Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" 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/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

Airbnb

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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, according to research from Deloitte Access Economics.
The report noted that 64,100 guests were booked in for 109,000 nights in Adelaide and regional towns across the state through Airbnb. The spurt to tourism supported more than 400 jobs in addition to the activities of hosts. 
Airbnb guests contributed $38 million to South Australia’s economy (Gross State Product) in the in 2015-16 financial year, according to the report titled Economic effects of Airbnb in Australia, South Australia. 
Survey data showed that its guests spend more than the average tourist, with Airbnb guests spending $237 per night on average, and general overnight visitors spending $146 per night.
The report noted that one of the drivers of Airbnb growth has been creating lower cost accommodation options.
“We estimate a cost saving of around $26 million in 2015-16 for guests staying in Sydney who might otherwise have stayed in traditional accommodation,” said the report’s authors.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/07/17/AirbnbSA.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/07/17/AirbnbSA.png" alt="">
Hosts in the state earned a median income of $4390 for the 12-month period, it said.
And the platform seems to be ever popular, with the average star rating for Airbnb listings across South Australia being 4.7 out of 5.
And its popularity is not limited to cities. A recent survey released by the peer-to-peer accommodation platform showed that more than half of its bookings in Australia are now for stays in country towns or coastal ­resorts.
Since launching in 2012, Airbnb has facilitated over 1.3 million short stays in Australian cities and more than 150 million guests, including over 2.5 million Australian guests, are currently on the platform, it said.
The report said Airbnb can also assist the government in meeting another key objective of Tourism 2020 – increasing overnight spend to $140 billion by 2020. As at February 2017, tourism expenditure had tracked 38 per cent towards the upper bound Tourism 2020 goal.
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prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Airbnb injected $38 million into SA economy in 2015-16: Deloitte research

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Strata by-laws that impose restrictions on short-term letting, including Airbnb, in residential-only Sydney apartment blocks are invalid and only councils have the authority to take these steps, according to NSW Fair Trading.
The watchdog has modified its Strata Living handbook to warn strata committees and owners corporations that they can’t pass by-laws restricting holiday letting just weeks before a discussion paper on new holiday letting legislation is released. 
“Section 139 (2) of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 states that no by-law can prohibit or restrict the devolution of a lot or a transfer, lease, mortgage or other dealing relating to a lot,” a Fair Trading spokesperson for Innovation and Better Regulation Minister Matthew Kean was quoted by Fairfax Media.
The statement was immediately welcomed by peer-to-peer letting platform Airbnb, which said it protected the rights of people to share their own homes.
“Strata laws prevent an owners corporation restricting an owner from letting their lot, including short-term letting,” says a recent amendment to Strata Living. 
“The only way short-term letting can be restricted is by council planning regulations,” it said.
A government spokesperson explained that this means by-laws telling owners that they must abide by local council zoning restrictions are invalid as only local councils can enforce their zoning.
By-laws supporting local zoning have been used by some strata schemes to work around the restrictions on by-laws directly banning short-term letting.
“The local council ‘owns’ the zoning regulation,” the spokesperson told Fairfax Media. “Only they can enforce it.”
Head of public policy ANZ at Airbnb, Brent Thomas added that it was unfair to “discriminate against apartment dwellers, and prevent them from participating in the sharing economy in the same way house dwellers can”. 
However, the ruling has not gone well with strata managements. Reports say local councils are receiving between zero complaints in a year to 10 a month in Sydney areas where short-term letting is most prevalent.
While the due process to turn a discussion paper into a Bill and then passed by Parliament could take a year, the ministry advised that owners can only pursue the issue of short-term letting through their local council.
A senior executive of Owners Corporation Network, which represents strata owners, Karen Stiles said the OCN was awaiting the NSW parliament amending laws to allow owners to effectively manage their communities or “we will see a summer of chaos in Sydney apartment blocks”.
“Local council engagement with this is patchy, to say the least.”
A spokesperson for City of Sydney Council – where residential letting is defined as three months or more – denied that they have backed off from pursuing non-compliant holiday lets but said they had very few complaints, two of which were currently being  pursued.
“The City carefully addresses all reports about short-term letting but has received complaints from only a small number of people,” said the spokesperson.
In contrast, Waverley Council – which covers Bondi Beach – receives about 10 complaints about holiday letting a month, while in Randwick there has been no council action against non-compliant short-term or holiday letting over the past summer.
A spokesperson for Woollahra Council said they had only had a handful of complaints in the past nine months but two of the properties concerned were now applying for official bed and breakfast permits.
They said the complaints were specific such as late-night noise or misuse of waste bins.
Other states have been facing similar issues as well. Last year, research by a Queensland body corporate company indicated that one in three Queensland strata residents were concerned about apartment security from Airbnb guests.
Commercial short-stay companies like Airbnb are expected to deprive the Victorian Government of more than $14 million in uncollected GST.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Strata body corporate can't stop Airbnb rentals, only local Sydney councils

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GUEST OBSERVER
Commercial short-stay companies like Airbnb will this year deprive the Victorian Government of more than $14 million in uncollected GST.
Airbnb, and similar operators, only collect GST on the 5 percent to 15 percent ‘service fee’, rather than the entire booking cost. This means the state misses out on up to 95 percent of the GST applicable under current legislation. But conversely – or perversely –, this year hosts will pick up an extra bill, with the Australian Tax Office signalling a tax crackdown on users of the app.
It’s hardly fair that Airbnb gets out of paying millions in GST, while mum and dad hosts who simply rent a room, are not only subject to income tax, but are actually being targeted by the tax office.
How on Earth can a person renting out a room in their house be considered to be running an income–producing business, while on the other hand the multinational rental company doesn’t have to pay its fair share?
Victorians are missing out on millions of dollars every year, while Airbnb’s profits continue to grow, and that’s where the focus should be.
Airbnb alone had 651,000 guests last year and grew at a rate of 116%. It’s only fair that legislation is updated to recognise the rise of this unregulated industry, so Airbnb pays its share, along with other overseas companies.
Airbnb admits other countries require the company to collect GST on the entire booking cost, so why isn’t it happening here?
The Federal Government should learn from those other countries and also require Airbnb to collect and pay its proper, fair share of GST in Australia, based on the booking fee, not just the service fee.
The industry also avoids commercial rates from being imposed by local Councils, by relying on their land use activity being classified as a residential activity.
Come on – Airbnb is not a residential activity, it’s a business activity, and a loud, disruptive, unregulated and unfair one at that.
A Parliamentary Committee examining the commercial short-stay industry has heard a range of submissions, calling for Airbnb, and similar overseas companies, to pay GST and other taxes.
The Committee has also made a series of recommendations to the Victorian Government, including that it:
• Considers that the current proposed legislation is unfair to residents and should be reworked. • Works with Victoria Police to examine safety issues in residential complexes with short-stay activity. • Works with Victoria Police to consider establishing protocols to manage violent and disruptive incidents. • Reviews the regulatory imbalance between the short-stay and traditional accommodation sectors. • Investigates costs and benefits of introducing a registration and compliance framework for commercialresidential short-stay accommodation (where properties are listed as short-stays for more than 90 days).
We Live Here is a growing movement of residents from across Victoria, dealing with significant detrimental impacts due to the rapid, unregulated rise of the commercial short stay industry.
The concerns relate to safety and security, higher maintenance costs due to increased wear and tear, and disruption through ‘party houses’.
We have been encouraged by the level of support we are receiving across the state, from people who share our concerns
Residents from more than 200 buildings have joined We Live Here, along with locals from suburbs, and towns, across the state.
Clearly, the government needs to act on these concerns and bring legislation into line for this massive industry. We need a solution which puts residents, businesses and the tourism industry on a level playing field.
Ensuring these giant overseas companies pay their fair share of tax on the millions they make in Victoria, is just one of many issues that require urgent attention, when it comes to the commercial short-stay industry.
Marshall Delves is from <a href="https://www.welivehere.net" target="_blank">We Live Here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Airbnb escapes tax time crackdown, but mum & dad hosts left with a bill: Marshall Delves

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Airbnb is not just a city phenomenon, with a recent survey released by the peer-to-peer accommodation platform showing that more than half of its bookings in Australia are now for stays in country towns or coastal ­resorts.
Australia is the only major country in the world where ­regional Airbnb stays surpassed city bookings last year, according to a report in The Australian.
Regional stays comprised 56 per cent, or 1.7 million guest ­arrivals, last year, the survey said.
Popular regional destinations included Cairns, Noosa and the Gold Coast in Queensland, Byron Bay in NSW, the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Margaret River in Western Australia, and Robe, Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, according to The Australian.
Regional Australian getaways are more popular with locals, who take mini-breaks during long weekends to head out to the country and book a stay through Airbnb, unlike the trend in cities where it’s mostly foreign visitors.
Meanwhile, Airbnb continues its march in Sydney, with entire home listings expected to grow to 44,000 following an announcement by the NSW government that it supports short-term letting in state, short-term rental management service MadeComfy said recently.
As an illustration of the popularity of the platform in regional Australia, an entire cabin '<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/7042427?location=Kangaroo%20Island%2C%20South%20Australia&amp;s=oDY6G4ID#neighborhood" target="_blank">The Dolls House</a>' in the township of Kingscote in Kangaroo Island is available for $85 a night. The cabin has all amenities like kitchen, shower and toilet etc. 
The ad has 85 reviews.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/07/05/Dolls1.jpg" alt=""> 
Property Observer also found a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/4874403?location=Byron%20Bay%2C%20New%20South%20Wales&amp;s=-GrnLeIw%20" target="_blank">bungalow in Byron Bay</a> in NSW that is close to the beaches. The entire home can be rented out for $115 per night.
According to host Lainie, the bush setting is only a few minutes drive from the beaches.  
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/07/05/Byron.jpg" alt="">
 
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Airbnb bookings in regional Australia surpass cities

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The growth of Airbnb listings is anticipated to see 44,000 entire home Airbnb listings in Sydney by the end of 2017, following an announcement by the NSW government that it supports short-term letting in state.
According to professional short-term rental management service MadeComfy, the declaration provided a clear direction from which homeowners and property investors can continue to let their property on platforms such as Airbnb, and will allow for a year-on-year growth of 85%.
There were 24,000 entire home listings in Sydney on Airbnb at the end of 2016 which is expected to grow to 44,000 by the end of 2017, it said.
The assessment also takes into account that of Sydney’s almost 2 million properties, only 1.2% have been listed on Airbnb at some stage, suggesting there is still room for growth, however, represents only a small proportion of Sydney’s rental market.
The Sydney-based business believes that the Airbnb market will not likely to see an influx of owners listing on the booking platform, but rather take confidence they can continue to do so with more clarity around their rights and responsibilities.
The government announced on April 19 that it accepted nine out of the 12 recommendations proposed by a report that was tabled by a Parliamentary Inquiry into the adequacy of regulation of short-term holiday letting in October 2016. 
It is now seeking further consultation with stakeholders before releasing an options paper on the potential approaches to regulating the short-term rental market.
MadeComfy said on its blog that the step provides much-needed “direction from which homeowners and property investors can continue to let their property on platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz”. 
MadeComfy co-founder Sabrina Bethunin remarked that the renewed support by the NSW government will hopefully result in short-term rentals being a viable option for every homeowner without fear of legal or financial penalties.
“In addition to that, with the median property price in Sydney having reached over 1 million dollars, households are dedicating an average of 44 per cent of their income to service their mortgages,” she said. 
“It means Sydneysiders are considered under ‘mortgage stress’ as they are devoting more than 30 per cent of their income to mortgage repayments. Either by renting a spare room or the whole property when it’s not utilised, for many homeowners, Airbnb and similar platforms provide a means to obtain an income to help cover their mortgage repayments or afford their holidays.”
MadeComfy said a key aspect of future regulation of short-term rentals in NSW would be the state’s response to how it can be undertaken in strata-managed buildings as clear guidelines were missing in its April announcement. 
It is also partnering with building strata managers to provide the professional support needed to mitigate the concerns voiced by the Owners Corporation Network (OCN). A key concern of the OCN was the harmony of guests and residents within shared building environments. 
“Until regulations are legislated, we advise that all owners should adhere to their building by-laws in terms of whether short-term letting is permitted or not,” it said in a blog posting. 
In order to address these issues, MadeComfy said it was seeking to introduce its guest screening process prior to accepting a booking, as well as enforcing strict house rules such as a no party policy and maximum occupant numbers.
The criteria is designed to mitigate against any unruly guest behaviour, providing strata managers and residents with confidence short-term rentals will be managed without negative effects in their building.
Last year, Archers the Strata Professionals had reported that one in three Queensland strata residents were concerned about apartment security from Airbnb guests.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Sydney Airbnb listings to keep up sharp growth in wake of NSW government's support: MadeComfy 

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A leading smoke alarm supplier has expressed concerns that hosts on Airbnb may not be aware of strict smoke alarm rules that may apply to them. 
Whilst the next trend for hospitality is so new that providers have not considered hospitality law as applying to them.
Smoke Alarm Solutions’ Australia and New Zealand sales and marketing director, Julieanne Worchurst, said state legislation differs, but home owners offering Airbnb accommodation need to ensure they are not only aware of applicable federal and state-based smoke alarm legislation, but also ensure their property complies.
“Although the jury is still out as to whether Aribnb hosts qualify as landlords or not, it is imperative to ensure their property’s fire detection system is working and compliant to specifications set out in the Building Code of Australia, which concerns all Australian properties,” Worchust said.
“Regardless of whether you are a home owner or a landlord, each smoke alarm installed in your property needs to be operational and the system needs to comply with federal legislation,” she said.
She said it was the responsibility of the home owner to ensure smoke alarms were compliant before having someone stay at the property. 
“Queensland has very stringent new smoke alarm legislation for brand new properties (with a development approval after January 1 2017); including the fact that photoelectric, 240 volt interconnected smoke alarms need to be installed in each sleeping place.”
Last year, it held a workshop for Queensland property managers outlining the new state smoke alarm legislation, which was passed in August 2016.
SAS supplies, installs and services smoke alarms in more than 262,000 Australian homes and claims it has the largest field service capability in the industry.
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Airbnb hosts may be unaware of strict smoke alarm rules: SAS

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The accommodation platform Airbnb is keeping the Hobart housing market "robust”, according to the chief executive of Tasmania's second biggest lender, MyState Bank.
Melos Sulicich said investors were listing their properties on Airbnb because of a lack of hotel accommodation, The Australian Financial Review reported.
"There's a lot of apartments and small housing rentals going onto Airbnb [and because of this] there's a shortage of long-term rental accommodation," Sulicich was quoted by the AFR.
The Central Hobart vacancy rate has fallen from about two per cent to just 0.6 percent over the past two years, pushing up annual rents by four per cent for houses and 12 per cent for apartments, according to data compiled by SQM Research.
Searches on Airbnb show more than 300 properties available for rent on Airbnb across greater Hobart. According to analytics firm Airdna, which analyses Airbnb data, there are 111 properties for rent in Central Hobart, up from 96 a year ago with 84 being entire homes or apartments.
A <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/4386251?location=Hobart%2C%20Australia&amp;s=ldgAtSGr" target="_blank">studio in West Hobart</a> is up for rent for $80 a night. The ad says it has its own courtyard and access and is close to the city.
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/15/Hobart1.jpg" alt="">
Another <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2919585?guests=2&amp;adults=2&amp;location=Hobart%2C%20Australia&amp;s=eAyRkUfI" target="_blank">one-bedroom house</a> with garden was advertised for $195 per night in Hobart’s Battery Point suburb.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/15/Hobart2.jpg" alt=""> 
Hobart was experiencing a pent up demand from the increased tourism - the latest ABS figures show international visitor nights up 20 percent - to match the new supply, Sulicich said.
The development pipeline includes a number of hotels in Hobart and across Tasmania, but Sulicich doesn’t expect a big impact on the housing market when these hotels open.
He also brushed off the most recent CoreLogic housing data for May, which showed a 4.8 percent drop in dwelling values in Hobart to a median of $350,000, after values had risen 10.2 percent over the previous 12 months.
The fall reflected the "law of small numbers" (referring to the size and volatility of the market) rather than any sign of a major correction in Hobart house prices, Sulicich said.
MyState, whose loan book from Tasmania makes more than half of its total of more than $4 billion, was seeing similar levels of mortgage growth, Sulicich said.
Sulicich said Tasmania was heavily dominated by owner-occupiers which accounted for 80 percent of its borrowers.
 
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Hobart housing market 'robust', with Airbnb's help: MyState Bank chief

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A Perth accomodation host has lost a court battle to be allowed to let his Rivervale apartment to short-term tenants through Airbnb, raising questions about the future of the private accomodation platform in the city. 
The Court of Appeal last week dismissed Ceresa River apartment owner James Byrne's case that he should be entitled to sub-lease his home to visitors, sometimes for just days at a time, reported the WA Today.
The court upheld the Supreme Court of WA's original decision from May 2016 that his apartment strata had a by-law which prohibited letting an apartment for short term stays.
Many apartment complexes in Perth have by-laws which prefer residential tenants over short-stay visitors.
"There's no doubt that short-stay letting in residential buildings creates a high degree of angst for those who call the complex home,” Strata Community Australia WA president Scott Bellerby was quoted as saying by www.watoday.com.au.
"This case is being used to provide direction to the strata industry on a matter that is becoming more and more prevalent as short-stay letting increases in and around Perth," he said.
 The dismissal of this appeal, at least for now, provides some confidence to owners that the implementation of appropriate by-laws can help them to effectively manage this issue."
Property owners within a strata wanting to rent out using Airbnb would likely have to apply to introduce a short-stay clause into the building's by-laws, he added.
Sydney and Perth have been listed in the top 10 cities worldwide to make an income using services like Airbnb.
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Perth unit owner loses battle to rent out using Airbnb

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Sydney is 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 percent.
A study by peer-to-peer motorhome rental platform SHAREaCAMPER found Frankfurt, Germany, is the best city to pay off a home using a peer-to-peer rental, with 13.48 percent expected yearly return.
The study ranked 31 cities by analysing the ratio of market to P2P rental prices, including any fees paid by the owner, for more than one thousand homes per city. Cities were ranked by a grand total of the time needed to recoup investments, based on the return of investment percentage, according to the occupancy rate.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-13%20at%2010.39.12%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/06/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-13%20at%2010.39.12%20AM.png" alt="">
SHAREaCAMPER CEO Florian Dahlmann said the sharing economy offers great individual experiences as well as flexibility.
"With peer to peer rental, people can make memories in the home they’ve always dreamed of owning," he said.
"Similarly, everyday people can pay off investments simply by renting out underused assets.
“The biggest lesson of our research is that you don’t need to charge exorbitant rental rates to pay off your investment.
"We are huge fans of win-win situations like this and we hope this research encourages development in more hesitant markets."
"Sydney placed second for ROI on P2P home rental with a projected 11.96 percent adjusted rate of yearly return.
"Boston had the lowest ROI followed by Paris and San Francisco."
A Perth accomodation host has lost a court battle to be allowed to let his Rivervale apartment to short-term tenants through Airbnb.
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Sydney, Perth top 10 worldwide to make an income using services like Airbnb

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There are Airbnb properties with some odd qualities. Property Observer looks at six of them:
1. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/7042427?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=KJXy1ujm" target="_blank">Dollhouse</a> at Kingscote, South Australia is a historic cabin in the heart of town.
It features a loft bedroom with a queen bed, kitchen downstairs and lounge and other amenities.
It is available from $85 per night.
2. A one bedroom unit shaped like <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1602856?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">an igloo</a> at Trinity Beach, Queensland is set around an octagonal swimming pool with Trinity Beach just a short walk away.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-2.jpg" alt="">
It is available for $115 per night
3. A one bedroom home called <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/999067?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">the Stable</a> at Richmond, Victoria is named because a stable had been renovated to become a home.
One guest stated, "The Stables were great. Close to public transport and close enough to the city to pop in and out.
The place was adorable and exactly what it looks like in the pictures"
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-3.jpg" alt="">
It is available for $101 per night.
4. A <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/4647524?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">1920s tram</a> has been converted into a four bedroom home at Lauriston, Victoria for $340 per night.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-4.jpg" alt="">
5. A small house in the shape of an <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1483865?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=CFeeFIKz" target="_blank">alpine tent</a> in an isolated area is available at Myrrhee, Victoria for $120 per night.
One guest stated, "Fantastic secluded, friendly atmosphere Views are breathtaking Glamping rocks Cant recommend enough."
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-5.jpg" alt="">
6. A four bedroom <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/6565539?guests=1&amp;adults=1&amp;children=0&amp;infants=0&amp;s=8cnhUSXX" target="_blank">heritage-listed church</a> at Brisbane, Queensland is available for $290 per night.
One guest stated, "Our stay at the Old Church met and exceeded all expectations.
Such a great, historic site to accomodate us whilst enjoying our time in Brisbane."
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/23/Airbnb-6.jpg" alt="">
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