Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

Joel Robinson

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

APRA

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Over the course of 2016, APRA expects to release several policy consultation packages. These will, for the most part, primarily affect authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) and the superannuation industry.
The consultations will reflect both domestic policy initiatives - largely driven by the Government’s response to the Financial System Inquiry (FSI) – and, for ADIs, the implementation of internationally-agreed reforms. Insurers will chiefly be impacted by a limited number of cross-industry policy proposals, as well as a review of the role of actuaries.
APRA will also begin engagement with private health insurers during 2016 on the future direction of the prudential framework for their industry. Responsibility for prudential regulation of the private health insurance industry passed to APRA on 1 July 2015 and, consistent with APRA’s undertakings during the transition, no substantive changes will be made to the prudential framework for private health insurers prior to 1 July 2016.
In conducting policy consultations, APRA follows an open and transparent process where public and industry feedback is actively encouraged, and final policy positions are formed after giving due consideration to feedback received.
<h3>International developments</h3>
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) – the global standard-setter for banking - is committed to finalise in 2016 its remaining post-global financial crisis (GFC) reforms. This includes new standardised approaches to credit risk and operational risk; reducing risk-weight variability when ADIs use internal models for capital adequacy purposes; new capital floors; and the leverage ratio. This follows from the recently-finalised review of capital requirements for trading book exposures.
APRA intends to take a measured approach towards implementing these changes, with suitable adjustments for the Australian context. Whilst these reforms have the potential to affect all ADIs, it is likely the impact will be more noticeable for the largest ADIs. However, given the international work is unlikely to conclude before end 2016, and with many implementation dates yet to be agreed, APRA’s domestic consultation is unlikely to begin before 2017, with local implementation of these reforms following over a number of years.
Derivative markets have also been an area of intense international reform in the post-GFC period. APRA has begun the implementation process in Australia with the recent release of a cross-industry consultation package on margining and risk mitigation standards for non-centrally cleared derivatives; a separate (but related) consultation on ADI capital requirements for counterparty credit risk will follow in the near future. These reforms generally only affect the larger APRA-regulated entities in each impacted industry.
<h3>Domestic developments</h3>
The final report of the FSI includes a number of recommendations that are directly relevant to APRA’s prudential framework. The Government’s response to the FSI, Improving Australia’s Financial System, endorsed APRA to implement a number of these recommendations. APRA’s plans in this regard are set out below.
FSI Recommendation 1: Capital Levels – the FSI highlighted that the stability of the banking sector is of paramount importance to Australia’s economic well-being. With that in mind, the FSI recommended that ADIs have capital ratios that are ‘unquestionably strong’. In settling a final prudential framework to deliver on this recommendation, APRA needs to have regard to the ongoing work of international standard-setters such as the Basel Committee, as well as give thought to how other measure of resilience (for example, with respect to liquidity and funding) can assist in achieving the FSI’s objective. With this in mind, APRA will shortly begin consultation on the implementation of the Net Stable Funding Ratio, which is designed to improve the stability of bank funding profiles.
FSI Recommendation 2: Narrow mortgage risk weight differences – in July 2015, APRA announced an interim measure to increase the average residential mortgage risk weights for ADIs using the Internal Ratings-based (IRB) approach to capital adequacy, from approximately 16 percent to at least 25 percent. This change takes effect from 1 July 2016. Whilst this step materially addresses the FSI recommendation in the short term, APRA will need to consider whether further changes are necessary after the Basel Committee’s broad review of the capital framework is complete later this year.
FSI Recommendation 3: Loss absorbing and recapitalisation capacity – consistent with the FSI’s recommendation of not moving ahead of international developments, this is an issue that APRA intends to address over the medium term. In the meantime, APRA is monitoring initiatives being taken by overseas regulators in this area, and has begun limited engagement with industry participants on this issue.
FSI Recommendation 4: Transparent reporting – larger ADIs have begun disclosing ‘internationally comparable’ capital ratios, informed by the methodology developed by APRA for its International capital comparison study (July 2015). Although not strictly aligned with the FSI’s recommendation for reporting capital ratios that are ‘transparent against the minimum Basel capital framework’, APRA’s study and the larger ADIs’ reporting have addressed this issue to a large degree. APRA will continue to monitor international comparisons during the course of the year, and then consider whether further work is needed on this recommendation.
FSI Recommendation 7: Leverage ratio – the Basel Committee is finalising its proposals for the introduction of a leverage ratio as part of its reforms to the Basel capital framework. Leverage ratio disclosure requirements for the largest ADIs have been implemented, but at this stage APRA is likely to follow the international timeframe for the introduction of a minimum leverage ratio requirement (currently scheduled for 2018).
Also of importance to ADIs are revisions to the prudential framework for securitisation. The consultation period on these proposals closed earlier this month, and APRA intends to finalise these revisions in 2016.
In the superannuation industry, APRA will participate where relevant in further Government policy consultation on post-retirement outcomes and governance of superannuation trustees (FSI Recommendations 11 and 13), and initiatives related to the objectives and efficiency of the superannuation system (FSI Recommendations 9 and 10). APRA is also be closely involved in the Government’s consultation on measures to improve the transparency of the superannuation industry, including reforms to the product dashboard requirements for MySuper products and choice investment options.
In general insurance and life insurance, APRA is progressing its review of the role of the Appointed Actuary, and anticipates commencing a public consultation in mid-2016. Across all industry sectors, APRA will continue to refine and clarify its governance requirements, particularly in relation to the important role played by Boards in APRA-regulated entities. APRA will also announce the next steps on our approach to the supervision of conglomerate groups in the near future.
More generally, APRA’s mandate is to balance the objectives of financial safety and efficiency, competition, contestability and competitive neutrality; and to promote financial stability. The FSI noted that regulators should, while remaining consistent with their mandate, increase their focus on competition in the financial system (Recommendation 30).
APRA will be looking to provide more information on how it balances financial safety with these other objectives, and more actively seek industry input on these issues so that policy choices are best able to balance these considerations without undermining prudential outcomes.
<div id="footnote"> </div>
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Property 101: APRA's prudential policy outlook

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The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority's supervision of lending standards for housing will continue in 2016, APRA chairman Wayne Byres said in his opening statement to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics in Canberra.
He said lending for housing continues to grow at a solid 7 pe cent per annum, but owner-occupiers now have a greater proportion of new loans than investors, according to the media release.
"Importantly from our perspective, serviceability assessment standards have improved across the industry, although we still have further work to do to ensure improved lending policies are fully implemented, monitored and enforced," he said.
The APRA had introduced a cap of 10 percent on allowable growth in bank lending on residential investment loans last year, forcing big banks to hit the brakes on loans to property investors. 
The RBA December board minutes had also noted the growth in lending to investors in the housing market appeared to have eased, with a moderation in the pace of growth in housing prices in Sydney and Melbourne over recent months.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

APRA to closely monitor home lending in 2016, says chairman Wayne Byres before House  

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Over the past few years, APRA has intensified its scrutiny of the mortgage lending practices and risk profiles of Australian authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs).
These actions reflect the importance of housing lending within Australia’s banking system.
Steps taken by APRA have included:
<ul>
<li>in 2011, and again in 2014, seeking assurances from the Boards of the larger ADIs that they were actively monitoring their housing lending portfolios and credit standards;</li>
<li>in 2013, commencing a more detailed collection from the larger ADIs on a range of housing loan risk metrics;</li>
<li>in 2014, stress-testing the 13 largest ADIs against a significant housing market downturn; and</li>
<li>also in 2014, issuing a prudential practice guide on sound risk management practices for residential mortgage lending.</li>
</ul>
Finally, against a backdrop of continued heightened risk due to high house prices, high household debt, low interest rates and subdued income growth, in December 2014 APRA wrote to all ADIs outlining further steps it planned to take to reinforce sound residential mortgage lending practices. These steps — which included the establishment of benchmarks for ADIs on loan serviceability and investor lending portfolio growth — were developed following discussions with other members of the Council of Financial Regulators. 
Over the course of 2015 and into 2016, APRA has been closely monitoring ADI lending portfolios, including against these stated benchmarks.  
One key element of ADIs’ lending practices is the method by which they assess a customer’s ability to service a loan against a range of potential future circumstances. This assessment of loan serviceability is not merely a legal obligation for lenders; it is also an important, prudent risk management practice. 
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Property 101: APRA on residential mortgage underwriting standards

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The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) released its December 2015 quarterly data on property exposures by Australian authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs).
The data is always interesting to analyse in order to get further insight into the current state of the mortgage market.
The first data point is residential term loans to households which have a total outstanding balance of $1.384 trillion which has increase by 8.9% over the past year. The total value of outstanding owner occupier loans is $884 billion having increased by 12.8% over the past year and accounting for 63.9% of all outstanding loans. The remaining 36.1% of outstanding loans are to investors, having increased by 2.6% year-on-year to $500 billion. 
Growth in outstanding loans has tilted away from investors to owner occupiers.  After year-on-year growth in investor loans peaked at 18.2% in March 2015 it has slowed to 2.6% growth while owner occupier credit troughed at an annual rate of 2.2% in March 2015, before rebounding to the current annual rate of 12.8% (the fastest annual growth rate since June 2010).
<a href="/images/2016/03/Chart-1-3-580x204.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/Chart-1-3-580x204.jpg" alt="">
In terms of the types of loans outstanding, 42.3% have an offset facility, 39.3% are interest-only, 0.2% are reverse mortgages, 2.0% are low documentation loans and 0.1% are other non-standard loans.  The year-on-year change across these loan types has been recorded at: +22.0% for loans with an offset facility, +11.6% for interest-only loans, +1.6% for reverse mortgages, -16.6% for low documentation loans and -5.7% for other non-standard loans.  Importantly, the value of outstanding residential loans for low-documentation loans is now at a record low.
<a href="/images/2016/03/Chart-2-3-580x207.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/Chart-2-3-580x207.jpg" alt="">
The data highlights that the average outstanding balance on a residential loan is $248,800, up by 1.0% over the quarter and by 4.4% year-on-year.  Reverse mortgages ($95,700), low-documentation loans ($192,800) and other non-standard loans ($195,900) all have much lower outstanding balances.  Meanwhile, loans with offset facilities ($303,700) and interest-only loans ($330,000) have significantly higher outstanding balances. 
The year-on-year changes to the outstanding loan balances have been recorded as follows: +7.2% for loans with an offset facility (fastest year-on-year growth since June 2011), +4.9% for interest-only loans, +2.8% for reverse mortgages (slowest year-on-year growth on record), -1.5% for low-documentation loans and -6.8% for other non-standard loans.  The data shows a slowing in the growth of outstanding loan values for reverse mortgages while riskier lending types (low-documentation and other non-standard) have seen an ongoing fall in outstanding loan amounts.
While the previous data looked at the total value of residential mortgages outstanding, the following data focuses on new residential mortgages over the final quarter of 2015.
Over the December 2015 quarter there was a record-high $98.130 billion worth of new residential mortgages approved, $69.091 billion worth were owner occupied with the remaining $29.040 billion being for investment purposes.  Year-on-year the value of new owner occupier loans is 28.8% higher, its greatest change on record, while investor mortgage lending is -24.9% lower, its largest fall on record.
<a href="/images/2016/03/Chart-3-3-580x212.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/Chart-3-3-580x212.jpg" alt="">
Looking at the types of mortgages approved over the quarter: a record low 0.3% were low-documentation, 37.0% were interest only which was its lowest proportion since March 2013, 0.1% were other non-standard loans, 47.4% were originated by third parties and 3.7% were loans approved outside of serviceability.
Focussing on the year-on-year change; low documentation loan approvals are -41.8% lower (their largest year-on-year fall since March 2013), interest-only loan approvals are -11.0% lower (their largest year-on-year fall since March 2009), other non-standard loan approvals are up 28.2% (their largest year-on-year increase since December 2013), third party originated loans are up 6.2% and loans approved outside of serviceability are up 41.3%.  The data indicates there has been a significant pull-back in low-documentation loans and interest-only loans. 
At the same time, non-standard and loans approved outside of serviceability are rising significantly which may be a potential point of concern for APRA.  Although they make-up a small overall proportion of lending it will be something to keep a close watch on over the coming quarters especially since both have also recorded a quarterly increase.
<a href="/images/2016/03/Chart-4-3-580x207.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/Chart-4-3-580x207.jpg" alt="">
Finally the data breaks out new lending by loan-to-value-ratio (LVR) bands.  Over the quarter, 23.4% of all new loans had an LVR of less than 60%, 53.4% had an LVR of between 60% and 80%, 14.5% had an LVR of 80% to 90% and 8.7% had an LVR of more than 90% which was its lowest proportion on record. 
Looking at the year-on-year changes, the value of lending for LVRs of less than 60% was 16.1% higher, LVRs of between 60% and 80% increased 6.1%, LVRs of 80% to 90% increased 14.3% and LVRs greater than 90% fell by -20.1% which was the largest year-on-year fall June 2010.  Based on the data it is clear that lenders have been tightening lending requirements over recent quarters which has led to a sharp decline in new mortgage lending for LVRs above 90%.
Overall the data indicates that the market is responding to regulatory changes in the lending space implemented over the past year.  There is less new lending to high LVRs, fewer low documentation and interest-only mortgages being written. 
On the other-hand some other potentially more risky lending types such as non-standard and outside of serviceability loans are continuing to rise.  It will be interesting to see whether APRA starts to look to crack-down on some of these types of lending in order to ensure stability within the mortgage market.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic RP Data. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

APRA data shows a further tightening of lending standards: Cameron Kusher

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The Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens has confirmed one of big concerns over the past year has been resolved.
He suggests official measures have held back the panicked buying that had been fuelling the property boom in Sydney following tougher lending rules imposed by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority which seemed to be working. 
"It had to happen," Mr Stevens told The Australian Financial Review which has published its annual interview with the RBA Governor. The interview suggests a level of comfort with the economy in the near term and that the RBA seems content to retain rates on hold.
He noted CoreLogic RP Data's price dip over recent months.
"I think that's welcome because an ongoing rapid pace of price increase, I think, leads to dynamics in the economy that are ultimately unhelpful – the possibility of people, you know, almost buying in panic, stretching their balance sheet and so on.
"So I think what we've seen is that things have calmed down a bit.
"I think that's welcome."
The newspaper said the central banker wasn't just worried about Australians taking on more debt than they could repay if interest rates rose as he was also concerned that housing was becoming too expensive for many.
"The pace of growth that we had – you can't keep going at that pace without new stimulus coming into the market from somewhere because the affordability levels just get out of reach for people unless we keep cutting interest rates which we're not doing right at the moment, obviously," he told The Australian Financial Review. 
He suggested Melbourne's market "retains a little more buoyancy" than Sydney, but declined to predict where capital city prices would go in 2016.
"So I'm happy with the way those things have worked out thus far, but what happens from here, you know, you can't tell.
"You can't pick that," he said.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Panicked buying in decline, but 2016 price direction imprecise: RBA governor Glenn Stevens

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The RBA December board minutes noted the growth in lending to investors in the housing market appeared to have eased, with a moderation in the pace of growth in housing prices in Sydney and Melbourne over recent months.
Housing price growth had mostly remained subdued in other cities.
"In the established housing market, auction clearance rates and housing price growth had declined over recent months in Sydney and to a lesser extent in Melbourne.
"Prices were declining in Perth and rising moderately in much of the rest of the country."
The Reserve Bank of Australia board members observed that the growth of total housing credit had been little changed.
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"The easing in housing price growth in Sydney and Melbourne and apparently lower growth in lending for the purpose of investor housing had followed an earlier tightening in lending terms, partly in response to supervisory measures announced by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.
"It was still too early to assess the effect of the modest increase in lenders' mortgage rates in November (for both investors and owner-occupiers) on the housing market.
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"While the recent changes to some lending rates for housing would reduce demand slightly, overall conditions remained quite accommodative.
"Members observed that supervisory measures had been helping to contain risks that may arise from the housing market."
The December minutes also noted the available data suggested that dwelling investment had increased in the September quarter.
"Building approvals remained at high levels, despite having eased somewhat since the start of the year.
"This was consistent with the expectation of further increases in dwelling investment in coming quarters, albeit at a gradually declining rate."
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APRA measures are containing housing risk: RBA

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Geoff Summerhayes has been appointed a member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) by the Treasurer for a term of five years from January 1.
Summerhayes was most recently the chief executive officer of Suncorp Life, a role he has held since 2008. Prior to joining Suncorp, he spent more than 20 years with property and financial services organisations like Lend Lease, MLC and NAB.
In his new role, Summerhayes will focus on APRA’s activities in relation to general, life and private health insurance.
The Treasurer also appointed Helen Rowell, an APRA member since July 2013, as the regulator's deputy chair for the remainder of her five-year term. Rowell will continue to have primary responsibility within APRA for all superannuation-related matters.
"Geoff will bring a great deal of commercial acumen and experience to the position of APRA Member. I look forward to working with Helen and Geoff to ensure APRA continues to perform its responsibilities effectively and efficiently, for the benefit of the Australian community," said APRA chairman Wayne Byres.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Geoff Summerhayes appointed new APRA member, Helen Rowell to deputy chair

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Officialdom decided last December that property investor lending needed to be restrained given the emerging trend of more money being lent to investors than owner occupiers.
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority introduced a cap on allowable growth in bank lending on residential investment loans.
This eventually impactful decision got lost amid the seasonal Christmas break, and further from mind when the Reserve Bank of Australia cut the cash rate to 2.25% at its opening February 2015 meeting.
Growth in credit extended to investors had increased by 10% during 2014, right on the APRA threshold for its intended stricter scrutiny of lending practices.
Owner-occupier credit growth had at around 5.5%.
Of course APRA was technically not targeting house price levels – but rather setting benchmarks for a safer banking system.
The early 2015 auction competition saw no handbrake in the battle between home buyers and investors.
Reaching fever pitch, clearance rates peaked in March at 82%, according to CoreLogic RP Data, with properties typically knocked down at record prices especially in cheaper outer Sydney districts where auction had never been the normal means of sale.
It was soon obvious that the subtle backroom macroprudential measures needed to be intensified.
The jawboning by the RBA and APRA became more emphatic. The banks were told to look at loan-to-valuation ratio limits which made it harder to get an investor loan. Interest only loans became a rarity. Off the plan buyers were told they'd need to fund 20% of their apartment purchases. Finance approvals for house and land lots were being delayed until preliminary works had been completed. One bank even stopped all new lending to investors.
Events and issues then combined that further unnerved the housing market. There were signs of a retreat in foreign buyers as Treasurer Joe Hockey launched his crackdown on overseas buyers who were boosting prices in select suburbs. Financial inquiry chief David Murray raised the prospect of negative gearing reform. Doubt was cast over the future of self managed super funds being able to borrow.
In May Treasury secretary John Fraser warned that Sydney was in a housing bubble. The RBA governor Glenn Stevens wasn't wrong in June when he said some crazy prices were being paid. 
Against a backdrop of high household debt, subdued income growth and fluctuating unemployment, the negativity clincher came after the banks raised home loan rates in mid-October given long foreshadowed rules forcing banks to hold larger loss-absorbing capital buffers.
By this time the entire Sydney property market was primed to be spooked. Auction clearance rates - which are a good sign of market sentiment and price growth - swiftly fell in the outer suburbs dipping sometimes into the 40s. Traditional auction hotspots, Sydney's inner west and eastern suburbs then took fright too.
Buyers just were not as prevalent - especially investors - and those who turned up kept their bidding restrained.
It is not quite lights out for the investor, but it has been getting darker, was how the valuation firm Herron Todd White has described the turn of events.
"We see the will is still present, but the ability to finance the dream is diminishing,' its November review advised as APRA's measures now extend well beyond the Sydney market into regional NSW.
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) recently released Quarterly Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI) Property Exposures for the September 2015 quarter showing the slowing in lending to investors. The publication contains information on ADIs’ commercial property exposures, residential property exposures and new housing loan approvals. 
Key statistics for ADIs (excluding Other ADIs) for September 2015 were:  
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<th id="header1"> </th>
<th id="header2">September 2014</th>
<th id="header3">September 2015</th>
<th id="header4">Change</th>
</tr>
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<td headers="header1">Total commercial property exposures</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$224.5 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$240.4 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+7.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Commercial property exposures within Australia</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$185.8 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$201.1 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+8.2%</td>
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<td headers="header1">Total domestic housing loans</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$1,243.3 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$1,354.8 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+9.0%</td>
</tr>
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 Key statistics for ADIs with greater than $1 billion in housing loans for September 2015 were: 
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<tr>
<th id="header1"> </th>
<th id="header2">September 2014</th>
<th id="header3">September 2015</th>
<th id="header4">Change</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Number of housing loans</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">5,086.7 thousand</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">5,422.8 thousand</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+6.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">Average balance of housing loans</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$240,000</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$246,000</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+2.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td headers="header1">New housing loans approved in the quarter</td>
<td headers="header2" align="center">$84.8 billion</td>
<td headers="header3" align="center">$95.0 billion</td>
<td headers="header4" align="center">+12.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority data on showed the value of loan approvals for property investors fell to $32.39 billion in the three months to September 30 down from $40.55 billion in the June quarter.
Loans to property investors made up around 35 per cent of new lending approved in the September quarter, the lowest in the past two years, and down from around 43 per cent in the June quarter.
Analysts however are treating the data with some caution as <a href="/news/rba-concerned-at-inaccuracy-of-housing-lending-data-by-banks">several banks have been busy reclassifying billions of dollars in home loans</a>.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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The APRA impact on 2015 property investment

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APRA's investment finance restrictions have led to a sharp fall in investor-related housing demand, according to CoreLogic RP Data research analyst Cameron Kusher.
CoreLogic RP Data's Property Pulse found June changes to lending practices around conditions for investment purposes contributed towards a substantial slowdown in lending. Higher mortgage rates, low rental yields and a maturing housing cycle are also drivers. 
Cameron Kusher said the reclassification of investor loans to owner occupier loans is also muddying the clarity of the housing finance data, adding the value of lending to investors is now lower than the value of lending to owner occupiers for new loans.
"The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has noted that over recent months many ADIs have been reclassifying some investor loans to owner occupier loans,” he said.
"At a state level the data is not published in seasonally adjusted terms, only raw figures. According to this data the value of lending to investors peaked in June 2015 and as ADIs have made changes to their lending policies, investor demand has waned. Between June 2015 and September 2015, the value of lending to investors has fallen in each state.
"As a result of the slowdown in lending to investors across each state, the value of new lending in most states is now greater to owner occupiers than it is to investors. It is important to note that historically, it has been very unusual for investors to be a greater part of the new lending environment than owner occupiers; however, this has been the case for most of the past year and a half."
 
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

APRA’s handbrake on investment lending starting to show: CoreLogic RP Data

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Signs of slowing have emerged in Sydney property markets after the four major banks increased their standard variable interest rates to be slightly higher for investment loans over owner occupier loans to meet the APRA requirements, according to valuation firm Herron White Todd.
The banks had also introduced tougher loan-to-value standards in response to a move by regulators to rein in the riskier corners of the country’s house price boom, the HTW November review advised saying there was now often a maximum of 80% loan to value ratio for investors. 
"We have not seen the full effect this will have on the property market as yet, however we are seeing signs of slowing." 
The 80% was providing a significant buffer for the banks "however it becomes harder for an individual to actually save the 20% deposit or to use the existing equity in their primary dwelling or portfolio for the deposit.
"With fewer people able to access the 20% deposit, there will be fewer investors in the market," the valuation firm advised.
It suggested that this could lead to less demand and more supply which directly affects the value of a property. 
"There are signs that the market may be cooling," the report added noting there had been a continual decline in auction clearance rates in Sydney from low 80% in July 2015 to mid 60% in October 2015 according to Corelogic RP Data. 
"This is a combination of the record number of auctions listed (so volume sold as a percentage is decreased), the expectations of vendors to exceed prices that were being achieved by neighbours no more than three months ago and a decrease in the pool of purchasers as we enter into a new wait and see phase of the property cycle." 
The review indicated that it is fair to say that much of the growth in Sydney in the past eighteen months has been fuelled by the investor market.
"On the ground, completing the mortgage valuations, we have seen that this has been a combination of local buyers such as baby boomers using the equity in their main dwelling to purchase additional property for their superannuation, interstate investors who have heard the get rich quick scenarios and are banking on quick capital appreciation and overseas investors looking to build a property portfolio."
The report went on to say that given that the recent APRA changes took effect mid year, it was "too soon" to say what the full impact of the tightening of bank regulations has been on the property market but indications are that the regulations appear to be working.
"This change in criteria could have a positive impact on the first home buyer market which traditionally competes heavily with entry level investors and could open up opportunities for the owner occupier."
The review concluded by suggesting Herron Todd White believe the investor market in NSW will remain stable over the medium term as the banks have not made it impossible to buy an investment property, they have just tightened their criteria.
"These changes will not exclude people from entering the market as investors but force them to be in a more secure financial position before entering into any agreements."
The November review also suggested that in the past few years Sydney has also had the benefit of many new developments partially due to a change in approval policy; partially due to the underlying demand and supply imbalance in the market and partially due to the demands of the overseas investment market that is regulated by government to the purchase of new property only. 
"This product is appealing to investors and owner occupiers as developers and the government offer benefits such as reduced or no stamp duty, monetary incentives and non-monetary incentives. 
"We have seen new developments or off the plan purchases become the most popular because of the combination of incentives received and, due to the heat in the market, the assured capital appreciation from purchase to settlement.
"To date we have not become aware of any changes in these policies and can only assume they will remain for the foreseeable future however doubt over immediate capital appreciation may see some investors withdraw."
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