Roseville is poised for a wave of new apartment development following the NSW Government's rezoning of land around Roseville Station under its Transport Oriented Development program.

The new planning controls have unlocked significant development potential within walking distance of the station, with a number of sites expected to be amalgamated and redeveloped in the coming years as developers seek to take advantage of the increased density allowances.

One of the more restrained developments in the precinct, and set among the first to be delivered having commenced well before the recent changes, is Hyecorp's Juliet. The boutique apartment project is already well under construction and remains on track to welcome residents by the end of the year, offering a markedly different proposition to many of the larger-scale developments now likely to emerge across the suburb.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278194]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/juliet-roseville-64-pacific-highway-roseville-nsw-2069">Juliet</a> will comprise just&nbsp;34 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments opposite Roseville Station. For Hyecorp, which has delivered projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore for more than three decades, Roseville presented a rare opportunity to address a growing gap in the market.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/roseville-nsw-2069">Roseville</a> has long been one of the North Shore's most tightly held and desirable suburbs, offering a unique combination of village charm, established greenery, excellent transport connections, and proximity to some of Sydney's best schools and lifestyle amenities," Hyecorp said.

"We recognised a growing demand from local homeowners seeking to downsize without leaving the community they have built their lives around. The location presented a rare opportunity to create homes that cater specifically to that buyer profile."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278196]

The six-level development has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a> as a collection of residences that feel more like homes than apartments. The brief centred generous floorplans, abundant natural light, quality finishes, and strong connections to outdoor space.

PBD Architects drew inspiration from Roseville's established garden suburb character, creating a building that sits comfortably within its surroundings rather than dominating them. The architecture incorporates natural materials, soft forms, layered landscaping, expansive balconies, and generous setbacks to strengthen the connection between residents and the suburb's leafy environment.

"The focus was on designing spacious, house-like residences for discerning owner-occupiers and downsizers who wanted to remain on the North Shore without compromising on comfort, privacy, or design," PBD said.&nbsp;

"Every apartment was to feel considered, timeless, and highly functional."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278195]

Inside, residences feature engineered timber flooring, stone kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, integrated Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, ducted air conditioning, and large outdoor entertaining areas designed to take advantage of district and treetop views.

Residents will also have access to a rooftop barbecue and lounge area, alongside practical amenities including parcel lockers, EV charging capability, bicycle storage, a dog wash bay, and a basement car wash facility.

The majority of purchasers so far have been local owner-occupiers from Roseville, Lindfield, Chatswood, Killara, and the broader Upper North Shore, many of whom are transitioning from larger family homes.

"Buyers are looking for spacious, house-like apartments that allow them to downsize without feeling like they are sacrificing comfort or functionality," Hyecorp noted.

"They value large kitchens, generous living areas, ample storage, quality finishes, secure parking, lift access, and low-maintenance living."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278204]

Juliet sits directly opposite Roseville Train Station and within walking distance of Roseville Village, while Chatswood's retail and dining precinct is only minutes away. The development is also surrounded by some of Sydney's most established schools, including Roseville College, Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College, and Knox Grammar, as well as nearby parklands and golf courses.

Juliet is currently more than 75 per cent sold ahead of its anticipated completion in late 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7395]

Joel Robinson

Juliet to sit quietly amid Roseville apartment boom

Sherpa Property Group has unveiled the third instalment of its Flourish series, securing full approval for the two-tower, $500 million Flourish Soleira development in Palm Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-1150-1154-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> will rise from a prominent site in the commercial heart of Palm Beach, the long-time home of Cash Converters and a range of local retailers.

The project will introduce a new retail and dining precinct at ground level, beneath 286 apartments.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370959]

“We’re very committed to not only providing affordable residential offerings that are much needed in Palm Beach, but also delivering a vibrant new commercial heart that complements the extraordinary growth of the southern Gold Coast,” Sherpa Property Group founder Christie Leet said.

The development will sit under Sherpa's Flourish brand, which is aimed at providing a pathway into the beachside suburb for locals, first-home buyers and downsizers. In a move designed to assist first-home buyers entering the market, Sherpa has reserved all one and two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments exclusively for eligible first-home buyers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]

“Our vision through Flourish is to create a vibrant retail and lifestyle focal point within the Palm Beach centre zone, delivering thriving communities underpinned by lifestyle-rich locations,” Leet said.

“So far, Flourish has been an incredible success, and we hope to carry this momentum as we progress the next two Flourish projects in Palm Beach.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=371430]

Located across 1150-1164 Gold Coast Highway and 3 Sixth Avenue, the development will comprise two towers. The northern tower will deliver 154 apartments, while the southern tower will add a further 132 residences, helping address ongoing demand for new apartments in the tightly held coastal suburb.

Flourish Soleira will also feature the most extensive rooftop amenity offering ever delivered in Palm Beach.

The two towers will be connected by a skybridge, with residents gaining access to a rooftop recreation deck featuring a full-width swimming pool, hot and cold plunge pools, wellness spaces, a gymnasium, private dining facilities, massage treatment rooms, barbecue areas, a basketball court, golf simulator, indoor and outdoor dining spaces, sun lounges and extensive landscaping.

LPS Group is expected to start construction later this year.

Sherpa is already well advanced on construction of its debut Flourish project, Flourish Amargo, located just around the corner from Soleira. Meanwhile, Flourish Oasis, positioned opposite Amargo, recently commenced construction and has nearly sold out its collection of 47 apartments.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa unveils $500m mixed-use Palm Beach precinct, Flourish Soleira

Are mortgage holders set to get a reprieve from the RBA in 2026?

Big Four bank NAB believes so. They are now expecting the next move from the RBA to be a cut, rather than a hike, which they had pencilled in for August. They are unsure of the timing of the cut however, they note in their latest&nbsp;NAB Economics RBA Watch.

NAB Chief Economist, Dr Sally Auld, said recent data suggests the economy has lost momentum and the outlook for rates has shifted, noting that the broader economic backdrop has changed since earlier in the year.

“The next move in the cash rate is likely to be down, but the timing is uncertain," Dr Auld said.

"In February, growth was above trend, the economy was operating above capacity and there was uncertainty over the restrictiveness of rates. None of these conditions exist today,” she outlined.

Dr Auld said recent data pointed to softer momentum across the economy while acknowledging that at the same time, uncertainty remains a key feature of the outlook.

“Both Q1 GDP data and the NAB business survey suggest momentum in the economy has slowed, meaning that growth has likely peaked for the cycle. That said, we are cognisant there is still considerable uncertainty around the outlook, both with respect to activity and inflation.”

Dr Auld said inflation risks and labour market outcomes would be important to watch.

“On the prices side, we are still forecasting above target core inflation through to mid-2027. Margins will compress and weaker labour market outcomes are a risk.”

She said tighter financial conditions are expected to weigh on housing and activity.

“Tighter financial conditions will be reflected in a slowing in house price growth and housing credit growth. In summary, we have greater conviction that the next move in rates is down, but less conviction on the timing.”

Mortgage relief? NAB forecasts RBA rate cut, not hike, after softer economic conditions

A local downsizer has splashed $6.5 million on a penthouse in Perifa's Alex &amp; Willow development in Crows Nest. 
&nbsp; 
The purchaser sold their long-held family home in the area before embarking on a six-month search for the right apartment. After inspecting a range of options across the Lower North Shore, the buyer returned to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/alex-willow-crows-nest-82-90-alexander-street-crows-nest-nsw-2065">Alex &amp; Willow</a>. 
&nbsp; 
The buyer profile reflects the project’s broader purchaser mix. <a>Alex &amp; Willow</a> has attracted predominantly local downsizers looking to transition from larger homes without compromising on space or quality, alongside a smaller cohort of upsizers and investors drawn to the project’s location and design credentials. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone sale comes as the project, developed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">Perifa</a>&nbsp;and delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile-made-construction">Versatile Construction</a>, both part of Versatile Group, reaches 60 per cent sold.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6680 project_image_fid=371325] 
&nbsp; 
Eddie Mansour, Managing Partner of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/ray-white-projects">Ray White Projects</a>, said the result demonstrates not only a headline price but also depth of demand. 
&nbsp; 
“This is an exceptional outcome and a clear reflection of sustained buyer demand for premium, well-located downsizer product,” Mansour said.

“We’re seeing a consistent pattern of local homeowners selling family residences and reinvesting into high-quality apartments that allow them to remain within their community. Alex &amp; Willow has resonated strongly with this group because it offers genuine scale, thoughtful design and immediate proximity to the village.” 
&nbsp; 
The sale reflects a broader and consistent trend of local downsizers actively seeking high-quality, low-maintenance residences close to established village centres. Agents report that demand for this product type has remained resilient, particularly where developments offer a rare combination of scale, design quality and walkable amenity. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Fabrizio Perilli, Managing Director of Perifa and Versatile Group, said the sale marks a defining moment for the project. 
&nbsp; 
“The penthouse sale is a strong endorsement of the quality we have delivered, alongside our partners, and the clear demand from local downsizers for premium, boutique residences in this location,” Perilli said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
“Most importantly, we’re proud to see the Alex &amp; Willow community beginning to take shape. As we move closer to completion, we’re looking forward to welcoming residents and seeing the project come to life.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6680 project_image_fid=338516] 
&nbsp; 
Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/nettletontribe">Nettleton Tribe</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/richards-stanisich">Richards Stanisich</a>, Alex &amp; Willow is a boutique collection of generously sized two- and three-bedroom residences in the heart of Crows Nest village.&nbsp;

Completion is slated for early 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6680]

Alex & Willow, Crows Nest penthouse sells off the plan for $6.5 million

Fresh from launching the first stage of its Wollongong precinct, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/keira-place-wollongong-120-122-smith-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Keira Place</a>, builder-developer Urban Property Group has unveiled plans for the next phase of the masterplanned community.

Now on public exhibition through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway is a State Significant Development Application for a further 657 homes on the prominent gateway site opposite Beaton Park.

The proposal comprises three buildings, including two build-to-sell towers rising 25 and 30 storeys, delivering 391 apartments, alongside a 12-storey co-living building with 266 residences, making it one of the largest co-living proposals currently planned in regional New South Wales.

Of the apartments proposed in the build-to-sell towers, the majority, 310, are two-bedroom dwellings. The balance comprises 44 one-bedroom apartments and 37 three-bedroom residences. Apartment sizes range from around 50 sqm for one-bedroom homes to approximately 90 sqm for three-bedroom apartments.

<img alt="Smith St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="19347059-1612-41a0-9c74-b86a657237f8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-10%20at%2010.02.18%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sWXnaCcA.cIC6N8YT1dg5pJ2e1V3Z6z7" />

The submission says the proposal has evolved significantly from its original Housing Delivery Authority application following extensive consultation with the State Design Review Panel and Wollongong City Council.

The final scheme has been designed to align with the emerging vision for the Flinders Street Precinct, an area identified by Council as a future high-density mixed-use neighbourhood capable of accommodating substantial housing growth close to transport, employment and community infrastructure.

According to the design report prepared by COX Architecture, the development aims to "deliver a built outcome consistent with the future character of the Wollongong CBD while responding to the site's unique constraints and opportunities."

"Our vision for the next phase of the site evolution in Wollongong is grounded in three design pillars that guide the design response: place, natural environment and celebration," COX said.

"Inspired by its surroundings and grounded in the stories of place on Wodi Wodi Country, the design proposal acknowledges the established character of its setting while creating a unique and timeless identity that sits harmoniously within it.

"The design proposal responds to its specific site conditions, acknowledging the vegetation, climate, wind conditions and solar access of the site."

The architecture responds directly to the site's position between Wollongong's urban core and its natural landscape setting.

COX identified views towards Mount Keira and the Illawarra Escarpment as defining features of the site, while the upper levels of the towers will also capture expansive views across the city and out to the Pacific Ocean.

The design team has positioned the tallest buildings closer to the rail corridor, where overshadowing impacts can be better managed while establishing a landmark built form on the northern approach into the city.

<img alt="Smith St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="79580d5b-500c-4ebf-9629-797146a4a694" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-10%20at%209.51.59%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WbTB1EKSG.KDfsfz0F3wp1QVa2oCMGR5" />

Urban Property Group secured the 11,000 sqm Smith Street site in 2022 and has since progressed plans for the broader Keira Place precinct.

Construction recently commenced on the first stage of Keira Place, which will deliver 150 apartments across two residential buildings, including 27 affordable housing apartments and 18 specialist disability accommodation dwellings, alongside activated ground-floor retail and commercial space.

Urban Co-CEO Patrick Elias said the commencement of construction marked a significant milestone for Wollongong and reflected the developer's long-term commitment to regional cities.

"Today's groundbreaking is about turning approvals into homes and moving quickly to deliver much-needed housing in Wollongong's city centre," Elias said.

"Keira Place will provide a diverse mix of homes close to jobs, transport and services, while setting a high benchmark for quality, durability and consumer protection."

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/groundbreaking-marks-start-of-construction-at-keira-place-in-wollongong-cbd">Groundbreaking marks start of construction at Keira Place in Wollongong CBD</a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Urban Property Group unveils trio of towers for next stage of new Wollongong precinct, Keira Place

Finance

<html><body>
Prospective first home buyers may want to consider using credit, and positive exposure to it, to give them a leg up, according to Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers.
While they warn that if you cannot manage the responsibility then it’s best to avoid credit, disciplined new buyers may see themselves benefiting from the consideration.
In fact, Smartline executive director, Joe Sirianni, said that responsible management of debt is a positive in this age of bank credit scoring, but it should be handled carefully.
“Debt isn’t unlike fire. Managed correctly and carefully, it can be incredibly useful, but in the wrong hands there’s a good chance you could get burnt,” said Sirianni.
He said that while years ago it was suggested that you had a personal or car loan or credit card that you would pay off, as a form of ‘proof’ that you can handle money, this is no longer the case when it’s far less likely you know your local branch manager.
In the late-1980s, when banks moved to centralised decision making, the emphasis shifted to whether or not you had defaults. Sirianni notes that with more automated credit scoring on computers in recent years, a lack of a previous credit facility can count against you.
You want to be building a good track record.
“Computer programs are essentially doing what the humans used to do – making a value judgment on your past performance and assessing your character,” he said, explaining that leaving a blank field in relation to previous credit conduct could be a negative.
“However, having never borrowed and never made a mistake is still always better than having borrowed and made a mistake,” he said.
“But it’s not as good as having borrowed and having repaid it.”
He said that if you’re planning to take a few thousand dollars on a credit card or car loan, and are able to repay, then this would be a positive, even while excess unnecessary debt should be avoided.
“It might even be as little as a credit card with a $500 limit that you’ve kept in good order – that would be all you would need to do well on the credit score,” he said.
</body></html>

jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

How to: Use credit to your benefit as a first time buyer

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
We all want a property portfolio that costs us nothing to hold. It’s the dream to be able to purchase more and more properties because every property pays for itself. So why do people opt for negatively geared property if the best option is a positively geared property portfolio?
The general argument is that negatively geared properties are that way because they are in areas offering higher capital growth but lower yields. For example, metropolitan areas where the value of the property is high in comparison to the rental income it receives. And the common notion is positively geared properties, are typically in regional or fringe areas of cities or may involve a dual occupancy, like a granny flat and as a result achieve higher rental yields in comparison to the overall value of the property.
However like all things there are exceptions to the rules and some properties with reasonable capital growth can still offer reasonable rental returns. For example, according to the Commonwealth Banks recent report on the state of the property market in Australia over the last 12 months:
<a href="/news">Kelvin Grove</a> in Brisbane reported 4% capital growth and averages 4.7% rental yields.
<a href="/news">Strathfield</a> in Sydney reported 13% capital growth and averages 4.5% rental yields
<a href="/news">St Kilda</a> Melbourne reported 4.7% capital growth and averages 4.3% rental yields
And with RP Data’s latest economic report showing average nationwide unit rental yields while down are still achieving on average 4.7%, most investors would be looking at the current three year fixed interest rates under 5% and thinking we have hit the sweet point where you can achieve the dream and just keep adding properties almost ad infinitum.
So why is lending still a problem and why can’t investors just keep adding properties?
The first thing to keep in mind is the normal costs associated with owning an investment property, like real estate agency fees, council rates, strata fees. Then there are the ones that people often overlook like the unexpected hot water system replacement.
Let’s assume though that you achieve a rental return of 6% and the costs are no more than 1% so that you have net rental of 5%.
Won’t the lenders give you unlimited loans?
This is when the lenders start to apply their own stress testing to your borrowing and it can make a huge difference. For example while some lenders will allow you to consider the actual interest rate of your loans where the loans are fixed for more than three years others will apply the normal variable testing interest rate.
And what a difference, on a typical $500,000 loan the difference could be. Interest only payments with a fixed rate of 4.99% of $2,079 per month or calculated loan repayments of $3,530 per month where the lender loads the interest rate by 2% and applies principle and interest payments over 25 years.
That is a difference in rental payments of $1,451 per month in order to get the loan to match the rental income or put it another way, a net rental yield of 8.47%.
Now there are creative ways of increasing your rental yield like renovations, allowing the tenants to keep a pet or adding an extension or granny flat that will allow the property to generate an additional income stream.
So why do lenders look differently at your current loan repayments? We know it all comes back to the four credit rules or  four C’s of credit. That is each lender is weighting the importance of your ability to afford the loan repayments slightly differently depending on their expectation of where interest rates, unemployment and the general economy might be going.
So there is no right or wrong answer to the question about whether negative or positive is right or wrong because for every investor is comes down to personal circumstance, your individual goals and your ability to service your loans.
If you would like guidance on which lenders might be right for you or a free property report on the possible capital growth of your properties why not give us a call.
Albertus Waldron is a partner at Chan &amp; Naylor. For a free portfolio review or guidance on which lenders might be right for you, you can contact <a href="https://www.chan-naylor.com.au/contact/" target="_blank">Chan &amp; Naylor</a>.
</body></html>

awaldron-dVhPXocinv

Why lenders are negative about positively geared property

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Why will one lender approve one loan and another lender decline the same loan? And what do you do when you can’t tick the lenders boxes?
I have been meeting with various lenders risk assessment and the credit teams behind them and for the first time in many years, the credit pendulum is swinging ever so slightly away from conservative lending and back to a responsible but slightly more aggressive lending outlook.
Now not everyone is comfortable with this and recently top NAB exec Joseph Healy, head of the NAB's business banking and Asia operations, was quoted in The Australian taking a swipe at the bank's competitors for “aggressive” tactics designed to gain market share. 
While not mentioning names, Healy hit out at one competitors tactics: “One particular institution has been very aggressive, and that aggression is evident in the market share and the growth they've seen."
This change in lending policies is opening up some fantastic opportunities for investors, if you know how to access it.
I often speak about how to improve your prospects of securing a loan when you approach the major lenders. I base my presentations around the 'four C’s of credit': character, capacity, collateral and conditions.
This change in lending policies as the pendulum moves away from collateral is opening up some fantastic opportunities for investors but brings more sharply in focus the capacity of the borrower to afford the loan repayment, their capacity is now the highlight.
In the past granny flats or small developments were often in the too hard basket with lenders devaluing the end product so as to reduce their risk but in actuality putting these options out of the reach of all but the most cashed up investor. So some lender are now instructing their valuer to consider the actual construction costs of the granny flat. This small change is putting the possibility of adding a granny flat onto a property within the reach of most investors.
For first home buyers the 95% loan to value ratio loans are also starting to become available again for those who can qualify.
So, how can this be responsible lending with even APRA warning last year that they had concerns about high LVR lending and loosening lending standards?
In APRA Insight they pointed out: “Sustained low interest rate environment poses further risks to lending standards. It is important for ADIs to ensure that new borrowers are able to service debt and afford higher repayments when interest rates rise from current record low levels. APRA expects ADIs' serviceability assessments to test borrowers' capacity to meet higher repayments through adequate interest rate buffers and floors, applied to new and existing loan commitments.”
So even APRA give us the answer: capacity, as lenders relax their lending criteria on the back of the record low interest rate APRA is encouraging lenders to test borrowers at higher interest rates than would be typical
What does this mean in practical term? Previously lenders would build a buffer into the interest rates offered of between 1.5-2% when testing serviceability. This meant that in terms of being able to afford loan repayments borrowers would have to undergo large rates rises before the interest rate increases would begin to hurt household budgets. What APRA is now encouraging lenders to do is to set a floor, a lowest limit for testing of interest rates. With one lender this has meant that regardless of interest rate reductions all their loans are tested with a hypothetical interest rate of 8% which is nearly 3% higher than the actual interest rate offered by the lender on their discounted variable interest rates.
What is interesting though is that while we have seen the easing off of lending standards, particularly with collateral and character we are only just starting to see these harsher testing interest rate criteria filter through.
But be warned though, we have seen one lender move this month to move the testing interest rate on their fixed interest rates to a higher level than previously, most likely on the back of pressure from APRA.
So now is a great time to review you property portfolio and to review your borrowing capacity before the new APRA regime begins to really take hold.
Albertus Waldron is a partner at Chan &amp; Naylor. For a free portfolio review you can contact <a href="https://www.chan-naylor.com.au/contact/" target="_blank">Chan &amp; Naylor</a>.
</body></html>

Changing lending policies are opening up fantastic opportunities for some investors

<html><body>
Ongoing fees to financial advisors and brokers are costing Australians $3.367 billion a year, according to a cash back provision company.
In a report commissioned by YourShare, research and consultancy firm Rice Warner have calculated the total annual ongoing fees and commission paid to brokers for life insurance, mortgages, superannuation and pensions and managed funds.
According to their research, each Australian pays an average of $1,808 per year for ongoing financial services fees.
Australia’s ongoing fee and commission costs, per person, per year:
<ul>
<li>$688 on mortgages (based on an average size loan of $344,221)</li>
<li>$404 on life insurance (on an average annual policy premium of $2,019)</li>
<li>$546 on non-super managed funds (on an average investment of $136,612)</li>
<li>$170 on retail super (on an average account balance of $77,980).</li>
</ul>
YouShare’s chief executive Ron Hodge says that many consumers are not aware of the ongoing fees.
“These ongoing fees are hidden to many consumers because they were either not disclosed or they were buried deep in paperwork when you initially bought these products,” says Hodge.
 “$3.367 billion is an enormous amount for Australians to be paying out in annual, ongoing fees to advisers and brokers for the financial products that most of us have, especially if you are no longer being serviced by your adviser or broker,” he says.
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2014/06/23/your-share-june-23-one.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/06/23/your-share-june-23-one.jpg" alt=""></a>
Source: YourShare. *the sum of commissions has been used to show the impact on Australians holding multiple products. ^average sums insured are $450,000 term, $490,000 TPD, $245,000 trauma and $5,800 per month income protection.
YouShare offers a service helping people get cash back for hidden fees.
</body></html>

jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Australians paying more than $3 billion a year in ongoing fees: YourShare

<html><body>
According to SEEK co-founder and Square Peg chief executive Paul Bassat, payments are the “holy grail of innovation”.
He made the comment at The Australian Financial Review and Macquarie Future Forum on Tuesday, where some of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs declared the <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/futureforums/banks_face_losing_market_share_to_VKIE4VHCEgXEz8USZp9tXJ" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">industry ripe for disruption.</a>
Despite banks in Australia being protected by complicated regulations, entrepreneurs are placing the industry under increasing pressure. Adding to banking woes are the likes of Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook eyeing entry to the payments market.
Here are the top four Australian disruptive financial services startups to watch:
<ol>
<li>
<a href="https://www.societyone.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Society One </a>Society One is Australia's leading peer-to-peer lending platform, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/financing-a-business/in-a-world-first-australian-bank-invests-in-peer-to-peer-lending-startup/2014040812072" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">with a $5 million investment</a> from Westpac’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/financing-a-business/westpac-aims-to-get-disruptive-with-launch-of-50-million-venture-capital-fund/2014030311796" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Reinventure</a> Group, a $50 million fund set up to back early stage startups. It’s rumored to be on the investment radar of both James Packer and Lachlan Murdoch. Borrowers list loan requirements and investors decide which loans they choose, how much to invest in each loan, and the rate at which you want to earn their interest. Its personal loan rate for a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/societyone-steals-the-march-on-competitors-with-lowest-rate-for-personal-loans/2014060412443" style="line-height: 1.3em;">prime borrower is 9.80% per annum, 5%</a> lower than the average rate from the major banks. 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://tyro.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Tyro Payments </a>Tyro provides credit, debit and EFTPOS card acquiring services and does not take money on deposit. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/finance/cash-flow/independent-eftpos-provider-tyro-surpasses-35-billion-in-transactions/201301298748" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">It was founded in 2003</a> by ex-Cisco employees Peter Haig, Andrew Rothwell and Paul Wood as MoneySwitch Ltd. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/growth/start-up-profiles/i-lost-a-very-dear-friend-but-i-think-it-was-the-right-decision-for-the-company-tyro-in-start-ups-are-scary/2014031311865" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Eleven-year-old Tyro is in its second year of profitable business operations</a>. Disrupting the Australian banking industry was never going to be easy, and it took the team over $30 million in capital and a founder break-up to get there. At launch it was the first new entrant into the eftpos space in 15 years. 
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://pin.net.au/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pin Payments </a>Pin Payments is an Australian-based startup operating from Melbourne and Perth that offers onsite payments and a developer API without the need for a merchant account.<a href="https://pin.net.au/" rel="nofollow"> </a>It received a grant from Commercialisation Australia and partnered with some of the Australian banks to make its offering possible. Both overseas-based Braintree and Stripe operate in the same space, but Pin has a solid local focus. Getting access to a payment system has previously been a juggle for companies, especially early stage ones. Pin Payments is aimed at developers who can easily integrate its service through their API. 
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.coinjar.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="line-height: 1.3em;">CoinJar</a></li>
</ol>
CoinJar, a Melbourne-based bitcoin exchange and payment system<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/financing-a-business/venture-capital/coinjar-raises-500000-dollars-for-global-growth/2013120311294" target="_blank">, which has raised $500,000 in</a> seed funding from a range of individual investors and the Blackbird Ventures seed fund.
Launched in February by Asher Tan and Ryan Zhou, CoinJar has over 10,000 active users in Australia. The company charges a low single-digit percentage fee for each transaction.
CoinJar was the first company to get its Bitcoin app re-listed in the iPhone App Store, after Apple revised its app guidelines to include virtual currency apps that it previously excluded.
This article originally appeared at <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/">StartupSmart</a>.
</body></html>

jake-cSmGT7VXVf

Four Australian disruptive financial services startups to watch

<html><body>
Housing finance data for April 2014 was <a href="/expert-insights/finance/first-home-buyers-fall-back-to-record-lows">released this week</a> by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 
The headline figure for the number of owner occupier housing finance commitments was flat over the month however, dig a little deeper and there are some differing trends emerging.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3337" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-1.jpg" alt="Chart 1">
As mentioned, the number of owner occupier housing finance commitments was flat over the month following on from a -0.8% fall in March. This data is split into commitments for refinance purposes and commitments for non-refinances (or new loans). 
Refinance commitments rose by 0.6% compared to a -0.3% fall in non-refinance commitments.  Non-refinance commitments fell over consecutive months and it was the first time this has happened since December 2012. 
Given the number is a count it is important to look at the trend and it is clear from the first chart that the number of owner occupier commitments, whether it be for non-refinances or refinances is beginning to flatten. 
Year-on-year, refinance commitments are 8.6% higher compared to a 5.7% rise in non-refinance commitments.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3338" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-2.jpg" alt="Chart 2" width="500" height="179">
The number of owner occupier housing finance commitments for the construction of new dwellings and the purchase of new dwellings have shown a strong rise recently however, as the above chart shows there has been some recent weakness in commitments for the purchase of new dwellings.
The number of commitments for construction of new is almost three times greater than the number for purchase of new nevertheless, the recent weakness is certainly something to keep track of.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3339" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-3.jpg" alt="Chart 3" width="500" height="182">
The data on the number of commitments is important however it is narrow in its scope given it does not include investors. 
From a banking perspective, the value of the funds they are lending is arguably more important than the number of loans written. The total value of housing finance commitments (which includes investor commitments) increased by 1.7% in April and increased by the same amount if you remove refinance commitments.
Over the month, owner occupier refinance commitments were 1.6% higher, owner occupier non-refinance commitments were 1.3% higher and investment loan commitments increased by 2.3%.  As the above chart shows, investment and owner occupier lending is at record high levels whereas non-refinance loan commitments are still -5.7% lower than their previous peak. 
In terms of the value of finance commitments all three segments continue to record a rise and are trending higher. 
Article continues on next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Year-on-year the total value of housing finance commitments are 20.4% higher with owner occupier refinances up 19.1%, owner occupier non-refinances up 13.4% and investment loans 29.8% higher.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3340" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-4.jpg" alt="Chart 4" width="500" height="179">
It’s also important to look at the make-up of lending across owner occupiers and investment loans. 
Over the month of April, 43.0% of all lending was to owner occupiers for non-refinances, 39.4% was to investors and 17.6% was to owner occupiers for refinances. As the above chart shows the proportion of lending to investors is high on an historical basis. 
In fact investment lending is sitting at levels not seen since late 2003. It is clear from the data that there is significant demand for housing from investment currently. 
The big question of course is how sustainable is that demand given there was a sharp slowdown in this segment of the market shortly thereafter lending last reached similar heights.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3342" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-5.jpg" alt="Chart 5" width="500" height="182">
It is interesting to pair this data with recently released quarterly data from the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) about Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions’ (ADIs) exposure to property.  The latest data showed that interest-only loans accounted for 39.4% of all loans over the quarter (a similar proportion to these investor figures). 
However, the data also suggested that loans with a loan to value ratio (LVR) of more than 90% may be getting harder to find with 13.5% of new loans over the quarter with an LVR of more than 90% which was the lowest proportion since September 2011.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3341" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-6.jpg" alt="Chart 6" width="500" height="183">
Focussing on lending to first home buyers, there were 6,074 housing finance commitments to first home buyers in April 2014.  This figure was -7.3% lower over the month and -12.7% lower year-on-year. 
As a proportion of all owner occupier housing finance commitments, first home buyers accounted for an equal record low of just 12.3% of the commitments over the month.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3343" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chart-7.jpg" alt="Chart 7" width="500" height="264">
The RP Data Mortgage Index (RMI) which is an index of mortgage events across RP Data’s proprietary platforms has a strong correlation with housing finance data and is a weekly index.  The RMI predicted a softening of activity some six weeks ago and is indicating a sharp rebound in the housing finance data once the May data is released.  Note that the RMI data is correlated strongly to the raw housing finance data not the seasonally adjusted figures which are referred to elsewhere throughout this post.
The data seems to suggest that the growth in the number of new owner occupier housing finance commitments is starting to, or already has, topped out. There is still plenty of activity in the owner occupier refinance and investment segments of the market.  Of course our chief concern remains the high level of investment activity in the market. 
Total returns from residential property have been strong over the past 12 to 18 months however, we believe that the peak level of capital growth has now passed and rental yields continue to fall. 
Although total returns are still strong they are likely to diminish from here and where will that leave these investors especially if they were simply chasing the short-term value appreciation which has been particularly prevalent in Sydney and Melbourne over the past year. 
The good news is that the higher risk, high LVR loans are reducing however, there are still a lot of instances in which mortgagees are only paying back the interest component of the mortgage.
</body></html>

ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Owner-occupier housing finance commitments topping out

<html><body>
Mortgage Choice says it’s surprised by the results of its own survey of property investors.
Why? Because the people at Mortgage Choice have their heads as full of misinformation about real estate issues as everyone else out there.
They apparently expected the survey to show that saving a deposit was the biggest problem faced by property consumers, given the (alleged) big increase in property values around the nation and the (apparently) ongoing affordability crisis.
<a href="/expert-insights/finding-an-investment-property-harder-than-saving-for-one-mortgage-choice">But the survey showed</a> that the biggest challenge for investors was finding the right property, while affordability issues ranked well down the list of concerns.
There’s actually nothing surprising in any of that. You just need to have a little market knowledge – by which I mean real knowledge, not vague impressions absorbed from media sound bytes.
Mortgage Choice issued a press release, which presumably was designed to generate credibility for the organisation, but it did the opposite.
Here’s what the media release said:
“According to Mortgage Choice's 2014 First Time Investor Survey, 50.6% of investors who purchased their first investment property within the last two years said finding the right property was the hardest part of investing. Mortgage Choice spokesperson Jessica Darnbrough said the results were surprising, especially given the current market conditions. With property values climbing considerably over the last 12 months, we expected to see more first time investors saying their biggest challenge was saving a deposit, Ms Darnbrough said. Instead, just 15.3% said 'saving a deposit' was the biggest challenge they faced when investing in property.”
A couple of points about that - property values haven’t been climbing considerably in the last 12 months. Only in Sydney (and, more recently, in near-Sydney centres) have property values boomed. Most major cities and regional centres have had only moderate growth and some have had no growth at all.
While media continues to fabricate an affordability crisis, the two quarterly indexes published on affordability show the opposite is true. They’ve both just published their latest editions and found that affordability continues to improve and is the best it’s been in 12 years.
How can national organisations that make their living from real estate be so badly informed about it?
It’s no surprise that finding the right property is the biggest issue for novice investors. At Hotspotting we encounter this from consumers on a daily basis. The most commonly used word is “overwhelmed”.
Real estate consumers are overwhelmed by many things, including the massed of bad and conflicting information, but most of all by what to buy and where to buy it. This is a seriously large country with tens of thousands of locational choices. Sydney alone has over 700 suburbs.
The key element missing for most investors is not financial capacity – it’s the absence of a clear strategy for putting their financial capacity to effective use.
The investors who are not overwhelmed are those who have a clear set of goals, an understanding of their risk profile and borrowing capacity, and a strategy for achieving the end game.
Investors like that are quite rare – which is why the Mortgage Choice survey found that most novice investors struggled with finding the right property in the right location.
You can contact Terry via  <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email</a> or on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
</body></html>

terryryder-YECXbqmri2

No surprise that finding a property is first time investors' biggest worry

<html><body>
The most powerful woman in finance in Australia, Gail Kelly has been ranked 56th most powerful women in the world, by the latest Forbes list.
Leading Westpac, Australia's oldest and second largest bank with $651.4 billion in assets and more than 36,000 employees, Kelly moved up from 62nd place in the 2013 most powerful woman in the world list.
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/power-women/#tab:overall_page:6" target="_blank">Forbes noted Kelly</a>, not quite satisfied when she met her goal -- two years early -- of having women fill 40% of top managerial positions at Westpac, that she recalibrated the target. 
"Now she aims for half of the bank's top managers to be women by 2017, the same year that it celebrates its 200th anniversary.
"Gender equality isn't the only benchmark to rise under her leadership this year, either. 
"The bank's net profit climbed to $3.36 billion in the six months through March from $3.05 billion a year earlier."
In 2013 Forbes wrote she’s the pinup girl for corporate Australia in a country where the dearth of female executives heading big companies causes much angst.
Back in 2010 the annual Forbes magazine list of 100 powerful women saw Ms Kelly improve her ranking from 18th to eighth.
She debuted in 2008 as the 11th most powerful woman in the world, the year that Ms Kelly became the CEO of Westpac.
Westpac could soon be the first Australian brand to launch ads on Facebook's premium video ads product with the bank talking up the power of the medium, according to Adnews..
Australia's wealthiest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, ranked 27th this year, after achieving 16th place on last year's list.
Julia Gillard was in 28th place on last year's list, but out of the top 100 in 2014.
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has been named the world's most powerful woman for the fourth year in a row.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Westpac's Gail Kelly moves up to 56th place on Forbes most powerful women list

<html><body>
First Home Saver Accounts are being phased out, with no new accounts being accepted and contributions to dwindle.
After this time, they will become regular accounts with the institution they were taken out with.
It wasn't a hugely popular product with our Big Four and across all those providing this product, 46,000 total accounts were recorded in December 2013, with $521.5 million held in the accounts collectively.
ME Bank's First Home Saver Account, one of the most popular, saw 24,000 take it up. With an average of $15,000 in these accounts, general manager asset products Luke Easton said that they were not involved in any discussions with the government around the product.
In fact, it appeared that those who had taken out First Home Savers Account with ME Bank had been largely positive about it.
Easton said that he's disappointed that discussions around how to improve these accounts did not occur, before the decision was made to get rid of it entirely.
"We've been happy supporting first home buyers," said Easton, noting the scheme worked well for those involved. "None of the majors picked up on the product, and we've found it a great opportunity."
One of the benefits that ME Bank account holders found with the product was the inability to touch the funds for the four year dutation - in effect, forcing them to keep it saved away from temptation - and the subsequent requirement that it be spent for the initial purpose, to buy a home.
Many of the account holders were said to be influenced by their parents, who had been made aware of them by their accountants. In turn, they had then helped their children to set up the accounts meaning that "by the time they're 23 or so, they are sitting on a nice nest egg," he said.
In fact, he told Property Observer that they've been considering creating a replacement product for these prospective first time buyers.
However, he said that it's early days and they're looking for feedback first before coming up with any finer details.
Currently, the ME Bank website notes that they're investigating the impact of the announced changes on customers and the pending applications.
It notes that applications received prior to 7.30pm on May 13, 2014, will still be honoured, and that the government will make 17% co-contribution on deposits for this financial year.
Due to the changes, they can no longer offer the account.
</body></html>

ME Bank looks for an answer to scrapping of First Home Saver Accounts

<html><body>
The ANZ intends to close seven more branches, which will take the total closures to 19 over recent months.
Most of the latest seven are in regional centres, such a Healesville in Victoria and Tamour in New South Wales.
<ul>
<li>Victoria: Burwood and Healesville</li>
<li>Queensland: Pomona</li>
<li>New South Wales: West Ryde and Tamour</li>
<li>South Australia: Brighton</li>
<li>Western Australia: Gosnells</li>
</ul>
Ian Roger's banking website, Banking Day reported a bank spokesperson suggested customer inconvenience would be limited as the average distance to a nearby branch, for those affected by the latest closures, was 7.5 kilometres.
The branches were ones where "there had been a significant decrease in customer use".
Staff in the affected branches will not necessarily be made redundant, but the landlords will be forced to find new tenants.
Late last year the bank signalled closures at 12 locations:
<ul>
<li>Victoria : 222 Exhibition St, Melbourne; 27 Commercial St, Korumburra, 3950; 67 Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek;</li>
<li>Queensland: 2 Corporate Court, Bundall; 9 King St, Caboolture; 102 Brisbane Street, Ipswich; 401 Upper Edward Street, Wickam Terrace;</li>
<li>New South Wales: ANZ Toukley - Cnr Main Rd &amp; Canton Beach Rd; Lismore Square Shopping Centre, Lismore; 343/345 Barrenjoey Road, Newport Beach;</li>
<li>South Australia: Bowman Street, Crystal Brook;</li>
<li>Tasmania: 50 High Street, Oatlands;</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

Finance

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Finance

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News