<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

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.

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;

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

China

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The ANZ Asian analyst Martin Whetton does not believe the pricking of the sharemarket bubble in China will seriously affect Chinese buying of Australian apartments and dwellings when asked by Business Spectator's Robert Gottliebsen. 
RG: Do you think that the Asian investors and the Chinese investors will keep pumping money in to our apartments?
MW: Well yeah, probably they will. I guess, if you look at the perspective of the size of how much money there is in China and, as I said before, about 20 per cent of the household wealth is tied up in property and equities. If more of the household wealth was tied up in property outside of the country, if they were to say we don’t want to own Chinese property anymore, we don’t want to own Chinese equities, and they had that liquidity themselves, I guess a relatively liquid asset like Australian property would be something that is still appealing to them. It’s still a market that’s going up for them at the moment and with the size of the Chinese population, I think there probably still would be some encouragement for that to happen.
At the same time, I guess you could argue if they ran out of money, which I don’t think is a hugely strong argument at this point, but if they were to run out of money, then there would be a slowing down of the natural number of people coming in from China to buy in the property market. I think the pace of that would slow naturally anyway, not through any discouragement from the state governments, at least on the east coast, who are swimming in the revenues of property turnover, but probably for the moment I would say you’re still going to get some buoyancy from China.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

ANZ's Martin Whetton sees no halt by China in Australian property acquisitions

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Will fresh Chinese property buyers still come to Australia?
Will existing off the plan contracts settle?
What decisions will the Chinese government make on fund transfers, with its formidable capaclty to control many aspects of its economy.
Will all Chinese developers proceed with their overpaid site projects?
Any Australian property market Chinese certainties are now off after the recent stockmarket rout. 
Blogger Pete Wargent recently uploaded a 25 year chart for the Shanghai Composite, indicating just how explosive the stock bubble had become in China. 
He noted that he make no pretensions of having special or unique insights into China's stock market craziness.
And I suspect no-one really knows all the likely property outcomes for Australia. 
We are all interested observers. About 8% of Chinese wealth is held by the 1.4 billion Chinese in their stockmarket - often considered punting money. Financial services company GaveKal said in a recent report the pain of the crash is affecting probably no more than 20 million to 30 million Chinese households, most of which range from upper middle class to very wealthy.
<div><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7FoNXS2m2iM/VZyUiG-EIRI/AAAAAAAAWvo/fa1aXO627rk/s1600/ssec.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge </a></div>
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<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7FoNXS2m2iM/VZyUiG-EIRI/AAAAAAAAWvo/fa1aXO627rk/s1600/ssec.jpg"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7FoNXS2m2iM/VZyUiG-EIRI/AAAAAAAAWvo/fa1aXO627rk/s640/ssec.jpg" width="640" height="272"></a></div>
The turmoil on the Chinese sharemarket raises concerns, challenges and opportunities for Australian real estate, Robert Harley wisely concluded in today's Australian Financial Review.
China has been the single-largest source of offshore real estate investment here, with $12.4 billion of Foreign Investment Review Board approvals in 2014-15, and has been rising and spreading fast.
No one depends more than Australia's billionaire apartment developer, Meriton's Harry Triguboff who told Harley:
"At this stage, we don't feel anything has changed. With the dollar coming down, they want our apartments even more."
Most current commentary suggests Chinese sharemarket turmoil will prompt the Chinese away from stocks to other asset classes, especially real estate. But I'd expect a few non-cyclical curve-balls. 
 
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Any Australian-Chinese property market certainties are off after stockmarket rout 

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Volume sales of units in Tier 1 Chinese cities increased 65% in the four weeks to July 5 2015 when compared to the same period last year, despite the country's economic turmoil. Shenzhen unit volume sales increased 174% when compared to last year.
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According to Macquarie Wealth Management China Property research, 12 developers reported June sales, amounting to 34% month on month growth.
Evergrande’s sales for the first half of 2015 increased 26% year on year.
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<a href="/images/2015/07/08/macq.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Chinese cities property volume sales going strong: Macquarie Wealth Management

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The giant Chinese conglomerate, Wanda Group and its online payment platform, 99 Bill, have introduced China's first commercial property crowdfunding project called "Stable Earner No.1."
As Wanda's first Internet finance product, "Stable Earner No.1" is a product based on Wanda plazas. 
Funds raised will be directly invested in the construction of Wanda plazas in each city. 
Investors will be awarded with the right to profits from such plazas and enjoy double returns including shop rental and added value of properties of Wanda Plazas. 
The expected annualized rate of return may reach over 12%.
"With a minimum initial investment amount of Rmb1,000 , this project is revolutionary as it lowers the traditional minimum investment thresholds of commercial property, making it possible for ordinary investors to own quality property and share the hefty investment returns with leading commercial property developers," the company press release advised..
Wanda boasted of its mature and professional ability as well as experience to operate and manage commercial real estate.
"Each Wanda Plaza is where people are concentrated and is extremely popular among merchant partners.
"In terms of commercial management, Wanda has set world records that occupancy rate and rental collection rates have both exceeded 99% for many years.
"In addition, the "city center" effect implies great potential of property appreciation after a Wanda plaza is constructed.
"All of this provides reliable guarantee for investors to gain stable and sustained high profit."
Fundraising will be from June 12 to June 15 2015. Investors can view project details by logging in 99 Bill platform or downloading 99 Bill wallet APP.
Investors may opt to cash out of and sell their investment three months after the establishment of the project, the first meaningful financial innovation project in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone and in China.
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Wanda suggests 12% returns in Shanghai crowd funding initiative

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Chinese UHNWIs are exploring Australian investment opportunities and their investment strategies are far ranging. 
According to the latest Knight Frank report, Australia has recorded exponential growth in investment over the past few years, culminating in just over $4 billion invested into the country by Chinese investors in 2014, across both commercial and development sites.  
Knight Frank’s Group Director of Research &amp; Consulting, Matt Whitby, one of the most powerful drivers “pushing” capital out of China, has been the continued consolidation of China’s residential real estate market.
“In March 2015, all of the 70 major Chinese cities recorded annual house price falls, compared to March 2014 when only one city recorded an annual decline.
“Recent cuts to China’s lending rates and the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR), may help boost confidence in the property market. 
"However, we expect property prices to remain under further pressure in 2015, as prices are unlikely to rebound while developers continue to clear inventory and pull back on new projects. 
"While this remains the case, we believe this will continue to make offshore expansion a viable option over at least the short to medium term.
"It is clear that the Australian cities are attracting significant investment, relative to the size of their economies. The economies of London and New York are much larger than the combined economies of Sydney and Melbourne, however they were outpaced in 2014 as a place to invest for the Chinese,” said Matt Whitby.
<img src="/images/2015/05/20/700_knight_map.jpg" alt="">
According to Matt Whitby, the Australian currency has also led to increased investment. 
“The Australian Dollar has depreciated by around 33% against the Chinese Renminbi since the last peak in April 2011, and 19% since mid-2014, which has largely strengthened the purchasing power of Chinese investors. 
"Overseas investment has become relatively cheaper. 
"Many Chinese and Hong Kong investors see this as a good opportunity to acquire foreign assets.”
 
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Chinese investors liking Sydney, Knight Frank

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The Foreign Investment Review Board released its <a href="https://www.firb.gov.au/content/Publications/AnnualReports/2013-2014/index.asp" target="_blank">Annual Report for 2013/14</a>, which made for interesting reading.
The most remarkable point of note was how accurately it conformed with expectations, coming in almost bang on - exactly in line - with previous guidance.
The 2014 Annual Report made history confirming that as expected China was by a huge margin the most influential investor in Australia with a thunderous $27 billion. 
By way of comparison the nearest competitor was the US at just $17.5 billion.
Unsurprisingly the main destination for foreign investment was real estate at $74.6 billion, a massive $22.7 billion increase on the prior year.
And, as I <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/asian-capital-is-impacting-our-property" target="_blank">covered here last week</a>, proposed foreign investment in residential real estate did indeed more than double in fiscal 2014, from $17.2 billion to $34.7 billion.
Let's take a look at what this means for our property markets.
All real estate proposals
Across all classes of real estate, the number of proposals in 2014 was...whoa.
<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKu1UBbT6PU/VULsRL9DabI/AAAAAAAAVAA/fX1bUkKJq-Q/s1600/FIRB1.jpg">
And the increase in real estate applications decided by value was...whoa!
<img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sEg5HWgFv4g/VULsRP-2f4I/AAAAAAAAVAE/PgeZnmdEpc8/s1600/FIRB2.jpg">
Note that these figures include all classes of real estate.
This all forms part of a very real dichotomy for our real estate markets. 
On the one hand competition from developers is adding <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/asian-capital-is-impacting-our-property" target="_blank">unprecedented upwards pressure on land values</a> in the largest capital cities, particularly after the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA). Developers from China, Hong Kong and elsewhere are consistently overpaying for sites in Sydney and Melbourne, inevitably pushing up prices.
On the other hand, we are seeing a resultant <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/asian-capital-is-impacting-our-property" target="_blank">boom in the number of high rise apartments</a> being approved, sold offshore and constructed, and this is set to put further downward pressure on unit rents.
Residential approvals
With regards to residential property specifically, both the number and value of proposals approved leapt dramatically in fiscal year 2014.
<img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x0_SIgy8gms/VUXmHz67cUI/AAAAAAAAVCU/zEB3gzsc1Cg/s1600/FIRB.jpg">
A large proportion of approvals continue to be for assets of under $1 million in value. If you check this blog back to its inception you will find that one of the chief reasons that I long ago picked out Sydney real estate as the out-performer was that I believed eventually the Aussie dollar must return from the stratosphere, and foreign investment would explode in Sydney and Melbourne.
The timing of currency movements and the impacts thereof are impossible to predict accurately; but that <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/asian-capital-is-impacting-our-property" target="_blank">time is now</a>. 
State by state
Anyone with a working pair of eyes and a few frequent flyer air miles under their belt would know that Melbourne, Sydney and south-east Queensland see the overwhelming bulk of foreign investment in residential real estate. 
New South Wales (39%) and Victoria (41%) accounted for 80% of foreign residential approvals by dollar value in 2014, with Queensland (11%) and Western Australia (5%) mopping up most of the remainder. South Australia accounted for just 0.4%.
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PC1ZKJp21Y/VUXmOaJ5AXI/AAAAAAAAVCc/i6ZFmCBcubc/s1600/FIRB1.jpg">
It is important to recognise that most of this investment in residential real estate was approved for new dwellings (11,338 approvals), rather than for existing property (7,915), vacant land (3,150), redevelopment (534) or developer approvals (103).
By country
Finally, as projected China has come from the borders of oblivion to be far and away the away the greatest foreign investor in Australian assets.
To be blunt, this could come as no surprise whatsoever to anyone who works in the industry, the ever-increasing volume of inquiries (both residential and commercial) forcing a few people over time to change their opinions, including myself.
<img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwPRoyniJyk/VUXmUih2nvI/AAAAAAAAVCk/3O7hzwiS56I/s1600/FIRB2.jpg">
China was by an enormous margin the biggest investor in real estate, manufacturing and mineral exploration, and will soon become the leading investor in Australian services industries too.
If you believe that this trend is going to tail off any time soon, think again.
After the signing of the ChAFTA, the behemoth Chinese Greenland Group stated that it sees "no ceiling" to the level of funds it is prepared to invest in Australia, with agriculture next on the hit list. The commercial space is seeing a spate of enormous deals being written. In the past year both the Hilton Hotel and the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney have both been taken out by Chinese investment groups Bright Ruby and Sunshine Insurer for Group $442 million and $463 million respectively, while Goldfields House at 1 Alfred Street in Circular Quay also went recently for $425 million.
The wrap
Approved foreign investment in residential real estate more than doubled in 2014 and will continue to play a huge role in Australia over the years ahead, driven predominantly by Chinese capital.
This is helping to drive a record increase in dwelling supply, albeit <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/asian-capital-is-impacting-our-property" target="_blank">largely of highrise apartments</a>.
Clearly the new dwellings market in the most populous capital cities is increasingly being shaped by offshore funds, and the trends by country present not-so-subtle hints as to what is happening in the established property market too.
There are now approaching 400,000 Chinese born Australians, and there around 1 million people in Australia of Chinese ancestry. 
2014 also saw yet another huge increase and a <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/asian-capital-is-impacting-our-property" target="_blank">record number of Chinese short-term arrivals</a> at around 800,000. More than 750 business investment visas have been issued to qualifying "Significant Investors" since 2012, most of them to wealthy Chinese as intended.
Multiple pathways - as well as the evident desire - clearly exist for foreign-sourced capital to find its way into established property too, and my view is increasingly that this is happening, particularly in Sydney, and probably Melbourne. 
I expect if you asked others who work in property "at the coalface" in these two cities they would tell you the same.
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.
His book '<a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>' is out now.
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What's really happening with foreign buyers and property? Pete Wargent

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A 5,050 square metre Mosman residential holding – the Sydney suburb's largest harbourfront estate – has been offered for sale.
It has been listed by its $20 million, early 2012 buyer, Ying Li. 
Title Tattle gleans the seller already has a higher offer on the table.
They are intent on briefly testing the market through <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/nsw/mosman/?adid=2011950616&amp;sp=2" target="_blank">the House 18 World Square marketing campaign</a>. 
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The lowdown on the reason for the top end trophy home listing was the family doesn't want to embark on its likely three year replacement home construction project.
It was bought in 2012 from the retired car dealer Laurie Sutton and his wife, Di.
The residence had been the Sutton’s home for almost 35 years. 
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But the estate was best known as being the home of the Pick a Box presenters Bob and Dolly Dyer, who sold in 1977 for $376,960, when they headed to Queensland. 
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Despite renovations over the past three decades, there were still traces of the Dyers' day, including the imposing sandstone fireplace in its living room.
The Bay Street offering has been listed by Michael Zhu at House 18 World Square agency.
The 2012 purchase highlighted a small, but emerging, trend of buyers of Chinese origin buying luxury homes around Mosman. 
It is not known if the acquisition was by a foreign buyer requiring FIRB approval or new migrants, expats or long-time citizens, through Ying Li gave his address for official purchasing purposes as a solicitor's office at Colin Biggers &amp; Paisley.
<img src="/images/stories/sutton1.jpg">
The Bay Street tropical holding is like Hawaii meets Hamilton Island on Middle Harbour on Quakers Hat Bay.
<img src="/images/stories/sutton6.jpg">
Bob Dyer, who was a hillbilly Tennessee vaudeville singer on his arrival in Australia in 1937, had paid £15,068 for the property in 1950, after upgrading from a house on the Balmoral side of Mosman as he earnt increased wages from his radio gig.
<img src="/images/stories/sutton2.jpg">
Dyer went on to host the television show BP Pick a Box between 1957 and his retirement in 1971.
Dyer, with his raucous "Howdy, customers" greeting, presided over contestants who faced a sudden-death decision of choosing between "the money or the box" with the secret prize.
<img src="/images/stories/bobdyer.jpg" width="150">
He died in 1984. His widow – who, as Dolly Mack, had been a Sydney Tivoli showgirl in her teens – lived for another 20 years.
The listing in 2009 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/mosmanites-playing-property-pick-a-box-with-caution/2011081251139">had expectations of beating Mosman's $22.5 million house price record</a>.
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Mosman's $20 million plus Pick a Box harbour estate listed by upgrading Chinese vendor

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The emergence of China as a source of hotel property capital has major implications for Australia, according to industry veteran Stephen Burt, the Colliers International Asia Pacific Hotels managing director.
"This phenomenon of a concentrated source of capital is nothing new," said Burt.
"In the mid to late 1980s it was Japanese capital dominating Australian hotel property, and the 1990s post-1992 was dominated by Singaporean investors.
"However, on this occasion the capital flow is larger and more pervasive in terms of property profile.
"During 2015 China based capital (mainland and Hong Kong) may account for over 60% of major hotel transactions throughout Australia.
"This will range from $4 million motels to $400 million plus hotels."
Burt identified four major implications:
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"Many Chinese companies buying now are new to hotel investment. They are institutions with minimal or no existing hotel investment exposure or often companies that created wealth through non-hotel industries. Therefore, hotel operators will need to ensure their new owners understand the key terms of the hotel operating agreement; namely the budget approval process, cash flow management, approval process for senior executive appointments, the capital expenditure approval process including owner’s contractual obligations;
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"The majority of the CEO and chairpersons for the new Chinese investors cannot speak English. This is not a criticism, just a fact, just as most Australian senior executives doing business in China cannot speak a Chinese dialect. However the point is, an important ingredient for successful hotel investment is good communication between the owner and operator. Clearly, there will be bilingual intermediaries but we know what happens when a story is told to one person, who then passes the story to another person. Therefore, make sure key messages (hotel may fail to make budget!) are correctly conveyed to the appropriate operative in China whom will be the person ultimately approving the annual trading and cap ex budget;
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"The degree of foreign ownership of Australian hotels over the next few years will be extensive. This may lead to calls from certain non-aligned sectors to restrict foreign ownership. I would warn (and conflict acknowledged) this would be a negative outcome for the hotel industry. Hotel investment is like mining investment; it offers the opportunity for good returns but requires significant capital. Our mining industry would not have its current scale if it had to rely too much on domestic capital. It is the same for hotel property; and
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"Chinese investment in the hard assets will further stimulate Chinese visitation to Australia. The challenge will be not to fall over ourselves to overtly pamper Chinese visitors so that their Australian experience is diluted and becomes an extended China experience. This was a mistake with the Japanese visitor boom of the 1980s which failed to be sustainable. Chinese visitors come to a foreign country to experience local cuisine, and to meet the locals and other international visitors; not to be herded on tours exclusively for Chinese. They like to shop independently and not be forced into specific shops."
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The influx of Chinese investors was headlined by the $463 million sale of Sydney's Sheraton on the Park hotel to Chinese insurer Sunrise.
JLL recently noted Chinese outbound capital surged to over US$16.5 billion in 2014 as institutions, as developers and private investors sought to take advantage of the buoyant real estate market across the globe. 
For the first time ever, in 2014 Chinese buyers spent more on commercial real estate outside of China than domestically, a significant milestone and a sign that the domestic market is entering a new phase.
It noted following a slower year for transactional activity in China in 2014, outbound investments made up 52% of all real estate transactions of Chinese investors within the commercial sector.
Office and residential land acquisitions accounted for 85% of all Chinese purchasing activity, although JLL noted strong demand for hotel and hospitality assets. 
While Europe topped the list of favourite investment destinations, attracting over US$5.5 billion, Australia emerged as a new favourite among Chinese investors in 2014 with over US$3 billion flowing into the country. 
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Chinese hotel buying is larger than the Japanese 1980s push: Colliers International

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Guest observation
There can’t be too many people in Australia who don’t recognise that the health of the Australian economy is increasingly determined in China. The boom and all-too-predictable bust in the resource sector is the most consequential manifestation of this possibility.
There is now a growing – if somewhat belated – consensus that the undoubted potential benefits of being a reliable and convenient resource exporter were not captured and very unevenly realised. Because the vast majority of “Australia’s” resource sector is actually foreign-owned, any government would have had difficulty influencing its behaviour or reining in the manic investment splurge that has contributed to the collapse in resource prices.
Although much of the profits of the boom disappeared overseas, state governments in particular did enjoy a major boost to revenues. However, little thought was given to the long-term strategic use of the economic windfall the boom created. The contrast with Norway and its very different approach to collective investment is an indictment of the short-term, short-sighted nature of policymaking in this country.
Older readers may remember we’ve been here before. During the 1970 and 1980s, Japan was our principal trade partner and there was an expectation – here and in Japan itself – that the good times would continue to roll. There was also a backlash, in this country and the US, about Japan’s growing economic power and its investment strategies.
Although it was Japan’s long-term strategic investments in resources that ought to have caused policymakers most concern, it was “trophy” investments in the US and real estate purchases on the Gold Coast that caused the most angst among the general population.
This historical experience is worth keeping in mind as it is being repeated, only this time under a Chinese rather than a Japanese banner. Successive governments have been decidedly uneasy about Chinese investment in resources and agriculture, fearing the same kind of “strategic” investment rationale and thinking that once caused such trepidation about Japan.
Equally significantly, Chinese investment in real estate is also beginning to alarm policymakers and the general electorate alike.
Nothing epitomises the growing policy challenge facing the Australian government more than Joe Hockey’s surprising decision to force prominent Chinese business figure Xu Jiayin to sell his A$39 million Sydney mansion because it contravened foreign investment laws.
Given that many observers think that the Foreign Investment Review Board is normally a somnolent, under-resourced paper tiger whose regulatory reach is patchy, inconsistent and easily avoided, its role in this affair is noteworthy.
While this decision would seem at least partly motivated by the desire to be seen as responding to Sydney’s growing real estate bubble, it highlights a number of more fundamental challenges for government. First, is the government’s principal constituency the Australian electorate or the “international investment community”?
Real estate agents are – surprise, surprise – bleating about the negative signal this decision sends to would-be investors in China. This argument is easily refuted as specious and self-interested. Productive investment – even in new real estate – ought to be welcomed, but buying existing stock simply drives up its already inflated value and prices locals out of the market.
The dangers of not regulating real estate investment can be seen in London, another global city with similar problems. In London, “Russian oligarchs”, as they are politely known, are emblematic of a process that has seen the UK’s capital become increasingly disconnected from the rest of the country.
A similar process is at work in Australia, with potentially even more problematic consequences. China’s new rich are increasingly looking for a safe place to stash their cash in the event that the Chinese economy or – even more worryingly – the Chinese political system implodes.
Even more problematically, much of this new wealth has questionable origins. It is no coincidence that capital flight from China is gathering pace at precisely the same time that Chinese authorities are involved in a seemingly genuine <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/business/property/corruption_crackdown_sends_ripple_yMp1juvVwXuL3WnHMgXJXN">attempt</a> to crack down on corruption.
One direct consequence of China’s domestic policy initiatives has been to encourage those who fear being exposed as corrupt to shift their ill-gotten gains offshore. The Chinese government is seeking greater co-operation from the Australian government in identifying and seizing the assets of corrupt officials who have fled to Australia.
If the message this sends to China is that only bona fide productive investment from reputable sources is welcome in Australia, it’s hard to see why that’s a problem. In a global era, governments around the world have to decide whose interests they serve and use the tools that still remain available to them to actually manage economic and social outcomes.
The consequence of simply leaving things to market forces is not difficult to predict: great powers and economies have always shaped lesser ones, all other things being equal. At a time when voters everywhere are increasingly cynical about politics, the dangers of not acting in the endlessly invoked “national interest” are becoming increasingly clear.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/38376/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Mark Beeson is Professor of International Politics at University of Western Australia.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-chinese-investment-conundrum-38376">original article</a>.
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The great Chinese investment conundrum: Mark Beeson

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Australian banks are really dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s with prestige property lending in 2015, according to the Melbourne buyers' agent Mal James.
"It is obvious that there have been directives from the top through most banking hierarchies," said James.
"Prudential banking is a good thing, just so long as it’s fair and equitable to local buyers as well," he suggested on the issue of offshore borrowings versus local.
He added the banks will lend if local buyers get in shape – with the right valuations, right loan to value ratios and updated earnings figures.
<div id="attachment_49545">But the now "massive differences between the agents quote and the end result" was becoming a major issue, he said.</div>
"Many Chinese buyers have worked out agent quoting, but some local buyers appear to have not.
"Chinese buyers have in many cases no real contact with agents and in many cases can’t even speak English, yet they are able to buy well and locals are not.
"Chinese buyers form their own opinions on values or get assistance from their friends or buyer advocates.
"Local buyers listen to agents, who fill their heads with mush."
<img src="https://marketnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Quoting-Bidding-597x448.jpg" alt="Quoting Bidding" width="597" height="448">
<a href="https://marketnews.com.au/2015/03/some-chinese-buyers-have-worked-out-agent-quoting-but-many-local-buyers-appear-to-have-not/" target="_blank">A James Buyers Agency graphic</a> (above) was used to show in red the agent quote on offerings in Brighton, Kew and Hawthorn.
The orange is the Chinese bidding which was consistently high across the board. He said his agency had some Chinese buyers on its books.
The blue is what Mal James bid and the black boxes is the range James Buyer Advocates gave to its clients the week before the auction on where it felt the home would sell.
"See how consistent it is with three different agents on three different homes in three different suburbs," said James.
"During the first few weeks of 2015 it was understandable for agents and advocates and buyers to get it wrong as the market shifted big time and yes, agents and advocates can’t get it right every time (but they shouldn’t get it wrong every time either)."
He noted many were underestimating the power of the inner Melbourne prestige market, saying "they think it is an aberration. 
"We do not share that view while the fundamentals are so obvious and so strong. 
"Of course we have no idea how long it will last but the bidder depth from overseas buyers is as David Hart from Brighton Buxton described it – 'profound'."
He advised values change dramatically with:
+ Building Quality + Chinese Bidding + Better Precincts + Building Size + Auction Volcano Interest - Poor Floor plan - Poor Land Features - Poorer Precincts - High Vendors
James also noted some houses - especially ones that cannot be bulldozed are actually discounting their land value; "such is the insatiable appetite by overseas buyers for land you can build on."
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