excludes using short-term accommodation providers such as Airbnb.
According to Tourism NT’s Vision 2020,  the state will need an additional 205-225 hotel rooms per annum to 2020 to keep occupancy at viable and sustainable levels.
“The strategy focuses on increasing the supply of traditional commercial accommodation,” Airbnb said.
“Yet, the strategy doesn’t consider the idea of using short-term accommodation, like Airbnb, to fill the gap like other cities around Australia and the world are doing.
He said it does not mention the need to expand the supply of short-term accommodation, adding that states such as South Australia and Tasmania are already benefitting after embracing Airbnb.
Every state in Australia has different rules for short-term accommodation.
The Deloitte report said Airbnb could serve as a potential model or means by which the Northern Territory could access different markets, and leverage the opportunity presented by a global platform.
"Airbnb guests tend to spend more than average tourists, with Airbnb and TRA survey data showing that Airbnb guests in Darwin spend 53 per cent more on average. These spending tendencies may assist the government to grow the value of the tourism sector," it said.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/03/AirbnbTouristExp.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/03/AirbnbTouristExp.png" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/03/AirbnbEconGuest.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/03/AirbnbEconGuest.png" alt="">
 
The report, Economic effects of Airbnb in Australia, found that of the total 2.12 million Airbnb guests in 2015-16, NT’s share was only 8,800 guests, who spent a total of 18,000 nights. 
The average Airbnb guest spent more than $282 per day in the NT on things like, food services, shopping and leisure; Airbnb hosts in the NT earned a median income of $4,470 in 2015-16; The top 3 destinations for Airbnb guests were Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine. 
The same report also said that South Australia’s economy got a $38 million economic boost from Airbnb in the 2016 financial year, with guests on the shared accommodation platform spending more than the average tourist.
 
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Airbnb says it can boost sluggish NT economy 

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Apartment owners in New South Wales who let out their apartments or even their spare rooms on sites such as Airbnb and Stayz may have to pay compensation to their neighbours.
The compensation targets "party houses" to reduce noise.
A plan before the state government also suggests the owners pay extra strata funds in an attempt to regulate the thriving short let market.
Sydney holds 17,000 of the 40,000 airbnb listings in New South Wales.
The state government is considering limiting the number of days a property can be let out without needing a development application.
Planning Minister Anthony Roberts told the Daily Telegraph it was a complex issue.
“We believe by engaging with those most affected we can achieve the right balance of what level of regulation is required to best meet the needs of the community," he said.
Airbnb’s Brent Thomas said the company injected “half a billion dollars” into the state’s economy and created more than 4400 jobs.
“The current rules for home sharing in NSW are confusing, complex and were written before the internet existed,” he said.
Director of government affairs Jordan Condo said the NSW Government must not forget that short-term rental accommodation injected $2.1 billion into the economy last year.
He said much of the $2.1 billion was injected in regional New South Wales.
According to the news.com.au the average Airbnb host in New South Wales earns $4,400 a year sharing their home.
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The options paper will be open to public consultation for three months while the government decides what to do with the industry estimated to be worth $31 billion nationally.
 
 
 
 
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