<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

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;

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

Canberra

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Demand for private sector office space rental within the Canberra market is high around the sub, 1,000 square metre market, with tenant representatives, digital media and telecommunications driving demand.
Colliers International director of government services, office services, Michael Ceacis said these ACT sectors all seem to have exposure to the inevitable growth in the Commonwealth Government.
"Whilst the Canberra market appears focused on attracting large tenants, who are largely the Commonwealth, he is witnessing significant activity in the sub 1,000sq m leasing market," Mr Ceacis said.
<a href="/images/2015/07/10/Screen%20Shot%202015-07-10%20at%201.33.38%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/07/10/Screen%20Shot%202015-07-10%20at%201.33.38%20PM.png" alt="">
 
<a href="/images/2015/07/10/Screen%20Shot%202015-07-10%20at%201.34.42%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/07/10/Screen%20Shot%202015-07-10%20at%201.34.42%20PM.png" alt="">
 
Source: Colliers International Research
 
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Demand for ACT commercial property on the rise: Colliers International

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The most recent Canberra office sale has been the purchase of the commercial tower at 20 Allara Street in the CBD.
It was bought for about $20 million by the Morris Property Group, a residential apartment developer owned by Barry Morris of Queensland. 
Cityscope suggests this foreshadows a residential conversion for the site, a trend already strong in the eastern states, "but yet to have a big impact in Canberra."
The property currently comprises an 11-storey office building in Allara Street and a 3-storey office and retail section along City Walk on a site area of over 3,000 sqm.
The property last traded at $23.25 million in 2003.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Barry Morris buys Canberra office block

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<div class="cT-imageLandscape">
The 1950s Canberra home of the late former prime minister Malcolm Fraser and his wife Tamie​ has been sold.
It had been listed with $1,775,000 hopes.
</div>
The four-bedroom property at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/sold/house/act/deakin/?adid=2011483296" target="_blank">8 Daly Street</a>, known as JM Fraser House, was designed by Melbourne architect Guilford Bell in 1959.
The home was built three years after the couple wed with Malcolm Fraser then a backbencher.
The property, which was marketed as a piece of Australian history, is 300 metres from The Lodge.
It was listed through Berkely​ Residential and passed in on a vendor's bid of $1.7 million at recent auction.
The grand residence has origins in Georgian architecture combined with American plantation homesteads.
It has large rectangular windows and glass doors that surround the living areas and allow light to dominate each room.
It has soaring ceilings, and period features have been retained during several updates of the home by vendors Tony and Sue Marinos.
The vendors, the third owners purchased it 22 years ago for $425,000.
The property was first listed last August when $2 million was tipped for the home is on a block of 1340 square metres in Old Deakin.
It had also been listed in 2005 a $1.98 million.
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Guilford Bell-designed JM Fraser House, Deakin sold

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The Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung intends to backdoor list his newly acquired Canberra Casino.
It will be done through the rare-earths explorer Discovery Resources, which is changing its name to Aquis Entertainment.
The Australian Financial Review reports a $2 million capital raising at 20¢ per share will take place, giving Tony Fung's company an 89% share in the listed entity.
Fung purchased the Canberra Casino in December last year for $6 million.
It has 39 gaming tables.
Fung is seeking a casino licence at the Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort.
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Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung to list Canberra casino: reports

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The international style setter Tyler Brûlée says Canberra's CBD need urgent urban renewal initiative.
<a href="https://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/4dec3b54-ce36-11e4-86fc-00144feab7de?siteedition=intl#axzz3VRLZOQME" target="_blank">His weekly Financial Times column</a>, following a recent visit, acknowledged the sparkling new airport.
"But the capital’s central business district leaves a lot to be desired," wrote Brûlée.
"With seemingly every other shopfront available for lease, a lack of proper landscaping and no shortage of well-paid civil servants and diplomats, a smart developer should seize on a stretch of streetfront and kick off an urban renewal initiative."
His timing was exquisite as a new discussion paper on the future of Canberra's CBD calls for immediate action to be taken to revitalise the languishing city centre.
The ACT Property Council and Canberra CBD Limited paper recommends the ACT follow the successful City of Melbourne "Postcode 3000" campaign of the 1990s to save the territory's CBD.
Property Council ACT executive director Catherine Carter said the city centre faces many challenges – transport bottlenecks, empty streets and boring building facades.
Officially the Property Council of Australia's figures show a record high office vacancy rate of 14.7% and Canberra CBD Limited's latest retail activity report indicates a vacancy of 15.7%.
Brulee's column went on to praise a recent Sydney restaurant meal.
"When was the last time you tucked into a dish and found the whole experience so delicious and mouthwatering that you haven’t been able to stop thinking about the next time you might be able to return to sample it again?" he wrote.
"Eight days after I sampled the udon bolognese at Cho Cho San in Sydney’s Potts Point I’ve been trying to find an excuse to book a trip back there."
<a href="https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4dec3b54-ce36-11e4-86fc-00144feab7de#ixzz3VRNFwA5o"></a>Melbourne, he says, is a city that just keeps on getting better noting the fare at Supernormal on Flinders Lane.
But he says Victoria’s state capital is in desperate need of a good hotel.
"With none of the big chains putting on a particularly good show, the opportunity is there for a small property to deliver 20-30 rooms in a residential setting complete with rambling garden and an easy-breezy restaurant/bar staffed by one of the city’s better chefs," Brûlée wrote.
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Tyler Brûlée says empty Canberra CBD needs urban renewal…and possibly udon bolognese eatery

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There’s only a three-hour drive separating the two places but Canberra and Sydney are worlds apart when it comes to real estate.
That Sydney has been accelerating while Canberra has been in slow reverse is ample evidence that it’s foolish to speak of conditions in “the Australian property market”.
It also exposes the folly of claims of surging house prices across Australia. Nothing is surging in Canberra, other than Clive Palmer’s ego and tendency towards erratic behaviour.
While Sydney has had 18 months of upside, Canberra has experienced a slow and steady trip on the downside.
My research on Canberra for the next edition of The Price Predictor Index shows the trends evident in the two previous quarterly editions have continued – a gradual descend into downturn.
In the May edition I commented that the Canberra market was “going nowhere – neither up nor down - there is little in the way of meaningful growth, with markets stalled by uncertainty and nervousness resulting from the Federal Government’s plans to make big cuts to the public sector workforce.”
In the August edition I noted that the situation had worsened, with a reduction in the number of suburbs with any sort of positive pattern. The upcoming November edition will record a further deterioration in market conditions.
There are no “Rising Fast” markets in Canberra and only five “Rising Steadily” markets.
There remain a dozen suburbs rated as “Consistency” markets. In this regard, the standout precinct is the far north of the city, where new house-and-land sales are helping to maintain steady sales rates.
But the overall message is a marked absence of momentum, especially in the apartment market.
The number of apartment sales has been decreasing steadily for the past two years. In both the September and December quarters of 2012, there were 800-plus apartment sales across Canberra. By the March quarter of this year unit sales were down to 620 and in the September quarter there were an estimated 580 sales.
All of the Canberra markets with strong patterns of declining sales activity are unit markets. The suburb of Bruce, which was typically selling 40 to 50 apartments per quarter in 2012 and 2013, is now managing about 20 sales per quarter.
The biggest single apartment market is Kingston, which had 89 sales in the September Quarter of 2012 and 73 sales in the September quarter of 2013. But it’s gone steadily backwards since then, with only 48 sales in the June quarter this year and an estimated 30 sales in the September quarter.
The number of house sales across Canberra has also decreased, though not as much as apartments.
This pessimistic scenario is now reflected in data on prices and rentals. Domain Group’s September quarter House Price Report recorded a 2% quarterly decline in Canberra’s median house price and a 4% quarterly reduction in the median unit price.
The median rent for houses dropped 3% in annual terns and median rent for apartments is down 5%.
There has been an inevitable weakening of demand as the federal government moves towards giving the public service a short back and sides, while relocating some elements to regional areas where the costs are cheaper.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email</a> him or contact him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. 
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Canberra's market is stuck in reverse

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Canberra currently has 20 suburbs where the median apartment price is recorded at under $400,000, according to RP Data.
A further 21 have median prices in the $400,000 to $500,000 bracket. The most expensive suburb in terms of apartment median prices was <a href="/news">Yarralumla</a>, with an $808,000 price tag.
Gross rental yields for apartments sit firmly in the 4% to 6%, with no notable exceptions.
<a href="/news">Macquarie</a>, which made the list below, recorded the highest rental yield, at 5.8%, with the lowest recorded rental yield being <a href="/news">Deakin</a>'s 4.6%.
<a href="/news">Curtin</a>
Median price: $280,000
<a href="/news">Franklin</a>
Median price: $290,000
<a href="/news">Hawker</a>
Median price: $310,000
<a href="/news">Holt</a>
Median price: $325,000
<a href="/news">Scullin</a>
Median price: $339,000
<a href="/news">Ngunnawal</a>
Median price: $350,000
<a href="/news">Theodore</a>
Median price: $356,000
<a href="/news">Macquarie</a>
Median price: $358,000
<a href="/news">Watson</a>
Median price: $358,000
<a href="/news">Macgregor</a>
Median price: $362,000
Narrowly missing the top 10 list included <a href="/news">Gordon</a>, with a $365,000 median price, <a href="/news">Gungahlin</a> and Isabella Plains, both with <a href="/news">$370,000</a> median unit prices.
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

The 10 cheapest unit suburbs in ACT

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A five bedroom Red Hill, Canberra home fetched $3.4 million at weekend auction.
Set at the top end of <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-act-red+hill-117803695" target="_blank">Mugga Way</a>, it sold through Peter Blackshaw Manuka after the $2.8 million opening bid
The home had never been lived in, having been constructed on the 2044 squad metre block over a number of years by the vendor.
The home at 149 Mugga Way had 502 square metres of living space plus 110 square metres of garaging.
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Mugga Way, Red Hill auction secures $3.4 million sale

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Any time someone in my family buys property, I know about it. Property fever is in the air regularly in my extended family – I have cousins who are real estate agents, many of them invest, and a few of them have also recently become first home buyers themselves. I am no stranger to the excitement that buying property causes.
Even my parents are in on the action. They are currently in the process of designing plans for a newly purchased block midway between Canberra and New South Wales. It’s a 10 plus hectare land plot that I visited with them on a road trip when back on my last trip back to Sydney, and I absolutely fell head over heels for it.
They’ve bought into the second stage of a rural subdivision and have picked a block that’s conveniently bare save for a few distinctive boulders and trees, largely flat and has a creek running through one end. It has views all the way over the little town that it is adjacent to. Their home plans are also impressive – with a beautiful verandah, a huge kitchen and walk in pantry, energy efficiency measures and an entertainment wing with a sunken snooker table and cinematic-style projector room. It’s essentially their dream home – the property they’ve been planning for years that saw them selling out of Sydney’s north west and hunting for their final nest.
The effect that seeing this had on me was fairly immediate. My initial reaction was to want to know everything about the property and the process. The settlement was painfully slow, and I wanted to know why. Later, they found the land being used for agistment by local farmers, and I listened in on the hilarious attempts of my parents to move cows from their plot so they could wander around. Daily, I’m told plans that they have for it, the tiny changes to the kitchen plan, and intricate discussions about the Kitchen Work Triangle and building chicken coops.
And then, somewhere in the process, I decided I wanted the block next door.
For most people, this is going to sound odd – don’t most of us move out, have our own lives, and endeavour to live as far away from our parents (and in laws) as possible?
But you should see this land.
For the sake of my parents’ privacy I won’t share the address, but it’s stunning. It’s no secret that regional areas hold a huge charm for me, and I was easily taken. While the block doesn’t have the enviable views of my parents’ selection – it’s over the road and down the hill somewhat from their next home – it has a brick bridge for train tracks that runs through it with an infrequent train service (and some freight) over a creek. It’s spacious, and I had basically already chosen where I’d have the house built and where I’d be putting my barbecue before I'd left.
My partner and I have been preparing and slowly saving away for our next property; we have been undecided as to whether it should be an investment or a home in Melbourne given our relocation. This block is just in the range of what we can afford, provided lending doesn’t become an issue in the area, and I called my mother to chat it over.
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We have been preparing and slowly saving for our next property; but have been undecided as to whether it should be an investment or a home in Melbourne.
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We figured that I could buy it for our retirement, and build on it when prepared to live rurally in the distant future. Quickly, I was calling it “my block” (don’t you love how easily that happens?) and checking out my lender of choice's repayment calculator, doing my own sums. My Dad, a bullish property investor – although we rarely agree on locations or what to buy – told me that if I wanted then I could put solar panels onto it, and have some of it grazed by the farmers to provide some form of an income. Obviously, there are some tax implications to this that I’d need to consider, but it was starting to shape up to something worth considering and that could actually work.
See over page for why I decided to steer clear of purchasing
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But then the dawn of realisation occurred.
The day I retire and do my own “tree change” is some decades into the future. I would be laying down no small sum, taking on a large amount of debt, for an asset that doesn’t produce any real rental income. I then wouldn’t be using it for a long time, and the repayments would put a toll on my ability to save and pay down other more immediate debt. With the funds that I’d be using to purchase something that I dearly wanted, and was starting to daydream about, I might actually be stopping myself from achieving more by being wiser with my purchases. Unless you’re one of the lucky few with bottomless bank accounts, then you’re going to need to be careful with your money.
My ability to stomach risk now is likely higher than it will be in 30 or so years. If I choose a property that underperforms, I can weather it through. What is less likely to work, however, is if I tie up all my capital and push myself to full capacity with debt that stops me from investing further in growth assets. Not to mention that my partner doesn’t necessarily want the same things in retirement that I do (that is, to live within walking distance of my family and not within easy driving distance of anything resembling civilisation).
There are also the other considerations – one being that the area will substantially change by the time I come to live there, meaning it might not be the rural haven I'm after when it comes to retiring, or that my own goals and desires to live like this will also alter.
Or I might need to sell up due to a change in my own financial circumstances. This is just one of many regional areas that moves very slowly. Days on market are extensive for the very few properties that come to market each year, not to mention for that particular type of comparatively large landholding. While my investing ‘profile’ suggests that I can handle more risk – this risk of tying up my capital in a very slow moving asset is certainly not the type of risk I am prepared to deal with.
For this reason, my future tree change location is a dream that I’m putting on hold. It’s the pain of the opportunity cost, and risking better more targeted purchases, that I cannot stomach. Not everyone will make this decision – to choose their head over their heart – but it’s the advice that we’re frequently hearing and considering these implications now will hopefully pay off in the future.
It’s amazing how closely linked our heart strings and our purse strings are. Sure, it might ‘feel right’, but I’m getting increasingly used to having to rein in my desire to purchase something – when you write about property every day you inevitably stumble across stunning cheap “renovator’s dreams” and cheapie Tasmanian heritage homes that you’ve already mentally decided to buy, where the dogs would sleep, what colour you’d paint the walls and so on. These “five unusual NSW renovation opportunities” that I put together in May, for instance, had me hooked for a while. Church conversion? I can see myself in that. Old warehouse requiring substantial work and potential sweat/blood/tears? No problem. 
There's nothing wrong with thinking like that, but there may be an issue with acting on it without due care.
If you’re like me, you might get caught up in the dream of property a bit (a lot), but you need to give yourself that ‘step back’ breathing room where you do a bit of a logic test on your decisions. Just because you love it, doesn’t mean that you should buy it. This isn't a pair of shoes, or a fancy meal, this is an often decades-long financial commitment. If you're looking to invest, it's not about your emotions, or even about your instinct a lot of the time. It's about the cold, hard facts and numbers. And, no matter how much you’ve researched it, no matter how close you are to signing on the dotted line, if it’s not right for you – you can look for something else.
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There's nothing wrong with thinking like that, but there may be an issue with acting on it without due care.
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I’m still learning this lesson, but the fact is that my parents have taken this time, lived in undesirable areas and earned their dream home – both through long careers that they’re still building and through many other years of paying off a mortgage and planning for this. I have a few more stripes yet to earn before I can do the same, so it's back to the drawing board.
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Letter from the editor: Opportunity cost is one of the biggest risks

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A new variation to the Territory Plan in the ACT, commenced recently, has reduced the potential building heights proposed for some areas.
This includes land around Allawah Court, Currong Apartments and Bega Court, which Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, notes is now reduced to 12 storeys from the original 15 storeys, as a result of the potential negative impact on nearby residents. This is under Variation 308.
It also looks to revitalise aged public housing stock in Braddon and Reid. Much of the area under the change is occupied by public housing stock.
"This redevelopment will reduce reliance on the motor vehicle for new residents and promote the use of public transport, cycling and walking as alternative transport," he said.
"As well as higher density residential development the variation includes a requirement for a minimum of 5,800 square metres of space for community facilities to be provided on the site," he said.
"Variation 308 also contains provisions to encourage small scale community uses on the site to meet the convenience needs of residents and to ensure the street frontages are active and vibrant."
This came after much discussion in the local community over fears that the higher level residential developments could cause anti-social behaviour in public housing properties.
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